JPH0473079A - Picture indicating section of game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve interest in a game by combining a plurality of basic patterns into any forms to form a display pattern with display elements and providing a line indicating means capable of lighting or flickering three adjacent display elements on a line interconnecting these elements. CONSTITUTION:A display unit 1 is a picture represented by liquid crystal display members or LED dot matrix, and five display units 1a-1e are arranged on the display section in the nearly inverted W-shaped form. A prize winning line display 2 is indicated by a plurality of LED dots 2a, small electric bulbs or the like intermittently provided at equal pitches to interconnect the five display units 1a-1e disposed in the inverted W-shaped form. Above and below the display units 1a-1e of respective pictures are disposed two sub-display units 1a', 1a''-1e', 1e'' for indicating pictures adjacent pictures indicated on the respective display units 1a-1e. A display section formed of said 1, 2 composing members is disposed in a plane on the front panel side of a game machine body, so that a display 2 of a prize winning line interconnecting the respective picture display units 1 and a plurality of picture display units 1 can be freely formed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention is capable of changing the display pattern at a plurality of display locations, and when the change of the pattern is stopped, a pattern row (combination of patterns) on a predetermined game line. The present invention relates to a slot machine or similar gaming machine in which players compete to determine whether or not they have won a prize in the game, and which adopts a new pattern change and game line display method.

[Prior Art] As a game in which patterns in a plurality of display locations are changed and then stopped, and the stopped patterns are combined to compete to win a prize, there are a rotating pattern display type pattern change and a CRT display type pattern change. A picture matching game similar to a so-called slot machine game in which players play a special prize in a pachinko machine or a slot machine game in which special prizes are won in a pachinko machine is known.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The picture changing mechanism employed in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machine is based on the rotation and stopping of a rill (ileum) that displays a plurality of pictures on its outer circumferential surface; Changes in the pattern,
In most slot machines, the symbols displayed are displayed on 3 to 4 reels and are visible through a display window of a predetermined size. Since there are 3 winning symbols, the number of game lines, or winning lines, is generally no more than 5, or at most 7, and as a result, the number of winning games is limited. Therefore, there was a natural limit to how interesting the game could be.

In view of this, we have traditionally installed four pattern reels,
Proposals have been made to set the number of picture display windows to nine, for example, but these tend to result in complicated structures, and none have been put into practical use yet.

In view of these points, the present invention increases the number of changing display symbols without complicating the structure, and furthermore, makes the game extremely interesting by devising the arrangement of these display symbols. This was done with the aim of providing a gaming machine that can play games.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has a structure in which a semiconductor display element capable of displaying an arbitrary pattern such as characters, two figures, etc. by blinking and blinking is arranged in a triangular shape. A basic array pattern of the picture display section is formed by disposing it at the apex of the array shape, and a plurality of these basic patterns are combined to form an arbitrary shape to form a display pattern by the display elements. The present invention is characterized in that a line display means that can be turned on or blinked is provided on a line connecting three adjacent display elements.

[Function] By using a flat semiconductor display element such as an LED as the picture display means, the picture arrangement pattern can be formed into any shape and can be freely arranged on the board of the gaming machine.

This arbitrary arrangement makes it possible to easily and freely set up a picture combination game with rich gameplay.

[Example] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of an example of a game pattern display section according to the present invention;
2 to 8 are front views showing examples of display patterns of the picture display section of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a drive circuit of the display section of the present invention.

In FIGS. 1 to 8, 1 is a liquid crystal display member, or
In the display section of Fig. 1, the five display units 1a to 1e are almost inverted W.
They are arranged to form a letter shape. This display unit 1 may be formed by an ultra-small CRT. 2 is the reverse W of the above
This is a winning line display using a plurality of LED dots 2a, small light bulbs, etc. thrown at equal pitches so as to connect five display units 18 to 16 arranged in a character shape.

Here, the display units 18 to 1e of each of the above-mentioned patterns are shown above.

Below are two sub-display units 1a', Ia'' that display patterns adjacent to the patterns displayed in each display unit 18 to 1e.
~Ie', le'' are provided. Although these sub display units 1a' to 1e'' may not be provided in the display section of the present invention, these sub display units 1a' to le'' are provided. It is more effective to bring the change and stop of the symbols closer to conventional reels.

The picture display section of the present invention is formed by the components 1 and 2 above, for example, but this display section is not displayed on a rotating body such as the reel, but on the front panel side of the gaming machine main body. Since they are arranged in a plane, they do not occupy a large depth space on the gaming machine main body side, so even if a large number of display units are arranged, the gaming machine main body does not have to be enlarged.

For these advantages, the present invention has a large number of picture display units 1 and each picture display unit 1, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 8.
The winning line display 2 connecting the two can be freely formed.

Therefore, the display section in FIG. 2 has six display units 18 to 1f.
As shown in the figure, the winning line display 2 is formed by arranging the display units 1a to 1f in a substantially pyramid shape as a whole, and connecting each of the display units 1a to 1f with a large number of LED dots 2a. It is optional whether or not sub-display units 1a'-if'' are provided for each display unit 1a-1f.

The handling of this sub-display unit is the same in the following embodiments, so the explanation will be omitted in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 to 8 described below.

Figure 3 shows the same six display units 1a to 1a as the display part in Figure 2.
1f are arranged to form a generally horizontally long rectangular shape as a whole, and each display unit Ia-1f is connected by a large number of LED dots 2a to form a winning line display 2.

In FIG. 4, seven display units 1a to 1g are arranged at the vertices and centers of a generally hexagonal shape as a whole, and each display unit 1a to 1g is connected as shown in the figure by a large number of LED dots 2a to form a winning line. This is what is shown.

In FIG. 5, eight display units 1a to 1h are arranged as a whole on the outer periphery of a horizontally long rectangle, and two display units 2g and 2h are arranged inside the rectangle, and a large number of LED dots 2a are arranged.
are arranged as shown in the figure to form a winning line display 2.

Figure 7 shows nine display units la to 1, similar to the one in Figure 6.
1 is used, but the cast pattern as a whole is approximately trapezoidal.

In this way, in the present invention, the picture display unit is formed by a flat display medium such as a liquid crystal display member or an LED dot matrix, so the picture display pattern is determined by the number of display units other than the above-mentioned embodiments and their arrangement. The pattern can be arbitrarily and easily set.

For example, FIG. 8 shows one of the display units of the present invention formed using 16 display units 18 to lp.

Since there are five or more picture display units in each of the above-mentioned display sections in the present invention, the mode of changing and stopping the display is to change the display of all display units by operating one start switch. The starting point is the same as the conventional reel type, but in combination with the conventional type operation, the start point is the same as the conventional reel type, and the display of 3 or 3 sets of display units is performed by operating at least 3 stop switches. The change is stopped, and the remaining display units are automatically stopped after a certain period of time, for example. This is because, although it is possible to provide stop switches corresponding to the number of display units arranged, the operation becomes complicated, which poses a practical problem.

In the display unit of the present invention, the display unit and the winning line display are displayed by emitting light based on an electric signal, so for example, when winning a prize, the display unit on the winning line, the winning line display, or both of the luminous colors can be changed. Emission color can be easily made different from that at the time of transition.

In this way, when the symbol change stops and the game is established, if there is a row of winning display units, the corresponding display unit, the winning line display, or both will be displayed at the time of the symbol change. Since the light is emitted in a different color from the emitted light color, the player etc. can clearly distinguish and confirm which pattern row has won a prize.

Next, a drive control section for controlling the drive of the picture display section of the present invention that displays the above-described display will be explained with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 9, reference numeral 11 denotes a display control section, which controls a plurality of, for example, about 20, figures, characters, etc. for each of the display units 1a to 1e shown in FIG. 1 as an example of the display section of the present invention. , is provided with a program section 11a for displaying a display pattern in order to display it while changing it sequentially, and a display drive section 11b for displaying and driving each of the display units 1a to 1e based on input from this program.

The program contents of the program section 11a can be rewritten at any time. The program contents include a plurality of picture signals such as figures and characters, the arrangement order of the signals, and the supply interval of each picture signal.

Each drive unit 11b of the above-mentioned all display units 18 to 1e starts driving the change of the displayed symbols by a start signal generated in the start signal forming unit 12, for example, by pressing the start button 12a in a slot machine. is,
By operating the three stop buttons 13b, specific three display units corresponding in advance, for example, lc, ld, l
The change operation of the display pattern of the corresponding drive unit 11b is stopped by the stop signal generated by the stop signal forming unit 13 for the drive unit 11b of the drive unit 11b.

The remaining display units are stopped by the timer stop signal forming unit 1.
4, this is done by supplying a stop signal formed by a time-over.

Each drive unit 11b for each display unit 18 to 1e includes a detection unit 1 that detects the picture when the respective display changes stop.
1c is connected, and each picture signal when the display changes and stops of each display unit 1a to 1le is detected.

Detection signals for each symbol display unit are supplied to a determining section 15, and this section 15 determines whether a predetermined arrangement of each detection signal corresponds to a winning combination of symbol rows on a predetermined winning line. It is determined.

When the predetermined arrangement of the detection signals corresponds to a winning symbol or a sequence thereof, the determination unit 15 outputs a winning payout signal Ws accompanied by a preset winning grade, etc., and also outputs the winning detection signal sequence and its sequence. The signal of the winning line display 2 is held and outputted to the next luminescent color control section 16.

The light emitting color control unit 16 changes the light emitting color of any of the display units 1a to 1e and displays the corresponding winning line according to the winning detection signal string and the line signal of the winning line display 2 supplied from the determining unit 15. 2 lights up or flashes,
Alternatively, the light emission color may be changed and the light may be turned on or blinked.

In the display unit of the present invention, in the case of the above entered prize, the corresponding winning line display is lit and the winning display unit 1a to
The emitted light color of le may be changed by performing only one of them.

It goes without saying that the above-described display at the time of winning a game can be applied to each of the embodiments of the display section of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2 to 8. Further, in conjunction with such a winning display, an appropriate winning notification sound may be emitted.

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention is as described above, and uses a planar display unit such as an LED dot matrix in the display section of a gaming machine such as a slot machine in which the display pattern can be stopped and changed. As a result, the arrangement pattern of the displayed symbols can be formed arbitrarily, making it possible to provide a gaming machine with high game performance. , By displaying the later symbols, it is comparable to the symbol display on the three-dimensional reel, and when winning a prize, the lighting color of the above display unit displaying the winning symbol can be changed, and the winning line display can be turned on and blinking 9 times. Since the winning color is visually displayed by changing the color of the light emitting light and blinking the light, it is possible to provide a gaming machine with rich game performance and feeling.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an example of a game pattern display section according to the present invention;
2 to 8 are front views showing examples of display patterns of the picture display section of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a drive circuit of the display section of the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A basic arrangement pattern of a picture display section in which semiconductor display elements capable of displaying arbitrary pictures such as letters, figures, etc. by blinking or blinking are arranged at the vertices of a triangular array shape. At the same time, a plurality of these basic patterns are combined to form an arbitrary shape to form a display pattern by the display elements, and lighting is performed on a line connecting three adjacent display elements of each arrayed display element. A picture display section of a game machine, characterized in that it is provided with a blinkable line display means. 2. The semiconductor display element according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor display element displays the entire picture corresponding to the display window in the center thereof, and also displays a part of the picture adjacent to the top and bottom of the picture which is displayed entirely. The picture display section of a gaming machine. 3. The pattern display section of a gaming machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each display element arranged on the display pattern changes the color of emitted light when a prize is won in the game. 4. The picture display section of a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the line display means disposed on the line connecting each display element arranged in the display pattern lights up or blinks when a prize is won in the game. 5. The picture display section of the gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the line display means changes the color of the emitted light when a prize is won in the game.