Patents by Inventor Kenta Kitamura

Kenta Kitamura has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8545306
    Abstract: A slot machine 10 executes the processes of: (a1) executing a base game in which the symbols 501 are rearranged on the reel device M1 and a base payout is awarded in accordance with the rearrange symbols 501; (a2) when the symbols 501 are rearranged in the base game so that a predetermined condition is satisfied, displaying, on the upper image display panel 131, the roulette which selects one classification symbol 602 out of the classification symbols 602; and (a3) when one classification symbol 602 is selected out of the classification symbols 602, executing a bonus game which corresponds to the selected classification symbol 602 and is any one of first to fifth bonus games.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kensaku Yoshikawa, Kenta Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20130244748
    Abstract: A gaming machine according to an embodiment includes a symbol display and a controller. The symbol display configured to display an arrangement and a rendering movement of a plurality of symbols for a game, and the plurality of symbols including first and second symbols different from each other. The controller is configured to receive an input from a player, to determine whether a time of the input from the player is within a predetermined time duration during the rendering movement when the rendering movement satisfies a first condition, the predetermined time duration starting at a predetermined frame before the first symbol reaches at a predetermined position, and to stop a group of the symbols including the first symbol in response to the input from the player when the time of the input is within the predetermined time duration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicants: ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC., UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenta KITAMURA, Hiroatsu IKE, Akira OSAWA
  • Publication number: 20130231174
    Abstract: A gaming machine 1: variably displays a plurality of symbols on a lower image display panel 141 in response to an external input; randomly determining symbols 501 to be rearranged on the lower image display panel 141; determining one of game results based on the symbols 501 randomly determined; execute a common indication effect common to all the game results; and after common indication effect is executed, executes an individual indication effect according to the game result determined while the symbols are variably displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicants: Aruze Gaming America, Inc., Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Masumi FUJISAWA, Kenta KITAMURA, Kenji ENOKIDO
  • Patent number: 8475258
    Abstract: A gaming machine is configured so as to have a function of allowing a bet raise operation to be input by a simple operation in a case where a player bets different bet amounts on a plurality of bet regions within a bet time that is time limited. In particular, if a double bet button 81 having been touched by a player is detected, all of the bet amounts stored in memory are changed with one operation by a predetermined multiple, so that players, who decide immediately before the bet time end that they would like to raise, can raise with one operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Kenta Kitamura
  • Patent number: 8449367
    Abstract: When one player acquires a qualification for playing a scramble bonus game, another player can participate in the scramble bonus game by paying a predetermined amount of participation charge. In addition, in a case where a fellow character could be acquired as a fellow of the player characters, the amount of prize to be paid to the players is increased according to features of that fellow character. Further, items of equipment of the player characters become more gorgeous, as the prizes acquired by the players increase in amount. A damage imparted to an enemy character varies depending on weapons that the player characters use. A prize is awarded when a hit point of the enemy character becomes 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Yoichi Kato, Makoto Miyawaki, Hiromoto Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 8419523
    Abstract: A slot machine 10 includes: reels 101-105 each having symbols 501; backlight devices M7 which individually light the symbols 501; a display window 150 which displays the symbols 501; and a motherboard 70 programmed to run a game in which the reels 101-105 are rotated to rearrange the symbols 501, and a prize is awarded according to a combination of the symbols 501. The motherboard 70 (a1) drives and rotating the reels 101-105; (a2) stops the rotation of a predetermined reel; (a3) causes a backlight source M70 of a backlight device M7, which corresponds to a winning-related symbol 501 out of the symbols 501 rearranged, to be in an on-state while causing a backlight source M70 of a backlight device M7 corresponding to a non-winning-related symbol 501 to be in an off-state; and (a4) executes (a3) every time the rotation of at least one of the reels 101-105 is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Yoshiaki Yabata, Yuki Terada, Hiroatsu Ike
  • Publication number: 20120322538
    Abstract: In a gaming machine of the present invention, when a base game run in a main control process shifts to a pickup bonus game, a player is able to select any of a plurality of lotus images 210 displayed in a selection screen 209 on a lower image display panel 141. In the pickup bonus game, a plurality of lotus images 210 and a plurality of objects (white orb 231, blue orb 232, red orb 233, green orb 234, END 235, or the like) are randomly associated with one another. After making a selection a plurality of number of times through the control panel 30 or the touch panel 114, a pickup bonus game payout table 192 storing a payout for each type and the number of objects is read out from the RAM 73, and a payout is determined according to the table. The payout thus determined is then awarded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Masumi FUJISAWA, Kenta Kitamura, Shintarou Okazawa, Kenji Enokido
  • Publication number: 20120322539
    Abstract: A gaming machine 10 includes: a display device configured to display a plurality of symbols to be continuously arranged; and a controller 30. The controller 30 executes processing operations of: (a1) sequentially executing game processing for a plurality of players and then according to a result of the game processing, determining any of the symbols is to be assigned to a respective one of the players; (a2) paying out a prize according to the symbols that are assigned according to a result of the determination; and (a3) generating a scramble event in which the assigned symbols are scrambled between the plurality of players, in a case where the prize is identical as to the plurality of players.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicants: ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC., UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Yoichi Kato, Makoto Miyawaki, Hiromoto Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20120309486
    Abstract: A gaming machine 10 has: a display device 12 configured to display a plurality of symbols to be continuously arranged; and a controller 30. The controller 30 executes the processing operations of: (a1) executing game processing and then according to a result of the game processing, determining whether or not to scroll at least one array of the symbols; (a2) scrolling the symbol array according to a result of the determination; and (a3) carrying out processing according to a result of the scroll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Kenta KITAMURA, Yoichi Kato, Makoto Miyawaki, Hiromoto Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20120309487
    Abstract: A slot machine 10 executes the processes of: (a1) executing a base game in which the symbols 501 are rearranged on the reel device M1 and a base payout is awarded in accordance with the rearrange symbols 501; (a2) when the symbols 501 are rearranged in the base game so that a predetermined condition is satisfied, displaying, on the upper image display panel 131, the roulette which selects one classification symbol 602 out of the classification symbols 602; and (a3) when one classification symbol 602 is selected out of the classification symbols 602, executing a bonus game which corresponds to the selected classification symbol 602 and is any one of first to fifth bonus games.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Kensaku YOSHIKAWA, Kenta Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20120309488
    Abstract: A slot machine of the present invention includes a plurality of reels, a display window, and a motherboard. The plurality of reels include: a reel having a symbol column which includes ordinary symbols each of which is provided as a single image to the plurality of unit areas R on the outer circumference of the reel, on one-to-one basis; and a special symbol which is provided as a single image over four unit areas. The display window is disposed at the front of the plurality of reels. The motherboard is programmed to execute the process of rearranging and displaying the symbols on the display window, and a process of, when a part of the special symbol on the reel is displayed in the display window as a result of the rearrangement, rearranging the entire special symbol in the display window (re-scrolling process).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Kensaku YOSHIKAWA, Kenta Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20120309501
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes: a common display device that displays a route made of a plurality of continuous frames; a plurality of game terminals; a bet input portion that is provided in each of the game terminals, for placing a bet in each unit game; a number-of-movements determining portion that determines by means of random numbers a number of frames, in a case where a bet is placed; a number-of-movements display portion that displays the number of the frames; a character movement portion that moves the character in accordance with the number of the frames in the route; an event executing portion that executes an event associated with the frame at which the character stops; and a prize awarding portion that awards a prize in accordance with a result of the event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Kenta KITAMURA, Yoichi Kato, Makoto Miyawaki, Hiromoto Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20120309509
    Abstract: When one player acquires a qualification for playing a scramble bonus game, another player can participate in the scramble bonus game by paying a predetermined amount of participation charge. In addition, in a case where a fellow character could be acquired as a fellow of the player characters, the amount of prize to be paid to the players is increased according to features of that fellow character. Further, items of equipment of the player characters become more gorgeous, as the prizes acquired by the players increase in amount. A damage imparted to an enemy character varies depending on weapons that the player characters use. A prize is awarded when a hit point of the enemy character becomes 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicants: ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC., UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenta KITAMURA, Yoichi Kato, Makoto Miyawaki, Hiromoto Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20120309492
    Abstract: A gaming machine and a controlling method thereof are provided. The gaming machine includes a mechanical symbol display unit which includes: a rotatable reel having a peripheral face with a plurality of symbols thereon; an illuminating device that is provided within a space on an inner periphery side of the rotatable reel and is controlled to emit light of at least two different colors; and an illumination controller. The symbols include a special symbol having at least two translucent portions each having a unique color that is the same as one of the at least two different colors. The at least two colors are selected in a way that, the special symbol is observable as a symbol in one single color or a symbol with a pattern of at least two colors according to the color of the emitted light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicants: Aruze Gaming America, Inc., UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Osawa, Kenta Kitamura, Takeshi Iso, Tatsuya Teranishi
  • Publication number: 20120309493
    Abstract: A gaming machine which can control the tempo of the game to refresh the player while maintaining continuity of the game, enhancing entertainingness and amusement of the game, and encouraging the player's sense of achievements. The input unit receives an instruction related to a game. The memory stores a first symbol determination table causing that a specific symbol appears among rearranged symbols on the symbol display unit with a first probability and a second symbol determination table causing that the specific symbol appears among the rearranged symbols with a second probability higher than the first probability. The controller starts the game in response to the instruction received through the input unit to execute the game in a normal mode and shifting the normal mode to a chance mode according to the game result in the normal mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicants: Aruze Gaming America, Inc., UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira OSAWA, Tatsuya Teranishi, Takeshi Iso, Kenta Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20120302314
    Abstract: A slot machine 10 includes: reels 101-105 each having symbols 501; backlight devices M7 which individually light the symbols 501; a display window 150 which displays the symbols 501; and a motherboard 70 programmed to run a game in which the reels 101-105 are rotated to rearrange the symbols 501, and a prize is awarded according to a combination of the symbols 501. The motherboard 70 (a1) drives and rotating the reels 101-105; (a2) stops the rotation of a predetermined reel; (a3) causes a backlight source M70 of a backlight device M7, which corresponds to a winning-related symbol 501 out of the symbols 501 rearranged, to be in an on-state while causing a backlight source M70 of a backlight device M7 corresponding to a non-winning-related symbol 501 to be in an off-state; and (a4) executes (a3) every time the rotation of at least one of the reels 101-105 is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Yoshiaki Yabata, Yuki Terada, Hiroatsu Ike
  • Publication number: 20120252547
    Abstract: A gaming machine, at the time of the result of the base game associated with the payout, determines whether at least a competing game condition associated with the payout is satisfied or not. In the case where it is determined that the competing game condition is satisfied, the gaming machine sets the neighboring gaming terminals as opponents. When the opponent participates in the competing game for winning a payout by competing against the opponent, the gaming machine repeatedly runs an auxiliary unit game as a trigger of running a competing game. In the auxiliary unit game, pieces move on a plurality of chained frames scroll-displayed on the common display. In the case where the frame on which the piece is stopped corresponds to the trigger of the competing game, the competing game is run.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicants: ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC., Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Kenta KITAMURA, Masumi FUJISAWA, Hiroki NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20120252561
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming machine including gaming terminals having high payout rate without increasing loss on the management side. When a result of a base game associated with a payout is obtained, the gaming machine determines whether at least a competing game condition associated with the payout is satisfied or not and, when it is determined that the competing game condition is satisfied, sets neighboring gaming terminals as opponents. When the opponent participates in a competing game, a competing game for winning a payout by competing against the opponent is run. According to a result of the competing game, at least a part of the payout is given to the winner of the competing game, and no payout is given to the loser of the competing game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicants: ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC., Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Kenta KITAMURA, Masumi Fujisawa, Hiroki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8257168
    Abstract: A gaming machine detects a player touching a bet region on which an existing bet is placed and, upon detecting that another bet region has been touched thereafter, dynamically displays a chip displayed on the bet region on which an existing bet is placed so as to move to the other bet region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Kenta Kitamura
  • Patent number: 8210923
    Abstract: A dice gaming machine executes a dice game using a plurality of dice. Gaming values are bet with respect to bet areas making up a betting board. Each bet area is associated with a winning condition based on the spots on the dice and a payout magnification ratio. The prize in the dice game is determined based on the amount of gaming values bet on a bet area whose winning condition is satisfied, and a payout magnification ratio. Once acceptance of bets is ended, the dice gaming machine carries out a lottery. The dice gaming machine changes the payout magnification ratio for the bet area(s) based on the lottery result. Changing of the payout magnification ratio is adopted in the terminal(s) constituting the dice gaming machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Kido, Kenta Kitamura