# US 7,744,455 B2 · Game machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,744,455 B2 - Document ID: US7744455B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/275,728 - Filed: 2006-01-26 - Published: 2007-07-26 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2006-01-26 - Assignees: Konami Gaming, Inc. - Inventors: Eiji Aida - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7744455B2 ## CPC - G07F 17/34: depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract A game machine is disclosed which includes a display unit, a memory unit which stores a cell array and a plurality of game symbols, a display control unit, and a game control unit. The display control unit displays the cell array, a peripheral region surrounding the cell array, and the plurality of game symbols on the display unit, animates the plurality of game symbols so that the plurality of game symbols move across the cell array and the peripheral region along trajectories that include curved trajectories, and positions and displays a static combination of game symbols in the cell array. The game control unit selects the static combination of game symbols to be displayed in the cell array, and determines whether a winning combination of game symbols will be included in the static combination of game symbols. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A game machine, comprising: a display unit; a memory unit which stores data corresponding to a cell array, a plurality of game symbols and a plurality of dummy game symbols; a display control unit which displays the cell array, a peripheral region surrounding the cell array, and the plurality of game symbols on the display unit, the display control unit displaying the cell array in an animation mode where each of the plurality of game symbols and the plurality of dummy game symbols moves, a static mode where each of the plurality of game symbols is static and the plurality of dummy game symbols are not displayed, and a hybrid mode where at least one of the plurality of game symbols moves, at least one of the dummy game symbols moves and at least one of the plurality of game symbols is static, the cell array having a plurality of stationary columns, each column having a plurality of game symbol cells, each game symbol cell displaying a single symbol in the static mode, the display control unit animates at least one of the plurality of game symbols and the plurality of dummy game symbols in the hybrid mode, and animates all of the plurality of game symbols and all of the dummy game symbols in the animation mode so that the plurality of game symbols and the plurality of the dummy game symbols are animated and move between the game symbol cells, the columns and across a boundary that separates the cell array from the peripheral region along trajectories that include curved trajectories, and after animating the plurality of game symbols, positions and displays a static combination of game symbols in the cell array with the plurality of dummy game symbols no longer being displayed; and a game control unit which selects the static combination of game symbols to be displayed in the cell array in the static mode, and determines whether a winning combination of game symbols will be included in the static combination of game symbols. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The game machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the game control unit separates the plurality of game symbols into groups each consisting of one or more game symbols, and randomly assigns a trajectory of a different shape to each group of game symbols, each time a player starts game play after placing a bet, the game control unit also separates the plurality of dummy game symbols into groups each consisting of one or more dummy game symbols, and randomly assigns a trajectory of a different shape to each group of dummy game symbols, each time a player starts game play after placing a bet, the display control unit animates the plurality of game symbols on a group-by-group basis so that the individual groups of game symbols move along trajectories whose shapes vary with the different groups of game symbols, and the display control unit also animates the plurality of dummy game symbols on a group-by-group basis so that the individual groups of dummy game symbols move along trajectories whose shapes vary with the different groups of dummy game symbols. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The game machine as set forth in claim 2, wherein the display control unit is configured such that the groups of game symbols selected to be the static combination of game symbols ceasing their movement, sequentially stopping in corresponding cells of the cell array thereby displaying the static combination of game symbols. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The game machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the game control unit mixes the static combination of game symbols with the plurality of dummy game symbols at the moment that a player starts game play after placing a bet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The game machine as set forth in claim 4, wherein the game control unit randomly separates the static combination of game symbols into groups each consisting of one or more game symbols, and randomly separates the plurality of dummy game symbols into groups each consisting of one or more game symbols, prior to mixing the static combination of game symbols with the plurality of dummy game symbols. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The game machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the game control unit randomly separates the plurality of game symbols into groups each consisting of one or more game symbols each time a player starts game play after placing a bet, the game control unit also randomly separates the plurality of dummy game symbols into groups each consisting of one or more dummy game symbols each time a player starts game play after placing a bet, the display control unit animates the plurality of game symbols on a group-by-group basis so that the plurality of game symbols move on the display unit independent of each other and/or in groups of two or more, and the display control unit also animates the plurality of dummy game symbols on a group-by-group basis so that the plurality of dummy game symbols move on the display unit independent of each other and/or in groups of two or more. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The game machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein the display control unit animates a group of two or more game symbols so that each game symbol in the group moves with respect to the other game symbols in the group. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The game machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein the display control unit is configured such that the groups of game symbols selected to be the static combination of game symbols ceasing their movement, sequentially stopping in corresponding cells of the cell array thereby displaying the static combination of game symbols. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The game machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays a virtual three-dimensional space on the display unit, and animates the plurality of game symbols within the virtual three-dimensional space so that the plurality of game symbols move behind the cell array, between the columns included in the cell array, over or under another game symbols, or toward or away from a player. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The game machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein the display control unit animates the plurality of game symbols so as to add at least one movement within the virtual three-dimensional space that is selected from the group consisting of revolving, rotating, twisting, and zig-zagging to the plurality of game symbols. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The game machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display control unit animates the plurality of game symbols so that the last portion of the static combination of game symbols and the dummy game symbols alternately move across the last cells of the cell array after other portions of the static combination of game symbols have been positioned and displayed in other cells of the cell array. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The game machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays a virtual three-dimensional space on the display unit, and the display control unit animates the plurality of game symbols within the virtual three-dimensional space so that the last portion of the static combination of game symbols and the dummy game symbols rotate toward and away from a player, thereby being alternately place in the last cells the cell array after other portions of the static combination of game symbols have been positioned and displayed in other cells of the cell array. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The game machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display control unit is configured to animate the plurality of game symbols sequentially ceasing movement and stopping in corresponding cells of the cell array and displaying the plurality of dummy symbols leaving the cell array and no longer being displayed as the plurality of game symbols cease movement. ### Claim 14 A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising: displaying a cell array in an animation mode where each of a plurality of game symbols and a plurality of dummy symbols moves, a static mode where each of the plurality of game symbols is static and the plurality of dummy game symbols are not displayed, and a hybrid mode where at least one of the plurality of game symbols moves, at least one of the plurality of dummy game symbols moves and at least one of the plurality of game symbols is static, the cell array having a plurality of stationary columns, each column having a plurality of game symbol cells, each game symbol cell displaying a single symbol in the static mode, a peripheral region surrounding the cell array and a plurality of game symbols on a display unit; animating at least one of the plurality of game symbols and one of the plurality of dummy game symbols in the hybrid mode and animating all of the plurality of game symbols and all of the plurality of dummy game symbols in the animation mode on the display unit so that the game symbols being animated move between the game symbol cells, the columns and across a boundary that separates the cell array from the peripheral region along a plurality of linear and/or non-linear trajectories; selecting a static combination of game symbols to be displayed in the cell array from the plurality of game symbols; and positioning and displaying the static combination of game symbols in the cell array after the animating step. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The readable recording medium as set forth in claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions separate the plurality of game symbols into groups each consisting of one or more game symbols, and randomly assigns a trajectory of a different shape to each group of game symbols each time a player starts game play after placing a bet, the computer-executable instructions also separate the plurality of dummy game symbols into groups each consisting of one or more dummy game symbols, and randomly assigns a trajectory of a different shape to each group of dummy game symbols each time a player starts game play after placing a bet, the computer-executable instructions animate the plurality of game symbols on a group-by-group basis so that individual groups of game symbols move along trajectories whose shapes vary with the different groups of game symbols, and the computer-executable instructions also animate the plurality of dummy game symbols on a group-by-group basis so that individual groups of dummy game symbols move along trajectories whose shapes vary with the different groups of dummy game symbols. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The readable recording medium as set forth in claim 15, further including displaying the groups of game symbols selected to be the static combination of game symbols ceasing their movement and sequentially stopping in corresponding cells of the cell array thereby displaying the static combination of game symbols. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The readable recording medium as set forth in claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions mix the static combination of game symbols with the plurality of dummy game symbols at the moment that a player starts game play after placing a bet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The readable recording medium as set forth in claim 17, wherein the computer-executable instructions randomly separate the static combination of game symbols into groups consisting of one or more game symbols, and randomly separate the plurality of dummy game symbols into groups of one or more game symbols, prior to mixing the static combination of game symbols with the plurality of dummy game symbols. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The readable recording medium as set forth in claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions randomly separate the plurality of game symbols into groups each consisting of one or more game symbols each time a player starts game play after placing a bet, the computer-executable instructions also randomly separate the plurality of dummy game symbols into groups each consisting of one or more dummy game symbols each time a player starts game play after placing a bet, the computer-executable instructions animate the plurality of game symbols on a group-by-group basis so that the plurality of game symbols move on the display unit independent of each other and/or in groups of two or more, and the computer-executable instructions also animate the plurality of dummy game symbols on a group-by-group basis so that the plurality of dummy game symbols move on the display unit independent of each other and/or in groups of two or more. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The readable recording medium as set forth in claim 19, wherein the computer-executable instructions animate a group of two or more game symbols so that each game symbol in the group moves with respect to the other game symbols in the group. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The readable recording medium as set forth in claim 19, further including displaying the groups of game symbols selected to be the static combination of game symbols ceasing their movement and sequentially stopping in corresponding cells of the cell array thereby displaying the static combination of game symbols. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The readable recording medium as set forth in claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions display a virtual three-dimensional space on the display unit, and animate the plurality of game symbols within the virtual three-dimensional space so that the plurality of game symbols move behind the cell array, between columns included in the cell array, over or under another game symbols, or toward or away from a player. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The readable recording medium as set forth in claim 22, wherein the computer-executable instructions animate the plurality of game symbols so as to add at least one movement within the virtual three-dimensional space that is selected from the group consisting of revolving, rotating, twisting, and zig-zagging to the plurality of game symbols. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The readable recording medium as set forth in claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions animate the plurality of game symbols so that the last portion of the static combination of game symbols and the dummy game symbols alternately move across the last cells of the cell array, after other portions of the static combination of game symbols have been positioned and displayed in other cells of the cell array. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The readable recording medium as set forth in claim 14, wherein the computer-executable instructions display a virtual three-dimensional space on the display unit, and the computer-executable instructions animate the plurality of game symbols within the virtual three-dimensional space so that the last portion of the static combination of game symbols and the dummy game symbols rotate toward and away from a player, thereby being alternately placed in the last cells of the cell array, after other portions of the static combination of game symbols have been positioned and displayed in other cells of the cell array. ### Claim 26 (depends on 14) The readable recording medium as set forth in claim 14, further including after selecting the static combination of game symbols, displaying the plurality of game symbols sequentially ceasing movement and stopping in corresponding cells of the cell array and displaying the plurality of dummy symbols leaving the cell array and no longer being displayed as the plurality of game symbols cease movement.