GB1579687A - Coin-freed gaming device - Google Patents

Description

(54) COIN FREED GAMING DEVICE (71) We. NSM APPARATEBAU GmbH KOMMANDITGESELLSCHAFT, of Saarlandstrasse 240, 6530 Bingen 11; Germany (Fed. Rep); a German body coporate do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a coin-freed gaming device having one or more game symbol carriers on which symbols are applied and which, according to their position, indicate losses or wins. The device includes a "special" game counter, and a microprocessing computer for carrying out all regulating control and calculating/computing functions.

Coin-freed gaming devices are known in a variety of forms. On insertion of a number of coins required for playing. the value of which coins is added into a storage device, the device may be played. During the playing period the coin value for a game is subtracted on the one hand, from the coin storage or, on the other hand, from a special play storage, if a credit is shown by this storage. The play symbol carriers according to the system of playing are stopped in a predetermined sequence, whereby in accordance with the end position, at which the play symbol carrier stops, losses or wins are indicated. The wins are converted into coin units and associated with the coin storage. The player is able to request the payment of any credit due to him and indicated by the coin counter, whereby this credit is returned via the payout units of the gaming device.Also any special games available are indicated in a special game counter. If sufficient credit is available to complete a game, then without any intervention by the player a new game is started.

For carrying out the functions of a gaming device, a control system formed of electronic components, such as relays. magnets and mechanical levers and a control system of integrated circuits of transistorised logic are known. The control systems are large and costly, or derived from their properties have a relatively large power consumption.

Moreover, they are extremely prone to breakdown since they are comprised of a large number of components, with each component having a failure risk. To remove these disadvantages it is already known to provide a microprocessing computer in a gaming device which takes over all the control, regulation and calculating functions of the gaming device and morcover, can be programmed at favourable costs, so that its command structure is quickly converted, ensuring a high degree of flexibility.

In such a gaming device, however, a person in whose premises the device is placed, when opening for custom, switches the device on to indicate that it is ready for playing, and at closing time switches off again to prevent unnecessary current consumption. It is possible to forget, however, to switch on the device immediately, whereby the customers are unable to operate the device, which may lead to reduced takings of money.

Furthermore. if the device is provided with an alarm system, this has to be switched on or off in accordance with opening and closing times. Moreover, it is known from practice that in the morning and early afternoon a public house is less busy compared with late afternoon and evening and hence also at this period also the gaming device is less used. In this less busy time the person owning the premises may frequent the device himself for a few games in order to arouse the interest of the customers present to play.

The object of the invention is to provide a gaming device in which the time-dependent operation by a publican or the like is unnecessary.

According to the present invention there is provided a coin-frced gaming device having one or more game symbol carriers on which loss and win symbols are applied and in accordance with the end position at which the symbol carriers stop, losses or wins are produced, a microprocessor computer for carrying out all regulating. control and com- puter functions, a clock controlled by the microprocessor computer as switching ele mcnt for the on/off function of the playing rcadiness of the apparatus, of an alarm device and a play-enticing device.

In many public houses it is customary to indicate constantly the time to the customers by mcans of a large wall clock. In order to save the purchasing costs and also the special hanging space for such a wall clock, the indication of the clock may be located on the front face of the housing of the gaming devicc. Hcnce by a single glance at the gaming device the exact time may be told therefrom.

Since the special game counter of the gaming device is unused for substantially 95% of the playing time. the clock display may be effcctcd via the indicator of the special game carricr during the time when the special game counter is witlAout indication, i.e. the indication of the clock is integrated in the indication of the special game countcr.

Hcnce there is a favourable double use of the indicator of the special finme counter.

The advantage of the invention resides in that the publican need not make anymore time-dependent operations on the gaming device. All time-dependent functions can be controllcd via the incoipornted clock. This eliminates any human forgetfulness which cnsurcs a satisfactory operation of the device.

The present invention will be described further, by way of exalllplc, with preference to the accompinying dlaxvings. in which : Fig. 1 is a schemitic front view of the gaming device according to the invention; and Fig. 2 shows the block diaoranl of the clock incorporated in the gaming device of Fig. 1.

A gaming device 1 has three play symbol carriers 2, 3.4 formed as discs, each bearing a number of symbols Each play symbol carrier has a rcading window 5 associated therewith.

The front face of the device has a coin slot 6 at the top right hand corncr and a coin payout tray 7 at the bottom centre. Above the coin payout tray 7 switching mcmbcrs 8. 9. 10 are located by means of which the individual play symbol carriers may be slowed down or restarted. Below the play symbol carriers 2.

3, 4 an indicator 11 of a coin counter 12 and an indicator 13 of tlic special game/ play counter 14 are located. Between and below these indicators s l l 1 3 and above the switch- ing members 8. 9, l() an indicator 15 of a clock 16 is located.

The indicator 15 of the clock 16. a main switch I 8, an alarm device 1 9 and a play- enticing device 20 are controlled via a microprocessing computer 17 (Fig. 2) incorporated in the gaming device 1, through which all regulating, control and computer functions within the gaming device are passed, in accordance with the timed programming of the micro-processing computer 17. The clock 16, in conjunction with the programming of the microprocessing computer 17, controls the operating functions of the gaming device, i.e. switching on and off of the main switch 18, the alarm device 19 and play-enticing device 20 which hitherto had to be per formcd manually.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A coin-freed gaming device having one or more game symbol carriers on which loss and win symbols are applied and in accordance with the end position at which the symbol carriers stop, losses or wins are produced. a microprocessor computer for carrying out all regulating, control and computer functions, a clock controlled by the microprocessor computer as switching element for the on/off function of the playing readiness of the apparatus, of an alarm device and a play-enticing device.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which a display clock is located on the face of the devicc.

3. A device according to claim 1, in which the clock display occurs during the indicationless time of the special game counter via the indicator thereof.

4. A coin-freed gaming device substnatially as herein described with preference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. loss and win symbols are applied and in accordance with the end position at which the symbol carriers stop, losses or wins are produced, a microprocessor computer for carrying out all regulating. control and com- puter functions, a clock controlled by the microprocessor computer as switching ele mcnt for the on/off function of the playing rcadiness of the apparatus, of an alarm device and a play-enticing device. In many public houses it is customary to indicate constantly the time to the customers by mcans of a large wall clock. In order to save the purchasing costs and also the special hanging space for such a wall clock, the indication of the clock may be located on the front face of the housing of the gaming devicc. Hcnce by a single glance at the gaming device the exact time may be told therefrom. Since the special game counter of the gaming device is unused for substantially 95% of the playing time. the clock display may be effcctcd via the indicator of the special game carricr during the time when the special game counter is witlAout indication, i.e. the indication of the clock is integrated in the indication of the special game countcr. Hcnce there is a favourable double use of the indicator of the special finme counter. The advantage of the invention resides in that the publican need not make anymore time-dependent operations on the gaming device. All time-dependent functions can be controllcd via the incoipornted clock. This eliminates any human forgetfulness which cnsurcs a satisfactory operation of the device. The present invention will be described further, by way of exalllplc, with preference to the accompinying dlaxvings. in which : Fig. 1 is a schemitic front view of the gaming device according to the invention; and Fig. 2 shows the block diaoranl of the clock incorporated in the gaming device of Fig. 1. A gaming device 1 has three play symbol carriers 2, 3.4 formed as discs, each bearing a number of symbols Each play symbol carrier has a rcading window 5 associated therewith. The front face of the device has a coin slot 6 at the top right hand corncr and a coin payout tray 7 at the bottom centre. Above the coin payout tray 7 switching mcmbcrs 8. 9. 10 are located by means of which the individual play symbol carriers may be slowed down or restarted. Below the play symbol carriers 2. 3, 4 an indicator 11 of a coin counter 12 and an indicator 13 of tlic special game/ play counter 14 are located. Between and below these indicators s l l 1 3 and above the switch- ing members 8. 9, l() an indicator 15 of a clock 16 is located. The indicator 15 of the clock 16. a main switch I 8, an alarm device 1 9 and a play- enticing device 20 are controlled via a microprocessing computer 17 (Fig. 2) incorporated in the gaming device 1, through which all regulating, control and computer functions within the gaming device are passed, in accordance with the timed programming of the micro-processing computer 17. The clock 16, in conjunction with the programming of the microprocessing computer 17, controls the operating functions of the gaming device, i.e. switching on and off of the main switch 18, the alarm device 19 and play-enticing device 20 which hitherto had to be per formcd manually. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A coin-freed gaming device having one or more game symbol carriers on which loss and win symbols are applied and in accordance with the end position at which the symbol carriers stop, losses or wins are produced. a microprocessor computer for carrying out all regulating, control and computer functions, a clock controlled by the microprocessor computer as switching element for the on/off function of the playing readiness of the apparatus, of an alarm device and a play-enticing device.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which a display clock is located on the face of the devicc.

3. A device according to claim 1, in which the clock display occurs during the indicationless time of the special game counter via the indicator thereof.

4. A coin-freed gaming device substnatially as herein described with preference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.