Multiline slot machine

Abstract

A more sophisticated version of the known "crisscross" type of slot machine is disclosed. A screen has a plurality of display zones, usually notional, arrayed in rows and columns. A row of symbols are made to sequentially appear and randomly stop on each of the display zones, either electronically, optically, or mechanically. Thus the player can play for random symbol combinations not only along the horizontal and diagonal lines, as in the case of the crisscross model, but also along the vertical lines, of the array of display zones on the screen. If the display zones are provided in three rows and three columns, therefore, the inventive machine offers a maximum of as many as eight different symbol combinations on a single play, as compared with only five yielded by the crisscross type of machine. A representative slot machine in accordance with the invention is purely electronic, using a cathode ray tube for symbol display.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A multiline slot machine comprising: (a) an electronic display means having a plurality of independent display zones for simultaneously displaying images flatly, the independent display zones being arrayed in rows and columns thereon wherein the number of rows and columns is greater than one and wherein each of said plurality of independent display zones represents one of a plurality of independent imaginary reels of said multiline slot machine;   (b) memory means for storing therein a plurality of symbol groups one of which is provided for each indenpendent display zone, each symbol group having M kinds of N symbols, N being at least equal to M, each symbol being adapted to be successively displayed and randomly stopped on one independent display zone of the display means, the memory means comprising a storing means for storing therein a plurality of arrangements each having a plurality of storage locations or addresses and a plurality of coded symbols one of which corresponds to one of the each storage location, one of the arrangements being provided fro each independent display zone, and an image symbol memory having an arrangement of a plurality of the coded symbols and a plurality of image symbols one of which corresponds to each coded symbol;   (c) display control means connected between the display means and the memory means for causing the display means to sequentially display the symbols of the symbols group on the respective independent display zones of the display means, each randomly selected symbol being displayed at the center of each display zone in a state wherein half of each of two symbols next to the selected symbol is respectively displayed on a upper and lower poriton of each independent display zone; and   (d) means for randomly selecting one symbol of each symbol group stored in the memory means, the display control means being responsive to the randomly selecting means for causing the display means to stop the sequential display of the symbols at the randomly selected symbols;   whereby the slot machine shows, on the display means, alignment and non-alignment of matching randomly selected symbols in the horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions of the array of independent display zones of the display means, and said randomly selected symbol and said half of two symbols next to the selected symbol displayed in each of said plurality of independent display zones shows a player that each of said plurality of independent display zones is an independent imaginary reel.   
     
     
       2. A multiple slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the random selecting means comprises a random number generator for selecting a location or an address of each arrangement in the memory means and a CRT control means for reading out the coded symbols corresponding to selected locations or addresses to select image symbols corresponding to the coded symbols read out of said memory means by the CRT control means thereby send image signals to said independent display zones of said display means which comprises a CRT. .Iadd.3. A machine comprising: (a) an electronic display means for displaying a plurality of independent display zones for simultaneously displaying images flatly, the independent display zones being arrayed in rows and columns thereon wherein the number of rows and columns is greater than one and wherein each of said plurality of independent display zones represents one of a plurality of independent imaginary reels of said machine;   (b) memory means for storing therein a plurality of symbol groups, one of which is provided for each independent display zone, each symbol group having M kinds of N symbols, N being at least equal to M, each symbol being adapted to be successively displayed and randomly stopped on one independent display zone of the display means, the memory means comprising a storing means for storing therein a plurality of arrangements of coded symbols, an arrangement being provided for each independent display zone, and an image symbol memory for converting said coded symbols to image symbols for display;   (c) display control means connected between the display means and the memory means for causing the display means to sequentially display the symbols of the symbol groups on the respective independent display zones of the display means, each randomly selected symbol being displayed at the center of each display zone in a state wherein a portion of each of two symbols next to the selected symbol is respectively displayed on a upper and lower portion of each independent display zone; and   (d) means for randomly selecting one symbol of each sumbol group stored in the memory means, the display control means being responsive to the randomly selecting means for causing the display means to stop the sequential display of the symbols at the randomly selected symbol,   whereby the machine shows, on the display means, alignment and non-alignment of matching randomly selected symbols in the horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions of the array of independent display zones   
     
     
        of the display means..Iaddend. .Iadd.4.  A machine according to claim 3, wherein the random selecting means comprises: a random number generator for selecting a coded symbol within each arrangement of coded symbols in the memory means; and   a CRT control means for reading out the selected coded symbols within said arrangements of coded symbols in said memory means, selecting image symbols corresponding to the selected coded symbols read out of said memory means, and sending image signals to said independent display zones of said display means, said display means comprising a CRT.