DE4201101C2 - Method for determining a winning value in the case of a symbol combination which is represented with a gaming device of a coin-operated entertainment machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for determination a winning value for a symbol combination that ends with a Game device of a coin-operated entertainment machine is shown, according to the preamble of claim 1.

From DE 28 18 503 C2 is a switching arrangement for one coin-operated entertainment machines known with the Achieve special games a timer is activated. The timer switches on after its service life according to a credit balance showing a stake following game started. While in normal game mode only predefined symbol combinations are profitable, is in Series game operation also specified individual symbols Associated profit. This is many times higher than that Bet for a game. The disadvantage, however, is that the gameplay for the player uniformly uninfluenced and therefore not very attractive in the long run.

Furthermore, from the patent DE 27 56 361 C2 is a coin Game device with several winning symbols carrying circulating bodies known. An evaluation device alternatively searches among the displayed winning symbols the winning combination with the highest Most profit level, whereby from a peripheral circulation body a profit from the circular body arranged side by side symbol and several profit symbols from the other circulation bodies  in one in the succession of the circulating bodies themselves extensive circumferential area is displayed and this symbol combination tion of the evaluation device to determine a profit combination can be used. Everyone is during normal play Profit symbol combination a profit value according to the profit plan assigned. In areas of series games, everyone wins symbol combination assigned the highest DM profit value.

The invention has for its object a generic coin operated amusement machines educate that the gameplay in series game operation by Operating controls can be influenced.

This object is achieved by the features of patent claim 1 solved.

Advantageous further developments and configurations are the sub claims can be removed.

The coin-operated entertainment machine with the fiction The procedure for determining a profit value indicates the Advantage on that the user of the entertainment machine when Reaching series games can decide what kind of He currently considers earnings values more appropriate. Through this The user can innovate when they reach series games with a coin storage stand that does not have a stake play the previously achieved series games without additional coins, because at least between two profit value units can be. In one profit unit, higher DM Winning values granted and for each game there must be a DM game rate to be paid. With the other profit unit lower DM profit values and free spins are granted.

An embodiment of the invention is in the drawing shown. It shows:

Fig. 1 assemblies of a coin-operated entertainment machine, as a block diagram and

Fig. 2 is a flowchart for the determination of profit values in series game operation.

1 in Fig. 1 with a block diagram of a coin-operated entertainment machine with profit opportunity includes the essential for understanding the invention groups.

The entertainment machine includes a game device 2 , a control unit 3 with a microcomputer 4 , formed as a button controls 5 , translucent to display fields 6 , seven-segment display fields 8 to show the credit balance, a coin store, a series game counter, and other earnings value memories. The game device 2 preferably consists of a plurality of disk-shaped or roller-shaped rotating bodies 9 arranged next to one another. Drive motors 10 designed as stepper motors are assigned to the rotating bodies 9 . A scanning device 11 is assigned to determine and monitor the currently engaged position of the rotating bodies 9 . The scanning device 11 consists of a perforated disk located on the drive shaft of the drive motor 10 and a position detector formed from a light transmitter and a light receiver. The beam path between the light transmitter and light receiver is physically interrupted by the perforated disc. The position recognizer is connected to the microprocessor 4 by means of a drive motor control 12 .

The entertainment machine is supplied with voltage by a supply unit 13 . All necessary voltages are derived from a mains transformer, rectified and made available to the various components of the entertainment machine.

Lamps 6 are assigned to the profit display elements and are controlled by the control unit 3 via a display control device 14 . The display control device 14 comprises a plurality of transistors and thyristors for operating the lamps arranged in a matrix (DE 30 24 569 A1) and a lamp address decoder. This determines the address of the lamp to be energized from the information transmitted by the control unit 3 . With the corresponding row and column address, the corresponding switching transistor and row transistor can be controlled so that the lamp can be energized. The control unit 3 comprises a microcomputer 4 with an input / output unit 17 , with which the data exchange between the microcomputer and the elements from the game device 2 , operating elements 5 , lamps of the display panel 6 and seven-segment displays 8 takes place. The microcomputer 4 comprises a microprocessor 15 , a read-only memory (ROM) 16 , an operating data memory (RAM) 17 , a clock 18 for timing and a bus system 19 connecting the units, consisting of a data bus, memory address bus and control bus.

The microprocessor 15 includes, in addition to an arithmetic unit 20, a control unit 21 and accumulators 23 for temporarily storing the values determined in the arithmetic unit 20 . The fixed value memory (ROM) 16 contains the programs required for operating an amusement machine, such as random number program, recirculation control and profit recognition. In the read-only memory (RAM) 17 , the random numbers determined for each coin game before the circulating bodies 9 are put into circulation are temporarily stored. The values of the credit counters are also registered in the RAM 17 .

In FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the control provides a coin-operated entertainment machines Darge. The coin-operated entertainment machine is started up by inserting a coin into the coin slot on the front of the entertainment machine. A coin validator is assigned to the coin slot. The coin value of the coins accepted by the coin validator is detected with this and fed to the control unit 3 , by means of which this value is registered in the coin memory of the RAM 17 . The credit balance of the coin store is indicated with the seven-segment digits 8 . After each change in the credit balance in the coin store, the control unit 3 checks whether there is a credit balance showing the stakes (branch block 24 ). In a game balance showing the game, the drive motors 10 of the circulation bodies 9 of the game device 2 are energized by the control unit 3 and shut down one after the other in randomly determined detent positions (operation block 25 ). On the basis of the symbol combination determined and displayed by the circulating bodies, the profit assigned to the symbol combination is determined by a comparison with the profit plan located in ROM 16 (branching block 26 , 27 ). A monetary gain is accumulated in the DM credit counter (operation block 28 ). If the symbol combination shown is not assigned a monetary gain value, it is subsequently checked in branch block 27 whether the symbol combination is associated with a series profit value. In the series game, a DM win assigned to a symbol combination or, if a special symbol is achieved, a DM win value is granted which corresponds to a multiple of the game bet. If no profit is assigned to the symbol combination displayed, a check is made to branch block 24 of flowchart 23 to check the status of the coin store for a game balance which has stakes.

If a series profit value is assigned to the symbol combination shown, this is registered in the series game credit memory (operation block 29 ). The circulation bodies 9 for a subsequent game are started after a given time restriction (branching block 30 ) or after actuation of an operating element (branching block 31) . After actuation of the operating element, the achievable profit value for subsequent series games is changed Profit value replaced by another predefinable exchange profit value in RAM.

The exchange profit value can e.g. B. best of two units hen. One unit is a DM profit value and the other Unity consists e.g. B. from free spins. The free spins will be then registered in another credit memory in RAM. The count of the free spin counter is measured with seven-segment Ads visible to the player.

For the subsequent game, operation block 32 for checking the coin store for a credit balance having a game stake resets to branching block 24 . A symbol combination is determined with the game device 2 . In the case of a series game counter reading greater than zero (branch block 33 ), it is subsequently checked whether the original profit plan A or the profit plan B provided with changed exchange profit values is used (branch block 34 ). If the profits assigned to the symbol combination are determined according to the original profit plan, the determined profit value is accumulated in the DM credit counter (operation block 28 ).

When determining the profit value according to the active profit plan, the profit consisting of two units is accumulated on the one hand in the DM credit memory and on the other hand in a free spin credit memory (operation block 35 ). Subsequently, branch block 24 is reset to check for the existence of the game bet. The control unit 3 primarily checks whether the free spins credit memory has a credit balance that includes wagers. In the case of a game balance, only this is reduced by the game bet. No DM wagering is deducted from the balance of the coin store for the subsequent game.

If the free spins credit memory does not have a wager showing credit balance is only now following checked whether the coin store has a stake Has credit balance. While reducing wagering Another game is made from the balance of the coin store started.

Claims (2)

1. A method for determining a winning value in a symbol combination, which is shown with a gaming device of a coin operated entertainment machine, the entertainment machine comprising profit value-specific credit counters with assigned numerical displays, control elements for influencing the game flow and a control unit with which the control elements are recorded and are registered, and in which, in the event of a series win, a subsequent game is started by the control unit after expiry of a time restriction in the case of a credit counter reading with game play, characterized in that by actuating one or more operating elements ( 5 ) from the control unit ( 3 ) in the case of a game bet on the credit balance of a credit counter, the game device is activated, and that achievable profit values for the subsequent games by changing the profit values of the profit plan in RAM ( 17 ) by v definable exchange profit values are replaced. 2. The method according to claim 1 characterized, that the predefinable exchange profit value from a payable DM profit value and from a non-payable wager exists, which accumulates in a separate credit counter becomes.