JPH0417876A - Pinball machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable information indicated on an external indicator to be effectively transmitted to a player without hindering a game by providing an external indicator use permission judging means for judging whether or not a game condition may allow the external indicator to be used and an output terminal for outputting a permission signal from the external indicator use permission judging means to the external indicator. CONSTITUTION:Whether or not a pattern indicator 21 is under the variable indication is judged in a game control circuit 36. When the indicator 21 is not under the variable indication, whether or not the indicator is under a big winning condition is judged. When the indicator is under either variable indication or big win condition, a permission signal is not conducted to an output terminal 47. On the other hand, when the pattern indicator 21 is under neither variable indication nor big win condition, the permission signal is conducted from a game control circuit 36 to the output terminal 47. An external indication control circuit 55 receiving the permission signal through a signal line 48 indicates characters or pattern information and voice from an information indicating member 51 and speaker 52 according to a indication data program.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a pachinko machine equipped with a game control means for controlling a game state.

[Prior Art] In recent years, most pachinko machines are controlled to perform a predetermined game state by a game control means composed of a microcomputer or the like. For example, based on the signal that a batted ball has won a prize in the starting prize opening provided on the game board, multiple digital displays are controlled to display variable values, and based on the signal after a certain period of time, the variable display on the digital display is controlled to stop. However, a pachinko machine has been proposed in which when the symbol displayed on the digital display when the machine is stopped is in a predetermined manner, a jackpot occurs and the variable winning device is controlled in a predetermined manner.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] By the way, players playing on pachinko machines,
There is a desire to provide various information to players who choose a gaming machine without actually playing the game, and in order to meet this demand, there are a few pachinko machines that are equipped with an external display device. is proposed. However, the information displayed on the above-mentioned external display device is displayed regardless of the gaming state, so for example, if a jackpot state appears on the above-mentioned gaming machine with a digital display, the information displayed on the external display device There has been a problem in that even if information is sent to the player, the player does not see it, or the player's attention is drawn to the information displayed on the external display device, making it difficult to concentrate on the game.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to enable a pachinko machine that can effectively convey information displayed on an external display device to a player without interfering with the game. Our goal is to provide the following.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a pachinko machine according to the present invention is provided with a game control means for controlling a game state, and the game control means includes the following: External display device usage permission determining means for determining whether or not the gaming state is one in which the use of an external display device is allowed among the gaming states controlled by the means; The device is characterized by being provided with an output terminal for outputting to an external display device.

[Function] The game control means includes external display device usage permission determining means for determining whether or not the game state is one in which the use of the external display device is permitted among the game states controlled by the game control means; Since an output terminal is provided for outputting a permission signal from the external display device use permission determining means to the external display device, it is possible to display information on the external display device only in a gaming state in which the player does not have to concentrate on the game. As a result, information can be effectively transmitted to players. Conversely, when the player is in a gaming state where he or she must concentrate on the game, the permission signal is not derived, so no information is displayed on the external display device, and the player is disturbed by the information displayed on the external display device. You can concentrate on the game without worrying.

[Examples] Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of a pachinko machine 10 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 1, a pachinko machine 10 includes a support plate 2 constituting a gaming machine installation island stand 1.
A large number of rows are arranged in the horizontal direction so as to be sandwiched between the counter stand 4 and the counter stand 4. An external display device 50, which constitutes a part of the main part of this embodiment, is provided on the support plate 2 so as to correspond to each pachinko machine 1. In addition, a curtain plate 3 that can be opened and closed is provided on the upper part of the support plate 2, and the curtain plate 3 can be opened when a ball jamming accident occurs in a return mechanism (not shown) provided inside the gaming machine installation island stand 1. It can be opened and easily resolved. In addition, on the gaming machine installation island stand 1, ball lending machines 5 are installed alternately with the pachinko machines 10 or at a ratio of 2:1 with the pachinko machines 10.

Here, to explain the configuration of the pachinko machine 10, a metal frame 12 is provided around the opening of a front frame 11 formed in the shape of a frame of the pachinko machine 10.

The metal frame 12 has a glass #1
3 and a front plate 14 are provided so as to be openable and closable. A game board 18 is arranged behind the glass door 13, and the front plate 14
An upper plate 15 is fixed to the surface of the holder 15 for storing the batted balls and supplying the batted balls to a batted ball firing position (not shown). Furthermore,
Below the front frame 11, there are provided an operating handle 16 which is a part of the batted ball firing device, a lower tray 17 for storing prizes that cannot be stored in the upper tray 15, and the like.

The game board 18 has a substantially square shape, and a game area 20 partitioned by guide rails 9 is formed on its surface. A symbol display device 21 equipped with a dot matrix panel consisting of a plurality of display sections is provided approximately in the center of the gaming area 20, and a solenoid 29 (not shown; however, as shown in FIG. a pair of opening/closing members 24 driven by
A variable prize winning device 23 having components a and 24b is provided. In the symbol display device 21, a ball hits the starting winning holes 22a to 22c provided below and diagonally downward on the left and right sides of the symbol displaying device 21, and a starting winning detection switch 26 attached to the starting winning holes 22a to 22c (not shown; however, shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3), the display is made variable by turning it on, and after a certain period of time has elapsed, or a variable time reduction button (not shown) provided on the front of the pachinko machine 10 is pressed. When the player presses the variable display, the variable display stops. And the symbol display device 2 when stopped
When the display mode displayed in 1 is a combination of predetermined specific symbols (in this embodiment, the numbers are "Zero"), it is determined that there is a jackpot, and the opening/closing members 24a and 24b of the variable winning device 23 are activated. The open state is maintained for a certain period of time (for example, 30 seconds) or until a predetermined number of prizes (-for example, 10 prizes) are won. In addition, the winning pressure that is guided to the opening/closing members 24a and 24b of the variable winning device 23 enters a winning opening (not shown) formed inside the winning opening, and a When the winning detection switch 28 (not shown; however, shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3) is turned on, the opening/closing members 24a and 24b of the variable winning device 23 are opened again under the above conditions, and such open state is As long as the ball is hit into the prize opening or the prize is won, it will continue for a maximum of 10 times. Furthermore, when the batted ball enters the V winning hole, a V lamp 31 (not shown; however, shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3) provided near the winning hole lights up to notify that fact.

Further, the variable winning device 23 includes an opening/closing member 24a.

A winning ball number detection switch 27 (not shown; however, shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3) is provided to detect the winning pressure of a predetermined number of balls accepted during one opening of the ball 24b. In addition, as a means for stopping the fluctuation of the symbol display device 21, the fluctuation time shortening button may be omitted, and the fluctuation may be stopped only after a certain period of time after the start of the fluctuation.

In addition, in the winning area 20, the above-described symbol display device 21,
In addition to the variable winning device 23 and the starting winning openings 22a to 22c,
Multiple winning openings (unsigned) are set up as winning areas,
A jackpot lamp 30 is provided which is activated during a jackpot state. An operation lamp 32 having almost the same function as this jackpot lamp 30 is provided on the upper part of the front frame 11.

Further, at the lowest part of the game area 20, an out port 25 is also formed into which a batted ball that has not won a prize in any of the winning holes enters. Further, on the lower back side of the front frame 11, a speaker 33 is also provided that generates sound effects corresponding to the gaming state.

On the other hand, on the back of the pachinko machine 10, as shown in FIG.
A well-known mechanical plate 34 is provided for ejecting a predetermined number (for example, 13) of prize balls based on the winning pressure of winning the winning opening or winning device. Further, on the back side of the pachinko machine 10, a game control circuit board is built in which is configured a game control circuit 36 as a game control means for controlling the game state of the above-described symbol display device 21, variable prize winning device 23, etc. A circuit board box 35 is provided. The game control circuit 36 constructed on a circuit board built into the game control circuit board HOX 35 has a configuration as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows the game control circuit 36 in block configuration. The game control circuit 36 has a CPtJ37 as a control center, and the CPL137 has an R
OM3B and RAM39 are connected. The ROM 38 stores a program that controls the overall gaming state.
The CPU 37 executes various processes based on the program. The CPU 37 also includes the various detectors described above,
That is, human input signals from the start winning detection switch 26, the number of winning balls detection switch 27, and the winning detection switch 28 are manually inputted via the waveform shaping circuit 40.

Further, a display drive signal is output from the CPU 37 to the dot matrix panel (display) of the symbol display device 21 via the display drive circuit 41, and an audio signal is output to the speaker 33 via the PSG 42 (sound generator). The solenoid 29 is output via the driver 43.
, jackpot lamp 30, ■ lamp 31, and operation lamp 3
A drive signal is output to 2. Note that the CPU 37 is connected to a reset signal generation circuit 45 that generates a reset signal when the reset switch 46 is turned on, and a power supply circuit 44 that supplies power to the CPU 37.

Furthermore, the game control circuit 36 is provided with an output terminal 47, to which a control signal from the CPU 37 is derived. The control signal derived to the output terminal 47 is a permission signal derived when the game state is such that it is possible to use an external display device 50, which will be described later.In this embodiment, the symbol display device 21 is used for variable display The permission signal is derived when the game is in a gaming state other than when the player is in a jackpot state or in a jackpot state. However,
The output terminal 47 is connected to an external display device 5 via a signal line 48.
0 external display device control circuit 55 is connected.

Here, an example of an external display device will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The external display device 50 includes an information display member 51 that can display various information in characters or figures. and a speaker 52 that generates audio related to the information displayed on the information display member 51 on the negative side thereof.
is provided. Moreover, on the opposite side of the speaker 52,
There are provided a call switch 53 that the player presses when a trouble occurs in the game, and a call lamp 54 that lights up or flashes when the call switch 53 is pressed. An external display device control circuit 55 that mainly drives and controls the information display member 51 and the speaker 52 is provided on the back side of the external display device 50. This external display device control circuit 55 is configured to have at least a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. at the same root as the game control circuit 36. The external display device 50 configured as described above is connected to the signal line An example of the operation of the game control circuit 36 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 4. First, in the game control circuit 36, the symbol display device 21 It is determined whether or not the variable display is in progress (step 5IO), and if the variable display is not in progress, it is determined whether or not the jackpot state is in progress (step 520). Then, when the symbol display device 21 is either in variable display or in a jackpot state,
The game control circuit 36 does not derive the permission signal to the output terminal 47 (step 530). First, when the symbol display device 21 is in the variable display mode, the player's attention is directed to the symbol display device 21, so in such a state, the external display device 50 is used to display various Even if information is displayed, the player hardly ever sees it, and conversely, when the symbol display device 21 is in variable display mode, the player's attention should be actively directed to the symbol display device 21, and external This is because it is preferable to display information on the display device 50 so as not to divert the player's attention from the game. In addition, when the player is in a jackpot state, the player's attention is directed to the variable winning device 23 where a large number of balls are won, so even in such a state, the external display device 50 is used to display various Even if information is displayed, players rarely see it, and
On the other hand, when the jackpot is in progress, the player's attention should be actively directed to the variable winning device 23, and it is preferable to display information on the external display device 50 so as not to divert the player's attention from the game. It is.

On the other hand, when the symbol display device 21 is not in a variable display state or in a jackpot state, a permission signal is derived from the game control circuit 36 to the output terminal 47 (step 540).

The external display device control circuit 55 receives the permission signal via the signal line 48.
Text or graphic information and audio are displayed from the information display member 51 and the speaker 52 according to a display data program set in the display device 5. In this way, various information is displayed on the external display device 50 when the player is in a gaming state where he or she does not have to pay attention to the gaming state appearing on the gaming board 18.
The displayed information can be effectively communicated to the player. Note that the information displayed on the external display device 55 may be any information such as information regarding advertisements or information regarding game content.

The embodiments have been described above, but according to the present embodiment, even if the external display device 50 is used in the game control circuit 36 as a game control means in the game state controlled by the game control circuit 36. Since an external display device use permission determining means for determining whether or not a good gaming state is in place and an output terminal 47 for outputting a permission signal from the external display device use permission determining means to the external display device 50 are provided, the player It becomes possible to display information on the external display device 50 only in a gaming state where the player does not have to concentrate on the game, and information can be effectively transmitted to the player. On the other hand, when the symbol display device 21 is in the variable display state or in the jackpot state, which is a gaming state in which the player must concentrate on the game, the permission signal is not derived, so no information is displayed on the external display device 50, and the game is interrupted. The player can concentrate on playing the game without being disturbed by the information displayed on the external display device 50.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, variable display and jackpot state are used as gaming states in which no permission signal is derived, but other gaming states may be included. Furthermore, if the game content differs, the game state in which the permission signal is not derived will naturally change, and the setting can be made according to the game content. For example, in a pachinko machine that requires constant attention to the game board after starting a game, a permission signal is sent to the external display device only when a ball is not being fired, that is, when a game is not being played. may be derived.

Further, in the above embodiment, the signal line 48 connected to the output terminal 47 is directly connected to the control circuit 55 of the external display device 50, or it is installed in the gaming hall and connected to a management computer. , the display information of the external display device 50 may be controlled by the management computer. Further, in the above embodiment, the main component constituting the external display device 50 is the information display member 51, but the main component may be the speaker 52 to display information in the form of audio. Further, the external display device 50 may be provided anywhere in the vicinity of the pachinko machine 10 (including the pachinko machine 10 itself), rather than across the support plate of the gaming machine installation island 1.

Furthermore, by applying the above embodiment, it may be possible to control the display of information on the external display device 50 that the player may overlook during variable display or jackpot conditions, for example. Specifically, when the variable display is in progress, characters are displayed to notify that the variable is in effect, and when the jackpot is in progress, a message such as ``Congratulations'' or a number indicating the number of continuations is displayed. It is.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above explanation, the pinball game machine according to the present invention is capable of controlling the game control means even if an external display device is used in the game state controlled by the game control means. The external display device use permission determining means for determining whether or not the gaming state is good, and the output terminal for outputting the permission signal from the external display device use permission determining means to the external display device are provided, so that the player can easily enjoy the game. It is possible to display information on the external display device only during a gaming state where the player does not have to concentrate, and information can be effectively transmitted to the player.

Conversely, when the player is in a gaming state where he or she must concentrate on the game, the permission signal is not derived, so no information is displayed on the external display device, and the player is disturbed by the information displayed on the external display device. You can concentrate on the game without worrying.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a partial front view of a gaming machine installation island stand with a pachinko machine installed according to the embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a partial rear view of the gaming machine installation island stand with a pachinko machine installed. 3 is a block diagram showing the relationship between the game control circuit and the external display device control circuit, and FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing an example of the operation of the game control circuit. 10... Pachinko machine 36... Game control circuit (game control means) 47... Output terminal 50... External display device Patent applicant Sanyo Bussan Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A pachinko machine equipped with a game control means for controlling a game state, wherein the game control means includes a game that may use an external display device among the game states controlled by the game control means. external display device use permission determining means for determining whether the external display device use permission determining means is in the state; and an output terminal for outputting a permission signal from the external display device use permission determining means to the external display device. Pachinko machine.