Abstract: When a trigger signal is outputted from a simulated gun 30A to 30D, a trigger image is displayed on image monitor means 20 in response to the trigger signal. In response to a timing signal of the simulated gun 30A to 30D, an indicated position, a value of an image display counter 12 at the time is set in a register 13. Coordinate values of the indicated position of the simulated gun 30A to 30D set in the register 13 is inputted to a game control unit 14 in a horizontal flyback time of a scanning line. The indicated position detection processing for detecting indicated positions indicated on the image monitor means 20 by the simulated guns 30A to 30D is performed at every horizontal scan displaying the video screen. The video screen indicated position detecting method and device is quick in responding to an indication even when a plurality of indicated positions are detected, without increasing costs of the device.

Abstract: An improved lighting apparatus for hand held video games utilizes a directional light source and a curved reflective surface disposed opposite the directional source in a frame positioned proximate to the display screen of the hand held device. The use of a directional light source and the curved reflective material provides an increased and more diffused lighting effect while eliminating the otherwise experienced hot spots or dark spots common in prior art light assemblies.

Abstract: An improved lighting apparatus for hand held video games utilizes a directional light source and a curved reflective surface disposed opposite the directional source in a frame positioned proximate to the display screen of the hand held device. The use of a directional light source and the curved reflective material provides an increased and more diffused lighting effect while eliminating the otherwise experienced hot spots or dark spots common in prior art light assemblies.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an operating system may assign a product ID to the game controller that matches the product ID provided with or for the game controller.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a game machine in which mini games of different contents can be sequentially played in a slave machine, and one mini game can be selected out of the plurality of mini games on the side of the slave machine, and then, can be played. In the game machine comprising a main unit for reading a program stored in an external stprage so as to allow a game to be played therein and a slave machine being configured in a portable manner independently of the main unit and having a function of transferring data to or from the main unit, the slave machine enabling mini games as games for the slave machine to be individually played by using programs for the mini games transferred from the main unit and needed for playing the mini games, the plurality of programs for the mini games are transferred as a unit of data from the main unit to the slave machine.

Abstract: A card game begins with players making a single wager. Five cards are dealt to a banker and each player. If a player has a predetermined poker hand, the player plays his poker hand against the banker's five cards. The player's game terminates and the player loses if the banker has a higher ranking poker hand; conversely, the player's game terminates and the player wins if the player has a higher ranking poker hand. If the player does not have a predetermined poker hand, the player and banker arrange their cards into two component hands and compare the hands. The banker rewards the player if both the player's hands outrank the corresponding banker's hands and collects the player's wager if both of the banker's hands outrank or tie the player's corresponding hands. The banker and player push if only one of the player's hands outranks the corresponding banker's hand.

Abstract: A game machine according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises: a coin inlet for inserting coins; a selector for differentiating whether or not a coin inserted via the coin inlet is a valid coin; a hopper for collecting coins determined by the selector to be valid coins and discharging the collected coins according to requirements; a coin input counting section for counting the number of coins determined by the selector to be valid coins; a rate changing switch for switching between a plurality of game rates; and a game implementing section for implementing a game at the game rate set by this rate changing switch.

Abstract: A disclosed gaming machine has a plurality of “gaming peripherals,” each communicating with a master gaming controller via a standard peripheral interface such as the USB (Universal Serial Bus). Further, the gaming peripherals employ a standard peripheral controller and one or more specialized “peripheral devices” (e.g., the actual lights, bill validators, ticket printers, etc. that perform the specific functions of the gaming peripherals). Much of the hardware associated with the peripheral controller is identical from one gaming peripheral to the next. Only a portion of the peripheral controller hardware is specific to the different types of gaming peripherals.

Abstract: A combined game system includes a plurality of portable game machines and a video game machine. The portable game machines are connected to the video game machine through communication cables, and the video game machine is in turn connected to a display. Each portable game machine has an LCD and an operating device to process a unit according to key input information to the operating device and a program of a portable game. The LCD displays a discrete picture based on the unit information. Simultaneously, the unit information is transmitted to the video game machine. The video game machine processes the unit information based on which a common picture is displayed on the display.

Abstract: A driving game machine provided with a road data memory for storing coordinate data of a road set in a game space, a player's car controller for controlling the running of a player's car on the road according to a player's operation, and a display processor for displaying an image within a field of view set in advance. The road has a start point and a goal point, a running course from the start point to the goal point has a plurality of branched roads in its intermediate positions. The player's car controller causes the player's car to run in a direction selected at each branching point in accordance with a player's operation. This makes it possible for a player to freely choose the course while competing with his rivals.

Abstract: In a component mounting device in which a component is picked up and mounted on a circuit board by a suction nozzle, an amount of displacement between a center position of the suction nozzle 11 and that of the picked-up component 12 is measured, and when it is larger than a preliminarily determined value, a warning is generated indicating that the parts cassette 3 from which the component 12 has been fed is in abnormal condition, as well as the mounting action of the component 12 is stopped.

Abstract: An entertainment system includes an application program recording system which record an application program which can input at least one command of operation an which the player sets the action of the character on a display screen. The command is stored in an action set frame in the unit of one operation to action set frame used to create the movements of the player character. The system further has an input, operation system where the player inputs instructions and a control system which controls the operation of the player character on the display screen based on the command from the application program recorded by the application program record system and the input operation system.

Abstract: A method of playing a variant of chess that provides a rectangular chessboard having 80 contiguous playing squares disposed thereon. A plurality of conventional chess pieces that include two rooks, two bishops, two knights, a king, a queen, and eight pawns are provided for each player. A plurality of non-conventional chess pieces that include a chancellor, an archbishop, and two additional pawns are provided for each player. The conventional and non-conventional pieces are initially located on two rows of the rectangular chessboard that are disposed most proximate to each of the two player edges. After the initially locating step, the chancellor may be moved, at an option of a player, as either a conventional knight, or a conventional rook. After the initially locating step, the archbishop may be moved, at an option of a player, as a conventional knight or a conventional bishop.

Abstract: An entertainment system comprises story developing means for allowing a player to a virtually experience a cocking operation in a kitchen of a restaurant registered with a restaurant information table from opening time to closing time of the restaurant, three-minute cooking processing means for allowing a player to virtually experience a cooking operation in a kitchen of a restaurant registered with the restaurant information table for a predetermined time period (for example, three minutes), and competition processing means for allowing a player to virtually experience a cooking operation in a kitchen of a restaurant registered with the restaurant information table, while playing a match game with a plurality of other players.

Abstract: A method of playing a game including a first part and a second part. There are a number of suits and unique identifiers therefor. A player chooses at least one identifier from a suit for a first part and a game controller also chooses one identifier from a suit. The player wins the first part if the at least one identifier elected corresponds to the identifier chosen by the game controller. At the end of the first part, a second part is played by the player electing one identifier for the second part and the game controller choosing an identifier from all identifiers remaining. The player then wins relative to the game controller if the identifier elected corresponds to the identifier chosen by the game controller for the second part. The game lends itself to lottery type game playing including computer game play including game play via the Internet.

Abstract: The necessity for spontaneously transmitting each individual wager from a remote terminal or terminals to a host computer in a computerized lottery system is completely eliminated. As a result, the total amount of data transmitted between the remote terminals and the host computer is substantially reduced. This reduces the consequent cost of transmission and enhances the number of economically viable transmission alternatives. A total number of sequential plays is conveyed from the remote terminal or terminals to the host computer. Pseudo-random wager numbers and serial numbers associated with each of the plays is reconstructed at the host computer from the total number of sequential plays. The reduced data exchange facilitates novel methods of data transfer, such as satellite packet transmission and cellular service.

Abstract: This invention concerns an external operation device and makes it possible to conduct communication at a faster rate than previously. The operation means is connected to the operation object via an optical fiber and by converting the electrical signals of the transmission object to optical signals during communication and transmitting said optical signals via optical fibers, even if the frequency is high, no electromagnetic-wave noise is generated as happens when the operation means is connected to the operation object via electrically conductive wires. Thus there is no need to limit the frequency of the optical signals, that is, the communication speed, and therefore communication can be done at a faster rate than previously.

Abstract: A cashless peripheral method interfacing with a gaming system. The gaming system issues a “cash-out” signal when a player quits playing and receives a “cash-in” signal when a player desires to play a game in the gaming system. A stack of unprinted tickets is stored in the interior of the device. A ticket printer prints a coded value, such as a bar code, on a ticket in response to a cash-out signal from the gaming system. A ticket reader reads the amount printed on the ticket. If the printed value corresponds to the value which should have been printed, a ticket-out transport delivers the printed ticket to the player cashing out from the gaming system. When a player inserts the printed ticket into the device a ticket-in transport senses the insertion and the ticket reader reads the coded value from the inserted printed ticket. The ticket reader issues a cash-in signal to the gaming system corresponding to the value read from the coded value on the inserted printed ticket.

Abstract: A gaming system is provided which permits the hold value to be determined independently of the distribution of winning outcomes, e.g., to avoid or prevent volatility in the hold value. Preferably each time a wager is placed, a hold value (such as a predetermined and/or fixed percentage) is retained and the remainder is allocated to one or more prize pools. If a pool is too large or too small, or if a pool's rate of growth is too large or too small, the central computer sends a message to all terminals which contribute to the pool, causing the terminals to modify operations so as to bring the pool size or rate of growth to within desired target ranges. Preferably, the current prize amounts corresponding to various potential winning game outcomes are displayed when a game is won, the displayed amount corresponding to the type of win paid. Preferably, a portion of wages is retained as a background amount to at least partially replenish a paid-out prize.

Abstract: A method and subsystem for paying awards in a gaming machine having a Bet Module adapted to configure the gaming machine to have a plurality of discrete Bet Values (BV) available to a game user. A Pay Table Module is further included which is configured to provide a plurality of associated payout awards which vary with the bet value wagered, wherein a discrete bonus Bet Value (BVbonus), which commences a maximum bonus pay schedule (Xbonus), may be adjustably selected from at least two of the discrete bet values.