Patents by Inventor Takehisa Itagaki

Takehisa Itagaki 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: 9373218
    Abstract: The gaming machine includes: a cabinet having a display window; one or more reels disposed in the cabinet so that the or each reel is visible from outside the cabinet through the display window, the or each of the one or more reels being provided with a reel band having symbols; and a light application device configured to apply visible light representing visual information which enables recognition of information related to games to the reel band. The or each of one or more reels has a mirror layer which reflects the visible light from the light application device. The light application device is disposed in a position out of a sight area in which the one or more reels are visible from outside the cabinet through the display window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kondo, Jun Hirato, Kenta Kitamura, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 9361757
    Abstract: Game qualification time may be set to allow participation in a common game from a basic game. This game qualification time is awarded in accordance with a bet amount stored in a RAM 243, after receiving a bet which is input by means of a 1-bet button 26 and a maximum bet button 27. A winning probability in a quick catch bonus game that occurs when a game result of the basic game is a predetermined game result is increased in accordance with the length of the game qualification time stored in a game qualification time management table in the RAM 243 (i.e., a basic quick catch bonus payout table is replaced with a special quick catch bonus payout table).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki, Kensaku Yoshikawa, Daisyun Okamoto, Hiroki Munakata
  • Patent number: 9361764
    Abstract: An object of the gaming machine is to simultaneously display symbols and visual information with a simple structure, while displaying the symbols clearly. The gaming machine includes: one or more reels each provided with a reel band having one or more symbols; and a light application device configured to apply visible light representing visual information which enables recognition of information related to games on an outer circumference of the one or more reels. The reel band has a mirror layer which reflects the visible light from the light application device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kondo, Jun Hirato, Kenta Kitamura, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 9342949
    Abstract: Highly entertaining games are provided. When a trigger condition is established in a normal game, the following processes are executed: a process of shifting to a bonus game in which a re-trigger condition which is less stringent than the trigger condition may be established; a process of executing a free game at least once in the bonus game; and a process of increasing the number of times of execution of the free game in the bonus game, when the re-trigger condition is established in the bonus game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Takehisa Itagaki, Yoichi Kato, Toshitaka Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9327188
    Abstract: A plurality of gaming terminals each having a terminal display on which a plurality of symbols are lined up, a plurality of upper displays forming a single common effect image display screen constituted by gaming terminal areas corresponding to the respective gaming terminals, and a center controller are included. The center controller determines whether a common game is being run when an independent special game is started, and produces an effect in the gaming terminal area corresponding to the gaming terminal, only when the common game is not being run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Kenta Sugano, Daisyun Okamoto, Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 9299217
    Abstract: To provide a gaming terminal capable of effectively preventing breakage of a support mechanism of a lever-type operation device or the like and a method of providing notification, when a lever 6100 is rotated by a player during the running of a game, the angle of inclination is detected by an inclination detection mechanism 600a, and history information is updated based on the detected angle of inclination. Then whether the updated history information satisfies a predetermined warning condition is determined. A warning is issued to the player and the number of warnings is updated if the predetermined warning condition is satisfied, and the game being run is invalidated when the number of warnings reaches a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki, Kensaku Yoshikawa, Daisyun OKamoto, Hiroki Munakata
  • Publication number: 20160078712
    Abstract: Provided is a gaming machine which is capable of continuously providing a player with a feeling of expectation in a feature game mode. The gaming machine includes: a display for displaying a game in a base game mode and for displaying a unit game in a feature game mode being different from the base game mode; and a controller for determining a payout in the unit game in the feature game mode, (A-1-1) displaying order in which a plurality of unit games in the feature game mode are displayed is determined, and (A-1-2) the displaying order is rearranged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Takehisa ITAGAKI, Yuuki TERADA, Yuji MIYAGAWA, Hiromoto YAMAUCHI
  • Patent number: 9230412
    Abstract: In a gaming machine, a symbol display device variably displays a plurality of symbols, and an input device inputs an instruction related to a game. A controller executes a normal game in which the symbol display device variably displays and then stop-displays symbols, triggers a bonus game when a plurality of specific symbols are stop-displayed in the normal game, selects any one of a plurality of options by an operation of the input device by a user in the bonus game, and awards a benefit according to the selected option. Further, when the selected option selected in the processing is a specific option, the controller selects another one of the plurality of options by the operation of the input device by the user, and awards a benefit according to the selected another option.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Takehisa Itagaki, Masahiko Konishi, Masaya Honda, Masahiro Yoshida, Hiroki Saito, Kazumasa Yoshizawa, Hiroki Nakamura, Kenta Sugano
  • Publication number: 20150371491
    Abstract: When a trigger condition is established in a normal game, the following processes are executed: a process of shifting to a bonus game in which a re-trigger condition which is less stringent than the trigger condition may be established; and when the re-trigger condition is established in the bonus game, a process of adding another bonus game having a smaller benefit than the bonus game and executing the another bonus game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Takehisa ITAGAKI, Yoichi KATO, Toshitaka SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 9214061
    Abstract: When a common game condition is established, at least one of the following games is run: a first common game in which a participating gaming terminal is able to win a bonus type more than once and a payout based on a unit payout amount corresponding to the bonus type that the gaming terminal wins is awarded to the gaming terminal; a second common game in which a participating gaming terminal is able to win a bonus type more than once and a payout based on the number of winnings is awarded to the gaming terminal; and a third common game in which one of the participating gaming terminals is able to win one of the predetermined bonus types and a payout is awarded to the gaming terminal which wins said one of the bonus types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Kenta Sugano, Daisyun Okamoto, Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 9208653
    Abstract: In a gaming machine, a display displays at least part of a map including a plurality of cell forming courses on which a character moves in a game. The controller executes each round of the game, moves the character to a destination cell in each round, determines whether an event set to the destination cell belongs to predetermined events, selects any one determination table from among a plurality of determination tables based on a position of the destination cell when the event belongs to the predetermined events, performs the event set to the destination cell, determines a result of the performed event based on the selected determination table, and awards a profit corresponding to the result of the performed event to the player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Hiroki Munakata, Kenji Enokido, Takehisa Itagaki, Masaya Honda, Daisyun Okamoto
  • Patent number: 9208638
    Abstract: A gaming terminal includes: a terminal image display panel; a lever-type operation device configured to receive an operation of a player; a support mechanism which rotatably supports the operation device at one end portion of the operation device and includes a restriction member configured to restrict inclination of the operation device, the restriction member being positioned so that the operation device abuts the restriction member when the operation device is inclined at a first angle; an inclination detecting mechanism which detects an angle of inclination of the operation device; and a controller which causes the terminal image display panel to output a predetermined sound and/or to give a visual indication to give a warning to the player when the angle of inclination of the operation device detected by the inclination detecting mechanism is greater than a second angle which is equal to or greater than the first angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki, Kensaku Yoshikawa, Daisyun Okamoto, Hiroki Munakata, Gou Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 9196118
    Abstract: A reduction in amusement of gaming which may occur after providing a progressive bonus is suppressed. A gaming machine 1 conducts a revival drawing for a bonus game after finishing the bonus game. A revival winning probability after finishing a progressive bonus game is lower than that after finishing the other bonus games. In the gaming machine 1, it may be configured that the revival drawing after finishing the progressive bonus game is not conducted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki, Yoichi Kato, Daisyun Okamoto, Hiroki Munakata
  • Patent number: 9183698
    Abstract: A gaming machine of the present invention includes: a light application device configured to apply visible light representing visual information which enables recognition of information related to games on a reel band, The or each of one or more reels has a mirror layer which reflects the visible light from the light application device. The light application device is disposed in an area outside the window frame of the display window so that the visible light is applied to the reel, on the side of the reel band, and is used as a front light device that emits visible light which is not representing the visual information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERISAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kondo, Jun Hirato, Kenta Kitamura, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Publication number: 20150287287
    Abstract: Provided is a gaming machine that presents a prediction of the start of free games provided in bonus games to be easily noted by the player, to attain the player's expectation for the free games. When a free game trigger or retrigger is established, the gaming machine controls selection and implementation of predictive effects for indicating that free games are to be started (or retriggered) depending on the positions of the symbols to stop, before displaying stopped symbols.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Takehisa ITAGAKI, Yuji MIYAGAWA, Yukihiro KAWAKAMI, Masahiro YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 9153104
    Abstract: Highly entertaining games are provided. When a trigger condition is established in a normal game, the following processes are executed: a process of shifting to a bonus game in which a re-trigger condition which is less stringent than the trigger condition may be established; a process of executing a free game at least once in the bonus game; and a process of increasing the number of times of execution of the free game in the bonus game, when the re-trigger condition is established in the bonus game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Takehisa Itagaki, Yoichi Kato, Toshitaka Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20150254926
    Abstract: Provided is a gaming machine capable of avoiding monotonousness upon executing free games in a bonus game and realizing a variety of game patterns. When a free game trigger is established, the gaming machine controls a game to shift from a basic game to the free games. In the free games, when as a result of the rearrangement of randomly determined symbols, four consecutive special symbols are rearranged in symbol display regions 4 which correspond to any of video reels 3a to 3e and at least one special symbol whose kind is the same is rearranged on a video reel 3 which is different from said video reel 3, scrolling in an upward direction or a downward direction is further conducted, and four consecutive special symbols are rearranged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Takehisa ITAGAKI, Yuji Miyagawa, Yoichi Kato, Hideko Aoki
  • Patent number: 9129491
    Abstract: The controller of the gaming machine executing processing operations of: (a) determining a magnification of a respective one of plural kinds of colors which are produced in a color displayable manner by means of the multiple color light emitting backlight and then displaying on the display; (b) determining a light emitting color by means of the multiple color light emitting backlight and then controlling light emission in the determined color; and (c) executing a payout of a number which is obtained by multiplying the magnification that corresponds to the color determined in the processing (b), from among the magnifications of the respective colors, the magnifications being determined in the processing (a), for a payment that corresponds to the pattern of the specific symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Kenta Kitamura, Takehisa Itagaki, Masafumi Uchida, Makoto Miyawaki
  • Publication number: 20150243126
    Abstract: A gaming machine of the present invention includes: a light application device configured to apply visible light representing visual information which enables recognition of information related to games on a reel band, The or each of one or more reels has a mirror layer which reflects the visible light from the light application device. The light application device is disposed in an area outside the window frame of the display window so that the visible light is applied to the reel, on the side of the reel band, and is used as a front light device that emits visible light which is not representing the visual information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Yoshinori KONDO, Jun HIRATO, Kenta KITAMURA, Takehisa ITAGAKI
  • Publication number: 20150213692
    Abstract: Highly entertaining games are provided. When a trigger condition is established in a normal game, the following processes are executed: a process of shifting to a bonus game in which a re-trigger condition which is less stringent than the trigger condition may be established; a process of executing a free game at least once in the bonus game; and a process of increasing the number of times of execution of the free game in the bonus game, when the re-trigger condition is established in the bonus game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Takehisa ITAGAKI, Yoichi KATO, Toshitaka SUZUKI