Drop gaming machine with varying symbol scoring zones and automatic bias prevention

Abstract

A game machine which includes a playing field traversed by objects, such as balls or other traversing bodies. A preferred form includes a playing field with a maze, such as of deflectors, and plural drop zones which can be selected by the player that control where the balls are launched. Detectors indicate scoring positions assumed by the balls or other traversing objects. A payline display may be included to display scored events. A symbol selector is included to select symbols which are variably assigned to the scoring positions. To eliminate possible bias due to wear and other causes the detectors are assigned individual symbols in a manner that produces equal frequencies of appearance in each of the detection positions. Scored symbols may be displayed in one or more payline displays and affect winning or bonus play.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The field of this invention is gaming machines having a drop zone which has one or more balls or other objects which can be received at different positions to affect the action and probabilities associated with winning and playing the gaming machine. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Slot machines have been a dominant part of the gaming industry world wide for over 50 years. While pachinko machines have seen a great deal of popularity in Asia, they have not been widely received in many countries, particularly when compared to the traditional slot machine. [0003] Slot machines have been used for many years having a similar basic configuration. Whether mechanical or electronic, they have spinning reels that stop after a relatively short period of time. Play includes payment of potential jackpots of various sizes depending on the symbols which are presented when the real or imaginary reels stop. [0004] To many people there is an appeal associated with slot machi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] The balls preferably encounter deflector pegs which form a maze. The deflector pegs have an effect on the traversal of the object across some or all of the playing field. The object, maze and playing field interaction have an even greater appearance of randomness. A maze provides a randomizing effect or change on the path of the balls during their fall. As each passes through an exit or other detection position it is detected by a suitable sensor (photoelectric, infrared, electric, mechanical, etc.).

[0016] The exit or other detector positions have a corresponding symbol which is associated or assigned to the position to enhance play. The symbol can be display on detector displays using suitable symbol representations, such as represented on a liquid crystal display, at or near an exit or other detector position. The symbol display, can be configured to light up or otherwise indicate when a ball passes through or is otherwise detected at that position. A small indicator, such as one or more LED's, above each symbol can be used to reflect how many balls fell into a particular position (providing some did). This is used to eliminate doubt which can otherwise arise as to which position has been scored, and to how many balls passed through the associated position. A larger payline display, simulating the payline of a traditional slot machine, shows the series of symbols selected by the balls passing through the exit positions.

[0026] The machine of the present invention also allows for a greater number of symbols to be displayed than a traditional, reel based, slot machine. The reel based machines are limited to displaying the number of symbols that can be fit on the reel. In a three (3) reel machine with eleven (11) symbols per reel there are 1,331 possible combinations that can ever be displayed on the payline. In the present invention it is easy to store many symbols for electronic display. In a machine with eight (8) exit positions and 25 possible symbols per exit position there are over 150 billion combinations for display on the exit position display. This larger number of possible combinations makes it possible for the present invention to pay out over a larger range of combinations and would allow a single machine to have the potential to pay out a very large jackpot.

[0027] The present invention should have a very wide appeal to the gaming establishments as it has an overtly visible “mechanical” element, balls launching and freely dropping through the playing field, yet very low maintenance. The maintenance is low because other than simple mechanical switches and a ball ejecting system, the machine is dependent on non-mechanical hardware and software for most of its operation.

[0028] Still other versions and aspects of the invention can be implemented by combining the drop zone style game machine described herein in a gaming machine which also includes a more traditional reel-style slot machine. One or more reels having the reel symbols included thereon can be presented in the traditional slot machine fashion. The probability combinations can be greatly enhanced by having a secondary drop zone section on the machine with the traditional slot machine reels. The secondary drop zone section can be played concurrently, as a bonus round, combined in a single payline determination using both symbol sets, otherwise combined or sequenced to enhance the player's enjoinment and anticipation. The added mathematically probability options are greatly enhanced and this allows the casino operator to offer greatly enhanced maximum jackpot amounts without having the added cost and complexity of connecting numerous slot machines into a mega-jackpot pool as is a common and costly procedure being used widely in the casino industry.

Problems solved by technology

While pachinko machines have seen a great deal of popularity in Asia, they have not been widely received in many countries, particularly when compared to the traditional slot machine.

Even though the new machines simulated the mechanical slots in every way and used the same random number generating circuit and yielded the same payout percentages as the mechanical slot machines, they were less well received by the gaming public.

The biggest problem with the mechanical or electronic slot machines that have mechanical reels is that they have higher mechanical maintenance costs than gaming machines with video displays in place of spinning reels.

While prior art machines that replaced the spinning reels with video displays had lower mechanical maintenance costs, they were less attractive to gamers and did not generate the same revenue for the casinos.

Another problem with traditional slot machines is their size, due to the space requirements of the mechanical reels.

Traditional slot machines take up a great deal of floor space and are generally not well suited to being wall mounted.

Another problem with slot machines is that there are a limited number of possible combinations of symbols.

This inherent limiting number of reel combinations also limits the size of a jackpot that can be offered.

This is relatively more complicated and expensive than a stand-alone machine.

These linked multiple machine configurations require greater costs for setting up and operating the machines.

They also are difficult or impossible to implement in facilities that want merely a few machines and do not want contractual arrangements through some network organized by some other business.

Finally, the very randomness which makes slot machines attractive also deters some people from playing them because they do not perceive there to be any skill involved in playing the game.

Too much interactivity, such as that involved with video and pinball games, would slow down the cycle rate of the machines to an unacceptable level for the casino or other game operator.

The reel based machines are limited to displaying the number of symbols that can be fit on the reel.

The maintenance is low because other than simple mechanical switches and a ball ejecting system, the machine is dependent on non-mechanical hardware and software for most of its operation.

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