US6142874A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gaming machine
Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corp
•
Filing: 1999-05-25
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Granted: 2000-11-07
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Expires: 2019-05-25
Abstract
Abstract A gaming machine has a symbol display arrangement that displays a variation action of a variable plurality of symbols that are necessary for playing a game. A predictive display arrangement performs a predictive display that informs the player of the likelihood of the appearance of a specific symbol display state when the variation action is stopped. A determination whether or not the symbol variation action is to be stopped with the appearance thereon of the specific symbol display state is made by a controller that also determines which predictive display mode from among a plurality of predetermined predictive display modes is to be displayed. In one embodiment, the controller controls the predictive display arrangement so that the probability of the appearance of a specific symbol display state is changeable in conjunction with the change in the game with the passage of time. The player will expect the appearance of the predictive display having a high likelihood, and therefore the player's expectation of the appearance of the specific symbol display state can be sustained from the start of the variation display to the stopping thereof. The player's expectation for the "big hit" is enhanced by changing the predictive display in which the likelihood of the "big hit" is increased.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuyoshi Kodachi
- 👤 Humio Nakano
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:46
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/32; G07F17/3225; G07F17/3227
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
A gaming machine having: a symbol display arrangement for displaying a plurality of symbols necessary for a game, the plurality of symbols being varied in a variation action that is initiated in response to the satisfaction of a predetermined condition; a predictive display arrangement for performing a predictive display that predicts an appearance of a specific symbol display state upon a stopping of the variation action of the symbols displayed by said symbol display arrangement; and a controller for determining whether or not the symbol variation action displayed by said symbol display arrangement is to be stopped so as to display the specific symbol display state, and for selecting a specific predictive display mode among a plurality of predetermined predictive display modes, said controller being arranged to generate the predictive display mode that is predetermined corresponding to a probability of the appearance of the specific symbol display state, the predictive display mode being changeable in conjunction with a change in the game with passage of time.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
A gaming machine having: a symbol display arrangement for displaying a plurality of symbols necessary for a game, the plurality of symbols being varied in a variation action that is initiated in response to the satisfaction of a predetermined condition; a predictive display arrangement for performing a predictive display that predicts an appearance of a specific symbol display state upon a stopping of the variation action of the symbols displayed by said symbol display arrangement; and a controller for determining whether or not the symbol variation action displayed by said symbol display arrangement is to be stopped so as to display the specific symbol display state, and for selecting a specific predictive display mode among a plurality of predetermined predictive display modes, said controller being arranged to generate the predictive display mode that is predetermined corresponding to a probability of the appearance of the specific symbol display state, the predictive display mode being changeable in conjunction with a change in the game with passage of time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
123 words
The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein said predictive display arrangement is arranged to perform a first predictive display that is indicative of a first probability of the appearance of a specific symbol display state upon a stopping of the variation action of the symbols displayed by said symbol display arrangement, and a second predictive display reflecting a second probability of the appearance of the specific symbol display state upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition, said controller being arranged to select and generate the second predictive display mode predetermined corresponding to the probability of the appearance of the specific symbol display state, the second predictive display mode being changeable in conjunction with the change in the game with the passage of time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
131 words
The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein said predictive display arrangement is arranged to perform a first predictive display reflecting a first probability of the appearance of a specific symbol display state upon the stopping of the variation action of the symbols displayed by said symbol display arrangement, and a second predictive display reflecting a second probability of the appearance of the specific symbol display state upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition; said controller being arranged to select and generate the first and second predictive display modes, each of which corresponds to a predetermined probability of the appearance of the specific symbol display state, at least one of the first and second predictive display modes being changeable in conjunction with the change in the game with the passage of time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the predictive display mode includes a combination of a plurality of predictive display symbols.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the combination of the plurality of predictive display symbols is associated with a condition of a display sequence responsive to time.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein said predictive display symbol is determined in response to the timing of the stopping of the symbol variation action.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the predictive display symbol is displayed one or more times until the variation action of any one of the symbols is stopped.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the predictive display symbol is displayed one or more times until the variation actions of any two of the symbols are stopped sequentially.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the predictive display symbol is displayed one or more times until the variation actions of any three of the symbols are stopped sequentially.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the predictive display symbol is displayed one or more times until the variation action of any one of the symbols is stopped, and the predictive display symbol is displayed one or more times until the variation actions of any two of the symbols are stopped sequentially.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the predictive display symbol is displayed one or more times until the variation action of any one of the symbols is stopped, and the predictive display symbol is displayed one or more times until the variation actions of any three of the symbols are stopped sequentially.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the predictive display symbol is displayed one or more times until the variation actions of any two of the symbols are stopped sequentially, and the predictive display symbol is displayed one or more times until the variation actions of any three of the symbols are stopped sequentially.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
81 words
The gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the predictive display symbol is displayed one or more times until the variation action of any one of the symbols is stopped, the predictive display symbol is displayed a further one or more times until the variation actions of two of the symbols are stopped sequentially, and the predictive display symbol is displayed a still further one or more times until the variation actions of any three of the symbols are stopped sequentially.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the probability of the appearance of the specific symbol display state is changed in conjunction with a change in the game responsive to the passage of time, the predictive display symbol being varied in response to the change of the probability.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the predictive display mode is arranged to indicate a plurality of predictive display symbols successively.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The gaming machine according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of predictive display symbols depict a story line.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
67 words
The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the controller is provided with a predictive display memory for storing a plurality of predictive display modes, each comprising a combination of the plurality of predictive display symbols, the controller being arranged to select and indicate a specified predictive display mode corresponding to the probability, from among the plurality of predictive display modes stored in said predictive display memory.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
217 words
A gaming machine having: a symbol display arrangement for displaying a plurality of symbols necessary for a game, the plurality of symbols being varied in a variation action that is initiated in response to the satisfaction of a predetermined condition; a predictive display arrangement for performing a predictive display that predicts an appearance of a specific symbol display state upon a stopping of the variation action of the symbols displayed by said symbol display arrangement; and a controller for determining whether or not the symbol variation action displayed by said symbol display arrangement is to be stopped so as to display the specific symbol display state, and for selecting a specific predictive display mode among a plurality of predetermined predictive display modes, the predictive display mode including a combination of a plurality of predictive display symbols associated with a condition of a display sequence responsive to time, each predictive display symbol included in the combination of the plurality of predictive display symbols being displayed in response to the condition of the display sequence, said controller being arranged to generate the predictive display mode that is predetermined corresponding to a probability of the appearance of the specific symbol display state, the predictive display mode being changeable in conjunction with a change in the game with passage of time.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
217 words
A gaming machine having: a symbol display arrangement for displaying a plurality of symbols necessary for a game, the plurality of symbols being varied in a variation action that is initiated in response to the satisfaction of a predetermined condition; a predictive display arrangement for performing a predictive display that predicts an appearance of a specific symbol display state upon a stopping of the variation action of the symbols displayed by said symbol display arrangement; and a controller for determining whether or not the symbol variation action displayed by said symbol display arrangement is to be stopped so as to display the specific symbol display state, and for selecting a specific predictive display mode among a plurality of predetermined predictive display modes, the predictive display mode including a combination of a plurality of predictive display symbols associated with a condition of a display sequence responsive to time, each predictive display symbol included in the combination of the plurality of predictive display symbols being displayed in response to the condition of the display sequence, said controller being arranged to generate the predictive display mode that is predetermined corresponding to a probability of the appearance of the specific symbol display state, the predictive display mode being changeable in conjunction with a change in the game with passage of time.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5024439A
Cited
US5018737A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-11-07 | 2004-05-08 | 2004-11-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-07 | 2008-05-08 | 2008-11-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-07 | 2012-05-08 | 2012-11-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |