Nonuniform probability reel stop mechanism for gaming machines

A gaming apparatus having a symbol bearing reel mounted for rotation about an axis with the reel having a predetermined number of reel stops comprising

• initiation means responsive to a player input for generating an initiate signal;
• a digital memory containing a table of upper and lower subinterval limits wherein each of pairs of said upper and lower subinterval limits defines a subinterval and wherein each subinterval corresponds to a stop index and wherein the range between the lower limit and the upper limit of each subinterval represents a predetermined probability factor;
• processor means responsive to said initiation signal for initiating rotation of the reel;
• generator means for generating a value;
• means utilizing said table for determining which of said subintervals contains said value and identifying the corresponding stop index;
• stop means responsive to said identified stop index for stopping said reel at a predetermined location corresponding to said identified stop index.

An apparatus for generating a table of subintervals for use in a memory of a gaming apparatus having X number of reel stops each corresponding to one of the subinterval comprising;

• means for initializing the value of X to 1;
• first means for setting the lower limit of the first subinterval corresponding to X=1 equal to zero;
• second means for setting the upper limit of said first subinterval to a first predetermined stopping probability;
• incrementing means for incrementing the value of X by 1;
• third means for setting the lower limit for the subinterval corresponding to said incremented X to the value of said upper limit of the subinterval corresponding to X-1;
• Fourth means for setting the upper limit of the subinterval corresponding to X to the lower limit of the subinterval corresponding to X plus a predetermined stopping probability for X;
• means for comparing the value of X to the maximum value of X for the apparatus and for causing said incrementing means and said third and fourth means to repeat their operations if X is less than said maximum value of X.

A gaming apparatus having a symbol bearing reel mounted for rotation about an axis with the reel having a predetermined number of reel stops comprising:

• initiation means responsive to a player input for generating an initiate signal;
• a memory for storing a probability factor for each reel stop wherein each reel stop has a stop index associated therewith;
• processor means responsive to said initiation means and said memory means for initiating rotation of the reel in response to said initiate signal and for stopping the reel wherein said processor means includes:
• generating means for generating a probability value;
• means for selecting a current one of said stop indexes;
• comparison means for implementing a comparison logic step including comparing said probability value to the current reel stop probability factor associated with said current stop index and if said probability value is greater than said selected reel stop probability factor subtracting said current reel stop probability factor from said probability value incrementing said current stop index, and causing said comparison means to repeat said comparison logic step or alternatively causing said comparison means to terminate said comparison logic step if said probability value is less than said current reel stop probability factor;
• interrupt means for causing said generating means to generate said probability value and said comparison logic step to be periodically actuated;
• and
• stop means responsive to a stop signal for stopping the reel such that the reel stop corresponding to said current stop index stops as a predetermined position.