U.S. patent application number 09/952613 was filed with the patent office on 2002-06-06 for replacement of symbols displayed by a gaming machine to create a winning symbol combination.
Invention is credited to Gauselmann, Michael.
Application Number | 20020068623 09/952613 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7656245 |
Filed Date | 2002-06-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020068623 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gauselmann, Michael |
June 6, 2002 |
Replacement of symbols displayed by a gaming machine to create a
winning symbol combination
Abstract
Electronic slot machine with a symbol display device which
displays symbols which are arranged in rows and columns and which
have at least one specially identified winning symbol which
replaces or supplements a missing symbol which is necessary for a
winning symbol combination.
Inventors: |
Gauselmann, Michael;
(Espelkamp, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Skjerven morrill macpherson LLP
Suite 700
25 Metro Drive
San Jose
CA
95110
US
|
Family ID: |
7656245 |
Appl. No.: |
09/952613 |
Filed: |
September 13, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/20 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3265
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/20 |
International
Class: |
A63F 009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 14, 2000 |
DE |
100 45 572.7 |
Claims
1. Electronic slot machine with a symbol display device which
displays symbols which are arranged in rows and columns and have at
least one specially identified winning symbol which replaces or
supplements a missing symbol which is necessary for a winning
symbol combination, characterized in that in the display of a
specially identified winning symbol all adjacent winning symbols
becomes the specially identified winning symbol.
2. Electronic slot machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a
specially identified winning symbol is displayed in the symbol
display device in one of the win lines which can be evaluated, the
specially identified winning symbol replaces at least one symbol
and the winning value according to the winning pattern for the
substituted symbol combination is awarded.
3. Electronic slot machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein when a
specially identified winning symbol is displayed with the symbol
display device, the winning symbols located horizontally to the
specially identified winning symbol, when determining a win,
assumes the winning value of the winning symbol which is located on
the first or the last reel in the line in which the specially
identified winning symbol is located.
4. Electronic slot machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein in a
symbol display device with three lines and five columns for display
of winning symbols and for display of the specially identified
winning symbol in the third column in the first or third line the
diagonally running win lines are also evaluated for determining a
win.
5. Electronic slot machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein when the
specially identified winning symbol is displayed, the win lines
which run in a zigzag are taken into account for the determination
of a win.
6. Electronic slot machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
adjacent identified winning symbols to the especially identified
winning symbol receive the property of the specially identified
winning symbol.
7. Electronic slot machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a
specially identified symbol is displayed, each symbol located in
the vicinity of this specially identified symbol according to the
winning pattern is completed with a symbol which guarantees a
win.
8. Electronic slot machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a
specially identified symbol is displayed only identified symbols in
the display area are completed, changed or replaced.
9. Electronic slot machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a
specially identified symbol is displayed the non-winning symbols
which are located in the win line are completed.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to an electronic slot machine as
claimed in the preamble of claim 1.
[0002] The journal Muenzautomat 4/1984, page 12, discloses a
coin-operated electronic slot machine with a symbol game means
composed of three reels located next to one another. When the reels
stop the winning symbol combination is displayed in a viewing
window. When three identical winning symbols are displayed, the
prize assigned to them is awarded. Instead of one of these three
symbols which are included in the winning combination a specially
identified replacement symbol, a joker, can also be used.
[0003] It is however a disadvantage that this specially identified
winning symbol is located one time only on the middle reel of the
three reels.
[0004] The object of the invention is to develop a generic
electronic slot machine such that a winning value can also be
assigned even to an incomplete winning symbol combination.
[0005] This object is achieved by the characterizing features of
claim 1.
[0006] Other features which form the invention can be taken from
the dependent claims.
[0007] The electronic slot machine as claimed in the invention has
the advantage that the varied use of a joker which completes the
winning combination increases the entertainment value on the
electronic slot machine. Since at the same time there are several
different possible applications of the joker, the playing pleasure
is especially high with long-lasting encouragement to use the
electronic slot machine.
[0008] One embodiment as claimed in the invention is explained
using the drawing.
[0009] FIG. 1 shows the front of a coin-operated entertainment
machine.
[0010] The coin-operated electronic slot machine which is labeled 1
in FIG. 1 comprises a front side 2 with a viewing window 3 behind
which there is a display device for display of symbols. The display
device preferably consists of a TV monitor. The TV monitor displays
five reels, located next to one another, with winning symbols.
Three winning symbols at a time are displayed simultaneously by
each stopped reel. Underneath the display device there is a control
panel 4. On the control panel 4 there is a plurality of operational
controls 5. Adjacent to the operational controls there is a coin
acceptance opening 6. There is a coin removal trough 7 underneath
the control panel 4.
[0011] The coin-operated electronic slot machine 1 comprises a
control unit which is not shown, with a microcomputer. The control
unit controls of the order of events in the electronic slot machine
1. If a balance meter has a play, the control unit causes a symbol
combination, which is to be displayed, to be determined by a
pseudorandom generator. The displayed reels with the TV monitor are
caused to spin and are stopped such that predetermined symbol
combinations are displayed. The symbols of the reels are displayed
in a matrix form in the display device. The matrix comprises five
columns and three rows. A total of nine win lines are evaluated. On
each win line it is checked how often the same symbol is displayed.
For a display of the same symbol five times, the highest winning
value for this symbol is awarded. For display of three or four of
the same symbols, a lower winning value is awarded. Furthermore,
each reel comprises a specially identified symbol. The specially
identified symbol has the function of a joker and replaces any
displayed symbol for the required winning symbol. There are 32
symbols on each virtual reel. One or more of the winning symbols on
each virtual reel are made as the specially identified winning
symbol (joker). When displayed in the viewing window 3 of the
stopped reel, the specially identified winning symbol causes all
winning symbols adjoining to the left and/or right of it in a
horizontally running win line to be replaced for the outer left or
right displayed winning symbol and thus a win line with up to five
winning symbols to be formed. The specially identified winning
symbol is in the fourth display position from left to right and in
the first display position.
[0012] On a coin-operated electronic slot machine 1 the control
unit spins the virtual reels and stops them in predetermined
positions. In the viewing window 3 of the coin-operated electronic
slot machine 1 a winning symbol matrix consisting of three lines
and five columns appears to the user. When a specially identified
winning symbol is displayed, a joker, for example on the third reel
in the second line, the bordering symbols are recognized a joker
symbols in the evaluation of winning. 1
[0013] The win recognition program now detects the symbol
arrangement for each of the nine win lines and compares it to the
winning pattern. If several win lines have a winning combination,
the highest prize is warded and it is credited in the balance
storage of the control unit. 2
[0014] In another embodiment as claimed in the invention, when the
specially identified winning symbol is displayed, not as before do
all bordering symbols become the joker symbol, but a symbol
combination, for example in the second line, is displayed in the
display on the stopped virtual reels, and the right-hand, fifth
reel in the second row shows a specially identified winning symbol,
a joker, then the winning symbols located to the left of the
specially identified winning symbol are treated as if the winning
symbol of the 1st reel in the second row is displayed and according
to the control unit-side winning pattern the winning value of five
identical symbols located next to one another is awarded according
to the winning pattern. 3
[0015] According to another embodiment as claimed in the invention,
when the winning symbols are displayed by the stopped virtual
reels, upon display of a specially identified symbol on the third,
the middle, reel, displayed in the third line, and when an
identical winning symbol is displayed by the first and the fifth
reel each in the first line, the symbols located in the diagonals
on the second and fourth reel in the second line are evaluated in
the win line evaluation as if at this position the winning symbols
are displayed which are displayed by the first and the fifth reels
in the first line. 4
[0016] There is further evaluation and winning value determination
as claimed in the invention when, of the displayed winning symbols,
there is one symbol on the first reel in the first line, there is
the specially identified winning symbol on the third reel in the
first line and on the fifth reel in the third line there is a
symbol identical to the first reel, first line. By using the
specially identified winning symbol in the win line evaluation the
winning symbols located to the specially identified symbol become
the winning symbols which correspond to those on the first reel in
the first line or on the fifth reel in the third line. The winning
value of the five identical winning symbols is determined according
to the winning pattern. 5
[0017] In a development as claimed in the invention for the
coin-electronic slot machine 1 as claimed in the invention, when
the specially identified symbol is displayed with the display
device, it is determined pseudorandomly in which other display
fields of the display matrix the displayed winning symbols are
exchanged for the specially identified winning symbols. 6
[0018] If a specially identified winning symbol is displayed by the
virtual reels on the second reel in the middle position, it is
subsequently determined pseudorandomly how many other specially
identified winning symbols are displayed and which position they
are to occupy in the display field. When the winning value is
subsequently determined, for example a specially identified winning
symbol on the fourth reel in the first line and on the fifth reel
in this third line will be displayed. In the subsequent evaluation
of the displayed winning combination the special symbols are taken
into account according to the winning pattern. Instead of
pseudorandom selection of the number and position of the other
specially identified symbols, symbols can be replaced by
higher-value symbols, if they have already been identified as such
beforehand. In addition to the specially identified symbols on the
virtual reels there are symbols which assume the same function of
the specially identified symbols to the extent that, of the
displayed symbol combinations, there is at least one symbol as the
specially identified winning symbol.
* * * * *