IP Library Granted Patent US 8,449,376
Granted Patent B2
US 8,449,376 · App. 12/890,385 · Granted May 28, 2013

Gaming device for determining a re-drawing group for following games

Inventor: Eiji Aida (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Konami Gaming Incorporated
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,449,376
App. No.
12/890,385
Granted
May 28, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

To display a plurality of symbols in a plurality of display regions, upon starting a game, and in a case where trigger symbols are stop displayed in any of the plurality of display regions, to draw for specific display regions where trigger symbols are displayed, from a plurality of types of symbols so that the symbols are displayed having a predetermined relationship among the symbols in at least game units, and at the same time, to draw for general display regions that have symbols other than the trigger symbol displayed, from a plurality of types of symbols so that arbitrary symbols are independently displayed.

Claims (28)

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a display unit having a plurality of display regions each being adapted to display one of a plurality of types of symbols;

a draw control unit determining a symbol to be displayed in each of said plurality of display regions at each game; and

wherein at each game, in a case that a first predetermined number of said plurality of display regions satisfy a predetermined grouping condition, said draw control unit groups the display regions satisfying the grouping condition into a re-drawing group and determines number of following games, and

at each of said determined number of following games, said draw control unit:

(a) determines for each of one or a plurality of re-drawing groups grouped at previous games, a random symbol that is to be displayed in common in all of those display regions grouped into said each re-drawing group, from predefined special symbols among said plurality of types of symbols;

(b) determines for each of those display regions that are not grouped into any of said one or plurality of re-drawing groups, a random symbol that is to be displayed in said each display region, from said plurality of types of symbols;

(c) groups into a new re-drawing group, a second predetermined number of display regions not having been grouped into any of said one or plurality of re-drawing groups but satisfying the grouping condition, and

(d) consolidates one re-drawing group and another re-drawing group into a new re-drawing group in a case that the display regions grouped into said one re-drawing and the display regions grouped into said another re-drawing group satisfy said grouping condition; and

wherein said grouping condition is satisfied where any of said predefined special symbols is displayed in common in all of said predetermined number or more of display regions, said first predetermined number being at least two and said second predetermined number being at least two.

2. The gaming machine according to claim 1 , wherein in a case said one re-drawing group and said another re-drawing group are mutually adjacent, said draw control unit consolidates said one re-drawing group and said another re-drawing group.

3. The gaming machine according to claim 2 , wherein said grouping condition is satisfied when a same symbol, hereinafter referred as a trigger symbol, is displayed in every one of said respective predetermined number of display regions.

4. The gaming machine according to claim 2 , wherein at any of the following games, the prize symbol determined for display regions grouped into the re-drawing group is any of a plurality of candidate symbols having a specific interrelationship with the trigger symbol for the re-drawing group.

5. The gaming machine according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second predetermined numbers is three.

6. The gaming machine according to claim 1 wherein the first predetermined number is greater than or equal to the second predetermined member.

7. A gaming machine comprising:

a display unit having a plurality of display regions each being adapted to display one of a plurality of types of symbols, the display unit performing a flash display of symbols in which symbols are moved in a constant fashion in said plurality of display regions and subsequently stops movement of said symbols to display all or a portion of said symbols in a substantially stationary fashion;

a draw control unit determining a symbol to be displayed in each of said plurality of display regions at each game; and

wherein at each game, in a case that at least a first predetermined number of said plurality of display regions satisfy a predetermined grouping condition; said draw control unit groups the display regions satisfying the grouping condition into a re-drawing groups and determines number of following games, and

at each of said determined number of following games, said draw control unit:

(a) determines, for each of one or a plurality of re-drawing groups grouped at previous games, a random symbol that is to be stopped in common in all of those display regions grouped into said each a re-drawing group, from predefined special symbols among said plurality of types of symbols;

(b) determines, for each of those display regions that are not grouped into any of said one or plurality of re-drawing groups, a random symbol that is to be stopped in said each display region, from said plurality of types of symbols;

(c) groups into a new re-drawing group, a second predetermined number of display regions not having been grouped into any of said one or plurality of re-drawing groups but satisfying the grouping condition; and

(d) consolidates one re-drawing group and another re-drawing group into a new re-drawing group in a case that the display regions grouped into said one re-drawing group and the display regions grouped into said another re-drawing group satisfy said grouping condition; and

wherein said grouping condition is satisfied where any of said predefined special symbols is displayed in common in all of said predetermined number or more of display regions, said first predetermined number being at least two and said second predetermined number being at least two.

8. The gaming machine according to claim 7 , wherein in a case where said one re-drawing group and said another re-drawing group are mutually adjacent, said draw control unit consolidates said one re-drawing group and said another re-drawing group.

9. The gaming machine according to claim 8 , in a case where a same symbol, hereinafter referred as a trigger symbol, is stopped in every one of said respective predetermined number of display regions, those display regions satisfy said grouping condition.

10. The gaming machine according to claim 8 , wherein at any of the following games, the prize symbol determined for display regions grouped into the re-drawing group is any of a plurality of candidate symbols having a specific interrelationship with the trigger symbol for the re-drawing group.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 16, 2013
From: AIDA, EIJI
To: KONAMI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 030223/0289 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 16, 2013
From: KONAMI CORPORATION
To: KONAMI GAMING, INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 030223/0381 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2003-125600 · Apr 30, 2003 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 10835887 · Apr 29, 2004
Related Publication 20110070941A1 · Mar 24, 2011