US 10,593,150 B2Granted

System and apparatus that promotes a reduction in addictive gameplay

AssigneeUniversal Entertainment Corporation

InventorKengo Takeda

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Abstract

[Object] To provide avoidance of a situation in which a player becomes addicted to a game. [Solution] An information providing system includes: an input device that receives an input of game value consumption plan information based on a setting operation performed by a player; a gaming machine enabling a game to be played; and an information processing device communicable with the gaming machine. The information processing device receives game value consumption information about a game value consumed by the player from the gaming machine, and upon determination that the player's consumption information reaches the consumption plan information, transmits predetermined instruction information to the gaming machine. The gaming machine announces information that encourages the player not to play the game based on the predetermined instruction information.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A system that promotes a reduction in addictive gameplay at one or more gaming machines, the system comprising:

an input device including an interactive graphical user interface displayable on an electronic display device allowing input of gameplayer definable cumulative value consumption plan information pertaining to a gaming session playable at the one or more gaming machines;
one or more gaming machines enabling gameplay;
a non-transitory memory;
and,
a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to the non-transitory memory and configured to read instructions from the non-transitory memory to cause an information processing device communicatively connected with the one or more gaming machines to perform operations comprising:
receiving the gameplayer definable cumulative value consumption plan information pertaining to the gaming session playable at the one or more gaming machines via the input device;
storing the game player definable cumulative value consumption plan information to the non-transitory memory;
receiving a game value consumed as a result of gameplay at the one or more gaming machines during the gaming session;
adding the game value consumed as a result of gameplay at the one or more gaming machines during the gaming session to a cumulative game value consumed and stored in the non-transitory memory;
comparing the cumulative game value consumed at the one or more gaming machines during the gaming session with a threshold value defined by the gameplayer definable cumulative value consumption plan information;
upon determining that the cumulative game value consumed during the gaming session is equal to or greater than the threshold value, electronically transmitting predetermined instructional information to the one or more gaming machines allowing gameplay to continue during the gaming session, and causing a signal to be output at the one or more gaming machines to discourage continued gameplay at the one or more gaming machines;
and,
wherein, where gameplay is continued subsequent to the signal being output at the one or more gaming machines during the gaming session, adding the game value consumed as a result of the continued gameplay to the cumulative game value consumed during the gaming session.

10 more elements

An apparatus that promotes a reduction in addictive gameplay at one or more gaming machines comprising:

an input device including an interactive graphical user interface displayable on an electronic display device allowing input of gameplayer definable cumulative value consumption plan information pertaining to a gaming session playable at the one or more gaming machines;
a non-transitory memory that stores the gameplayer definable cumulative game value consumption plan information pertaining to the gaming session playable at one or more gaming machines;
and
an information processing device including a central processing unit (CPU) communicable with the one or more gaming machines, the CPU configured to read instructions from the non-transitory memory to cause the information providing device to perform operations comprising:
receiving the gameplayer definable cumulative value consumption plan information pertaining to the gaming session playable at the one or more gaming machines via the input device;
storing the game player definable cumulative value consumption plan information to the non-transitory memory;
receiving a game value consumed as a result of gameplay at the one or more gaming machines during the gaming session;
adding the game value consumed as a result of gameplay at the one or more gaming machines during the gaming session to a cumulative game value consumed and stored in the non-transitory memory;
comparing the cumulative game value consumed at the one or more gaming machines during the gaming session with a threshold value defined by the gameplayer definable cumulative value consumption plan information;
and
upon determining that the cumulative game value consumed during the gaming session is equal to or greater than the threshold value, electronically transmitting predetermined instructional information to the one or more gaming machines allowing gameplay to continue during the gaming session, and causing a signal to be output at the one or more gaming machines to discourage continued gameplay at the one or more gaming machines;
and,
wherein, where gameplay is continued subsequent to the signal being output at the one or more gaming machines during the gaming session, adding the game value consumed as a result of the continued gameplay to the cumulative game value consumed during the gaming session.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/447,447Filed 2 Mar 2017
Priority: JP 2016-0409533 Mar 2016
Published: US 2017/0256122 A17 Sep 2017
Granted: 17 Mar 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G07F 17/323
Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users: wherein the player is informed, e.g. advertisements, odds,…
G07F 17/3227
Data transfer within a gaming system, e.g. data sent between gaming machines and users: configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal…
G07F 17/3234
Wherein the operator is informed: about the performance of a gaming system, e.g. revenue, diagnosis of the gaming system
G07F 17/3239
About the players, e.g. profiling, responsible gaming, strategy/behavior of players, location of players: tracking of individual players