Patents by Inventor Kenta Sugano

Kenta Sugano 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).

  • Patent number: 9607478
    Abstract: A plurality of gaming terminals provided in a parallel manner, a plurality of upper displays which are provided in a parallel manner independently from the gaming terminals and form a single common effect display screen, a plurality of display controllers controlling image display on the respective upper displays, and a center controller controlling the display controllers are provided. The center controller controls the display controllers so that the upper displays perform image display as one common effect display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Kenta Sugano, Daisyun Okamoto, Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 9576421
    Abstract: A plurality of gaming terminals each having a terminal display on which a plurality of symbols are provided, a plurality of upper displays forming a single common effect display screen which is constituted by gaming terminal areas corresponding to the respective gaming terminals, and a center controller are provided. When the common game starts, the center controller displays a common game start effect image on a common effect display screen and transmits a common game start effect image display command to the gaming terminals so that the common game start effect image divided for respective gaming terminal areas is displayed on the terminal display of each of the gaming terminals corresponding to the gaming terminal areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Kenta Sugano, Daisyun Okamoto, Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 9327188
    Abstract: A plurality of gaming terminals each having a terminal display on which a plurality of symbols are lined up, a plurality of upper displays forming a single common effect image display screen constituted by gaming terminal areas corresponding to the respective gaming terminals, and a center controller are included. The center controller determines whether a common game is being run when an independent special game is started, and produces an effect in the gaming terminal area corresponding to the gaming terminal, only when the common game is not being run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Kenta Sugano, Daisyun Okamoto, Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 9230412
    Abstract: In a gaming machine, a symbol display device variably displays a plurality of symbols, and an input device inputs an instruction related to a game. A controller executes a normal game in which the symbol display device variably displays and then stop-displays symbols, triggers a bonus game when a plurality of specific symbols are stop-displayed in the normal game, selects any one of a plurality of options by an operation of the input device by a user in the bonus game, and awards a benefit according to the selected option. Further, when the selected option selected in the processing is a specific option, the controller selects another one of the plurality of options by the operation of the input device by the user, and awards a benefit according to the selected another option.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignees: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Takehisa Itagaki, Masahiko Konishi, Masaya Honda, Masahiro Yoshida, Hiroki Saito, Kazumasa Yoshizawa, Hiroki Nakamura, Kenta Sugano
  • Patent number: 9214061
    Abstract: When a common game condition is established, at least one of the following games is run: a first common game in which a participating gaming terminal is able to win a bonus type more than once and a payout based on a unit payout amount corresponding to the bonus type that the gaming terminal wins is awarded to the gaming terminal; a second common game in which a participating gaming terminal is able to win a bonus type more than once and a payout based on the number of winnings is awarded to the gaming terminal; and a third common game in which one of the participating gaming terminals is able to win one of the predetermined bonus types and a payout is awarded to the gaming terminal which wins said one of the bonus types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Kenta Sugano, Daisyun Okamoto, Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Publication number: 20140309021
    Abstract: When a common game condition is established, at least one of the following games is run: a first common game in which a participating gaming terminal is able to win a bonus type more than once and a payout based on a unit payout amount corresponding to the bonus type that the gaming terminal wins is awarded to the gaming terminal; a second common game in which a participating gaming terminal is able to win a bonus type more than once and a payout based on the number of winnings is awarded to the gaming terminal; and a third common game in which one of the participating gaming terminals is able to win one of the predetermined bonus types and a payout is awarded to the gaming terminal which wins said one of the bonus types.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Kenta Sugano, Daisyun Okamoto, Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 8851969
    Abstract: According to a gaming system of the present invention, illuminants included in a coupling illuminated line provided for each slot machine are lighted. Such lighting is conducted to the illuminants in an order starting from the illuminant provided at a position closest to the gaming machine. Further, more illuminants are to be lighted in the coupling illuminated line provided for the gaming machine in which the larger number of game media have been betted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Kato, Arata Ajiro, Kenta Sugano
  • Publication number: 20140243090
    Abstract: A plurality of gaming terminals each having a terminal display on which a plurality of symbols are provided, a plurality of upper displays forming a single common effect display screen which is constituted by gaming terminal areas corresponding to the respective gaming terminals, and a center controller are provided. When the common game starts, the center controller displays a common game start effect image on a common effect display screen and transmits a common game start effect image display command to the gaming terminals so that the common game start effect image divided for respective gaming terminal areas is displayed on the terminal display of each of the gaming terminals corresponding to the gaming terminal areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicants: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Kenta Sugano, Daisyun Okamoto, Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Publication number: 20140235321
    Abstract: In a gaming machine, a symbol display device variably displays a plurality of symbols, and an input device inputs an instruction related to a game. A controller executes a normal game in which the symbol display device variably displays and then stop-displays symbols, triggers a bonus game when a plurality of specific symbols are stop-displayed in the normal game, selects any one of a plurality of options by an operation of the input device by a user in the bonus game, and awards a benefit according to the selected option. Further, when the selected option selected in the processing is a specific option, the controller selects another one of the plurality of options by the operation of the input device by the user, and awards a benefit according to the selected another option.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicants: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION, ARUZE GAMING AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Takehisa ITAGAKI, Masahiko KONISHI, Masaya HONDA, Masahiro YOSHIDA, Hiroki SAITO, Kazumasa YOSHIZAWA, Hiroki NAKAMURA, Kenta SUGANO
  • Patent number: 8795056
    Abstract: When a common game condition is established, at least one of the following games is run: a first common game in which a participating gaming terminal is able to win a bonus type more than once and a payout based on a unit payout amount corresponding to the bonus type that the gaming terminal wins is awarded to the gaming terminal; a second common game in which a participating gaming terminal is able to win a bonus type more than once and a payout based on the number of winnings is awarded to the gaming terminal; and a third common game in which one of the participating gaming terminals is able to win one of the predetermined bonus types and a payout is awarded to the gaming terminal which wins said one of the bonus types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Kenta Sugano, Daisyun Okamoto, Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 8758116
    Abstract: A plurality of gaming terminals each having a terminal display on which a plurality of symbols are provided, a plurality of upper displays forming a single common effect display screen which is constituted by gaming terminal areas corresponding to the respective gaming terminals, and a center controller are provided. When the common game starts, the center controller displays a common game start effect image on a common effect display screen and transmits a common game start effect image display command to the gaming terminals so that the common game start effect image divided for respective gaming terminal areas is displayed on the terminal display of each of the gaming terminals corresponding to the gaming terminal areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Kenta Sugano, Daisyun Okamoto, Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 8758114
    Abstract: A gaming machine executes a process with new entertainability. The game executes a normal game accepting an input of selecting any of the plurality of the specific symbols stop-displayed, in response to a fact that a plurality of the specific symbols are stop-displayed, in the normal game executed. A benefit is awarded according to the specific symbols selected. Whether or not to generate a specific game state is determined, in response to the specific symbols selected. An input of selecting a specific symbol other than the specific symbol previously selected is accepted from among the plurality of specific symbols stop-displayed, in response to a fact that it is determined that the specific game state has been generated. A benefit is awarded according to the specific symbol selected in the last processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Takehisa Itagaki, Masahiko Konishi, Masaya Honda, Masahiro Yoshida, Hiroki Saito, Kazumasa Yoshizawa, Hiroki Nakamura, Kenta Sugano
  • Publication number: 20140106882
    Abstract: A plurality of gaming terminals each having a terminal display on which a plurality of symbols are lined up, a plurality of upper displays forming a single common effect image display screen constituted by gaming terminal areas corresponding to the respective gaming terminals, and a center controller are included. The center controller determines whether a common game is being run when an independent special game is started, and produces an effect in the gaming terminal area corresponding to the gaming terminal, only when the common game is not being run.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicants: Aruze Gaming America, Inc., Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Kenta Sugano, Daisyun Okamoto, Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 8672737
    Abstract: A gaming machine of the present invention is arranged so that, in a base game in which unit games can be repeatedly run, bet values on the respective unit games are accumulatively stored in the bet value memory, how many unit games are run is counted, an average of the bet values is calculated based on the bet value accumulatively stored in the bet value memory when a predetermined condition is met in the base game, and a payout calculated by multiplying the average by a predetermined value is awarded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenta Sugano
  • Patent number: 8636593
    Abstract: A plurality of gaming terminals each having a terminal display on which a plurality of symbols are lined up, a plurality of upper displays forming a single common effect image display screen constituted by gaming terminal areas corresponding to the respective gaming terminals, and a center controller are included. The center controller determines whether a common game is being run when an independent special game is started, and produces an effect in the gaming terminal area corresponding to the gaming terminal, only when the common game is not being run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Munakata, Kenta Sugano, Daisyun Okamoto, Masumi Fujisawa, Takehisa Itagaki
  • Patent number: 8414378
    Abstract: A gaming machine according to the present invention comprises a display on which plural types of symbols are to be arranged; a memory for storing an accumulative value, which is accumulated by unit game to activate a plurality of insurance pays and has a first threshold value and a second threshold value, and a plurality of payout value of the insurance pays, which is stored in associated with the first threshold value and the second threshold value of the accumulative value; and a controller. Where the accumulative value accumulated by unit game in which the plural types of symbols are rearranged on the display has reached the first threshold value, a first insurance pay is activated in accordance with a payout value associated with the first threshold value. The accumulative value is further counted in such each unit game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignees: Universal Entertainment Corporation, Aruze Gaming America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuo Okada, Kenta Sugano
  • Patent number: 8323090
    Abstract: A gaming system of the present invention comprises a plurality of gaming machines and a control device including a processor, and the processor is programmed to execute processing of (A) cumulatively counting a part of the number of betted game media as a cumulative value based on the number-of-game-media information received from the gaming machine, and (B) paying out the game media in number based on the cumulative value to any of the gaming machines, as well as displaying a numeral image corresponding to the cumulative value to the common display, when the cumulative value has reached a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Kato, Arata Ajiro, Kenta Sugano
  • Patent number: 8267776
    Abstract: A gaming machine includes: a base game; gaming terminals; a bonus game configured to award a bonus payout more rewarding than the payout in the base game; a bonus payout indicator that displays the bonus payout; and paths, respectively corresponding to the gaming terminals, including light emitting portions arranged to form a channel extending from a position corresponding to each gaming terminal to the bonus payout indicator. In each gaming terminal, the base game is run independently from the other gaming terminals. The bonus game is run. A random number of the light emitting portions are activated toward the bonus payout indicator in a path corresponding to a gaming terminal in which a predetermined winning is met, every time the predetermined winning is met in the gaming terminals. The bonus payout is awarded in a gaming terminal corresponding to a path in which the light emitting portions turned active up to the bonus payout indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Aruze Corp.
    Inventors: Arata Ajiro, Yoichi Kato, Kenta Sugano
  • Patent number: 8216845
    Abstract: A gaming system of the present invention comprising a plurality of gaming machines each including a controller and a control device including a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to execute the processing of (A) cumulatively counting a part of a number of betted game media as a cumulative value based on number-of-game-media information received from the gaming machine, and (B) transmitting a common-game execution signal to the gaming machine, when the cumulative value has reached a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Arata Ajiro, Yoichi Kato, Kenta Sugano
  • Patent number: 8206211
    Abstract: A gaming system of the present invention comprises a plurality of gaming machines and a control device including a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to execute processing of (A) cumulatively counting a part of a number of betted game media as a cumulative value based on number-of-game-media information received from the gaming machine, and (C) executing a common game, when a number of the gaming machines joining the game is equal to or more than a specific number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
    Inventors: Arata Ajiro, Yoichi Kato, Kenta Sugano