Abstract: A processor selects either a first game mode or a second game mode based on the operation by the operator carried out at a server 102. If the first game mode has been selected, a payout is calculated and awarded based on a fixed payout set in advance for each winning combination. Alternatively, if the second game mode has been selected, a payout is calculated and awarded based on a progressive payout and a fixed payout which was set in advance for each winning combination.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention provides a commercial detection apparatus for detecting commercials that includes a silent detector configured to detect a silent segment based on the strength of the audio signal output in content, and a determination unit configured to determine a sound segment as a commercial if three or more silent segments are detected essentially within a set time span, and if the sound segment is found between two of the three silent segments.

Abstract: An information processing unit is provided, which includes a first memory, a second memory, and a controller. The first memory stores a BIOS program beforehand that is executed at a startup of the unit so as to allow peripheral devices to operate normally. The first memory also stores initial BIOS data beforehand. The second memory stores BIOS data with which the BIOS program is executed. The controller is configured to: (a) if the initial BIOS data is updated, read the updated BIOS data including updated data from the first memory and writes the updated BIOS data into the second memory; and (b) execute the BIOS program using the updated BIOS data written in the second memory.

Abstract: A card gaming machine determines a dealer's hand and a player's hand for each terminal and specifies a remaining card group. The player's hand and the dealer's hand are compared for winning/losing judgment, and a prize based on the judgment result is awarded. If a side bet is made, a bonus judgment process is carried out for a bonus target card group consisting of a first card group selected and determined from a remaining card group and a second card group selected and determined from the player's hand irrespective winning/losing judgment result, and a bonus payout based on the judgment result is awarded.

Abstract: According to a slot machine of the present invention, synthetic symbol images each including a first symbol image and a second symbol image are rearranged to a display. The first symbol image is associated with a predetermined prize. In a case where the first symbol images included in the rearranged synthetic symbols or a combination thereof constitute the predetermined prize, special first symbol images are displayed in place of the synthetic symbols including the first symbol images constituting the predetermined prize. The special first symbol images correspond to the first images constituting the predetermined prize.

Abstract: Based on, for example, the image at the start of a movie, a thumbnail image is tentatively generated and is stored in a header file. If a predetermined triggering condition is fulfilled during movie shooting, a thumbnail image is generated from the frame image at the timing that the triggering condition is fulfilled, and the thumbnail image existing in the header file is replaced with the newly generated thumbnail image. The triggering condition is fulfilled, for example, if, after zooming-in, the angle of view has been kept fixed for a predetermined period or longer, or if the focus has been kept locked for a predetermined period.

Abstract: A display device according to the present invention comprises a display panel, a housing sealing around the display panel and making a display screen of the display panel viewable from outside, and a heat exchanger collecting heat, which is arranged on a rear surface side of the display panel. Another display device according to the present invention comprises a housing having a waterproof structure and provided with an accommodation room formed therein, a display panel arranged in the accommodation room and including a display screen viewable from a front surface side of the housing, a heat exchanger collecting heat generated from the display panel and arranged on a rear surface side of the display panel, and a second heat exchanger releasing heat collected by the heat exchanger to outside of the housing and arranged outside the accommodation room.

Abstract: For a number of execution times of roulette game in a roulette game machine (1), if the number of land-in times at a prescribed numbered pocket (23) has become equal to or greater than a reference time number, then from among a plurality of control data sets such a control data set that is different from a current control data set is determined to be referred to.

Abstract: A gaming machine switchable between an insurance mode and a non-insurance mode and which activates insurance compensation irrespective of a result of a game when a predetermined condition is established and a playing method thereof are disclosed. In accordance therewith, when a bet value or a payout value to be paid out includes a value less than one credit, that value is accumulatively stored as a fractional value, and the mode is switched from an insurance mode to a non-insurance mode when the accumulatively added fractional values reach a predetermined value or the number of unit games in which the fractional value is accumulatively added reaches a predetermined number.

Abstract: A gaming apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a roulette wheel including a plurality of pockets associated with respective numbers in advance; a memory for storing a plurality of control data for controlling the gaming apparatus so as to provide different weights on probabilities that a ball is housed in each of the pockets; and a controller, the controller controlling rotation of the roulette wheel and launching of the ball by referring to a single control data out of the control data, determining a number corresponding to one of the pockets with the ball housed therein as a winning number, determining whether or not to offer a prize based on the determined winning number and a BET placed by a player, determining whether or not to generate a predetermined bonus different from the prize, and selecting another control data different from the single control data, out of the plurality of control data, and setting the selected control data as a reference target, when determining that the predet

Abstract: A skin material (5) including an impregnable fiber layer is overlapped and bonded onto a top surface of a base material (3) including a base material cleavage groove (13) having a predetermined depth from a rear surface of the base material (5) toward the top surface thereof. A skin cleavage groove (11) having a predetermined depth and corresponding to the base material cleavage groove (11) of the base material (3) is provided on a rear surface side of the skin material (5), the rear surface side being a bonding surface side to be overlapped and bonded onto the base material (3). Meanwhile, to facilitate cleavage, the skin cleavage groove (11) is provided inside a region of a hardened layer subjected to a hardening process by using a hardening agent.

Abstract: A gaming apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a roulette wheel including a plurality of pockets associated with respective numbers in advance; a memory for storing a plurality of control data for controlling the gaming apparatus so as to provide different weights on probabilities that a ball is housed in each of the pockets; and a controller, the controller controlling rotation of the roulette wheel and launching of the ball by referring to a single control data out of the control data, and selecting another control data different from the single control data, out of the plurality of control data, to set the selected control data as a reference target, when said ball is housed in a predetermined pocket belonging to a single group controlled so as to have a relatively high housing probability by said single control data.

Abstract: A gaming apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a roulette wheel including a plurality of pockets associated with respective numbers in advance; a memory for storing a plurality of control data for controlling the gaming apparatus so as to provide a relatively high weight on a probability that a ball is housed in any of the pockets constituting a single group, the single group belonging to a plurality of groups each of which consists of a first predetermined-number of the plurality of pockets, and the plurality of control data associated with each of the groups; a plurality of stations for players to play games; and a controller, the controller programmed to execute the following processings of: (a) controlling rotation of the roulette wheel and launching of the ball by referring to a single control data out of the plurality of control data, and (b) selecting another control data different from the single control data, out of the plurality of control data, to set the selected control data

Abstract: A gaming machine switchable between an insurance mode and a non-insurance mode and which activates insurance compensation irrespective of a result of a game when a predetermined condition is established and a playing method thereof are disclosed. In accordance therewith, when a bet value or a payout value to be paid out includes a value less than one credit, that value is accumulatively stored as a fractional value, and the mode is switched from an insurance mode to a non-insurance mode when the accumulatively added fractional values reach a predetermined value or the number of unit games in which the fractional value is accumulatively added reaches a predetermined number.

Abstract: An object detection apparatus for detecting a specific object in an input image includes a specific object detection module for performing a specific object detecting process of setting the input image or a reduced image of the input image as a target image, and of determining whether or not the specific object exists in a determination region while scanning the determination region in an edge feature image of the target image. The specific object detection module includes a determination module for determining whether the specific object exists in the determination region, based on an edge feature amount of the edge feature image corresponding to the determination region, and a previously determined relationship between an edge feature amount and a weight indicating object likelihood for each predetermined feature pixel in an image having the same size as the determination region.

Abstract: A neutralizer 1 includes: a power supply circuit 11; an output controlling circuit 12 configured to convert a DC voltage generated by the power supply circuit 11 to a high-frequency voltage with frequency equal to or higher than an audible frequency, and thus to output the resultant high-frequency voltage alternately to two output lines at regular intervals; a transforming circuit 13 configured to raise the high-frequency voltage; a discharger 20 including 2n (n is an integer equal to one or more) discharge needles configured to output positive ions in response to application of a positive polarity voltage, and to output negative ions in response to application of a negative polarity voltage, the discharge needles being disposed while being divided into first and second groups each including n discharge needles; a polarity reversing circuit 14 configured to convert the high-frequency high voltage outputted from the transforming circuit 13, to two rectangular-wave DC high voltages with different polarities dur

Abstract: A gaming machine comprising a controller programmed to execute the processing of rolling and stopping the plurality of dice in the gaming portion, cumulatively accumulating, in a case where a normal BET has not been placed on the outcomes of dice satisfying any of plural kinds of predetermined conditions, or in a case where the outcomes of the stopped plurality of dice do not satisfy any of the plural kinds of predetermined conditions, a predetermined ratio of the game media which have been bet as the normal BET in association with respective outcomes of the dice satisfying any of the plural kinds of predetermined conditions, and offering, in a case where the outcomes of the stopped plurality of dice satisfy any of the plural kinds of predetermined conditions, the game media cumulatively accumulated in association with the outcomes of the plurality of dice.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides an optical filter that includes a plurality of slits arranged in parallel, each slit corresponding to a pair of displays including at least a first display of a first image, and a second display of a second image, wherein the slits form a slit row in a horizontal direction arranged essentially in the same interval spacing and parallel to each other, with the slit row arranged with slit pitch patterns that differ by at least between the upper and lower positions.

Abstract: A stacked photovoltaic apparatus capable of improving the output characteristics is provided. This stacked photovoltaic apparatus comprises a second power generation unit including a second semiconductor layer having a first refractive index and a third semiconductor layer of an amorphous semiconductor functioning as a photoelectric conversion layer, an intermediate layer formed between a first power generation unit and the second power generation unit with a second refractive index and a reflection promotive layer formed between the intermediate layer and the second power generation unit with such a third refractive index that the difference between the third refractive index and the first refractive index is larger than the difference between the second refractive index and the first refractive index.

Abstract: A conversation controller outputs a reply sentence according to a user utterance. The conversation controller comprises a conversation database and a conversation control unit. The conversation database stores a plurality of plans. Each plan has a reply sentence and one or more pieces of next plan designation information for designating a next candidate reply sentence to be output following the reply sentence. The conversation control unit selects one of the plans stored in the conversation database according to a user utterance and outputs a reply sentence which the selected plan has. Then, the conversation control unit selects one piece of the next plan designation information which the plan has according to a next user utterance and outputs a next candidate reply sentence on the basis of the selected piece of the next plan designation information. Some plans have a plurality of reply sentences into which one explanatory sentence is divided.