U.S. patent application number 12/616007 was filed with the patent office on 2011-02-10 for gaming method for playing a slot game with enhancement of player winning chances, and gaming apparatus for implementing the gaming method.
This patent application is currently assigned to ASTRO CORP.. Invention is credited to Arden YANG.
Application Number | 20110034232 12/616007 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43535224 |
Filed Date | 2011-02-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110034232 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YANG; Arden |
February 10, 2011 |
GAMING METHOD FOR PLAYING A SLOT GAME WITH ENHANCEMENT OF PLAYER
WINNING CHANCES, AND GAMING APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE GAMING
METHOD
Abstract
A gaming method for playing a slot game includes the steps of:
configuring a gaming apparatus to randomly generate a game symbol
combination at the end of one round of the slot game, and to
determine whether the game symbol combination conforms with a
predetermined winning condition; and when the game symbol
combination fails to conform with the predetermined winning
condition, configuring the gaming apparatus to perform a
symbol-changing procedure. The symbol-changing procedure includes:
allowing a player to input a confirm command for changing a
to-be-changed game symbol in the game symbol combination; randomly
changing the to-be-changed game symbol in response to the confirm
command to result in a revised game symbol combination; determining
whether the revised game symbol combination conforms with the
predetermined winning condition; and granting an award to the
player according to result of the determination.
Inventors: |
YANG; Arden; (Rosemead,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FOLEY AND LARDNER LLP;SUITE 500
3000 K STREET NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20007
US
|
Assignee: |
ASTRO CORP.
|
Family ID: |
43535224 |
Appl. No.: |
12/616007 |
Filed: |
November 10, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/20 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F 17/3265
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
463/20 |
International
Class: |
A63F 9/24 20060101
A63F009/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 5, 2009 |
TW |
098126354 |
Claims
1. A gaming method for playing a slot game, said gaming method
being adapted to be implemented using a gaming apparatus and
comprising the steps of: a) configuring the gaming apparatus to
randomly generate a game symbol combination at the end of one round
of the slot game, and to determine whether the game symbol
combination thus generated conforms with a predetermined winning
condition; and b) when the game symbol combination generated in
step a) fails to conform with the predetermined winning condition,
configuring the gaming apparatus to perform a symbol-changing
procedure, the symbol-changing procedure including the sub-steps of
b1) allowing a player to input a confirm command for changing a
to-be-changed game symbol in the game symbol combination, b2)
randomly changing the to-be-changed game symbol in response to the
confirm command, b3) determining whether a revised game symbol
combination that includes the game symbol changed in sub-step b2)
conforms with the predetermined winning condition, and b4) granting
an award to the player when the determination made in sub-step b3)
is affirmative.
2. The gaming method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in sub-step
b1), the player is allowed to input the confirm command only after
receipt of a payment signal.
3. The gaming method as claimed in claim 2, wherein, in sub-step
b1), the player is allowed to input the confirm command only after
receipt of the payment signal and a select command to select the
to-be-changed game symbol in the game symbol combination.
4. The gaming method as claimed in claim 3, wherein, in step b),
the gaming apparatus is configured to perform the symbol-changing
procedure repeatedly for a predetermined number of times.
5. The gaming method as claimed in claim 2, wherein, in step b),
the gaming apparatus is configured to perform the symbol-changing
procedure repeatedly for a predetermined number of times.
6. The gaming method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in sub-step
b1), the player is allowed to input the confirm command only after
receipt of a select command to select the to-be-changed game symbol
in the game symbol combination.
7. The gaming method as claimed in claim 6, wherein, in step b),
the gaming apparatus is configured to perform the symbol-changing
procedure repeatedly for a predetermined number of times.
8. The gaming method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step b),
the gaming apparatus is configured to perform the symbol-changing
procedure repeatedly for a predetermined number of times.
9. The gaming method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step b),
the gaming apparatus is configured to perform the symbol-changing
procedure only after determining that the game symbol combination
generated in step a) has only one game symbol that differs from
other ones in a payout line of the game symbol combination.
10. A computer program product comprising a machine readable
storage medium having program instructions stored therein which
when executed cause a system to perform consecutive steps of a
gaming method for playing a slot game according to claim 1.
11. A gaming apparatus comprising: an input unit including a
confirm button; a display unit; and a control unit including a
storage medium storing program instructions for playing a slot
game, and a processor coupled to said input unit, said display unit
and said storage medium; wherein said processor is operable to
execute said program instructions so as to randomly generate a game
symbol combination at the end of one round of the slot game,
control said display unit to display the game symbol combination
generated by said processor, determine whether the game symbol
combination generated by said processor conforms with a
predetermined winning condition, and perform a symbol-changing
procedure when the game symbol combination fails to conform with
the predetermined winning condition; wherein the symbol-changing
procedure includes the steps of: i) allowing a player to input a
confirm command for changing a to-be-changed game symbol in the
game symbol combination through said confirm button, ii) randomly
changing the to-be-changed game symbol in response to the confirm
command, iii) determining whether a revised game symbol combination
that includes the game symbol changed in step ii) conforms with the
predetermined winning condition, and iv) granting an award to the
player and controlling said display unit to notify the player of
the grant of the award when the determination made in step iii) is
affirmative.
12. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising
a payment mechanism, said input unit further including a payment
sensor operable to generate a payment signal for said processor
when the player makes a payment through said payment mechanism,
said processor being operable to allow the player to input the
confirm command only after receipt of the payment signal.
13. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said input
unit further includes a select button for input of a select command
to select the to-be-changed game symbol in the game symbol
combination, said processor being operable to allow the player to
input the confirm command only after receipt of the payment signal
and the select command.
14. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein, for the
game symbol combination that is generated at the end of one round
of the slot game and that does not conform with the predetermined
winning condition, said processor is operable to perform the
symbol-changing procedure repeatedly for a predetermined number of
times.
15. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said input
unit further includes a select button for input of a select command
to select the to-be-changed game symbol in the game symbol
combination, said processor being operable to allow the player to
input the confirm command only after receipt of the select
command.
16. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein, for the
game symbol combination that is generated at the end of one round
of the slot game and that does not conform with the predetermined
winning condition, said processor is operable to perform the
symbol-changing procedure repeatedly for a predetermined number of
times.
17. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein, for the
game symbol combination generated at the end of one round of the
slot game that does not conform with the predetermined winning
condition, said processor is operable to perform the
symbol-changing procedure repeatedly for a predetermined number of
times.
18. The gaming apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said
processor is operable to perform the symbol-changing procedure only
after determining that the game symbol combination generated
thereby has only one game symbol that differs from other ones in a
payout line of the game symbol combination.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application
No. 098126054, filed on Aug. 5, 2009.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a gaming method for playing
a slot game, more particularly to a gaming method for playing a
slot game with enhancement of player winning chances.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Currently, most casinos are provided with slot machines.
Since rules and gaming procedure of a slot game are quite simple,
many casino guests prefer to play with the slot machines.
[0006] A conventional slot machine generates a game symbol
combination at the end of one round of a slot game, and the game
symbol combination is unchangeable once it has been generated. When
the game symbol combination conforms with a predetermined winning
condition, the conventional slot machine will grant an award to the
player. However, when the game symbol combination fails to conform
with the predetermined winning condition, the player has no chance
to change the game symbol combination. Sometimes, it is unfortunate
that the game symbol combination generated at the end of one round
of the slot game almost conforms with the winning condition.
Therefore, players may be interested in a slot game that provides
an option to change the game symbol combination after the latter is
generated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a gaming method for playing a slot game with enhancement of player
winning chances.
[0008] Accordingly, a gaming method for playing a slot game of the
present invention is adapted to be implemented using a gaming
apparatus and comprises the steps of:
[0009] a) configuring the gaming apparatus to randomly generate a
game symbol combination at the end of one round of the slot game,
and to determine whether the game symbol combination thus generated
conforms with a predetermined winning condition; and
[0010] b) when the game symbol combination generated in step a)
fails to conform with the predetermined winning condition,
configuring the gaming apparatus to perform a symbol-changing
procedure, the symbol-changing procedure including the sub-steps of
[0011] b1) allowing a player to input a confirm command for
changing a to-be-changed game symbol in the game symbol
combination, [0012] b2) randomly changing the to-be-changed game
symbol in response to the confirm command, [0013] b3) determining
whether a revised game symbol combination that includes the game
symbol changed in sub-step b2) conforms with the predetermined
winning condition, and [0014] b4) granting an award to the player
when the determination made in sub-step b3) is affirmative.
[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
gaming apparatus configured to implement a gaming method for
playing a slot game with enhancement of player winning chances.
[0016] According to another aspect, a gaming apparatus of the
present invention comprises an input unit, a display unit, and a
control unit. The input unit includes a confirm button. The control
unit includes a storage medium storing program instructions for
playing a slot game, and a processor coupled to the input unit, the
display unit and the storage medium.
[0017] The processor is operable to execute the program
instructions so as to randomly generate a game symbol combination
at the end of one round of the slot game, control the display unit
to display the game symbol combination generated by the processor,
determine whether the game symbol combination generated by the
processor conforms with a predetermined winning condition, and
perform a symbol-changing procedure when the game symbol
combination fails to conform with the predetermined winning
condition.
[0018] The symbol-changing procedure includes the steps of:
[0019] i) allowing a player to input a confirm command for changing
a to-be-changed game symbol in the game symbol combination through
the confirm button;
[0020] ii) randomly changing the to-be-changed game symbol in
response to the confirm command;
[0021] iii) determining whether a revised game symbol combination
that includes the game symbol changed in step ii) conforms with the
predetermined winning condition; and
[0022] iv) granting an award to the player and controlling the
display unit to notify the player of the grant of the award when
the determination made in step iii) is affirmative.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a gaming
apparatus of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the preferred
embodiment;
[0026] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a gaming method for
playing a slot game implemented by the gaming apparatus of the
preferred embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a symbol-changing
procedure of the gaming method; and
[0028] FIGS. 5 to 8 are schematic diagrams illustrating gaming
images displayed by a display unit of the gaming apparatus of the
preferred embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of a
gaming apparatus 1 of the present invention includes a machine body
10, a control unit 2 disposed in the machine body 10, an input unit
3, and a display unit 4. The machine body 10 is provided with a
payment mechanism, e.g., a coin slot 11 in this embodiment. The
control unit 2 includes a processor 21 coupled to the input unit 3
and the display unit 4, a storage medium 22 coupled to the
processor 21, and an accessible memory device 23 coupled to the
processor 21. The input unit 3 includes a confirm button 31, a
plurality of bet buttons 32 respectively representing different bet
amounts, a select button 33, and a payment sensor 34 disposed
adjacent to the coin slot 11. The payment sensor 34 is operable to
generate a payment signal for the processor 21 when a player makes
a payment through the coin slot 11.
[0030] In this embodiment, the display unit 4 is exemplified as a
display screen mounted on a top portion of a front side of the
machine body 10. In practice, the gaming apparatus 1 can further
include a speaker for outputting audible sound, and additional
buttons with other functions if desired. Since the feature of the
present invention does not reside in these, further details thereof
will be omitted herein for the sake of brevity.
[0031] In this embodiment, the storage medium 22 of the control
unit 2 is a read-only memory (ROM) that stores program instructions
for playing a slot game. The accessible memory device 23 is a
random-access memory (RAM) adapted for storing data and information
generated during the slot game. When the program instructions
stored in the storage medium 22 are executed, the processor 21 is
operable to perform consecutive steps of a gaming method for
playing the slot game. Details of the gaming method will be
described in the following.
[0032] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, when the player makes an
appropriate act, such as dropping enough coins or tokens through
the coin slot 11, the processor 21 executes the program
instructions and the slot game begins.
[0033] In step (S11), the processor 21 is operable to allow the
player to determine a winning condition through the select button
33 and to place abet through the bet buttons 32. For example, in
this embodiment, the winning condition is that game symbols in an
upper payout line, a middle payout line or a lower payout line are
the same symbol. The bet and the winning condition are stored in
the accessible memory device 23, and the processor 21 controls the
display unit 4 to display a gaming image as shown in FIG. 5.
[0034] In step (S12), the processor 21 is operable to allow the
player to input a command for generating a game symbol combination
through the confirm button 31, and controls the display unit 4 to
display an animation image of rotating reels. Then, in step (S13),
the processor 21 randomly generates a game symbol combination at
the end of one round of the slot game, and controls the display
unit 4 to display the game symbol combination as shown in FIG. 6.
In this embodiment, the game symbol combination is, but not limited
to, a 3.times.5 matrix with fifteen game symbols.
[0035] In step (S14), the processor 21 is operable to determine
whether the game symbol combination thus generated conforms with
the winning condition determined in step (S11). When the game
symbol combination conforms with the winning condition, the
processor 21 is operable to grant the player an award according to
the bet placed by the player in step (S11), and controls the
display unit 4 to notify the player of the grant of the award in
step (S16). Then, the current round of the slot game is
completed.
[0036] For the game symbol combination shown in FIG. 6, the game
symbols in each of the upper, middle and lower payout lines are not
all the same, i.e., the game symbol combination generated in step
(S13) fails to conform with the winning condition. Then, the
processor 21 is operable to determine whether the game symbol
combination conforms with a predetermined symbol-changing condition
in step (S15). The processor 21 is operable to perform a
symbol-changing procedure when the game symbol combination conforms
with the symbol-changing condition. Otherwise, the current round of
the slot game is completed.
[0037] In this embodiment, the symbol-changing condition is that
the game symbol combination generated in step (S13) has only one
game symbol that differs from other ones in one of the upper,
middle and lower payout lines of the game symbol combination, and
this one game symbol can be selected as a to-be-changed game symbol
that may be changed in the symbol-changing procedure. Using the
game symbol combination shown in FIG. 6 as an example, the game
symbol combination has only one game symbol "E" that differs from
other game symbols "A" in the middle payout line. Thus, the game
symbol combination shown in FIG. 6 conforms with the
symbol-changing condition, and the game symbol "E" can be selected
as the to-be-changed game symbol. The above information about the
to-be-changed game symbol is stored in the accessible memory device
23. The following description is provided to describe the
symbol-changing procedure in detail.
[0038] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the processor 21 controls the
display unit 4 to display a gaming image as shown in FIG. 7 to
notify the player that he/she can make an additional payment for
changing the game symbol "E" in step (S21).
[0039] In step (S22), the processor 21 is operable to determine
whether the player made the additional payment for changing the
game symbol "E". If the processor 21 does not receive the payment
signal from the payment sensor 34 after a predetermined time
period, i.e., the player did not make the additional payment, the
current round of the slot game is completed.
[0040] When the processor 21 receives the payment signal from the
payment sensor 34, the processor 21 is operable to allow the player
to input a select command to select the to-be-changed game symbol
in the game symbol combination through the select button 33 in step
(S23). Further, the processor 21 is operable to store a
changing-chance value that indicates how many chances for changing
the to-be-changed game symbol the player has in the accessible
memory device 23, and controls the display unit 4 to show the
changing-chance value at a corner thereof.
[0041] The player will have a predetermined number of chances for
changing the to-be-changed game symbol after making the additional
payment, and the number of chances is stored in the accessible
memory device 23. In practice, it is possible to make more payment
to have more chances for changing the to-be-changed game
symbol.
[0042] In this embodiment, the game symbol combination as shown in
FIG. 6 only has one game symbol that can be selected as the
to-be-changed game symbol. It should be noted that, in practice,
the game symbol combination may have more than one symbol that can
be selected as the to-be-changed game symbol. The player can select
the to-be-changed game symbol by himself/herself through the select
button 33. Alternatively, the processor 21 can be configured to
automatically select the to-be-changed game symbol in other
embodiments.
[0043] After receipt of the select command, the processor 21 is
operable to allow the player to input a confirm command for
changing a to-be-changed game symbol in the game symbol combination
through the confirm button 31 in step (S24). Moreover, the
processor 21 is operable to subtract one from the changing-chance
value stored in the accessible memory device 23 in response to the
confirm command. Then, in step (S25), the processor 21 controls the
display unit 4 to display an animation image of changing the
to-be-changed game symbol, and is operable to randomly change the
to-be-changed game symbol in response to the confirm command. For
the purpose of enhancing interest of the player in making the
additional payment for changing the game symbol, probability that a
revised game symbol combination including the game symbol changed
in step (S25) conforms with the winning condition is relatively
greater. That is to say, since the to-be-changed game symbol in the
game symbol combination shown in FIG. 6 needs changing to "A" for
conforming with the winning condition, the probability of getting a
revised game symbol "A" is relatively greater when the
to-be-changed game symbol is changed. In practice, the probability
of getting an appropriate game symbol for conforming with the
winning condition is not limited to the design in this
embodiment.
[0044] In step (S26), the processor 21 is operable to determine
whether the revised game symbol combination that includes the game
symbol changed in step (S25) conforms with the winning condition.
In step (S27), the processor 21 is operable to grant the player an
award according to the bet placed by the player in step (S11), and
controls the display unit 4 to display a gaming image as shown in
FIG. 8 to notify the player of the grant of the award when the
revised game symbol combination conforms with the winning
condition. Then, the flow goes to step (S28). When the revised game
symbol combination fails to conform with the winning condition, the
flow also goes to step (S28).
[0045] In step (S28), the processor 21 is operable to check whether
the changing-chance value stored in the accessible memory device 23
is equal to 0. The current round of the slot game is completed when
the changing-chance value is equal to 0. Otherwise, the flow goes
to step (S29) to display a gaming image on the display unit 4 for
notifying the player to select the to-be-changed game symbol in the
game symbol combination. Then, the flow goes back to step (S23). It
should be noted that, although there is only one game symbol "E" in
the game symbol combination shown in FIG. 6 that can be selected as
the to-be-changed game symbol, the player is allowed to select
other game symbols in the game symbol combination as the
to-be-changed game symbol in practice, if the revised game symbol
combination conforms with the winning condition and the
changing-chance value is not equal to 0.
[0046] In sum, the present invention provides the gaming apparatus
1 implementing the gaming method for playing the slot game that
allows the player to make the additional payment for changing the
to-be-changed game symbol, such that the player has an additional
opportunity to getting the award. Therefore, interest of the player
in the slot game is further enhanced.
[0047] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *