Patents by Inventor Kenta Kitamura
Kenta Kitamura 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).
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Patent number: 9600955Abstract: A controller of a gaming machine executes a normal round of a game to spin reels of a first display, and triggers a chance round of the game when a result of the normal round satisfies a predetermined condition. The controller displays a wheel and a plurality of touch areas on a second display, and the wheel includes a plurality of areas, each of the plurality of areas corresponding to a number of free rounds. When any one of the touch areas is touched and slid by a player, the controller spinning the wheel in a direction corresponding to the slid touch area, and randomly determines a number of free rounds. The controller stops the wheel at a position of an area that corresponds to the determined number of free rounds among the plurality of areas, and provides free rounds having the determined number.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2012Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Masumi Fujisawa, Tatsuya Teranishi, Takeshi Kada, Kazuo Okada
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Publication number: 20170069175Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming machine which is possible to set a sound easily which is a desired sound of a setter of the gaming machine. The gaming machine includes a liquid crystal display device displaying a setting screen by which a plurality of effect setting items including a sound category of a game are set, and a speaker outputting a sound. In the gaming machine, the setting screen displays a plurality of effect setting items in a selectable manner, and when an effect setting item of a sound category is selected from the plurality of effect setting items, multiple themes associated to the effect setting item is displayed in a selectable manner, and when one of the multiple themes is selected, the liquid crystal display device displays an audition button image which is used to perform a sound test of the theme.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2016Publication date: March 9, 2017Inventors: Kenta KITAMURA, Atsuya TAKANO, Akira OSAWA
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Publication number: 20170069170Abstract: A gaming machine which makes it possible to avoid monotonous game play is provided. At the start of each game play, gaming machine executes processes of: randomly selecting one of symbol random determination tables in which a probability of rearrangement of each symbol on each reel is defined, based on a symbol random determination table determination table in which a probability of random selection of one of the symbol random determination tables for each of the random determination tables; a symbol random determination process of randomly determining symbols to be rearranged based on the selected symbol random determination table; and displaying the determined symbols on a display device by rearranging the reels.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2016Publication date: March 9, 2017Inventors: Masumi FUJISAWA, Yukinori INAMURA, Kenta KITAMURA
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Patent number: 9576441Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming machine which can provide games that are prevented from progressing monotonously and thus can provide a player with a feeling of tension, thereby facilitating the consumption of more gaming media. A currently played chance game is discontinued and the chance game is started afresh from the first game under the condition that a second symbol appears on a symbol display unit upon the number of games being less than a predetermined number in the chance game mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2015Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Tatsuya Teranishi, Masumi Fujisawa
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Patent number: 9576439Abstract: A gaming machine that is capable of achieving respectively different game patterns at a time of a bonus game is provided. A main CPU displays a selection screen in a case where a feature game trigger is established, and causes a player to select either one of a free game and a roulette game. In a case where the free game is selected, a total of values that correspond to BONUS symbols that correspond to the feature game trigger is determined as the number of free games. The main CPU conducts lottery processing for determination of symbols and lottery processing for determination of BONUS symbol values. The values that correspond to the BONUS symbols are added on one by one basis, and a progress of obtaining the number of free games is displayed as effect on a video display unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2014Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Kenta Kitamura, Susumu Mio, Yoichi Kato, Hiromoto Yamauchi
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Patent number: 9558616Abstract: The gaming machine includes: a cabinet having a display window; one or more reels disposed in the cabinet so that the or each reel is visible from outside the cabinet through the display window, the or each of the one or more reels being provided with a reel band having symbols; and a light application device configured to apply visible light representing visual information which enables recognition of information related to games to the reel band. The or each of one or more reels has a mirror layer which reflects the visible light from the light application device. The light application device is disposed in an area outside the window frame of the display window so that the visible light is applied to the reel, on the side of the reel band.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2013Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.Inventors: Yoshinori Kondo, Jun Hirato, Kenta Kitamura, Takehisa Itagaki
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Patent number: 9520028Abstract: Provided is a gaming machine that can entertain a player by developing various game results after entering a feature game mode from a base game mode. The gaming machine progresses the games as follows: in base games, if trigger symbols appearing at rearrangement of symbols complete a specific arrangement pattern, the games are changed from base games into roulette games. In roulette games, the maximum number of lotteries is determined based on the arrangement pattern of the trigger symbols.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2014Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Kensaku Yoshikawa, Tatsuya Teranishi
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Patent number: 9514616Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming machine capable of improving amusingness of a game by varying the continuity of the main game. According to the present invention, a normal mode game in the normal mode is started based on an input of the bet information from the bet input device; the mode is entered from the normal mode to the chance mode when an enter condition is satisfied as a result of referring to the predetermined symbol determination table in the normal mode; a free game is started as a chance mode game in the chance mode; and the mode is returned from the chance mode to the normal mode when an end condition is satisfied as a result of referring to the specific symbol determination table in the chance mode.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2014Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INCInventors: Kenta Kitamura, Tatsuya Teranishi, Akira Osawa
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Publication number: 20160335854Abstract: An object is to provide a gaming machine capable of facilitating the enhancement of the player's interest in a repeat random determination. The controller 220 executes the following steps of (1a) to (1d): (1a) selecting one slot 202 through random determination; (1b) when a multiplier upgrade slot 202a (repeat random determination slot) is selected in the step (1a), executing the step (1a) again; (1c) increasing a wheel multiplier (roulette multiplier) when the multiplier upgrade slot 202a is selected in the step (1a), and increasing the wheel multiplier each time the multiplier upgrade slot 202a is selected; and (1d) when a payout slot is selected in the step (1a), a payout is determined in accordance with the wheel multiplier.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2016Publication date: November 17, 2016Inventors: Kenta KITAMURA, Tatsuya TERANISHI, Kazunori OTSUKA, Akira OSAWA, Hiroatsu IKE, Yoshitomo SASAKI
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Patent number: 9483904Abstract: A gaming machine capable of realizing game patterns differing from one another in a bonus game is provided. A main CPU 222 determines symbols to be rearranged by conducting a lottery based on a first symbol determination table in which in free games, probabilities, with each of which predetermined symbols (BONUS symbols) are rearranged on a particular condition (a condition that three or more BONUS symbols are rearranged in a display window 56), are set so as to exceed a predetermined probability and in the next free games subsequent to the game in which the predetermined symbols have been rearranged on the particular condition, determines symbols to be rearranged by conducting a lottery based on a second symbol determination table in which probabilities, with each of which the predetermined symbols are rearranged on the particular condition, are set so as to less than the predetermined probability.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2014Date of Patent: November 1, 2016Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Kenji Enokido, Tatsuya Teranishi, Takaki Narita
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Publication number: 20160253876Abstract: Provided is a gaming machine that develops games from base games to various types of games and further allows easy pre-estimation of the benefit to be provided to the players. The gaming machine changes games from the first type in the first mode to the second type in the normal mode when a first trigger is completed in a game of the first type in the first mode, changes games from the first type in the first mode to the first type in the second mode when a second trigger is completed in a game of the first type in the first mode, and changes games from the first type in the second mode to the second type in the special mode when a third trigger is completed in a game of the first type in the second mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Kenta KITAMURA, Kenji ENOKIDO, Hiroki SAITO, Ai GENDA
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Publication number: 20160253875Abstract: Provided is a gaming machine that develops games from base games to various types of games and further allows easy pre-estimation of the benefit to be provided to the players. The gaming machine changes games from the first type in the first mode to the second type in the normal mode when a first trigger is completed in a game of the first type in the first mode, changes games from the first type in the first mode to the first type in the second mode when a second trigger is completed in a game of the first type in the first mode, and changes games from the first type in the second mode to the second type in the special mode when a third trigger is completed in a game of the first type in the second mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Inventors: Kenta KITAMURA, Kenji Enokido, Hiroki Saito, Ai Genda
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Patent number: 9424709Abstract: A gaming machine with more gaming excitement is provided. The gaming machine includes: a lamp body provided with LEDs so that the lighting state thereof is viewable from the outside; a sensor configured to detect a player's gesture with respect to the lamp body 132; and a controller used to start a game, the controller starting the detection of the player's gesture by the sensor at a timing corresponding to the state of the game, and causing the LEDs to emit light in a light emission mode in sync with the detected player's gesture while the player's gesture is being detected.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2013Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Kenji Enokido, Kou Kobayashi
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Patent number: 9412220Abstract: When the game result of a base game in which symbols 501 are rearranged on a lower image display panel 141 is bonus winning, the execution of a first bonus game in which a selection game is executable for a predetermined number of times is allowed, one of a predetermined number of options associated with selectable game results is selected for each time of the selection game in the first bonus game, and a second bonus game is executed after the end of the first bonus game when in the first bonus game the selection game is executed for the predetermined number of times.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2013Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Kenta Kitamura, Susumu Mio, Makoto Miyawaki
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Patent number: 9412221Abstract: A gaming machine 300 includes an input device, a lower image display panel 141, and a motherboard 70. The motherboard 70 executes processes of: (a1) displaying a 29-option selection screen showing 29-option bonuses including a door 2 options on the lower image display panel 141; (a2) when the selection of the door 2 options is received by a switch, selectively executing a 2-option game of executing a predetermined game and awarding a character to a player based on the result of the predetermined game or a 1-option game of immediately providing the game character to the player, and (a3) if the 1-option game is executed in (a2) when the selection of the door 2 options is received by the switch, displaying an indication image along with the 29-option selection screen.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2013Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Masumi Fujisawa, Kenta Kitamura, Susumu Mio, Makoto Miyawaki
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Patent number: 9412225Abstract: A gaming machine according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: at least one display panel configured to display images of a game, the display panel including a screen facing downward; at least one beam splitter disposed under the display panel and inclined with respect to the screen to partially reflect the images from the display panel into a forward direction; and a controller configured to execute the game and to control the display panel, wherein an image from each of the at least one display panel is reflected by at least one of the at least one beam splitter.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2013Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Jun Hirato, Takashi Izawa, Keita Shimura
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Patent number: 9396617Abstract: To provide a reel device for a gaming machine capable of increasing a reel illumination effect by varying illumination onto the reel. A reel band which is attached to a rotatable reel of a gaming machine includes a base sheet, a light reflecting sheet which has a reflecting surface reflecting light from a front surface side and is superimposed on the base sheet, and a light diffusing sheet which has a light refracting surface, which transmits light and refracts light to be transmitted in multiple directions, and is superimposed on the light reflecting sheet.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2014Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Motomichi Sato, Susumu Mio
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Patent number: 9373217Abstract: A gaming machine 10 has: a display device 12 configured to display a plurality of symbols to be continuously arranged; and a controller 30. The controller 30 executes the processing operations of: (a1) executing game processing and then according to a result of the game processing, determining whether or not to scroll at least one array of the symbols; (a2) scrolling the symbol array according to a result of the determination; and (a3) carrying out processing according to a result of the scroll.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2014Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Kenta Kitamura, Yoichi Kato, Makoto Miyawaki, Hiromoto Yamauchi
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Patent number: 9373218Abstract: The gaming machine includes: a cabinet having a display window; one or more reels disposed in the cabinet so that the or each reel is visible from outside the cabinet through the display window, the or each of the one or more reels being provided with a reel band having symbols; and a light application device configured to apply visible light representing visual information which enables recognition of information related to games to the reel band. The or each of one or more reels has a mirror layer which reflects the visible light from the light application device. The light application device is disposed in a position out of a sight area in which the one or more reels are visible from outside the cabinet through the display window.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2013Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Yoshinori Kondo, Jun Hirato, Kenta Kitamura, Takehisa Itagaki
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Patent number: 9361764Abstract: An object of the gaming machine is to simultaneously display symbols and visual information with a simple structure, while displaying the symbols clearly. The gaming machine includes: one or more reels each provided with a reel band having one or more symbols; and a light application device configured to apply visible light representing visual information which enables recognition of information related to games on an outer circumference of the one or more reels. The reel band has a mirror layer which reflects the visible light from the light application device.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2013Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Yoshinori Kondo, Jun Hirato, Kenta Kitamura, Takehisa Itagaki