Abstract: The invention relates to using gas hydrate (clathrate and semi-clathrate) together with a catalytic formulation, including catalyst and anti-foaming agent, to separate specific gases from a gas mixture. In particular, compound hydrate is formed from a mixed gas feedstock to concentrate one or more desired gas species in the hydrate phase and the remainder in the gas phase. The hydrate is then separated from the gas phase and dissociated to produce a gas stream concentrated in the desired species. Additives that both accelerate the growth of hydrate and facilitate dissociation and separation are added to improve the rate of reaction and, at the same time, eliminate hard-to-break foam produced by the catalyst, thereby enhancing the total throughput of the complete process. The addition of some materials can also result in changes in the density of the hydrate product, which can be useful for optimizing the separation of hydrate from unreacted liquid and/or rejected gas.

Abstract: A gaming machine includes an operation unit that is operated by a player, a game mode switching unit that switches a game mode, and a game control unit that controls a game based on the game mode. The game mode switching unit switches, based on the operation via the operation unit, a game mode between an insured mode where a compensation function works to compensate for a loss and an uninsured mode where the compensation function does not work.

Abstract: An IP telephone system according to the present invention includes a plurality of communication devices T1, T2 allowed to mutually communicate through a network (IP network); a server for executing a connection starting process of communication between the communication devices, as well as for controlling communication data transmitted and received between the server and the communication devices during the communication between the communication devices; and a data transmission and reception controller for mutually switching, upon input of a predetermined command, a communication mode between a standard communication mode and a power-saving communication mode in a condition that communication connection is established between the communication devices upon execution of the connection starting process. The sound data is transmitted and received between the communication devices and the server in the standard communication mode.

Abstract: A gaming machine is provided so as to comprise: a display device for displaying symbols variably and statically; a starting device for an operation to start a variable display of the symbols; a storage device for storing a plurality of predictive effect images corresponding to respective payout levels; and a processor being operable to: conduct an internal lottery to determine a combination of symbols to be displayed statically; select one of the predictive effect images corresponding to a predetermined winning combination when it is determined that the determined combination to be displayed statically matches the predetermined winning combination; and cause the selected one predictive effect image to be displayed as well as the variable display of symbols, wherein the plurality of predictive effect images indicate a degree of the payout levels such that a payout level to be awarded can be expected before an operation to stop the variable display.

Abstract: A gaming machine of the present invention allows an insurance function to be set in a game, based upon an operation of a player. Among games in which plural types of symbols are rearranged on a display device every game execution in which the insurance function is effective, an accumulative value stored in a memory is updated so as to increase. As a result of repeating the game in which the insurance function is effective, where the accumulative value has reached a predetermined value for activating the insurance function, it is judged whether a payout of a preset value for insurance and an execution of a special game has been selected, according to an operation of a selection input section by a player. Either of the payout of the preset value for the insurance and the execution of the special game is performed, based upon a result of the judgment.

Abstract: A card game playing method, for performing a basic game and a side game, is provided, and includes the steps of: (a) dealing player's cards to a player having accepted participation entry, and dealing banker's cards to a banker, from a first card set consisting of plural kinds of cards, while in the basic game; (b) determining player's cards dealt to a player having accepted in excess of the number of players, based upon cards excluding the banker's cards dealt based upon the first card set, among the first card set and a second card set consisting of cards included in the first card set, in a case where the number of players having accepted the participation exceeds a predetermined number of players; (c) dealing the player's cards dealt in the step (b) to a player having accepted participation, while in the basic game; (d) determining a winner or loser, and paying out a payment, by comparing the players' cards with the banker's cards, while in the basic game; and (e) comparing all the players' cards in the b

Abstract: A bill identification apparatus which accurately identifies an authenticity of a watermarked area formed on a bill is provided. The bill identification apparatus has light receiving parts (81c, 82c) which respectively receive reflected lights from a front surface and a rear surface of a watermarked image formed on the bill conveyed, a converter (232) which converts a watermark image from the reflected lights respectively received by the light receiving parts (81c, 82c) to data including color information having brightness for each pixel as a unit of a predetermined size, and an identification processing part (235) which identifies the authenticity of the watermark image based on the density value for each pixel of the light receiving parts (81c, 82c) converted by the converter (232) and a density value for each pixel of a watermarked image by a transmitted light of the bill as the reference.

Abstract: A gaming system includes a plurality of gaming machines and a control device connected to the gaming machines. Each of the gaming machines has: a display device, which displays a plurality of symbols; a controller, which performs a process of rearranging symbols arranged on the display devices after gaming mediums are betted, and thereafter, executing a base game in which a payment is made in accordance with the rearranged symbols; and a communication interface, which transmits information pertinent to the betted gaming mediums to the control device, together with information for identifying a transmission source.

Abstract: A slot machine includes a display device for displaying a symbol matrix display region in which plural types of symbols are displayed; a memory for storing data concerning a number of predetermined symbols arranged in the symbol matrix display region; and a processor for controlling the display device and the memory, the processor being programmed to: (a) execute a basic game; (b) rearrange the plural types of symbols in the symbol matrix display region during the basic game; (c) cumulatively store in the memory, the data concerning the number of the predetermined symbols from among the plural types of symbols, the predetermined symbols being rearranged in the symbol matrix display region during the basic game; (d) determine a number of times in executing a free game by executing a sub game by a number of times equal to the number of the predetermined symbols rearranged in the symbol matrix display region by referring to the data concerning the number of the predetermined symbols stored in the memory; and (e)

Abstract: The invention concerns an improved tufting machine which comprises a tufting head translatable within said tufting machine in X- and Y-directions with respect to backing fabric by means of a movement system. The tufting head comprises a tufting mechanism having a cyclic mode of operation, a hollow needle mounted in the tufting mechanism that is moveable relative to a cooperating foot in a reciprocating manner to insert a tuft of yarn into backing fabric in each cycle, a yarn supply mechanism mounted in the tufting mechanism and operable to supply a length of yarn to the hollow needle in each cycle, a yarn cutter mounted in the tufting head that is selectively operable to cut the length of yarn in selected cycles to produce loop or cut pile, and a computer-operated motion control system.

Abstract: In a gaming machine 10, after the coins to be credited reaches 100 pieces, a bookmaker button is pushed through a touch panel 69, from a bookmaker selection screen displayed in a lower image display panel 16, so that a desired bookmaker is selected among a plurality of bookmakers. Thereby, the odds information provided from the bookmakers is compared for each bookmaker. In addition, from the bookmaker selection screen displayed in the lower image display panel 16, a Best Odds button is pushed through the touch panel 69, so that the odds of a high payout advantageous to a player are collected from the odds provided from the bookmakers.

Abstract: A game chip writer for writing at least identification information in a game chip used for a game includes an encryption unit for encrypting at least part of recording-information with use of a private key and a writing unit for writing the encrypted information. A game chip reader includes a reading unit for reading the encrypted information from the game chip and a decryption unit for decrypting the read information with use of a public key.

Abstract: A game system of the present invention has a plurality of gaming machines capable of communicating with each other via a communication line. The plurality of gaming machines each have an input device operable to input an insurance BET. The plurality of gaming machines carry out the following processing. The plurality of gaming machines set a predetermined value to be shared among the plurality of gaming machines. The gaming machines count the insurance BET thus input and sum up the insurance BET number accumulated in the plurality of gaming machines. Then, the plural types of symbols displayed on the display are automatically re-arranged. The gaming machines count the number of times for a game on a one-game basis and at the same time, sums up the number of times for the game accumulated in the plurality of gaming machines.