Patents Assigned to Universal Entertainment Corporation
  • 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: 9208643
    Abstract: A game playing information integration system which outputs the operation state of game units installed in a gaming facility, the proportions of visitors by type, and the trends of the greatest common preferences of visitors seen from the proportion and other information so that such information can be grasped in real time, and provides useful information for appropriately managing the operation and management of the gaming facility while achieving greater harmony of players and the gaming facility (shop) is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Kazuo Okada
  • Patent number: 9208654
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming machine provided with a mechanical reel, which expands the variation of the pattern of rearrangement of symbols. The gaming machine includes a reel assembly M1 including a plurality of reels bearing a plurality of symbols on the outer surface thereof, and a backlight device M7 for illuminating each of the reels from inside. The plurality of symbols includes a variable symbol CS for representing various symbols in response to the color of light emitted from the backlight device M7. The variable symbol CS represents a first symbol upon the backlight device M7 emitting first color light, and represents a second symbol upon the backlight device M7 emitting second color light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kondo, Akira Osawa, Jun Hirato, Kenta Kitamura
  • Patent number: 9208657
    Abstract: Provided is a slot machine which prevents two continuous symbols from coming to be continuous even by conducting a rewriting process. In a case where the one part of the symbol columns is stopped and displayed in the display frame of a symbol display area 4, when a continuous symbol (CHANCE symbol 403) stopped displayed in the display frame of the symbol display area 4 is present in an upstream direction of the scrolling display outside of the display frame of the symbol display area 4, conducted is a delay process in which the rewriting process is conducted for a portion of the symbol column which is present upstream of a position P1 of the continuous symbol (CHANCE symbol 403) in the scrolling display being present in the upstream direction of the scrolling display outside of the display frame of the symbol display area 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Kenta Kitamura, Kensaku Yoshikawa, Kazuo Okada
  • Patent number: 9208658
    Abstract: Provided is a slot machine capable of reducing unfairness which may result between a player who has made an investment and a player who has not made an investment and allowing a player to proceed with a game by making an investment in expectation of a jackpot at ease. Each money amount which is constant is accumulated independently of a number of bets each time betting is conducted, and upon winning a jackpot, a money amount calculated by multiplying a money amount accumulated until then by a multiplying factor based on the number of bets is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoichi Kato, Hiroaki Kashima, Naoya Shirai, Masumi Fujisawa, Hiroki Nakamura, Takeshi Aoki, Kazuo Okada
  • 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: 9208364
    Abstract: The present invention provides an identification information access device configured to read identification information stored in an RFID tag even if the RFID tag is located at a position at which identification information of the RFID tag has been difficult to read. An identification information access device includes: a first antenna unit configured to read identification information stored in an RFID IC tag included in a storage medium; a control device configured to be electrically connected to the first antenna unit and to drive the first antenna unit so as to acquire the identification information in accordance with an electromagnetic wave transmitted from the first antenna unit; and a second antenna unit configured to be independent from the first antenna unit, to be disposed at a position separated from the first antenna unit, and not to be electrically connected to the first antenna unit and to the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshimi Koyama
  • Patent number: 9202347
    Abstract: Provided is a slot machine capable of reducing unfairness which may result between a player who has made an investment and a player who has not made an investment and allowing a player to proceed with a game by making an investment in expectation of a jackpot at ease. Each money amount which is constant is accumulated independently of a number of bets each time betting is conducted, and upon winning a jackpot, a money amount calculated by multiplying a money amount accumulated until then by a multiplying factor based on the number of bets is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yoichi Kato, Hiroaki Kashima, Naoya Shirai, Masumi Fujisawa, Hiroki Nakamura, Takeshi Aoki, Kazuo Okada
  • 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: 9183697
    Abstract: A gaming machine of the present invention stores a bet area on which a bet is placed and a game value placed as the bet in each gaming terminal, rotates and stops the wheel to determine a resulting symbol from the plurality of symbols, awards a payout based on the resulting symbol and the odds set for the bet area on which the bet is placed in the gaming terminal, and adjusts the payout rate by changing the odds set for the bet areas in the gaming terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Kido, Hiroki Munakata
  • Patent number: 9183703
    Abstract: Players of slot machines participate in a multi-player game managed by a game server by touching an adventure button randomly displayed on a liquid crystal panel. Further, the multi-player game is executed through operation of a character displayed on a game image of the liquid crystal panel by operating an attack button on the liquid crystal panel. At this point, a point amount is determined by the game server based on time points at which the attack button is operated or the like. After the time is up, a prize amount is distributed based on the point amount of each slot machine and a credit amount corresponding to the distributed prize amount is awarded to each slot machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazumasa Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 9183699
    Abstract: A gaming system of the present invention includes: a plurality of gaming machines; and a common display device connected to the gaming machines, each of the gaming machines, comprising: a display device for displaying a plurality of symbols; a controller, which performs processes of: (a) executing a base game in which symbols arranged on the display device are rearranged after a gaming medium has been betted, and thereafter a payment is made in accordance with the rearranged symbols; (b) counting number of times of executing the base game; (c) causing the display device to display a countdown effect image stored in a memory, while the counted number of times of executing the base game reaches a second predetermined value after reaching a first predetermined value; and (d) transferring the base game to a free game executed without betting a gaming medium, in a case where the number of times of executing the base game reaches the second predetermined value; and a communication interface for notifying to the com
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Fujimori, Arata Ajiro, Tsuyoshi Ohira
  • Patent number: 9162147
    Abstract: A game playing information integration system is provided which is capable of objectively performing selection and/or settings according to preference of a player, and is capable of effectively making entry into market, based on a result of logical analysis of a gaming machine invoking demands of a player and a manger in gaming facility in a well-balanced manner. The system includes a plurality of gaming machine units and a server connected to enable communication with each of the gaming machine units. Each of the gaming machine units includes player identification information reading means, number-of-consumptions data output means, and number-of-payouts data output means. Gaming machine unit identification information is individually assigned to each of the gaming machine units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuo Okada
  • Patent number: 9159197
    Abstract: On a lower image display panel 141, a game result of a game of rearranging symbols 501 is randomly determined. When the game result is winning of a bonus game, a first bonus game in which an in-bonus game such as a free game is executed more than once is executed. When the game result of the in-bonus game in the first bonus game is bonus winning, an indication effect indicating the winning of a second bonus game is executed during the execution of the first bonus game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Kenta Kitamura, Susumu Mio, Makoto Miyawaki
  • Patent number: 9159201
    Abstract: On the slot machine, a slot game including a base game and free games is caused to proceed on a display. On the base game reel strips, on all of a plurality of reels, symbols whose each kind is the same, other than feature symbols and wild symbols, are arranged in succession. On the free game reel strips, on all of a plurality of reels, symbols whose each kind is the same, other than the feature symbols and the wild symbols, are arranged in succession and in addition thereto, only in a case of top symbols whose payout multiplying factor is the highest, the top symbols whose number is larger than a number of top symbols displayed on the base game reel strips are arranged in succession.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yukinori Inamura, Yoichi Kato, Kazuo Okada, Yuji Miyagawa, Hiroki Nakamura, Takeshi Narita, Hiromoto Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 9159184
    Abstract: A peripheral device (sandwiched device) to be installed adjacent to a gaming machine, including an imaging unit (CCD camera) configured to image a player who is playing a game with the gaming machine and output face image data for identifying the face of the player obtained by imaging, and a CPU configured to: obtain information about a game the player played with the gaming machine; determine whether or not an illegality condition is met based on the obtained information about the game; and set whether or not to activate the imaging unit based on the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuo Okada
  • 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
  • Patent number: 9153103
    Abstract: A gaming machine with more gaming excitement is provided. The gaming machine includes: a symbol display device configured to display a result of a game by rearranging symbols in cells forming a matrix; and a controller used to start a base game requiring betting, a free game not requiring betting, and a plurality of types of bonus games. The controller is programmed to execute the steps of: executing a base game of randomly determining symbols to be rearranged in the symbol display device; determining whether a specific symbol is to be rearranged in a predetermined region of the symbol display device, the predetermined region including at least one cell; executing a free game of randomly determining symbols to be rearranged in the symbol display device; determining whether the specific symbol is to be rearranged in the predetermined region; and executing any one of the types of the bonus games.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Kenji Enokido, Hiromoto Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 9142092
    Abstract: A gaming system includes: an IC chip reader configured to read chip identification information which uniquely identifies a specific casino chip; journal data generation unit configured to generate journal data corresponding to a transaction of the chip operated during the reading, based on the chip identification information; a journal data DB configured to accumulate the journal data and capable of generating, based on accrual accounting, balance sheet data to be reflected onto a balance sheet in real time by using data indicating a financial condition and a profit-or-loss condition of a casino, based on the accumulated journal data; and a controller configured to control a process of a game and issue an instruction to a dealer based on the data read by the IC chip reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshimi Koyama, Jun Fujimoto, Nobuyuki Nonaka
  • Patent number: 9135781
    Abstract: To provide a gaming machine and a control method therefor, having a new entertainment characteristics, a slot machine 10 of the present invention, when a “BONUS” symbol 250 associated with a pick-up bonus game is selected, receives selection of any one of twenty little pig's noses 210 displayed. Then, a benefit associated with the selected little pig's nose 210 is awarded. When the benefit to be awarded is a “stick house” 218 which means “step-up”, a step-up occurs to the stick house stage and the expectation value for a payout is raised. Thus, when one little pig's nose 210 is selected out of the twenty little pig's noses 210 displayed in the stick house stage, the payout amount of the benefit associated with the little pig's nose 210 is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Hiroki Nakamura