Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100113129 | Gaming apparatus and method of operating the same - A gaming apparatus and a method of operating the same are disclosed The gaming apparatus comprises a display configured to display a plurality of reel images and a processor operatively coupled to the display. The processor is operable to determine an arrangement of symbols for each of the reel images before starting each of games, by selecting symbols to be set on symbol stop positions of the reel image from discrete symbol candidates based on selection probabilities associated with the discrete symbol candidates respectively. The processor is also operable to control the display to display the reel images based on the determined arrangement of symbols in response to operation of a player. | 05-06-2010 |
20110141209 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus, includes a liquid jet head; a container main body; an air opening mechanism configured to open and close an air opening path in the container main body. The air opening mechanism includes a holding part, and an opening member movably provided at the holding part. The opening member includes an air communicating path, a filter member, and an air room. An opening cross-sectional area of the air room in a direction perpendicular to an air flow-in direction is greater than an opening cross-sectional area of the air communicating path in a direction perpendicular to an air flow-in direction. | 06-16-2011 |
20110228016 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND ATMOSPHERIC AIR OPENING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes a sub tank that supplies a liquid to a head that ejects liquid droplets, the sub tank including a generating unit that generates a negative pressure inside the sub tank by expanding and contracting as the liquid is supplied to and ejected from the sub tank, and an opening mechanism that performs an opening operation of opening the sub tank to atmospheric air; a supply mechanism that supplies the liquid in a main tank to the sub tank; a carriage that moves in a main scanning direction above a sheet, the head being disposed in the carriage; a moving mechanism that changes a distance between the sheet and the head; and a control unit that causes the opening mechanism to perform the opening operation in conjunction with the moving mechanism changing the distance between the sheet and the ejecting head. | 09-22-2011 |
20120056953 | LIQUID CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A liquid container includes a container main unit, an air release passage, and an air release mechanism. The passage communicates with an interior of the main unit. The air release mechanism is connected to the passage to open and close the passage. The air release mechanism includes a hollow cylindrical member, a valve seat, a valve body, a movable member, an elastic cover member, and a second communication channel. The movable member has an outer circumferential surface slidable over an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical member and forms a first communication channel to communicate with outside air. The second communication channel has a filter structure to remove foreign substances, is formed within the cylindrical member, and is connected to a space between the cylindrical member and the cover member to communicate the first communication channel with outside air via the space and the second communication channel. | 03-08-2012 |
20130155158 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus, includes a liquid jet head; a container main body; an air opening mechanism configured to open and close an air opening path in the container main body. The air opening mechanism includes a holding part, and an opening member movably provided at the holding part. The opening member includes an air communicating path, a filter member, and an air room. An opening cross-sectional area of the air room in a direction perpendicular to an air flow-in direction is greater than an opening cross-sectional area of the air communicating path in a direction perpendicular to an air flow-in direction. | 06-20-2013 |
20130199275 | Leak Detector - Provided is a convenient leak detector which has high detection sensitivity and can quickly start a leak test after the start of vacuuming a test piece, without impairing the capabilities such as fast response to helium gas. The leak detector includes a mass spectrometer tube configured to detect a search gas and a turbo-molecule pump which has a plurality of stages rotors and stators alternately arranged in a housing, the rotors attached to a rotary shaft, and includes a drive source configured to rotationally drive the rotary shaft. An intake port communicating with a test piece TP and a connection port to which the mass spectrometer tube is connected are opened at positions away from each other in a wall surface of the housing, the wall surface facing a rotor of the uppermost stage. | 08-08-2013 |
20130286061 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING RECORDING HEAD AND HEAD TANK - An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a recording head, a head tank, a displacement member, an air release unit, a main tank, a liquid feed device, a body-side detector, and a supply controller. The supply controller controls a normal filling operation to start feeding liquid from the main tank to the head tank without opening the air release unit when a consumption amount of the liquid in the head tank is a threshold amount or greater, and stop feeding the liquid from the main tank to the head tank when the body-side detector detects an arrival of the displacement member at a normal fill position. When the body-side detector detects the displacement member at a start of the normal filling operation, the supply controller corrects the normal fill position to a position at which the liquid feed device can feed the liquid to the head tank. | 10-31-2013 |
20140079461 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a conveyance unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a print medium. The conveyance unit has a belt member to convey the print medium in a state in which an end of the print medium in a width direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the print medium is placed outside an end of the belt member in the width direction. | 03-20-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090247304 | COMMUNICATION GAME SYSTEM, GAME APPARATUS, SERVER, STORAGE MEDIUM STORING A PROGRAM, AND GAME CONTROL METHOD - A communication game system includes a plurality of game apparatuses which are able to wirelessly communicate with each other. Each of the game apparatus registers identifying information of an opponent obtained by a short-distance wireless communication or by user's input in a friend list. Thereafter, the game apparatus connects to the Internet, and inquires server, etc. whether or not it is possible to communicate with the opponent in the friend list over a network. If it is possible to communicate, the game apparatus obtains an address of the opponent to make a network communication. In a case that a still another opponent being connected to its own apparatus exists, when other game apparatus makes a connection, its own game apparatus transmits their identifying information to introduce the communicating opponents to each other. The game apparatuses introduced to each other make a communication over a network, and add the identifying information of the opponents to the friend list, if necessary. | 10-01-2009 |
20090253518 | COMMUNICATION GAME SYSTEM, GAME APPARATUS, SERVER, STORAGE MEDIUM STORING A PROGRAM, AND GAME CONTROL METHOD - A communication game system includes a plurality of game apparatuses which are able to wirelessly communicate with each other. Each of the game apparatus registers identifying information of an opponent obtained by a short-distance wireless communication or by user's input in a friend list. Thereafter, the game apparatus connects to the Internet, and inquires server, etc. whether or not it is possible to communicate with the opponent in the friend list over a network. If it is possible to communicate, the game apparatus obtains an address of the opponent to make a network communication. In a case that a still another opponent being connected to its own apparatus exists, when other game apparatus makes a connection, its own game apparatus transmits their identifying information to introduce the communicating opponents to each other. The game apparatuses introduced to each other make a communication over a network, and add the identifying information of the opponents to the friend list, if necessary. | 10-08-2009 |
20130252740 | COMMUNICATION GAME SYSTEM, GAME APPARATUS, SERVER, STORAGE MEDIUM STORING A PROGRAM, AND GAME CONTROL METHOD - A communication game system includes a plurality of game apparatuses which are able to wirelessly communicate with each other. Each of the game apparatus registers identifying information of an opponent obtained by a short-distance wireless communication or by user's manual input in a friend list. Thereafter, the game apparatus connects to the Internet, and inquires whether it is possible to communicate with an opponent in the friend list over the network. If it is possible to communicate, the game apparatus obtains an address of the opponent to make a network communication. Even if a user makes a short distance wireless communication with a friend to exchange and register the identifying information or registers the friend by hand and then is parted from the friend, the user can safely communicate with the opponent is to be added to the multiplayer game session, one of the participants transmits identifying information to introduce the communication opponents to each other. The game apparatuses introduced to each other make a communication over a network, and add the identifying information of the opponents to the friend list, if necessary. | 09-26-2013 |
20150148135 | COMMUNICATION GAME SYSTEM, GAME APPARATUS, SERVER, STORAGE MEDIUM STORING A PROGRAM, AND GAME CONTROL METHOD - A communication game system includes a plurality of game apparatuses which are able to wirelessly communicate with each other. Each game apparatus registers identifying information of an opponent obtained by a short-distance wireless communication or by user's manual input in a friend list. Thereafter, the game apparatus connects to the Internet, and inquiries whether it is possible to communicate with an opponent in the friend list over the network. If it is possible to communicate, the game apparatus obtains an address of the opponent to make a network communication. Even if a user makes a short distance wireless communication with a friend to exchange and register the identifying information or registers the friend by hand and then is parted from the friend, the user can safely communicate with the friend across the network without being exposed to unknown players. In a case that an additional opponent is to be added to the multiplayer game session, one of the participants transmits identifying information to introduce the communicating opponents to each other. The game apparatuses introduced to each other make a communication over the network, and add the identifying information of the opponents to the friend list, if necessary. | 05-28-2015 |
20150224404 | COMMUNICATION GAME SYSTEM, GAME APPARATUS, SERVER, STORAGE MEDIUM STORING A PROGRAM, AND GAME CONTROL METHOD - A communication game system includes a plurality of game apparatuses which are able to wirelessly communicate with each other. Each of the game apparatus registers identifying information of an opponent obtained by a short-distance wireless communication or by user's manual input in a friend list. Thereafter, the game apparatus connects to the Internet, and inquires whether it is possible to communicate with an opponent in the friend list over the network. If it is possible to communicate, the game apparatus obtains an address of the opponent to make a network communication. Even if a user makes a short distance wireless communication with a friend to exchange and register the identifying information or registers the friend by hand and then is parted from the friend, the user can safely communicate with the friend across the network without being exposed to unknown players. In a case that an additional opponent is to be added to the multiplayer game session, one of the participants transmits identifying information to introduce the communicating opponents to each other. The game apparatuses introduced to each other make a communication over a network, and add the identifying information of the opponents to the friend list, if necessary. | 08-13-2015 |
20150224405 | COMMUNICATION GAME SYSTEM, GAME APPARATUS, SERVER, STORAGE MEDIUM STORING A PROGRAM, AND GAME CONTROL METHOD - A communication game system includes a plurality of game apparatuses which are able to wirelessly communicate with each other. Each of the game apparatus registers identifying information of an opponent obtained by a short-distance wireless communication or by user's manual input in a friend list. Thereafter, the game apparatus connects to the Internet, and inquires whether it is possible to communicate with an opponent in the friend list over the network. If it is possible to communicate, the game apparatus obtains an address of the opponent to make a network communication. Even if a user makes a short distance wireless communication with a friend to exchange and register the identifying information or registers the friend by hand and then is parted from the friend, the user can safely communicate with the friend across the network without being exposed to unknown players. In a case that an additional opponent is to be added to the multiplayer game session, one of the participants transmits identifying information to introduce the communicating opponents to each other. The game apparatuses introduced to each other make a communication over a network, and add the identifying information of the opponents to the friend list, if necessary. | 08-13-2015 |
20150246282 | COMMUNICATION GAME SYSTEM, GAME APPARATUS, SERVER, STORAGE MEDIUM STORING A PROGRAM, AND GAME CONTROL METHOD - A communication game system includes a plurality of game apparatuses which are able to wirelessly communicate with each other. Each of the game apparatus registers identifying information of an opponent obtained by a short-distance wireless communication or by user's manual input in a friend list. Thereafter, the game apparatus connects to the Internet, and inquires whether it is possible to communicate with an opponent in the friend list over the network. If it is possible to communicate, the game apparatus obtains an address of the opponent to make a network communication. Even if a user makes a short distance wireless communication with a friend to exchange and register the identifying information or registers the friend by hand and then is parted from the friend, the user can safely communicate with the friend across the network without being exposed to unknown players. In a case that an additional opponent is to be added to the multiplayer game session, one of the participants transmits identifying information to introduce the communicating opponents to each other. The game apparatuses introduced to each other make a communication over a network, and add the identifying information of the opponents to the friend list, if necessary. | 09-03-2015 |
20150347994 | INFORMATION-PROCESSING SYSTEM, INFORMATION-PROCESSING DEVICE, STORAGE MEDIUM, AND ELECTRONIC MONEY CHARGING METHOD - An exemplary information-processing system includes at least a receiving unit ( | 12-03-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090176548 | Secondary roulette game - A plurality of gaming machines for paying out award corresponding to a play, comprising an executor for starting a primary game and a secondary roulette game, a controller for manipulating a secondary roulette to determine a winning gaming machine in the secondary game, a display for representing a winning odds of the secondary roulette game on the roulette, and a decision unit for determining the winning odds corresponding to wager. | 07-09-2009 |
20110244945 | GAMING MACHINE ARRANGING TWO SYMBOL COLUMNS IN THE SAME ORDER - A display unit displays symbols in a plurality of columns, and in particular arranges the symbols in the same order in two or more of the columns. A game controller unit determines an arrangement of symbols at random on a condition that symbols are arranged in the same order and at the same positions in the two or more columns. A display controller unit causes the display unit to spin the two or more columns of symbols from the same position in synchronization with each other, and stop the two or more columns at the same position to display the arrangement of symbols determined by the game controller unit. | 10-06-2011 |
20130005429 | GAMING MACHINE ARRANGING TWO SYMBOL COLUMNS IN THE SAME ORDER - A display unit displays symbols in a plurality of columns, and in particular arranges the symbols in the same order in two or more of the columns. A game controller unit determines an arrangement of symbols at random on a condition that symbols are arranged in the same order and at the same positions in the two or more columns. A display controller unit causes the display unit to spin the two or more columns of symbols from the same position in synchronization with each other, and stop the two or more columns at the same position to display the arrangement of symbols determined by the game controller unit. | 01-03-2013 |
20130296018 | GAMING MACHINE AND METHODS OF ALLOWING A PLAYER TO PLAY GAMING MACHINES HAVING SYNCHRONIZED SYMBOLS - A gaming machine for allowing a player to play a game is described herein. The gaming machine includes a display device and a game controller for displaying a game on the display device. The game includes a plurality of reels having a plurality of symbol positions and a plurality of game symbols displayed in each of the symbol positions in a predetermined order. The game controller allows a player to make a wager on the game and responsively displays the game on the display device. The game controller randomly determines an outcome of the game, responsively spins and stops the reels to display the outcome including at least two reels having the same symbols being displayed in the same symbol positions, and awards an award to the player as a function of the outcome. | 11-07-2013 |
20130296019 | GAMING MACHINE AND METHODS OF ALLOWING A PLAYER TO PLAY GAMING MACHINES HAVING SYNCHRONIZED SYMBOLS - A gaming machine for providing a game to a player is described herein. The gaming machine includes a display device for displaying the game and a game controller. The game includes a plurality of reels having a predetermined number of elements, wherein each element has an associated symbol from a set of symbols and at least one reel has a run of consecutive elements. The game controller initiates an instance of the game, responsively displays the game on the display device, randomly determines an outcome of the game, and responsively spins and stops the reels to display the outcome. The outcome includes at least two reels having the same symbols being displayed in the same symbol positions. The game controller displays each one of the at least two reels having a run of consecutive elements, and populates the run of consecutive elements with an identical symbol. | 11-07-2013 |
20150080103 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ALLOWING A PLAYER TO PLAY GAMING MACHINES HAVING STEP-BASED CHANGES AND MULTIPLE PATTERN FEATURES - The invention is directed to a gaming system and method of providing a game. The system is configured to display a plurality of symbol positions displayed on a grid. The grid defines a plurality of columns having an associated reel, reel strip, a plurality of symbol positions and game symbols displayed in each of the symbol positions in a predetermined order defining a reel layout. The method includes: initiating a game; establishing a first and second interval comprising at least two spins of the reels, the reel strip associated one of the reels has a first reel layout used during the spins of the first interval; and changing the pattern of the reel strip of one reel strip at the end of the first interval, before initiating the second interval, to a second reel layout, wherein the second reel layout is used for the spins of the second interval. | 03-19-2015 |
20150087385 | GAMING MACHINE AND METHODS OF UPGRADING GAME SYMBOLS IN AN OUTCOME OF A GAME - A gaming machine and method allow a player to play a game. The game has an associated set of game symbols. The game symbols in the set of game symbols are arranged in a predetermined order from lowest to highest. A display device is configured to display a plurality of symbol regions arranged in a grid. The controller is configured to randomly select an initial outcome of the game. The initial outcome of the game includes an initial game symbol associated with each of the symbol regions. The controller detects a triggering condition associated with the initial outcome of the game and responsively replaces the initial game symbol in at least one predetermined symbol region with a replacement symbol to establish a secondary outcome of the game. The replacement symbol is determined as a function of the initial symbol and the predetermined order of the game symbols. | 03-26-2015 |
20150339882 | GAMING MACHINE AND METHODS OF UPGRADING GAME SYMBOLS IN AN OUTCOME OF A GAME - A gaming machine and method allow a player to play a game. The game has an associated set of game symbols. The game symbols in the set of game symbols are arranged in a predetermined order from lowest to highest. A display device is configured to display a plurality of symbol regions arranged in a grid. The controller is configured to randomly select an initial outcome of the game. The initial outcome of the game includes an initial game symbol associated with each of the symbol regions. The controller detects a triggering condition associated with the initial outcome of the game and responsively replaces the initial game symbol in at least one predetermined symbol region with a replacement symbol to establish a secondary outcome of the game. The replacement symbol is determined as a function of the initial symbol and the predetermined order of the game symbols. | 11-26-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120220358 | GAMING MACHINE - In a gaming machine having a symbol display region with cell rows, wherein cells are continuously disposed in each cell row, and wherein a symbol row provided with continuously disposed symbols is displayed on each cell row in such a manner that one or more symbols correspond to one of the cells, there is provided a symbol movement control unit that makes each symbol row move along each cell row at a predetermined game opportunity in such a manner that a symbol to be displayed on each cell is changed in turn according to alignment order of the symbols in each symbol row, and then makes each symbol row stop, a prize winning determination unit that determines whether a combination of the symbols stopped in a cell group of a determination target satisfies a prize winning condition, and a dividend generation unit that generates a dividend according to a prize winning combination, and the symbol movement control unit comprises a symbol check unit that determines whether a symbol reaching a filtering position on the cell row is a specific symbol, and a specific symbol control unit that generates a specific change different from a change to be generated according to the alignment order in respect to display of the specific symbol in the symbol display region, when the symbol reaching the filtering position is determined as the specific symbol. | 08-30-2012 |
20120258785 | GAMING MACHINE - The present invention is a gaming machine including a display, which shows a plurality of cells indicating a plurality of symbols, and a controller, which selects a cell in a cell-selecting stage provided between a primary game and a secondary game on the display, controls the plurality of symbols in the secondary game and gives a predetermined function to the selected cell in the secondary game and where the selected cells or columns can change position on display during game play but the quantity of selected cells remain fixed for all free spin games of a secondary game. | 10-11-2012 |
20140187310 | GAMING MACHINE - A gaming machine has a symbol display region composed of cell columns, where cells are continuously disposed in each cell column. Symbols are displayed on each cell column in such a manner that one or more symbols correspond to one of the cells. The gaming machine comprises: a symbol movement control unit that makes each symbol column move along each cell column where a symbol is changed in turn according to an alignment order of the symbols, and makes each symbol column stop; a prize winning determination unit; and a dividend generation unit. The symbol movement control unit comprises: a symbol check unit that determines whether a symbol reaching a filtering position is a specific symbol; and a specific symbol control unit that generates a specific change different from a change to be generated according to the alignment order when the specific symbol reaches the filtering position. | 07-03-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130143638 | GAME MACHINE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING COMPUTER, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A game machine uses a lottery region having cell columns and symbol columns for providing a game opportunity, causes a special symbol column to appear in it, determines by lottery symbols of the special symbol column, causes the special symbol column containing the symbols obtained by a lottery result to appear and moves and stops the special symbol column so that the symbols of the special symbol column are arranged on the cells to be changed, and determines whether the symbols arranged in a cell group of a determination target form a prize winning pattern based on the symbols arranged by the special symbol column. Further, the game machine moves the special symbol column along each cell so that at least a direction crossing a movement direction of each symbol column is included as a movement direction of the special symbol column. | 06-06-2013 |
20130143639 | GAME MACHINE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING COMPUTER, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A game machine uses a lottery region containing the cells, provides a game opportunity that changes symbols on the cells by causing the symbols of a symbol group to appear on the portion of the cells, determines by lottery, at least a portion of the symbols which should constitute the symbol group, causes at least the portion of the symbols constituting the symbol group to appear in the lottery region based on a lottery result so as to change at least the portion of the symbols arranged on the cells by moving the symbol group including the symbol determined by the lottery result on a movement path containing two directions and stopping the symbol group so that at least the portion of the symbols of the symbol group is arranged on the cells, and determines a prize winning based on the symbols arranged on the cells by the symbol group. | 06-06-2013 |
20140066172 | GAME MACHINE, AND CONTROL METHOD OF CONTROLLING COMPUTER AND COMPUTER PROGRAM USED THEREFOR - A game machine includes a display device that displays a game screen in which virtual reels formed by symbols are arranged so as to correspond one-to-one to cells as symbol stop positions. And, a game machine determines the symbol to stop in each cell through drawing, and controls a movement to change the symbol and a stop of the movement for each virtual reel based on a drawing result. Furthermore, a game machine determines a number of specific symbols that stop in the cells, and controls a movement of each virtual reel, which causes the specific symbols to appear in the cells, as one virtual reel group and a stop of the movement in units of virtual reel group. | 03-06-2014 |
20140162755 | GAME MACHINE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING COMPUTER, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A game machine uses a lottery region having cell columns and symbol columns for providing a game opportunity, causes a special symbol column to appear in it, determines by lottery symbols of the special symbol column, causes the special symbol column containing the symbols obtained by a lottery result to appear and moves and stops the special symbol column so that the symbols of the special symbol column are arranged on the cells to be changed, and determines whether the symbols arranged in a cell group of a determination target form a prize winning pattern based on the symbols arranged by the special symbol column. Further, the game machine moves the special symbol column along each cell so that at least a direction crossing a movement direction of each symbol column is included as a movement direction of the special symbol column. | 06-12-2014 |
20140206427 | GAME MACHINE, CONTROL METHOD FOR USE IN THE GAME MACHINE, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - A game machine displays a movie in which at least one object moves in a predetermined area. The game machine includes an attribute management data storage device that stores attribute management data for managing a plurality of types of attributes. And the game machine specifies at least one holes to be assigned with any one of attributes in the predetermined area, select an attribute to be assigned to the hole by lottery from attributes, assigns the attribute selected to the hole, and generates in a game, change corresponding to the attribute assigned to the hole when the object reaches the hole on the movie. | 07-24-2014 |
20150080104 | GAMING MACHINE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING GAMING MACHINE, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - A gaming machine, a method of controlling a gaming machine, and a computer-readable recording medium storing a program wherein a first game and a second game are related to each other are provided. In a gaming machine, a first area and a second area sharing virtual reel strips are displayed, only the first area is set as a determination area in a first game, and both the first area and the second area are set as determination areas in a second game. Therefore, the first game and the second game can be provided in a form such that they are related. | 03-19-2015 |
20150325088 | GAME MACHINE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING COMPUTER, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A game machine uses a lottery region containing the cells, provides a game opportunity that changes symbols on the cells by causing the symbols of a symbol group to appear on the portion of the cells, determines by lottery, at least a portion of the symbols which should constitute the symbol group, causes at least the portion of the symbols constituting the symbol group to appear in the lottery region based on a lottery result so as to change at least the portion of the symbols arranged on the cells by moving the symbol group including the symbol determined by the lottery result on a movement path containing two directions and stopping the symbol group so that at least the portion of the symbols of the symbol group is arranged on the cells, and determines a prize winning based on the symbols arranged on the cells by the symbol group. | 11-12-2015 |