GB2099198A

GB2099198A - Gaming machines

Info

Publication number: GB2099198A
Application number: GB8209621A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: QUESTENCO Ltd
Current assignee: QUESTENCO Ltd
Priority date: 1981-04-02
Filing date: 1982-04-01
Publication date: 1982-12-01

Abstract

A fruit machine includes a control system 1 which supplies drive signals to a reel mechanism 2 in response to actuation of a game-initiating button 3 to cause the reels bearing fruit and other symbols to be spun and to come to rest with a combination of symbols in a viewing zone. This combination is compared with a list of winning combinations and a prize is awarded in the event of a match. In dependence on the result of the game or on a random basis, a hidden-win detection unit 8 determines whether there is a combination of symbols on the reels along a line which is not visible, or is only partially visible, in the viewing zone which, if within the viewing zone, would constitute a winning combination. If such a combination exists the player may depress a hidden-win button 7 so as to index the reel mechanism 2 to cause the detected combination to appear within the viewing zone, and a prize is then awarded in the usual manner. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Gaming machines This invention relates to gaming machines, such as those known as "fruit machines".

Fruit machines conventionally incorporate three or more rotary members, such as reels or strips, disposed side-by-side and bearing symbols viewable in a viewing zone, or a representation of such rotary members, referred to hereafter as "quasi-rotary members", on a video or projection screen. The symbols generally represent various fruits, although it will be understood that the term "fruit machine" may be applied to machines having rotary members bearing symbols other than fruits. During a game the rotary members are spun or appear to be spun in response to actuation of a game-initiating button by a player after a coin, token or credit has been paid into the machine, and the rotary members subsequently come to rest in random positions indicated by a combination of symbols in the viewing zone.

Alternatively the machine may comprise display units, such as an array of lightsn adapted to display the symbols, the means for cyclically changing the symbols displayed by the units. The combination of symbols visible in the viewing zone is then compared with a number of prize-winning combinations, and a prize is awarded if a match is found. In addition to the normal game a number of game features, such as "hold" and "nudge", may be made available to the player by such machines in order to increase the chances of obtaining a prize.

It is an object of the invention to provide such a machine with an entirely novel game feature which will improve the player appeal of the machine.

According to the invention there is provided a gaming machine comprising a plurality of rotary or quasi-rotary mambers bearing symbols, or a plurality of display units adapted to display symbols and capable of being cycled in a predetermined sequence to change the symbols displayed, a gameinitiating switch which when actuated by a player, causes the rotary members to be spun, orthe display units to be cycled, and to come to rest with a combination of symbols in a viewing zone, win processing means for determining whether the resulting combination of symbols in the viewing zone is one of a plurality of possible winning combinations, hidden-win detecting means for determining whether, if each of the rotary members or display units were indexed by the same amount starting from the positions assumed by the rotary members or display units after being spun or cycled, a winning combination would appear within the viewing zone which was not visible, or was only partially visible, in the viewing zone in said starting positions of the rotary members or display units, and hidden-win actuating means for indexing the rotary members or display units to bring this winning combination within the viewing zone where such a combination is found to exist.

This feature could be available at all times or become available intermittently either randomly or according to a predetermined set of criteria, for example in response to a particular combination of symbols appearing in the viewing zone as a result of the main game. This particular combination of symbols may itself be a winning combination, and the player may be given the option of accepting the win corresponding to this combination or gambling for a win of higher value.

When the feature is awarded, the rotary members are preferably moved by actuating either the gameinitiating switch for a second time or a special subsidiary control, to cause the rotary members to move all together or one at a time, all in the same direction or in different directions, into their final positions.

The rotary members may be movable into these final positions by "nudging" them one symbol at a time with an appropriate button or by operating a "skill" button of the type described in Specification No.

2,083,934A.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, a fruit machine in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure shows a block diagram of the machine.

The illustrated machine includes a control system 1 which incorporates a microprocessor and is of the type described in Patent Specification No. 1,550,732.

This control system 1 controls a reel mechanism 2 comprising four reels in dependence on depression of a game-initiating button 3 and various gamefeature buttons by the player. When a coin or token is introduced into a coin/token input4 of the machine and the game-initiating button 3 is depressed by the player, the reels of the reel mechanism 2 are caused to be spun by the control system 1 with the reels coming to rest one at a time and in a particular order in accordance with the usual convention. Each reel is driven by the appropriate amount by a respective drive signal supplied by the control system 1, and the combination of symbols on the combination line when the reels have stopped is computed directly from the drive signals and compared with the possible prize-winning combinations. In the event of a match a prize is awarded by a pay-out control 5.

The combination of symbols on the combination line when the reels have stooped is also compared with a number of possible feature combinations, and, if a match is found, a hidden-win feature is made available to the player by a hidden-win enable unit 6, the availability of this feature being indicated to the player by a flashing light. A hidden-win detection unit 8 then determines whether there is a combination of symbols on the reels along a line which is not visible, or is only partially visible, in the viewing zone which, if within the viewing zone, would constitute a winning combination.If such a combination exists the player may depress a hiddin-win button 7 and the hidden-win detection unit 8 then causes the control system 1 to index the reel mechanism 2 so that all the reels roll around together until the, come to rest with the winning combination along the combination line in the viewing zone. A prize is then awarded by the pay-out control 5 in the usual manner.

In a modification ofthe above-described machine the hidden-win feature is made available to the player if the combination of symbols on the combination line corresponds to one of the possible winning combinations instead of the player being awarded a prize, so as to enable the player to gamble for a higher value win. In this case the decision as to whether a prize is to be awarded or the hidden-win feature is to be made available when a particular winning combination is obtained will generally be determined on a random basis with a particular chance of the feature being awarded. In a further modification of the illustrated machine the hiddenwin feature is made available to the player on a random basis with a particular chance of the feature being awarded.

Furthermore the means by which the reels are indexed so as to display the winning combination in the viewing zone where such a combination is detected by the hidden-win detection unit 8 may also be varied. The hidden-win button 7 may be the same as the game-initiating button 3. Alternatively a respective hidden-win button 7 may be provided for indexing each of the reels. In either case the hidden-win button or buttons may be arranged to index the reels by one symbol each time the buttons are depressed so that the reels must be moved into their final positions by "nudging" them one symbol at a time.Alternatively the or each button may be replaced by an actuating member, called a "skill" button, which is movable on actuation by the player between an inoperative state and an operative state, and a control circuit for sensing the speed and/or distance and/orforce with which the actuating member is moved by the player between its inoperative and operative states and for supplying a control signal dependent on the sensed speed and/or distance and/or force for bringing a winning combination within the viewing zone in response to detection of such a combination by the hidden-win detection unit8.

Asimilar hidden-win feature may be provided in a machine in which the reels are replaced by display units each of which is capable of being cycled to display symbols in a predetermined sequence, although, in this case, the combination of symbols which is to be detected by the hidden-win detection unit is a combination which, if all the display units were indexed by the same amount, would appear as a winning combination within the viewing zone.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising a plurality of rotary or quasi-rotary members bearing symbols, or a plurality of display units adapted to display symbols and capable of being cycled in a predetermined sequence to change the symbols displayed, a gameinitiating switch which, when actuated by a player, causes the rotary members to be spun, orthe display units to be cycled, and to come to rest with a combination of symbols in a viewing zone, win processing means for determining whether the resulting combination of symbols in the viewing zone is one of a plurality of possible winning combinations, hidden-win detecting means for determining whether, if each of the rotary members or display units were indexed by the same amount starting from the positions assumed by the rotary members or display units after being spun or cycled, a winning combination would appear within the viewing zone which was not visible, or was only partially visible, in the viewing zone in said starting positions of the rotary members or display units, and hidden-win actuating means for indexing the rotary members or display units to bring this winning combination within the viewing zone where such a combination is found to exist.

2. A gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the hidden-win actuating means comprises an actuating member which is movable on actuation by the player between an inoperative state and an operative state, and a control circuit for sensing the speed and/or distance and/or force with which the actuating member is moved by the player between its inoperative and operative states and for supplying a control signal dependent on the sensed speed and/or distance and/or force for bringing a winning combination within the viewing zone in response to detection of such a combination by the hidden-win detecting means.

3. A gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the hidden-win actuating means comprises a switch actuable by the player to bring a winning combination within the viewing zone in response to detection of such a combination bythe hidden-win detecting means.

4. A gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein the hidden-win actuating switch is arranged to index the rotary members or display units by one symbol each time that it is actuated.

5. A gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein the hidden-win actuating switch is also the game-initiating switch.

6. A gaming machine according to any preceding claim, wherein hidden-win enabling means is provided for making the hidden-win feature available on a random basis.

7. A gaming machine according to any preceding claim, wherein hidden-win enabling means is provided for making the hidden-win feature available on the basis of a predetermined set of criteria.

8. A gaming machine according to claim 7, wherein the hidden-win enabling means is adapted to make the hidden-win feature available when the combination of symbols in the viewing zone resulting from the spinning or cycling of the rotary members or display units in response to actuation of the game-initiating switch is one of a plurality of possible feature combinations.

9. A gaming machine according to claim 7, wherein the hidden-win enabling means is adapted to make the hidden-win feature available when the combination of symbols in the viewing zone resulting from the spinning or cycling of the rotary members or display units in response to actuation of the game-initiating switch is one of the possible winning combinations so as to enable the player to gamble for a higher value win.

10. A gaming machine according to any preceding claim, wherein the hidden-win actuating means is adapted to index all the rotary members or display units simultaneously.

11. A gaming machine substantially as hereinbsfore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.