NL8802235A - PLAYGROUND. - Google Patents

Description

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Playground equipment.

The invention relates to a playground device that operates on coins or chips and is of the type operable to play games which result in the selection and display of combinations of symbols and with which a winning display is given in the event that a combination of symbols of a certain winning nature is obtained. More particularly, but not limited to, the invention relates to such a device which is a fruit device and with which the displayed symbols (typically representations of fruit) are chosen at random, for example by rotating reels or changing a video display which spool rotation.

Known to be a fruit machine with a gambling element whereby, after reaching a winning display but for receiving a reward (such as cashing out) corresponding to winning, the player has the choice of operating a gambling device with which the reward may be modified by increasing or decreasing (or canceling) it. This feature contributes in an advantageous manner to the play value of the device.

However, a limit can be set to such a play value 20 insofar as the player has only a choice to gamble the reward achieved at the end of a winning game.

An object of the present invention is to provide a gambling phenomenon with more extensive counting value.

According to the invention, there is therefore provided a coin operated or chip operated gaming machine operable to play games which result in the selection and display of combinations of symbols and with which a winning display and a corresponding reward are made available in the event that a Symbol combination of a certain winning nature is obtained, characterized by providing a rewards adder operable to display to the player an aggregated total of rewards obtained in subsequent games and also by providing .8002235 * \ -2 - in a gambling device which is operable to gamble at least part of the sum total with the possibility of increasing or decreasing its value.

With this arrangement, the playing element can be promoted since it is not just the value of the reward at the end of a winning game that can be gambled; the player may choose to gamble part or all of a larger accumulated reward.

The reward may consist of a monetary value (or a number of 10 chips) which is paid (or credited) to the player.

Or, unlike any other, the reward obtained may be related to a special feature or features made available to the player. For example, the machine may have a device operable at the end of a game to adjust one or more of the 15 visible displays in order to achieve the final combination (such as a "punch" device of the type usually used in slot machines) and the rewards obtained may be related to the number or degree of available adjustments (such as the number of shock stages).

2o In view of the Reward Adder, it may include a digital display that will suitably adjust the display at the end of a winning game. The sum total can be maintained for a certain maximum number of games and / or until the player chooses to receive the sum value instead of holding it. The playground equipment can be made operable on a predictable regular basis or on an arbitrary basis or upon reaching a certain criterion (for example, when the accumulated total exceeds a certain value).

Part or all of the total collected may be made available for gambling. When a part can be chosen, the choice can be made on any usable basis, for example at the choice of the player, in a certain way, randomly or otherwise. A helper can be present to indicate the chosen part that will be gambled.

With regard to the gambling machine, it can be configured to be started, when made available for operation, by means of a push button or the like. The machine may have a gambling display consisting of a system of displays showing the different rewards and also a lost or no reward respectively, illuminating the correct display after operating the gambling device to obtain the new reward obtained to indicate.

When the accumulated total monetary value (or chips) represents 5, transfers to and / or this monetary value (or chips) are operated to operate the machine for playing games. Thus, the accumulated total can be increased when coins (or chips) are inserted into the machine and / or decreased when games are played. This increase and / or decrease of the total of 10 may take place automatically or at the option of the player.

Preferably, the invented machine is a fruit machine and the displayed symbols (which may be representations of fruit) are chosen at random by the rotation of coils (usually three or four coils) with such symbols applied on the periphery thereof, or by operating a video display mimicking such rotation of coils or by randomly illuminating symbols or areas of a display panel or otherwise.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing 20, which shows a schematic front view of a form of a gaming machine according to the invention.

The machine is a slot machine with three reels 1, 2 and 3 which are rotatable within a housing 4 behind a window 5 in a front panel 6.

Each coil 1, 2 and 3 has images of fruit (denoted as A, B and C) or twenty positions around its circumference and rotation of each coil is caused and also stopped by a phase meter controlled by a microprocessor, the arrangement is such that the coil always comes to a standstill at precise coincidence with the glass pane. Each stop position is sensed by the microprocessor control circuit in known manner.

In use, the machine is operated by a player by inserting one or more coins or chips into a coin mechanism 7 and a start button 8 is pressed to rotate the three reels 1, 2 and 3 for various arbitrary periods from time to time come to a standstill. When the coils 1, 2 and 3 come to a stop, their stop positions are detected and a winning display is established in the event that the detected stop positions correspond to the display of a particular winning com. 8802135 tü_, f

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-4- combination of fruit (for example, 3 pieces of fruit of the same kind) at certain positions in window 5 (for example, on a horizontal winning line extending through the center of three displayed fruit types on each reel).

5 There is a player controllable button 9, 10 and 11 for each reel below the window 5 for tightening or pushing. At the start of some games, if chosen on a random basis, buttons 9-11 are made available for holding and when operated by the player, the or each reel 10 1, 2 or 3 involved is held against rotation during the course of the game below. At the end of some games, if chosen on an arbitrary basis, buttons 9-11 are made available for bumping, and thus thus actuated by the player, the or each affected reel 1-3 is moved according to a number of steps (eg stop positions) as determined by the player's action and within the limits of a total allowable number of thrust phases. Or else, an automatic trigger enabled by the player (which automatically pulses the coils for an optimum number of steps within the limits set) may be provided as described in U.S. Patents 2,092,797 and 2,144,568.

In addition, the machine has an LCD or LED digital display 12 and three player controllable buttons 13, 14 and 15 respectively for recording the winnings, choice of gambling and gambling purposes (to be described). A gamble display 16 is also provided on the front side of the machine and it has indicia which can be illuminated from behind corresponding to the possible results of a gamble (eg lost, 2x and so on).

The digital display has three parts; a cash credit section 12a, a separate profit section 12b and a composite profit section 12c.

When coins are inserted into the machine, the credit portion 12a is correspondingly increased and correspondingly, this portion is appropriately decreased as credit is used by playing games.

If the outcome of a game is a win with a corre sponding cash distribution, the separate win portion 12b is increased to indicate the value of the win.

The player now has the choice of pressing the payout button 13 or the gamble button 15. If the button 13 is pressed. 8802235

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-5-, the content of the portion 12b is transferred to 12c, that is, the individual profit portion 12b is decreased to zero and the accumulated profit portion 12a is increased by the same value. If the button 15 is pressed, the win value in the win portion 12b may be gambled, in the usual manner, by the player. That is, two displays on the gamble display 16 alternately light up (for example, twice the present win value and "lost") and the player may press the gamble button 15 in the hope that the light sequence will stop at an increased payout display. Repeated gambling opportunities may be allowed up to a certain maximum win (or until the player loses). The contents of the win portion 12b (if any) following the conclusion of a betting operation are transferred to the collected win portion 12a by the player pressing the button 13 15 alternatively pressing the button 15, or automatically if the determined maximum is reached.

The player can then continue to play games and if any of these also result in a win, the individual win portion 12b is increased again correspondingly and the player has a choice of pressing 20 of the button 13 to transfer further win value from the individual win portion 12b to the collected profit portion 12c to have the latter display a collected total profit value.

When the accumulated total in the win portion 12c is greater than a certain value, the player has the choice of "super" gambling over an amount equal to or greater than the determined value at any usable opportunity at the start or end of a game . That is, the player can press the gamble selection button 14 to have the accumulated value transferred from the win portion 12c 30 to the win portion 12b. When the button 14 is first pressed, the determined value is transferred by correspondingly decreasing the portion 12c and increasing the portion 12b. When the button 14 is pressed further, further value can be transferred from the portion 12c to the portion 12b to the value of each maximum 35 for which the machine is preset. The gamble display 16 lights and the button 15 is pressed by the player to gamble the contents of the portion 12b in the manner described above.

If the player loses in super gambling, he has the choice of transferring further value from section 12c to * 8802235 * -6 section 12b by button 14 (if sufficient value is present in section 12c) and then this super to gamble. If the player wins, the contents of section 12b are automatically transferred to section 12a.

5 At any time at the end of a game, the player may press the payout button 13 to transfer the contents (if any) of the section 12b to the section 12c and then, when subsequently pressing the button 13, to transfer the contents of transfer the portion 12c to the portion 12a. If desired, the arrangement 10 can be such that the content 12a can only be used as credit for playing games. Alternatively, the arrangement may be such that upon further pressing the payout button 13, the credit portion 12a is lowered to zero because the corresponding amount of money is paid out to the player by issuing coins (or chips) through an output 17.

The various buttons 8-11, 13-15, display 16 and digital display parts 12 are connected to the microprocessor-based control circuit of the machine to supply signals and to be controlled by the microprocessor.

With the setup described, the player has the option not only to gamble separately obtained profit distributions but also to gamble larger amounts corresponding to accumulated profit distributions.

It is understood, of course, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the details of the above-described embodiment, which are described by way of example only. Thus, for example, the player may have the option of gambling all or some of the collected value instead of being able to gamble a selected portion. Nor is it necessary for three separate digital display portions 12a, 12b and 12c to be present. One or both of the portions 12a and 12b can be omitted if desired. Thus, it is possible to own a single credit-accumulated profit portion, both of which are increased by coins inserted into the machine and by accumulated profit distributions making the whole value available for playing games and the whole value including of the value of inserted coins are used entirely or for a selected portion for gambling when the "super" gambling opportunity is made available.

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Claims (10)

1. Coin-operated (or chip) gaming machine operable to play games as a result of the selection and display of combinations of symbols and giving a winning sign and making a corresponding reward available in the event that a symbol combination of a particular winning nature, characterized by providing a profit collector operable to display to the player a aggregate total of winnings obtained in subsequent games and also providing a gambling device operable to gamble at least a portion of the total collected -10 know the possibility of increasing or decreasing its value, Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the total collected represents a monetary value (or a number of chips) that is paid out (or credited) to the player. Machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the total collected is related to the availability of a particular characteristic to the player. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the profit collector consists of a digital display (12c) which is outputted to be increased at the end of a winning game. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the collected total is saved for a certain maximum number of games. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gambling device (15) is designed to be started when available for push button operation. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a gambling display device (16) with a system of indicia representative of the distributions or a lost distribution or no distribution and the relevant display is illuminated after operating the gambling device 15. 8602235 4 -8- Machine according to claim 2, or claims dependent on it, characterized in that there is the possibility of making available cash value (or chips) of the collected total to operate the machine before playing the game. Machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the accumulated total is increased when coins (or chips) are introduced into the machine and is decreased when games are played. 10. A machine substantially as described above with respect to the accompanying drawing. -o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-c8802235