FR2621154A1 - SLOT MACHINE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to slot machines. It relates to a machine in which the positions of the winning signs are indicated in display windows from two look-up tables, used alternately. The two look-up tables give different average gains. Switching between the two tables can be done so that the overall average gain obtained has any desired value. Application to poker or slot machines.

Description

The present invention relates generally to poker machines,

  sometimes referred to as "fruit machines" or "slot machines", and it relates in particular to an improved poker machine in which the number of winning combinations can be increased compared to that of conventional machines, without changing the number of symbols worn by roll or the number of rollers that

includes the machine.

  The present invention relates to a poker machine

  having a display device for displaying simultaneously

  a plurality of signs selected from a set of possible signs, and a random selection device for selecting the signs to be displayed by the display device among the set of signs, the random selection device comprising a random number generating device for to give a random number for each sign display position of the display device, a first look-up table forming a first set of displayable signs for each sign display position, each sign of the first table being associated with a respective random number included in the range of random numbers that can be generated by the random number generating device, a second lookup table forming a set of displayable signs for each sign display position, each sign of the second table being associated to a number

  respective random range in the range of random numbers

  which can be produced by the general scheme

  random number, and a device for selecting one or the other of the first and second look-up tables as a table to be used for a

  determined game played on the machine.

  In preferred embodiments of the invention,

  the sets of signs arranged in the first and second look-up tables are selected so that they give different mean gains to the players, and the weighting of the table selection device is programmable so that it allows variations of the overall gain of the machine that must be obtained without

  modification of its implementation, combinations of

  available payment sounds and the contents of the first and second tables. In different embodiments of the machine, the selection device can be implemented so that it provides weighted random selection or not, or the selection can be changed after a specified period

or a given number of parts.

  Other features and advantages of the invention

  will be better understood by reading the description

  which will follow examples of embodiment, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a first and a second wheel symbol consultation table to be displayed for a desired result or random number given by the generator of random numbers;

  Figure 2 is a flowchart of the principal organ

  pal control of a poker machine according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a display mechanism controller of a preferred embodiment; and FIG. 4 schematically represents a band

  of a first wheel of a poker machine according to the present

the invention.

  Referring to Figure 2; in a machine of

  poker according to the invention, a generator 10 of random numbers

  the work of the poker machine is running, so that when

  player maneuver the launch switch 11 of a par-

  tie, a set of random numbers is chosen (12), a number being chosen for each wheel of the machine. It is necessary

  note that in the preferred embodiment of the invention

  the display of the poker machine is in the form of several wheels driven by stepping motors,

2621 154

  each wheel bearing a band having signs so that the rotation and the subsequent stop of the wheel show one of the signs in a window, this sign being one of the selected signs used for determining the result of the game . A table selection 13 is made so that the one of the first and second tables (tables A

  and B in Figure 1) which should be used for the determination

  to display the wheel symbols to be displayed. Once a table is chosen, the random numbers created by the random number generator are transformed into 14

  symbol codes according to the chosen table A, B, representing

  1 and the symbol codes are then transmitted at 15 to the control member of the mechanisms not to

  not that cause the wheels to rotate. The main body

  machine control pal then waits for an accused of

  receipt 16 indicating that the rotation of the wheels is complete.

  born, and then provides a settlement 17, when necessary because of the appearance of a combination

winning wheel positions.

  Reference is now made to Figure 3; the control member of the wheel mechanisms receives in 21 the codes of the

  symbols chosen by the principal

  mence to rotate the wheels 22 by launching respective stepper motors, waits for the position of

  reference of each wheel passes in front of the reference point.

  23 and then applies to each wheel the number of

  the wheel stops at a respective selected position or number 24. The wheel advance procedure is then continued until each wheel has reached the position to be taken by the sign and is stopped, and the cycle is then completed at 25 and causes the transmission at 26 of a wheel stop signal to the main controller. The latter retains the information relating to the sequence of symbols of each wheel band, as shown in FIG. 4, the number placed to the left of each symbol being the number of steps necessary for the mechanism control member to advance wheel

  from the position marked to the specified number of the symbol.

  Although the invention has been described with reference to poker machines having wheeled display devices driven by stepper motors, it should be noted that video displays or other displays for displaying selected signs or symbols may also

the invention.

  Various methods can be used for the selection

  between the first and the second table, and in particular the following methods: (a) equal and fixed periods of use of

  each table (or a fixed number of parts before

  tation), (b) equal times (or numbers of equal parts) for each table, but tables "A and" B "are chosen at random, and (c) a random time before switching to

  the other table (or after a random number of games).

  The presence of two tables instead of one

  doubles the possibilities of calculating the pot. This diagram presents

  You also have advantages that a single-table machine does not allow. Even if each of the tables has the same percentage of earnings, the characteristics may

  be changed by earmarking smaller gains more frequently

  quents in one table than in the other. However, a

  more interesting principle is the use of

  unequal percentages of gain, as represented by

  1 in which table A gives a theoretical gain of 80% and table B, which has no pot, gives

  a theoretical gain of 90% because of the small gains

  quent. If the selection between tables A and B in Figure 1 was really random, the machine would give an average of 85% of the sums to players, although one or

  the other of the tables is chosen successively.

  The duration or the number of parts before changing from one table to another is preferably controlled by a module or plug-in circuit, so that a manufacturer can ship the same machine in markets requiring different percentages of profit of the machines. , without changing combinations or materials, or rewriting the program, by simply using different modules with different weights for the selection of the

first and second table.

Claims (7)

  1 / Slot machine, characterized in that it com-   carries a display device (22) for displaying simultaneously in a set of display positions, a plurality of signs selected from a set of signs   possible, and a device for random selection of   to select the signs to be displayed on the   display device (22) from the set of signs,   the random selection device comprising a device   generator (10) of random numbers for   produce a random number for each position of   display of the sign of the display device (22), a   first consultation table A forming a first   seemable signs for each display position.   sign sign, each sign of the first table (A) being associated with a respective random number included in the range of random numbers that can be   produced by the random number generating device   res (10), a second look-up table (B) forming a set of displayable signs for each sign display position, each sign of the second look-up table (B) being also associated with a respective possible number produced by the number generator   (10), and a selection device (13) for   to select the first or second look-up table (A, B) as a table to be used in a given on the machine.   2 / Slot machine according to claim 1, characterized   characterized in that the sets of signs of the first and second lookup tables (A, B) are chosen to give different average winnings to the players.   3 / Slot machine according to claim 2, characterized   characterized in that the selection device (13) alternates   at random between the first and second tables of con-   sultation (A, B) so that it gives an overall average gain to the player, included in the range of those that would be obtained if only the look-up table (A) or the consultation (B) was used.   4 / Slot machine according to claim 3, characterized   in that the random selection of the table (A) or the table (B) is weighted so that it gives a   average overall gain particular to the player.   Slot machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the weighting is variable in order to   that it allows for variations in the overall gain of the   China without the machine being built or its design be modified.   6 / Slot machine according to claim 2, characterized   characterized in that the selection device (13) is intended to change the look-up table (A, B) after a predefined number of parts.   7 / Machine for playing poker according to the claim   7, characterized in that the selection device (13) is intended to change the look-up table (A, B)   after a predetermined period.   8 / slot machine according to any one of the   preceding statements, characterized in that one of the look-up tables (A, B) is intended to give a large number of relatively small gains, while the other is intended to give a relatively small number of low significant gains.