Patents by Inventor Kazunobu Sato

Kazunobu Sato 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).

  • Publication number: 20070232389
    Abstract: The gaming machine includes a display unit that is configured to display a plurality of symbols, an operation unit that allows a player to input commands, and a processor that is operable with the display unit and the operation unit to: perform a base game by using the symbols; determine whether or not a bonus game is won based on a result of the base game; allow the bonus game to be stocked to be performed afterward when determined that the bonus game is won; accept a stock release command input by the player through an operation unit while the bonus game is stocked; and provide the bonus game to the player when the stock release command is accepted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070232390
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming machine which allows a player to positively participate in a game. Accordingly, the player can play the game with the sophisticated strategy and without getting bored. The gaming machine of the present invention includes a variable display group which selectively determines a base game and a bonus game by lottery processing based on a game start command from a player and displays a variable display image consisting of a plurality of symbols, an image control circuit which performs a display control of the symbol combination corresponding to the base game and the symbol combination corresponding to the bonus game determined by the lottery processing on the variable display group, and a microcomputer which, when the player wins the bonus game, can stock the winning state and, at the same time, when a stock release command is inputted from the player in a state that the bonus game is stocked, executes the stocked bonus game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070232381
    Abstract: In a slot machine, if a partial image acquisition lottery process is won, the part of contents displayed as a result of a symbol lottery process is stored in an image data storage area as partial image data based on split pattern data determined in a split pattern determination process. If the partial image data is stored in the image data storage area, partial composite image data or a whole composite image data will be generated, and a special award based on the generated partial composite image data or the whole composite image data is provided separately from the award based on the symbol lottery process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: ARUZE CORP.
    Inventor: Kazunobu SATO
  • Publication number: 20070232388
    Abstract: In the slot machine, if an image acquisition lottery process is won and a selection operating portion is operated, a image information displayed on a display is stored in an image data storage area. If a predetermined amount of the image information is stored in the image data storage area, five card images corresponding to the image information are displayed on the display in a selection bonus game process. If the player selects the card image via a touch panel, a special award corresponding to the selected card image is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: ARUZE CORP.
    Inventor: Kazunobu SATO
  • Publication number: 20070197276
    Abstract: If the procedure is shifted to the treasure bonus process, twenty three treasure boxes are displayed on the lower display. Here, if the player selects desired treasure box by operation of the additional bet operating portion, the award corresponding to the treasure box is notified gradually based on the number of times of notification selection and the notification pattern thereof. If the predetermined condition is met in the treasure bonus process, the selection of the special treasure box becomes selectable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: ARUZE CORP.
    Inventor: Kazunobu SATO
  • Publication number: 20070197277
    Abstract: A slot machine includes a CPU and a lower liquid crystal display. The CPU displays a plurality of treasure boxes on the lower liquid crystal display. The CPU selects one treasure box from among the plurality of treasure boxes displayed on the lower liquid crystal display based on input from a player. The CPU associates a privilege content with each of the plurality of treasure boxes. The CPU further associates with each of the plurality of treasure boxes a necessary selection number which is necessary to obtain the privilege content based on the privilege content associated with each of the plurality of treasure boxes. The CPU gives the privilege content associated with the one treasure box to the player by selecting the one treasure box by the necessary selection number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070178963
    Abstract: A slot machine includes a CPU and a lower liquid crystal display. The CPU displays a plurality of lower treasure boxes on the lower liquid crystal display. The CPU selects one lower treasure box from among the plurality of lower treasure boxes displayed on the lower liquid crystal display in response to an operation by a player. The CPU decreases the number of non-selected lower treasure boxes displayed on the lower liquid crystal display by using code numbers which are assigned to the plurality of lower treasure boxes and prevents the player from selecting one or more decreased lower treasure boxes, or increases the number of lower treasure boxes to be displayed on the lower liquid crstal display and allows the player to select one or more increased lower treasure boxes, when a contet of the selected one lower treasure box is identical to a certain content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070178962
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes: a display device that displays a plurality of selectable elements including at least one first selectable element, at least one of the selectable elements being associated with an extra information that relates to a game; an input device that accepts an input selecting at least one of the selectable elements; and a processor that controls the display device based on the input from the input device, wherein the processor is operable to: determine whether a selectable element selected through the input device is the first selectable element; designate at least one selectable element other than the selected selectable element if the selected selectable element is the first selectable element; and display reference information based on the extra information corresponding to the designated selectable element on the display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070155479
    Abstract: A game machine includes: a first display area that variably displays a plurality kinds of symbols; a second display area that displays effect contents in accordance with a gaming state; and a controller that controls the first display area and the second display area, wherein the controller is operable to: display a symbol to be a subject of a winning determination in the second display area; and perform the winning determination by interchanging the symbol displayed in the first display area with the symbol displayed in the second display area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070129130
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes: a display device; an input device; and a processor that is operable to perform a game. The processor is operable with the display device to: (a) display a plurality of first selectable elements, at least two of the first selectable elements being assigned with a selection order that is invisible to a player; (b) allow the player to sequentially select the first selectable elements; (c) allow the player to acquire a privilege if the first selectable elements are selected by the player pursuant to the selection order; and (d) provide an award to the player in accordance with the selected first selectable elements and the privilege acquired by the player.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070123337
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes: a display device; an input device; and a processor that is operable to perform a game. The processor is operable with the display device to: (a) display a plurality of first selectable elements and a second selectable element; (b) allow a player to select at least one of the first selectable elements through the input device; (c) select the second selectable element if the player selects one of the first selectable elements that is associated with the second selectable element; and (d) provide an award to the player in accordance with the selected first selectable element and the selected second selectable element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070123339
    Abstract: If the treasure box 301 selected by the player has the “OCTOPUS” 311 on the lower liquid crystal display 4, one treasure box 301 to be opened by the “OCTOPUS” 311 is determined among the unopened treasure boxes 301 by the lottery conducted based on the lottery table and the sampled random number value by using the code No. given to each of the treasure boxes 301. And, the payout number based on the content of the treasure box 301 opened by the “OCTOPUS” (“60”) is given to the player, in addition to the payout number based on the content of the treasure box 301 selected by the player(“5”).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070123345
    Abstract: A gaming machine utilizing a payout table is provided. The gaming machine comprises: a first display for displaying a payout table of a game; and a processor in communication with the first display, wherein the processor is operable to: determine payout change information to change a payout of the payout table; and cause the first display to display the changed payout of the payout table based on the payout change information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070123338
    Abstract: A slot machine in which the slot game runs both a base game and a battle bonus game. When the battle bonus game is performed, a special video reel 221 is recomposed using symbols randomly selected from a plurality of different symbols (except the symbol scatter 101) comprising a base video reel 100 used for the base game. The battle bonus game is performed using this recomposed special video reel 221.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070049692
    Abstract: The single-layered structure of the invention comprises (A) 50 to 97% by weight of a polyolefin, (B) 2 to 45% by weight of a polyamide resin comprising a diamine component and a dicarboxylic acid component and (C) 1 to 45% by weight of a modified polyolefin and/or styrene copolymer. The polyamide resin B is dispersed in layers throughout the single-layered structure. With such a dispersion state of the polyamide resin B, the single-layered structure exhibits excellent fuel barrier properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Kazunobu Maruo, Kazunobu Sato, Masashi Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20070026932
    Abstract: A gaming machine for playing a variable display game comprises a display and a processor. The display includes a first display area which displays the plurality of symbols in a variable state and in a stopped state, and a second display area occupying at least a part of a display area other than the first display area. The processor determines whether or not a combination of stopped symbols displayed in the stopped state in the first display area is a specific combination, and controls the display to display the specific combination in the second display area in another variable display game after the variable display game in which the specific combination is displayed in a stopped state in the first display area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Applicant: Aruze Corp.
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070021189
    Abstract: There is provided a gaming machine which may perform a second variable display of symbols in one direction, while the symbols having been displayed in a stationary mode after a first variable display in another direction. Therefore, the player's expectation may be enhanced and a variety of game modes can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventor: Kazunobu Sato
  • Publication number: 20070015576
    Abstract: A main display, a sub-display, and a main CPU are provided in a gaming machine. The main display includes a plurality of display areas on which a plurality of strung symbols are variably displayed. The main CPU decides stopping symbols to be stopped on the display areas, and determines whether or not a transition condition for shifting a gaming mode from a base game to a bonus game is established. The main CPU decides game contents in the bonus game. The main CPU displays the decided game contents on the sub-display, thereby notifying a player of the game contents, and updates displayed game contents displayed on the sub-display to become advantageous for the player when the game contents are displayed thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Applicant: Aruze Corp.
    Inventors: Kazunobu Sato, Masahiro Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20060270799
    Abstract: A thermoplastic resin article which includes a layer made of a thermoplastic resin composition containing 50 to 97% by weight of a polyolefin A, 2 to 45% by weight of a barrier resin B, and 1 to 45% by weight of a modified polyolefin Ca and/or a styrene copolymer Cb. The ratio of the melt viscosities of the polyolefin A and the barrier resin B satisfies the formula: 0.7<MVB/MVA<2.8 wherein MVA is a melt viscosity (Pa·s) of the polyolefin A and MVB is a melt viscosity (Pa·s) of the barrier resin B, each measured under a shear rate of 100 s?1 at a temperature from MP+2° C. to MP+10° C. wherein MP is the melting point of the barrier resin B. The thermoplastic resin article exhibits good fuel barrier properties and impact resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: Kazunobu Sato, Masashi Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20060258430
    Abstract: A gaming machine has a variable display unit that variably displays symbols and a processor that controls a display made through the variable display unit. The processor controls the variable display unit so as to display one or more variable display groups each including variable display portions in which the symbols are variably displayed. The processor controls a progress of a multiple variable display game which is given through the variable display unit displaying the variable display groups in each of which the symbols are variably displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Kazunobu Sato, Shinji Hara