EA008586B1 - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The game machine has a lottery panel having a plurality of lottery holes adapted to let the lottery balls enter, a game contents decision device which makes the lottery game balls enter any of the plurality of lottery holes to determine the results of the games depending on which of lottery holes the lottery balls enter, a discharge path which is provided below the lottery panel to discharge the lottery balls individually from the lottery holes, an elevating device for carrying the lottery balls up to a position higher than the lottery panel and a recovery path for guiding the lottery balls discharged from the discharge path to the carrying start position of the elevating device. The recovery path is provided with a ball feeder for feeding the lottery balls to be recovered in the direction of the carrying start position of the elevating device.

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to a gaming machine, and more particularly, to a gaming machine determining a game result based on a lottery ball falling into a lottery hole in a lottery wheel.

State of the art

To date, a bingo game has been played using a bingo ticket, which depicts cells arranged in matrix form. In this case, the cells are marked with different signs, and the cell that corresponds to the signs won during the lottery is punched during the game. The player can win by punching cells located on one vertical line, horizontal line or diagonal line.

Although a ticket made of paper is usually used in bingo games, various game machines simulated by electronic devices have also been developed (see, for example, ΙΡ-Λ-2001-161888). In such slot machines, a bingo ticket is displayed on the display device, and when there are signs won on the bingo ticket, the display of this cell is activated, which makes it possible to distinguish such an activated cell from other cells.

Typically, the lottery wheel contains a plurality of lottery holes to which symbols have been assigned, and when the lottery ball stops at one of the lottery holes, a cell corresponding to the symbol in which the lottery ball has stopped is activated. The slot machine is often installed in the gallery of slot machines, since many players can participate in the game.

In addition, usually, such gaming machines can be roughly divided into two types: a gaming machine (the so-called machine that uses the principle of drawing the ball when drawing the lottery), made in such a way that the ball for the lottery is pulled out of the many balls for the lottery, on which designations are applied, due to which the cell corresponding to the designations on the elongated lottery ball is activated; and a gaming machine (the so-called roulette-type machine), made as described in publication ΙΡ-Λ-2001-161888, in which a plurality of lottery holes, which are designated, are located on the outer circumference of the lottery wheel, and when the ball for the lottery stops in one of the many holes for the lottery, the cell corresponding to the designation of the hole in which the lottery ball stopped is activated. In addition, in such a gaming machine, in order to make a game based on the simple rules of the bingo game more interesting, a large number of notation is required. However, in the aforementioned slot machine operating on the principle of drawing out a lottery ball, it is difficult for the players participating in the game to find the desired lottery balls from a large number of lottery balls, which probably reduces interest in playing bingo. Thus, a gaming machine of this type is not very suitable for a variant using a large number of symbols. Conversely, in a roulette type gaming machine, since the wheel has a large number of holes for the lottery, it may be necessary to increase the size of the wheel for the lottery. However, given the space occupied in the arcade, or similar conditions, it is undesirable to increase the size of the wheels for the lottery.

In this regard, in order to allow a large number of holes for the lottery to be placed on the lottery wheel, both taking into account the occupied space and the possibility of a good overview for the players participating in the game, or similar conditions, a slot machine was developed including a lottery wheel , which contains many holes for the lottery, located not only along the outer circumference, but also along many different circles, which can increase interest in the bingo game.

However, the ability to reduce the size of the above gaming machine is limited due to the large number of holes for the lottery, the requirement to provide the ability to view events when drawing a lottery for a large number of people at the same time, etc. Unlike a personal gaming machine, in a gaming machine that is made to a certain scale, after the end of one game (lottery), it takes some time from the moment when the balls for the lottery are collected from the holes for the lottery until the end of preparation for the next game, during which players are probably getting bored with.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a gaming machine comprising a plurality of holes for a lottery, and such a gaming machine provides smooth preparation for the game, which reduces the feeling of boredom of the players and provides interest in the game.

More specifically, the present invention is directed to the following gaming machine.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gaming machine comprising: a lottery wheel having a plurality of lottery openings into which lottery balls may enter; a game content determination apparatus that, when lottery balls fall into any of a plurality of lottery holes, determines a game result based on any of a plurality of lottery holes into which the balls hit; removal channel, which is located under the wheel for

- 1 008586 lottery, and through which the removal of balls for the lottery that fall into each of the many holes for the lottery; a lifting device that moves the lottery balls to a higher position than the lottery wheel; and a collection channel that directs the lottery balls removed from the removal channel to the start position of the movement of the lifting device, wherein the collection channel includes a ball feed device for supplying the collected lottery balls to the start position of the movement of the lifting device.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a gaming machine that determines a game result based on the entry of lottery balls into the lottery holes, a ball feed device is provided in the collecting channel for supplying the lottery balls from the lottery hole to the start position of moving the lifting device . Due to this, lottery balls move at high speed through the collection channel so that it is possible to collect lottery balls in a short time. In addition, even when an obstacle such as a slight bulge or concavity and a particle of dust occurs, the delay of the lottery balls in one place is excluded, which makes it possible to smoothly start the next game. In addition, the ball feeder supplies the lottery balls in the direction of the start position of the movement, which prevents the return of the lottery balls to the side of the removal channel.

In accordance with the present invention, in a gaming machine that determines a game result based on the entry of lottery balls into the lottery holes, a ball feed device is disposed in the collecting channel for guiding the lottery balls from the lottery holes to the start position of the lifting device. The lottery balls are thus forcibly supplied through the collection channel, as a result of which it is possible to collect the lottery balls in a shorter time.

Brief Description of the Drawings

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an arrangement of a gaming machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an arrangement of a gaming machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a lottery ball receiving portion according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a lottery device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of lottery wheels in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a removal channel and a collection channel, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an opening / closing shutter according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing an arrangement of an opening / closing shutter according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the structure of a removal channel, a collection channel, and a ball feed device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an operating procedure of a ball feed device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view schematically showing a ball feed device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12A-126 are longitudinal sectional views illustrating a collection channel adjacent to an opening / closing shutter;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a working portion of a gaming terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a structure of a gaming machine system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a structure of a gaming machine system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is an electrical diagram of a gaming terminal apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is an example of a standby image of a gaming terminal displayed on a display screen of a gaming terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is an example of a screen image of a gaming terminal after entering a game displayed on a display screen of a gaming terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is an example of a screen image of a gaming terminal during a game displayed on a screen.

- 2 008586 display the gaming terminal, in accordance with a variant implementation of the present invention;

FIG. 20Ά-20Ό are examples of the transition of the achieved state on the individual display screen presented on the display screen of the gaming terminal, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is an example of displaying a doubled game on a screen of a gaming terminal shown on a display screen of a gaming terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a diagram of a main sequence of operations during processing in a main circuit of a controller of a lottery device and a gaming terminal, respectively, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a flowchart after the flowchart of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating a process shutdown of a bingo cell moving operation;

FIG. 25 is a flowchart of a process for determining a prize to be won;

FIG. 26 is a flowchart of a process for determining an achieved state;

FIG. 27 is a flowchart of a process for starting a notification of a cell of an achieved state; and FIG. 28 is a flowchart of a game preparation process.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

An example of embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Although the gaming machine 310, in accordance with this embodiment, is a gaming machine, the game on which is organized using a gaming environment, such as a bingo ticket, on which is recorded information used in the game, which is issued or which must be transferred to the player, and also a coin, token, lottery ball or symbol; in the description below, the term "token" is used.

Slot machine configuration

In FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a view of a gaming machine in this embodiment.

The gaming machine 310 includes a lottery device 312 and a plurality of gaming terminals 314. The gaming machine 310 allows you to simultaneously organize a game for many players through the use of gaming terminals 314L-3141.

The lottery gaming machine 312 mainly includes a case 313 shaped like a ship mounted in the center of the gaming machine 310. In addition, two lottery wheels 338 and 339 are located in the center of the lottery device 312. These two wheels 338 and 339 contain a total of 52 lottery holes 340 and 341 (see FIG. 4). This set of lottery holes 340 and 341 is associated with symbols that represent combinations of the first signs, including spades, clubs, worms and diamonds, and the second signs, including numbers from 2 to 10 and the letters A, 1, O and K (ace, jack , queen and king). These symbols are used to determine the results of the lottery. In other words, the symbols used to determine the results of the lottery are associated with a plurality of lottery holes 340 and 341 on the lottery wheels 338 and 339, respectively. The lottery is played in accordance with the hit of the ball for the lottery in one of the many holes 340 and 341 for the lottery, in accordance with which the result of the game is determined. Two racks 354A and 354B, made in the form of masts of the ship, continue upward from the respective centers of the wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery. The horizontal horizontal bars 355A-355H are attached to the racks 354A and 354B, respectively, substantially orthogonally to each other using metal fasteners so that they are parts of the mast of the ship used to decorate the lottery device. A rocking device 346 (see FIG. 2) including an engine is installed in the lottery device 312 so that the housing 313 can swing with the bow 312A and the stern 312B moving in a vertical plane. In other words, the rocking device 346 shakes the housing 313. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the vertical tilt is approximately 8 ° with respect to the horizontal plane, but the tilt angle is not limited to this value.

In addition, although the oscillation operation takes about 12 seconds from the state where the nose 312A is located higher, at an angle of approximately 8 ° with respect to the horizontal plane, to the state where the nose 312A is located lower, at an angle of approximately 8 ° with respect to the horizontal plane, the swing time period is not limited to this value. Preferably, the oscillation operation takes from about 8 seconds to about 16 seconds. More specifically, the swing cycle can be controlled using the control circuit 400, which is described below, and can be controlled, for example, by the gaming machine manager. In addition, since a swinging hull 313 in the shape of a ship is used, in this embodiment, a visa may be presented for game participants

- 3 008586 ial effect, increasing interest in the game.

Many gaming terminals 314A-3141 are located on both sides of the lottery device 312. In this embodiment, 10 gaming terminals from 314A to 3141 are used. A plurality of gaming terminals from 314A to 3141 comprise token payment ports 382A to 3821. In FIG. 1, the gaming terminals from 314P to 314H and the ports 382P to 3821 of the payment of tokens are not shown, since they are closed by the lottery device 312.

Although ten gaming terminals 314A-3141 are provided in this embodiment, constituting a plurality of gaming terminals, the present invention is not limited to this number, but other forms may be used in it. For example, instead of these ten gaming terminals, other gaming terminals may be installed or one gaming terminal may be installed.

Lottery Device Configuration

In FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a lottery machine 312 in accordance with this embodiment.

As an example of a lifting device, a screw conveyor 320 is mounted at the stern 312B of the lottery device. The screw conveyor 320 is a device for moving the lottery ball used to draw the lottery upward with respect to the lottery wheels 338 and 339 through the inside lottery devices 312. Although the lottery ball in this embodiment has a diameter of approximately 60 mm, other shapes may be adopted. For example, a lottery ball may have a diameter equal to, greater than, or less than about 60 mm. In addition, the lottery ball is preferably made of a material that does not transmit infrared rays, or is preferably processed so that it does not transmit infrared rays, which makes it easy to detect lottery balls with various kinds of sensors, such as optical sensors.

The screw conveyor 320 includes a spiral body 320A, a holding plate 320B, and a lottery ball lift motor 320C. The spiral body 320A extends upward from the position 320Ό of the beginning of movement at a given angle of inclination. The holding plate 320B extends along the spiral body 320A. The lottery ball lift engine 320C rotates the spiral body 320A. The spiral body 320A comprises a spiral groove whose radius of curvature is greater than the radius of the lottery ball. The lift motor 320C moving the lottery ball rotates the spiral body 320A, and the lottery ball moves to the top so that the lottery ball is held between the spiral groove formed in the spiral body 320A and the holding plate 320B. A screw conveyor 320 moves the lottery ball 302 so that the lottery ball 302 can be visually controlled.

One end of the lottery ball guiding portion 324 is located near the upper end of the screw conveyor 320. The lottery ball guiding portion 324 has a guide channel (not shown). The lottery ball direction portion 324 directs the lottery ball moved by the screw conveyor 320 through the guide channel.

In addition, the lottery ball holding portion 332 is located at the top of the lottery device 312. This lottery ball holding portion 332 is made of transparent plastic so that it is accessible for viewing by players, etc. Therefore, players can easily see the remaining number of balls for the lottery. Such a lottery ball holding portion 332 has a shape that opens upward and contains lottery balls directed therefrom from the lottery ball guiding portion 324. In addition, an opening (not shown) for passing one lottery ball is formed on the lower surface of the lottery ball holding portion 332.

A rotating body 328 is mounted under the lottery ball holding portion 332. The rotating body 328 is cylindrical and is an example of a discharge portion. The rotating body 328 performs the function of closing the hole in the lower surface of the lottery ball holding portion 332. In this case, the state where the lottery ball is held in the lottery ball holding portion 332 is maintained.

The rotating body 328 is provided with a holding hole (not shown) designed to hold one lottery ball. A drive (not shown), including a rotation motor 326 (see FIG. 15), is located on the edge of the rotating body 328. When the drive rotates, the rotating body 328 rotates. When the rotating body 328 is rotated, the retention hole opens from above so that one lottery ball, held in the holding portion 332 of the lottery ball may fall into the holding hole. Then, as the rotating body 328 rotates, the hole in the lottery ball holding portion 332 is closed, and one lottery ball remains in the holding hole. Then, as the rotating body 328 rotates, the hole in the lottery ball holding portion 332 is closed and the holding hole is opened from below so that the lottery ball held in the holding hole falls down. Thus, one lottery ball held in the lottery ball holding portion 332 can be retrieved and dropped. In other words, the rotating body 328 performs the function of throwing the ball for the lottery moved by the screw conveyor 320 from

- 4 008586 of the upper part to flat sections 338A and 339A. The rotating body 328 is made of transparent plastic, which allows players to visually control the lottery balls contained in the retention hole. Thus, the course of the game can be clearly presented to the players.

The transparent lottery ball receiving portion 334 is located under the rotating body 328. The lottery ball receiving portion 334 receives a lottery ball dropped from a holding hole of the rotating body located above it. Thus, the lottery ball dropped from the hole for holding the rotating body 328 is held in the lottery ball receiving portion 334, whereby players can visually control the lottery ball. The lottery ball receiving portion 334 contains grooves 334C and 334Ό (see FIG. 4) through which the received lottery ball can be thrown onto one of the lottery wheels 338 and 339. Since the lottery device 312 oscillates, the lottery ball contained in the lottery ball receiving portion 334 is guided to one of the two lottery lottery wheels 338 and 339, in accordance with the inclination angle.

Slopes 336A and 336B having input channels through which lottery balls can pass are installed in the grooves 334C and 334 33 (see FIG. 3) of the lottery ball receiving portion 334. These slopes 336A and 336B are used to toss a lottery ball held in a lottery ball receiving portion 334 onto one of the lottery wheels 338 and 339. Slopes 336A and 336B are made of transparent plastic. Thus, lottery balls passing through slopes 336A and 336B can be visually controlled by players. At the same time, the screw conveyor 320 described above, the rotating body 328, the slopes 336A and 336B, and so on, allow for the throwing of lottery balls removed from the plurality of lottery holes 340 and 341 onto the lottery wheels 338 and 339 through the collection channel 350, as described below.

Two wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery are located near the lower ends of the slopes 336A and 336B. Wheels

The lottery 338 and 339 comprise flat sections 338A and 339A, respectively, whose surfaces are horizontal with respect to the housing 313. Lottery balls can roll along the flat sections 338A and 339A. In other words, the lottery wheels 338 and 339 have flat sections 338A and 339A, respectively, on which lottery balls can roll, and comprise a plurality of lottery holes 340 and 341 on the upper surface of the flat sections 338A and 339A. In addition, two lottery wheels 338 and 339 can rotate in a horizontal plane with respect to the upper surfaces of the flat sections 338A and 339A.

The upper surfaces of these flat sections 338A and 339A comprise a plurality of lottery holes 340 and 341, each of which is intended to hold one lottery ball. These holes

The lottery 340 and 341 are made deep enough so that one lottery ball enters into them by about 2/5. Thus, lottery balls falling into this set of holes 340 and

341 for the lottery are held in them so that players can visually control the balls for the lottery. In addition, the lottery balls thrown then can hit the lottery balls held in the plurality of lottery holes 340 and 341 and change their rolling direction. As described below, lottery balls falling into the lottery holes 340 and 341 move in accordance with the rotation of the lottery wheels 338 and 339, the lottery balls being held in the lottery holes 340 and 341 until one game ends.

The opening / closing shutters 344 (344A and 344B) are mounted under the wheels 338 and 339 in the positions through which the lottery holes 340 and 341 pass while the wheels 338 and

339 for the lottery. During the game, opening / closing dampers 344A and 344B are controlled to close them, so that the lottery wheels 338 and 339 hold the lottery balls in the lottery holes 340 and 341. At the end of the game, opening / closing shutters 344A and 344B are controlled to open them, and lottery balls located in the plurality of lottery holes 340 and 341 are removed through the removal channel 347A and 337B.

As shown in FIG. 8, ball hit detection sensors 349 (ball hit detection sensors 349A and 349B of FIG. 7) are installed in the lottery holes 340 and 341. Each of the ball hit detection sensors 349 determines that the lottery ball has landed in one of a plurality of lottery holes. When the lottery ball enters one of the many lottery holes 340 and 341 in the wheels 338 and 339, a symbol corresponding to the lottery hole into which the lottery ball has entered is selected, and the game result is determined based on the selected symbols. In other words, when a lottery ball enters one of a plurality of lottery holes 340 and 341, a game outcome is determined based on symbols associated with one of a plurality of lottery holes 340 and 341 into which a lottery ball has entered. Although in this embodiment, one ball hit detection sensor 349 is installed in each of the plurality of lottery holes 340 and 341, other design options can be used. For example, a plurality of ball penetration detection sensors may be installed in each of a plurality of lottery holes, which allows instantly detecting a lottery ball entering this hole. In addition, to reduce labor costs during the manufacturing process and to reduce costs, a ball hit detection sensor may not be installed in each of the plurality of lottery holes. In other words, two ball hit detection sensors can be used to detect lottery balls getting into a plurality of lottery holes. For example, a fixed sensor can be mounted under the lottery wheel so that the hole for

- 5 008586 lottery, which hit the ball for the lottery, can be set based on its position when the spinning wheel for the lottery, while when the wheel for the lottery rotates, the sensor determines that the ball for the lottery passed him.

Removal channels 347A and 347B extending downward from the positions of the opening / closing shutters 344A and 344B are located under the lottery wheels 338 and 339. When the lottery wheels 338 and 339 rotate and the opening / closing flaps 344A and 344B are open, the lottery balls falling one after the other from the lottery holes 340 and 341 are guided through the removal channels 347A and 347B and are removed in a downward direction.

Collection channel 350 is located under removal channels 347A and 347B. Lottery balls removed from removal channels 347A and 347B fall further and enter collection channel 350. The collection channel 350 continues to the start position of the lifting device, and the lottery balls roll inside the collection channel 350, and they are sent to the start position of the movement. Here, ball-feeding devices 354A and 354B are provided for supplying lottery balls towards the start position of the movement, which are located at certain positions in the collection channel 350 opposite to the removal channels. Ball feeders 354A and 354B cause lottery balls to move at high speed through a collection channel. This reduces the time required to collect the lottery balls. In addition, even when an obstacle such as a small bulge or concavity and a dust particle is formed in the collecting channel 350, the accumulation of lottery balls in this place is prevented. In addition, the lottery balls are served by the ball feeding devices 354A and 354B toward the start position of the movement, thereby reducing the likelihood of the lottery balls returning to the side of the removal channel.

An opening / closing shutter 352 is located in the collection channel 350. The opening / closing shutter 352 is controlled so that it can freely open and close. Therefore, when the opening / closing shutter 352 goes into the open position, it forms a state where lottery balls can pass between the collection channel 350 and the displacement start position 320Ό located at the lower end of the spiral body 320A. On the other hand, when the opening / closing shutter 352 moves to the closed position, it provides a state where the lottery balls cannot pass between the collection channel 350 and the lower end of the spiral body 320A. At the same time, the lottery device 312 swings so that the side of the stern 312B becomes lower than the side of the bow 312 A, and the opening / closing shutter 352 is set to the open position. Due to this, the lottery balls held in the collection channel 350 enter the lower end of the spiral body 320A. Then, the opening / closing shutter 352 is controlled so that it is turned into the closed position, as a result of which the lottery balls entering the lower end of the spiral body 320A cannot return to the collection channel 350, and furthermore, the lottery balls are prevented from coming out. held in the collection channel 350 from the lower end of the spiral body 320A.

A lottery ball passage detection sensor 351 is located between the opening / closing gate 352 and the lower end of the spiral body 320A. This lottery ball passage detection sensor 351 is for detecting the number of lottery balls passed to the lower end of the spiral body 320A from the collection channel 350 through an opening / closing gate 352. Accordingly, the lottery draw device 312 is tilted so that the side of the stern 312B becomes lower than the side of the nose 312 A, and the opening / closing shutter 352 is set to the open position. Thus, when the number of lottery balls passing through the opening / closing gate 352 reaches a predetermined value, the opening / closing gate 352 is controlled so that it is moved to the closed position, as a result of which the specified number of lottery balls goes to the lower end of the spiral body 320A. Furthermore, after a predetermined number of lottery balls are passed to the lower end of the spiral body 320A, these lottery balls do not return to the collection channel 350.

In addition, the lottery device 312 comprises a swing device 346 that provides swing and tilt around the swing shaft 348.

A LED point display device 327 is located above the lottery ball holding portion 332. The LED point display device 327 includes a plurality of LEDs. The 327 point dot LED display device displays the round number of the game. An 8ACT (32 START) lamp 329 is installed in the center of the lottery device 312. The 8TAKT lamp 329 is a lamp that is turned on when the lottery ball falls downward from the holding hole of the rotating body 328 to the lottery ball receiving portion 334. In response to the ignition of the lamp installed inside the lamp, the word 8TAKT is displayed so that players taking part in the game can see it. In addition, the gaming machine 310 includes a plurality of backlight devices (not shown) that illuminate the ship-shaped lottery device 312 in various colors using various effects, depending on the execution of the swing operations.

- 6 008586

Lottery Ball Reception Area

In FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a lottery ball receiving portion 334 and slopes 336A and 336B. Lottery ball receiving portion 334 comprises grooved portion 334A. Lottery balls falling from the holding hole of the rotating body 328 fall into the grooved portion 334A. The sides 334B of the lottery ball receiving portion 334 comprise two grooves 334C and 334Ό. At the same time, the lottery ball falling onto the grooved portion 334A rolls through one of the two grooves 334C and 334Ό outward from the grooved portion 334A, depending on the swing of the lottery lottery device 312.

The upper ends of the slopes 336A and 336B are connected to these grooves 334C and 334Ό. In addition, the lower ends of the slopes 336A and 336B are located above the lottery wheels 338 and 339, respectively, as described above. Thus, lottery balls falling from grooves 334C and 334Ό of the above-described lottery ball receiving portion 334 outward from the lottery ball receiving portion 334 fall into these slopes 336A and 336B, and then are sent to one of the lottery wheels 338 and 339. Each of the slopes 336A and 336B is positioned so that the lottery balls can fall in the direction of rotation of each of the lottery wheels 338 and 339. Although in this embodiment, the slopes 336A and 336B have a straight shape, they do not have to have a straight shape, but can be made, for example, curved.

Lottery wheels

In FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a lottery device 312 and lottery wheels 338 and 339. Since the lottery wheel 339 has a configuration similar to that of the 338 wheel, no description is given here. As shown in FIG. 4, the lottery machine 312 comprises two lottery wheels 338 and 339, as described above. Since the two wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery have many holes 340 and 341 for the lottery, the allocated space in the entertainment room can be used more efficiently without requiring additional space to accommodate many holes for the lottery, compared with the case of using, for example, one wheel for lotteries. In this case, the wheels for the lottery can have many holes, which can increase interest in the game, since the game provides various dividends.

Typically, in a gaming machine, for example, 52 lottery balls are used, while a lottery ball is drawn from a plurality of lottery balls equipped with symbols that determine the outcome of a game based on the designations of an elongated lottery ball. With this arrangement, it is difficult for the players to distinguish the desired lottery balls from the plurality of lottery balls, which leads to gaps in the process leading to the result of drawing the balls for the lottery. That is, this probably causes impatience and expectation of the players during the game, which is characteristic of playing a bingo or a similar game and that suppresses interest in this game. In contrast, in a roulette type gaming machine similar to this embodiment, 52 or more lottery holes are used to implement a bingo game using the rules of a poker game. Moreover, if one wheel is used for the lottery, it is necessary to increase the size of such a wheel for the lottery. As a result of this, not only is the space in the playing hall occupied in vain, but it is also difficult to look at the lottery wheel, which can reduce interest in the game.

However, unnecessary use of the space for setting the lottery wheel can be avoided by using two lottery wheels. The following are specific examples of using one round lottery wheel and two round lottery wheels. The total circumference of the used two round wheels for the lottery is equal to the circumference of the wheel when using one round wheel for the lottery, which allows you to essentially place the same number of holes for the lottery both on the two round wheels for the lottery and on one round wheel for the lottery. However, the radius of the wheel for the lottery in the case of using two round wheels for the lottery is half the radius of the round wheel for the lottery in the case of using one wheel for the lottery. Therefore, the lottery wheel area is reduced when two round lottery wheels are used. By using, thus, a plurality of lottery wheels, a decrease in interest in the game is prevented without excessive use of space in the playing room. In addition, many holes for the lottery are located on many circles on the wheel, which eliminates the decrease in interest in the game, without the need to occupy space in the playing hall.

The wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery are made circular in a plan view. These lottery wheels 338 and 339 are rotatably mounted in certain places on the deck of the ship simulating ship 313. The standard speed of the lottery wheel 338 corresponds to the speed at which one revolution requires 8 to 12 seconds, but the speed can be adjusted using circuit 400 controls as described below. For example, the rotation speed can be adjusted in the range from 5 to 12 s per revolution. Although in this embodiment, the lottery wheels 338 and 339 are rotated by the lottery wheel rotation motors 335 and 337 (see FIG. 15), which are located at their respective centers, other drive schemes may be used. For example, energy for rotation can be transmitted from other parts, such as the surface of the outer circle and the lower surface of the wheel. The lottery wheels 338 and 339 have flat sections 338A and 339A along which lottery balls can roll. In addition, the lottery wheels 338 and 339 rotate in the same direction (see arrows B1 and B2) such as the directions (see arrows A1 and A2) in which the lottery balls fall from the slopes

- 7 008586

336A and 336B. More specifically, the lottery wheel 338 rotates in a clockwise direction, and the slope 336A is located in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 5. At the same time, when lottery balls roll on wheels 338 and 339, their speed does not decrease rapidly. Therefore, it is unlikely that the lottery ball will fall into one of the many lottery holes 340 and 341 in an extremely short period of time. In addition, the rotation of the wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery allows you to draw a lottery without any change in the speed of the balls for the lottery, successively thrown through slopes 336A and 336B. If the wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery do not spin, i.e. the positions of the holes 340 and 341 for the lottery are not changed, an uneven game mode is implemented, in which the ball for the lottery, thrown at a given speed, can easily or with difficulty get into a specific one of the many holes 340 and 341 for the lottery. The rotation of the wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery eliminates the uneven probability of the distribution of balls during the lottery.

A connection board 390 is provided between the two lottery wheels 338 and 339. The connecting board 390 has a surface horizontal with respect to the flat portions 338A and 339A of the lottery wheels 338 and 339. Thus, a lottery ball may roll between the lottery wheels 338 and 339. In addition, depending on the tilt (swing) of the housing 313, the lottery ball may roll through a plurality of lottery wheels 338 and 339.

Between the wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery, guide sections 392 and 394 are provided. These guide sections 392 and 394 are provided in such places that the connecting board 390 is located between them along the outer edges of the wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery. These guide sections 392 and 394 are made higher than the flat sections 338A and 339A of the lottery wheels 338 and 339, and have a convex shape. Lottery balls run into guide sections 392 and 394 defining the trajectories of the lottery balls.

The steps 396 and 398 are located outside of the lottery wheels 338 and 339. These steps 396 and 398 are located along the outer contour of the lottery wheels 338 and 339. These steps 396 and 398 are located higher than the flat sections 338A and 339A of the lottery wheels 338 and 339, and have a convex shape. In other words, the steps 396 and 398 are located higher than the upper surface of the flat sections 338A and 339A, and are located along the outer contour of the flat sections 338A and 339A. Thus, even when lottery balls thrown from slopes 336A and 336B onto the lottery wheels 338 and 339 roll outward from the lottery wheels 338 and 339, the lottery balls roll onto the ledges 396 and 398, and again roll onto the wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery. In addition, since the trajectories of the lottery balls returning from the ledges 396 and 398 change compared to the moments and / or the direction of movement of the lottery balls rolling on the ledges 396 and 398, the unpredictability of the game for players participating in the game increases, which increases interest to the game. In addition, when the lottery balls rolled onto the ledges 396 and 398 roll out onto the lottery wheels 338 and 339, their speed decreases slightly. Therefore, it is unlikely that the lottery ball will fall into one of the many lottery holes 340 and 341 in an exceptionally short period of time, and the lottery ball will fall into one of the many lottery holes 340 and 341 in the period from about 10 to 30 s .

In addition, the lottery wheels 338 and 339 rotate in opposite directions, as indicated by arrows B1 and B2. In this case, the lottery balls thrown onto the lottery wheel 338 are rolled from the lottery wheel 338 to the lottery wheel 339 through the connecting board 390. Conversely, the lottery balls thrown onto the lottery wheel 339 are rolled from the lottery wheel 339 on the wheel 338 for the lottery through the connecting board 390. In this case, the balls for the lottery are rolled between the wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery. In addition, since a rocking device 346 is installed in the lottery device 312, it swings the housing 313 of the lottery device 312. Thus, for example, lottery balls can roll along an infinite number of trajectories between the wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery. Thus, unpredictable and each time a new game can be presented for players, which allows you to increase interest in the game. It should be noted that the lottery wheels 338 and 339, the connecting board 390, the guide sections 392 and 394 and the ledges 396 and 398 are surrounded by a transparent plastic fence so that the lottery balls cannot be rolled outside the fence.

The lottery wheels 338 and 339 comprise 26 lottery holes 340 and 26 lottery holes 341, respectively. As shown in FIG. 5, symbols including peaks and worms as first characters are assigned to a plurality of lottery holes 340 on a lottery wheel 338. More specifically, A,

2-10, 1, O and K peaks and A, 2-10, 1, O and K worms are assigned to a plurality of lottery holes 340 on the lottery wheel 338. On the other hand, symbols including clubs and tambourines as first characters are assigned to the plurality of holes 341 of the lottery wheel 339. More specifically, A, 2-10, 1, O and K clubs and A, 2-10, 1, O and K a tambourine are assigned to a plurality of lottery holes 341 for lottery wheels 339. In other words, the position in which the ball for the lottery rolls can be visually checked for compliance with some of the many signs so that it makes it easy to recognize symbols desired by the player during the game. Thus, the desire to speed up the game and the player’s expectations can increase, and the attractiveness of the game can be increased. For example, when a lottery ball rotates on a lottery wheel 338, one can easily guess that the first character will be spades or worms.

- 8 008586

When the lottery ball rotates on the lottery wheel 339, one can easily guess that the first character will be clubs or tambourines. In other words, on the two lottery wheels 338 and 339, the symbols of some of the first characters that correspond to each other are assigned to the plurality of lottery holes 340 and 341 on the two lottery wheels 338 and 339. Thus, the position in which the ball for the lottery rolls can be visually checked for compliance with some of the many signs, so that the characters desirable for the player are easily recognized, which further increases the excitement and expectations, and the attractiveness of the game can be increased.

Removal Channel and Collection Channel

In FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a removal channel 347A and 347B and a collection channel 350. In FIG. 6 shows the relative position of the lottery wheels 338 and 339 and the screw conveyor 320 with respect to these channels. Therefore, FIG. 6 illustrates lottery wheels 338 and 339 and a screw conveyor 320 in combination with them.

Under the wheels 338 and 339 for the lottery there are respective removal channels 347A and 347B so that each of them extends transversely along the (under) periphery of the two concentric circles along which the lottery holes 340, 341 are located. The opening / closing shutters 344A and 344B (see FIG. 7) are mounted on the upper end portions in the removal channels 347A and 347B, respectively.

Collection channel 350 is located under removal channels 347A and 347B. The collection channel 350 is designed as a channel in the form of a gutter and is molded from a metal plate to give it an appropriate shape, and its lower surface is preferably made in the form of a flat plate with a smooth surface. The collection channel 350 passes its section under the removal channel 347A at one end, passes through the section under the removal channel 347A, and then bends down to the other end, which is the position 320Ό of the start of movement of the screw conveyor 320. The ball feeders 354A and 354B are installed in the channel positions 350 collection opposite the channels 347A and 347B removal, i.e. in the positions below the removal channels 347A and 347B. In addition, the removal channels 347A and 347B and the collection channel 350 are fixed to the housing 313 together with the lottery wheels 338 and 339 and the screw conveyor 320, and tilted along with the tilts of the housing 313.

Opening / closing damper

In FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the opening / closing shutter 344A, while the opening / closing shutter 344B is not shown because it has the same structure. The opening / closing shutter 344A is made in the form of a plate in the form of a disk having two cutouts in opposite positions to each other. The rotation shaft of the motor 345, which is a stepper motor, is connected to the center of the disk-shaped plate. The opening / closing shutter 344A is driven by the engine 345 and is alternately open and closed at each 90 ° turn.

In FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of an opening / closing shutter 344A installed in a lottery device 312. Furthermore, since the movement of the lottery ball is shown here, a sectional view shows a section along the outer periphery of the lottery wheel 338 in which the holes for the lottery are made.

While the lottery wheel 338 is located above the housing 313, a circular hole 313A is made in the portion of the housing 313 under the lottery wheel 338, and an opening / closing shutter 344A is located in this hole. When the ball is pulled, the opening / closing shutter 344A is closed. The lottery ball entering the lottery hole is held by the housing 313 and the opening / closing shutter 344A so that it remains in the hole and does not fall further. After the end of the game, and when the opening / closing gate 344A is rotated 90 ° by the engine 345, two cutouts of the opening / closing gate 344A are positioned under the outer circle and the inner circle on which the lottery holes are located (state shown in FIG. 8) . When the lottery wheel 338 rotates to this state, the lottery ball passing over the opening / closing shutter 344A passes further through the cutouts of the opening / closing shutter 344A and falls into the removal channel 347A. As a result of this, all lottery balls held in the plurality of lottery holes 340 of the lottery wheel 338 are removed through the removal channel 347A in one rotation of the lottery wheel 338. Then, the lottery balls fall into the collection channel 350 located under the removal channel 347A. When all the lottery balls have been removed, the opening / closing shutter 344A is again rotated 90 ° by the motor 345 and closes. Due to the fact that it is not necessary to install a removal mechanism for each of all the lottery holes 340, but one centralized removal mechanism can be installed, in this configuration, this mechanism can have a simple design, which reduces the cost of manufacturing a gaming machine. The number of lottery balls (number of balls) removed from the removal channel 347A for each unit of time depends on the rotation speed of the lottery wheel 338. As the speed of rotation of the wheel 338 for the lottery increases, the number of balls for the lottery removed for each unit of time increases.

- 9 008586

Ball feeder

In FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the removal channel 347A, the collection channel 350, and the ball feed device 354 (354A, 354B) in a bottom view.

The ball feed device 354A is located in the collection channel 350 opposite the removal channel 347A. In particular, the ball feed device 354A includes an engine 356, a ball feed rod 357 and an opening 358 for the ball feed rod made in the collection channel 350, with the ball feed bar 357 and the ball feed hole 358 located in the collection channel 350 opposite to the removal channel 347A. The ball feed rod 357 is a rod made of a metal bar, the center of which is fixed at right angles to the rotating shaft of the engine 356. The ball feed rod 357 is rotated by the engine 356 so that both ends of the ball feed rod 357 move in a circle. When the ball feed rod 357 rotates, a portion thereof having a predetermined length at each end enters through the ball feed rod hole 358 into the collection channel 350.

In FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating how a ball feeder 354A supplies lottery balls within a collection channel 350. The ball feed rod 357 is driven by the engine 356, wherein the ball feed rod 357 passing through the hole 358 for the ball feed rod rotates in the direction in which the lottery balls move in the direction of the screw conveyor 320. In this case, when the collection channel 350 is any lottery ball within reach of the ball feed rod 357 from the feed hole 358 for the ball feed rod, in channel 350, the above lottery ball is pushed out and accelerated when it enters the hole 358 for the ball rod and a ball, and thus moves in the direction of the screw conveyor 320 through 350 collecting path.

The lottery balls that are accelerated, thus moving at high speed through the collection channel, quickly reach the position 320Ό of the beginning of the movement of the screw conveyor 320. Due to this, after the game is over, lottery balls can be collected faster to complete preparations for the start of the next game. In addition, even when there are obstacles in the collection channel 350, such as small bulges or cavities and dust particles, lottery balls do not accumulate in this place, so that a smooth game progress is ensured. In the gaming machine, in accordance with this embodiment, the housing is tilted using a rocking device 346, with which the collection channel 350 also tilts, with the lottery balls moving inside it. However, such a tilt is essentially intended to give variety to the paths along which the lottery balls fall into the lottery holes 340-341 during the game. And, usually, sometimes it takes a considerable amount of time to move the lottery balls inside the collection channel 350. A ball feeder 354A for supplying lottery balls installed as described in this embodiment reduces the time required to move, i.e. collecting balls for the lottery.

In addition, it is preferable that the rotation speed of the ball feed bar 357 is appropriately adjusted according to the length of the collection channel 350 and the mass of lottery balls, depending on the choice of the motor 356 or the voltage supplied to the motor 356. In addition, since the lottery balls accelerated at an early stage of their movement and assembled in a shorter time, it is preferable that the position in which the ball feed rod 357 passes through the hole for the ball feed rod 358 is opposite the removal channel 347A. To avoid the problem of getting lottery balls into the hole 358 for the ball feed rod, which can increase the feed resistance, preferably, the width of the hole 358 for the ball feed rod is set narrow so that this hole does not interfere with the rotation of the ball feed rod 357, more preferably equal to twice the width of the ball feed rod 357 or less. In another case, more preferably, the distance between any one of the walls of the collection channel 350 and the edge further from this wall is selected from the longitudinal edges of the hole 358 for the ball feed rod to be smaller than the radius of the lottery ball (see FIG. 11). This prevents lottery balls from entering the hole 358 for the ball feed rod. In addition, the length of the ball feed rod 357 is preferably selected in the range from a length slightly shorter than the radius of the lottery ball to a length slightly shorter than the diameter of the lottery ball. In addition, more preferably, the shape of the ball feed rod 357 is a circular cylinder. In addition, more preferably, the ball feed rod 357 can rotate in a direction opposite to the direction in which the lottery balls move towards the screw conveyor 320. Then, more preferably, two ball feed rods 357 are used, as shown in FIG. 10, to prevent blocking of lottery balls.

Opening / closing shutter

In FIG. 12A-12C are longitudinal sectional views illustrating a collection channel 350 adjacent to the opening / closing gate 352.

After the end of one game, the lottery balls 302 enter the collection channel 350 from the removal channels 347A and 347B and are supplied by the ball feeder 354A. After a predetermined time, as shown in FIG. 12A, these lottery balls 302 are then accumulated on the side of the removal channel of the collection channel 350 next to the opening / closing gate 352. The housing 313-10 008586 is tilted by the swing device 346, while the lottery balls 302 are held in the above collection channel 350, as shown in FIG. 12A. In this case, as shown in FIG. 12B, since the opening / closing gate 352 installed in the collection channel 350 is in the closed position, the lottery balls 302 are held in the collecting channel 350 and are located on the side of the opening / closing valve 352. Then, as shown in FIG. 12C, the opening / closing shutter 352 is moved to the open position, whereby the lottery balls 302 located in the collection channel 350 roll toward a lower portion of the spiral body 320A. That is, when the housing 313 is tilted, the lottery balls 302 located in the collection channel 350 are directed to the screw conveyor 320. When the lottery balls 302 are thus rolled towards a lower portion of the spiral body 320A while passing the lottery ball past the detection sensor 351, a determination is made of the number of lottery balls 302 rolling towards the lower portion of the spiral body 320A. That is, as the lottery ball passes through the detection sensor 351, a determination is made of the number of lottery balls 302 supplied to the screw conveyor 320 from the collection channel 350. In other words, the lottery ball passing through the detection sensor 351 provides the ability to determine the number of lottery balls 302 passing through the opening / closing gate 352. When the number of lottery balls 302 detected when the lottery ball passes through the detection sensor 351 reaches a predetermined amounts as shown in FIG. 12Ό, the opening / closing shutter 352 is moved to the closed position. Thus, as shown in FIG. 12E, a predetermined number of lottery balls 302 rolls toward the lower portion of the spiral body 320A and moves upward using a screw conveyor 320. That is, the lottery balls 302 are put into a ready-to-throw state. Furthermore, in this state, as shown in FIG. 12E, the inclination of the housing 313 returns to the horizontal position, i.e. Ball retention control is performed. That is, the rocking device 346 has the function of limiting the inclination of the housing 313. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12E, lottery balls 302 that have rolled toward the lower portion of the spiral body 320A do not return. Of course, as shown in FIG. 12C, even when the housing 313 is tilted in the opposite direction, lottery balls 302 that rolled in the direction of the lower portion of the spiral body 320A, likewise, do not return.

Thus, the housing 313 (see FIG. 1) is tilted, and the lottery balls located in the collection channel 350 are moved to the lower portion of the spiral body 320A. Therefore, preferably, it is possible to collect balls 302 for the lottery as a result of tilting the housing 313, which, thus, provides the ability to easily and economically manufacture a gaming machine. In particular, it is necessary to save as much space as possible occupied by a large size gaming machine, such as a bingo gaming machine, and additional space saving can be achieved by using the present invention.

Game terminal

The gaming terminal 314 A in the gaming machine 310 is described with reference to FIG. 13. In FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a control unit of a gaming terminal 314 as seen from a player position. Since gaming terminals 314B-3141 have a similar configuration, a description thereof is not given here.

The gaming terminal 314A mainly comprises a display device 370A, a touch sensor 372A (FIG. 16), two dial switches 376A and 377A, a token input port 378A, and a control circuit 500A (see FIG. 16).

A display device 370A is located at the top of the gaming terminal 341 A. An image of a matrix ticket for a bingo game assigned to a player, and other information or images related to an additional game, and so on, are displayed on the display device 370A. In other words, the display device 370 comprises a plurality of cells arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and a matrix is displayed in which certain symbols are assigned to the corresponding plurality of cells. In addition, as described below, provided that the characters selected by the control circuit 400 or the like correspond to one of the identification elements assigned to the corresponding plurality of cells, the control circuit 500A or the like activates the cell corresponding to one of the identification elements and performs control to assign a dividend, provided that a specified control result is obtained to activate the cell. In accordance with this configuration, the game is designed to display various kinds of information on the display device 370A, which is visually controlled by the player.

In addition, a camera (not shown) for capturing all images of the lottery wheels 338 and 339 may be installed in the lottery device 312. At the same time, by displaying the captured image on the display device 370A, it is possible for the player to visually control the lottery wheels 338 and 339, even when one of the lottery wheels 338 and 339 is hard to see.

In addition, the touch panel, mainly containing the touch sensor 372A, is installed on the display device 370A. Thus, by touching the display device 370A, a gaming environment is displayed to the player taking part in the game, allowing various data or commands to be input.

- 11 008586

Although various data entry operations are provided using the sensor sensor 372A in this embodiment, other forms of control may be used. For example, a plurality of control buttons may be installed in the device, allowing various data entry operations to be performed.

The seat portion 374A is located on the player side of the display device 370A. Two thumbwheels 376A and 377A for setting the upper and lower levels are located on the upper surface of the seat portion 374A. By using these dials 376A and 377A, a gaming environment is provided for the player, which is difficult to control only by pressing a conventional control button or by touching the touch panel.

For example, in this embodiment, in the bingo matrix image displayed on the display device 370A, the symbols assigned to the bingo cells in the outer periphery of the matrix image can move to the adjacent bingo cell along the outer periphery. Previously, when it was required to continuously move the second character, and as control devices, only pressing the normal control button and touching the touch panel was used, these operations had to be performed repeatedly, which significantly complicated the game. Accordingly, through the use of data input devices such as disk switches 376A and 377A, continuous operations can be performed using one action. As a result, a player is provided with a high degree of control in the game. In addition, operations can be performed very simply with the help of analog movements, such as scrolling the screen and moving the pointer over it. As a result of this, the player is provided with a high degree of controllability of the game.

The token input port 378A for the token input is located on the right side of the dials 376A and 377A. The token sensor 380A (see FIG. 16) is mounted inside the metal slot 378A. The token sensor 380A senses the input of the token to port 378A to enter the token. Thus, when a player inserts a token into port 378A for inputting a token, the fact of inserting the token is determined using the token sensor 380A.

The control circuit 500A is located inside the seat portion 374A and controls the various devices described above.

Slot machine system configuration

The system configuration of the gaming machine 310 is described with reference to FIG. 14.

As shown in FIG. 14, the gaming machine 310 mainly includes a lottery device controller 360 for controlling a lottery game device 312, and gaming terminals 314A-3141.

The controller 360 of the lottery device is connected to ten gaming terminals 314A-3141. The controller 360 of the device for drawing a lottery allows you to control ten gaming terminals 314A-3141, during the exchange of data and signals of various kinds with 314A-3141.

The electrical configuration of the lottery device

The electrical configuration of the lottery machine 312 of the gaming machine 310 is described with reference to FIG. fifteen.

As shown in FIG. 15, the ball throw detection sensor 349 is connected to the interface circuit group 402 of the main control circuit 400. When lottery balls fall into any of a plurality of lottery holes 340, 341, the ball hit detection sensor 349 transmits a predetermined signal to the I / O bus 404 via an interface circuit group 402. An input / output bus 404 performs input / output of a data signal or an address signal from a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a CPU) 406.

In addition, the lottery ball passage detection sensor 351 is also connected to the interface circuit group 402 of the main control circuit 400. When the lottery ball passes through the opening / closing gate 352, the lottery ball passage detection sensor 351 transmits a predetermined signal to the input / output bus 404 via the interface circuit group 402.

In addition, data transfer control circuits 414A-4141 are connected to the interface circuit group 402. The data transfer control circuits 414A-4141 are used to connect, to transmit data of the gaming terminals 314A-3141 to the controller 360 of the lottery device.

Permanent storage device (ROM) 408 and random access memory (RAM) 410 are also connected to the above input / output bus 404. In ROM 408, a control program is written for processing control associated with a game in a controller 360 of a device for drawing a lottery. In addition, the ROM 408 recorded initial data used to execute the control program and various programs. In addition, the values of flags and / or variables used in the above programs are recorded in RAM 410.

In addition, the interface circuit group 412 is connected to the input / output bus 404. A lottery ball lift motor 320C, a rotation motor 326, lottery wheel rotation motors 335 and 337, an open / close shutter motor 345 34, a swing device 346 and an open / close shutter 352 are connected to an interface circuit group 412. Thus, device control is provided by the CPU 406 such that the above device 312 for

- 12 008586 lottery draws can be activated.

Game terminal electrical configuration

The electrical configuration of the gaming terminal 314 A of the gaming machine 310 is described with reference to FIG. 16. Since the gaming terminals 314B-314E have a similar configuration, their description is not given here. Each of these gaming terminals functions as a device for determining game properties together with the main control circuit 400 of the lottery machine 312.

As shown in FIG. 16, the token sensor 380A is connected to the interface circuit group 502A of the main control circuit 500A. When the token is inserted through the token input port 378A, from the token sensor 380A, the predetermined signal is input to the I / O bus 504A through the interface circuit group 502A. An I / O bus 504A performs input / output of data signals or address signals to a central processing unit (CPU) 506A.

In addition, the sensor sensor 372A is also connected to the interface circuit group 502A of the main control circuit 500A. When it is determined that the player is touching a specific location on the display device 370A in which the command is displayed, the sensor sensor 372A supplies a signal corresponding to this command to the interface circuit group 502A.

In addition, the disk switches 376A and 377A are connected to the above-described group 502A of the interface circuit. When the player rotates the dial switch 376A or 377A, the signal corresponding to the rotation angle enters the interface circuit group 502A.

In addition, a data transfer control circuit 514A is connected to the interface circuit group 502A. The data transfer control circuit 514 A is connected with the possibility of transmitting data to the controller 360 of the lottery device and the gaming terminal 314A.

The read only memory (ROM) 508A and the random access memory (RAM) 510A are connected to the above input / output bus 504A. In ROM 508A, a control program is provided for controlling processing related to a game in the gaming terminal 314A. In addition, initial data used to execute the control program and display control programs in the display device 370A is recorded in ROM 508A. In addition, values of flags and / or variables intended for use in the above programs are recorded in RAM 510A.

In addition, the interface circuit group 512A is connected to the input / output bus 504A. The loudspeaker 586A and the container 588A are connected to the interface circuit group 512A, and the interface circuit group 512A transmits control and power signals for the drive to control the above devices in accordance with the results of the computational processing in the CPU 506A.

In addition, the display controller 600A is connected to the interface circuit group 512A. The display controller 600A transmits image signals for displaying the image to the display device 370A, based on image display commands transmitted from the control circuit 500A.

Game terminal standby screen

The standby screen on the display device 370A of the gaming terminal 314A is described with reference to FIG. 17.

In FIG. 17-21 show an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a bingo game using a bingo ticket containing 5.5 bingo cells, as described below. A typical dominant bingo game involves drawing a given number of numbers from 25 numbers with a probability of 1/25 for a bingo ticket containing 5.5 bingo cells when the elongated number is on the bingo ticket, activating the bingo cell corresponding to this number, and receiving a bingo combination when five cells are activated bingo in horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines. In this embodiment, instead of numbers used as symbols in a normal bingo game, symbols used in playing cards are used (when one joker or two jokers can be turned on, or none of the jokers can be turned on, or a free spot having a certain bingo cell, activated, regardless of elongated signs, can be considered as a joker). Then a lottery is drawn with a probability of 1/52 (or with a probability of 1/53 or 1/54). In this case, in addition to the usual bingo combinations, you can make poker combinations (such as Pair, Two Couples, Three, Street, Flash, Full House, Four of a kind, Street Flush, Royal Flush and Five cards of the same rank), and the player is given a dividend according to a bingo combination or a poker combination. In addition, the combination of poker and the combination of bingo can be simultaneously obtained in a specific line on a bingo ticket. In this case, both dividends, the corresponding combination of poker and the corresponding combination of bingo, are issued to the player. However, bingo cells are activated less likely than with a normal bingo game, which reduces the possibility of making a bingo combination. Accordingly, while a bingo combination is usually made up of five activated bingo cells in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line, a bingo combination can be made up of not only five, but also three or four activated bingo cells arranged in a line.

- 13 008586

In addition, the reception of the control command in the gaming terminal 314 during the game is completely performed using the touch panel, excluding operations using the disk switches 376A and 377A (see Fig. 13, which shows both of these switches). In other words, the touch sensor 372A (see FIG. 16) is mounted on the surface of the display device 370A so that the player can control the gaming terminal as desired by touching the predetermined touch portion of the display device 370A. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to use a method for transmitting commands without using a touch panel. For example, predetermined switches may be set to receive player control commands.

In FIG. 17 shows an example in which a screen for receiving game input through the gaming terminal 314 is displayed on the display device 370A of the gaming terminal 314, and operations on the touch portion 480, the touch portion 481, and the operations of the disk switches 376A and 377A are enabled (see FIG. 13) to receive input commands during the game. Other operations with the disk switch 376A and / or the disk switch 377A (see FIG. 13, which shows both of these switches) are invalid. In addition, the input of the token to the token input port 378A (see FIG. 13) is also invalid, and the introduced token is returned to the player through the token issuing port 382A. In addition, all bingo cells with playing card symbols in matrix form on the bingo ticket displayed on the display device 370A are also displayed darker or shaded, to indicate that these bingo cells are not yet won in the lottery and are not activated. Bingo cell activation refers to processing associated with displaying a bingo cell having the same structure as the symbols of playing cards extended by the lottery machine 312, if this happens, which subsequently makes it possible to distinguish it from other bingo cells. During the activation processing of the bingo cell, such a bingo cell is displayed, for example, more vividly or without shading. It should be noted that the bingo cell on the bingo ticket of the screen of the gaming terminal 314 in standby mode is not activated based on drawing out a character in the lottery device 312. In addition, the line combinations and poker combinations presented on the display device 370A are not changed when any commands are entered by the player.

The configuration of the symbols of the playing cards displayed on the bingo tickets in 5.5 bingo cells displayed on the screen of the gaming terminal 314 in the standby mode differs from the configuration of the symbols of the bingo tickets used in the game after the start of the game. Only the demo screen is shown here, and the configuration of the symbols of the playing cards displayed on the bingo ticket is not defined before the start of the game.

The game is entered when the player touches the sensor portion 480 or the sensor portion 481. When the gaming terminal 314 receives the game entry signal, the display shown in FIG. eighteen.

Screen image on the game terminal after entering the game

The screen after entering the game displayed on the display device 370A of the gaming terminal 314 is described with reference to FIG. eighteen.

In FIG. 18 is a screen image showing a specific bingo ticket including 5.5 bingo cells showing playing card symbols. Here, the symbols of the playing cards are arranged in a configuration corresponding to a predetermined poker hand (such as a poker hand made up of five playing cards, i.e., Street, Flash, Full House, Street Flash or Royal Flush) on a certain line. The pre-setting of a combination with a high dividend on a bingo ticket in a preferred way enhances the player's expectations. It should be noted that the symbols of playing cards are located in the bingo cells in a random order, with the exception of a predefined combination of poker. The display of the touch portion 480 and the touch portion 481 is turned off, and the display of the general condition indicating unit 483 appears, which is described below. In this state, which is displayed on the screen, for a certain period of time (such as a predetermined period of time, for example, 45 s), a bet operation based on the input of a token by a player participating in the game or an operation with the disk switches 378A or 377A are allowed (see Fig. 13, which shows both of these switches). For example, during a bet operation based on the entry of a token by a player participating in a game, the predetermined number of tokens is a bet, and the odds level in the line shown in the line odds table 482 may increase. Thus, the shaded part in the drawing moves upward and the values indicating the line odds level in the drawing are increased (in Fig. 18, the shaded part located in the second row from the bottom of the line odds table 482 and the odds level is 2). In addition, a bet is made using a given number of tokens, so that the poker odds shown in table 484 of the poker odds can increase, and the value in the image of the odds level for the odds of a poker combination can increase similarly (in the drawing, the odds value for a poker combination is as shown, and the odds level for a poker hand is 3). Odds level here refers to the index denoting the rank in the hierarchy of odds. In this case, the odds are divided by a given number of hierarchies, in accordance with the odds. For example, the odds value may increase as the odds level increases, or the odds value may

- 14 008586 decrease as the chance level decreases.

In addition, in the gaming terminal display device 370A after entering the game, all bingo cells on the bingo ticket may appear darker or shaded, i.e., bingo cells are designated as not winning the lottery and not activated bingo cells.

If the bet operation based on the entry of the token by the player and the operation with the disk switches 376A and / or 377A (see Fig. 13, which shows both switches) are valid, the player can move the bingo cell along the inner contour 490 of the bingo ticket by rotating the switch shaded by lines oriented diagonally to the right upward, as shown in FIG. 18 using the dial 376A, and can move the bingo cell in a circle around the outer contour 491 of the bingo ticket, which is shaded by lines oriented diagonally to the right down, as shown in FIG. 18 by rotating the dial 377A. More specifically, when a player rotates the dial 376A by turning it counterclockwise by a certain amount, the bingo cell on the inner radius 490 of the bingo ticket, accordingly, moves only a certain amount in a counterclockwise circle around the center of the bingo ticket. For example, when the dial switch 376A is rotated counterclockwise by a value corresponding to the amount of movement equal to one bingo cell, the lady of worms located in the upper left corner of the inner radius 490 of the bingo ticket in FIG. 18 moves to the place occupied by the jack of hearts, and the jack of hearts moves to the place occupied by 3 spades. Thus, each of the bingo cells moves counterclockwise one position. This is also true for movement along the outer contour 491 of the bingo ticket in accordance with the rotation of the dial 377A. In this case, the player can move the bingo cell in a circle, in a random manner, around the center of the bingo ticket. Such an operation is permitted as long as operations can be received at the gaming terminal 314. During such an authorized operation, the bingo cells should be moved not only to obtain a configuration that is very likely to constitute a bingo combination, but also taking into account the poker combination, which requires a certain strategy. The requirement of applying the strategy means that the bingo cells should be moved taking into account the combination of Two Pairs, for which there is a high probability of compilation, but which brings a low dividend, or a combination of Royal Flush, the probability of which is low, but which can bring a high dividend.

As indicated above, in accordance with the present invention, essentially the entire surface of the attachable base fixed to the housing frame within the housing is a grounded shield, the housing frame and the spacer being electrically connected to it. The attachable base on which the detector is mounted and the spacer passing up are grounded so that the radiated noise generated by the gaming machine is suppressed. In addition, the spacer and the lottery wheel swing in accordance with the swing of the housing so that the swing of the housing can be visually enhanced. Due to this, the generated radiated noises can be suppressed, and the sense of presence can be enhanced by the swing of the housing, which increases interest in the game.

On-screen image of the gaming terminal during the game

An example of the display on the device 370A of the display of the gaming terminal 314 during the game is described with reference to FIG. nineteen.

When the lottery device 312 draws out the symbols of the playing cards, the result is transmitted to the gaming terminal 314. Upon receiving the result, the gaming terminal 314 determines whether or not the playing card symbols, such as the above playing card symbols, are on the bingo ticket displayed on the display device 370A the gaming terminal 314. When, as a result of this determination, it is determined that the symbols of the playing cards are present on the bingo ticket displayed on the display screen 370A of the gaming terminal 314, the bingo ticket cells Ingo, who are assigned to the above symbols of playing cards appear relatively bright, the display merges Halftone is turned off, or perform similar processing, which indicates that the above bingo cells are activated cells.

In FIG. 19, for example, seven bingo cells that correspond to a dozen tambourines, jacks of worms, etc., are displayed in a relatively bright state, while the merging halftone display is turned off, or similar processing is performed, which indicates that the above bingo cells represent activated cells. And while the predetermined number of card draws by the lottery device 312 is performed, the bingo cells activated during the lottery are displayed relatively bright, and the merging display in halftones is turned off, or similar processing is performed, which indicates that the above cells bingo are activated cells.

Achievement Status Display

In addition, on the display device 370A of the gaming terminal during the game, as shown in FIG. 19, based on the determination of the bingo cells activated to establish the bingo combination or the poker combination, the next activated bingo cell is displayed so that players can distinguish it. This display is performed using two methods: a method for separately displaying bingo cells, each of which is activated next, to establish a bingo combination or combination

- 15 008586 poker (below is called an individual display of the status of achievement); and a method for displaying the above bingo cells with the possibility of simultaneously distinguishing them (hereinafter referred to as displaying the status of achievement). Achievement status means a state in which a bingo combination or a poker combination is established upon activation of the next specific bingo cell.

In addition, both the way to individually display the state of achievement, and the way to display the state of achievement, allow you to display the state of achievement when moving bingo cells, i.e., the state of achievement that correspond to bingo cells after moving them each time they are moved.

The individual display of the achievement status is configured as follows. That is, as, for example, shown in FIG. 19, when the bingo cell designated as the king of the worms is activated, the Troika combination is set as the poker combination, and the three bingo cells are aligned as the bingo combination. In this case, the player is notified of this condition by flickering a bingo cell, designated as the king of worms or highlighting it in a similar way. In addition, as described below, if there are many bingo cells, activation of any of which sets a poker combination and / or a bingo combination, a flickering display is performed by switching between bingo cells for a poker combination and bingo cells for a bingo combination. Therefore, players can identify which of the bingo cells is activated to establish a poker combination and / or bingo combination.

The achievement status display is configured as follows. As shown, for example, in FIG. 19, when the bingo cells designated as king of hearts, ace of spades, king of spades and jack of clubs are activated, the poker combination and / or bingo combination is established. Therefore, these bingo cells are simultaneously displayed in block 483 designations of the General condition, thus notifying the players about this condition. In FIG. 19, a blinking display 485 indicates the locations of the bingo cells throughout the bingo ticket, each of which activates poker combinations and / or bingo combinations. Flickering display 485 indicates only the positions within the bingo ticket of the bingo cells, when activated, any poker combinations and / or bingo combinations are set, but the symbols of playing cards corresponding to the above bingo cells are not indicated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and symbols of respective playing cards may also be indicated here.

During a bingo game, the symbols of playing cards are used as signs (in particular, the numbers of playing cards are used as the first character and the suit of playing cards is used as the second character). In this case, both a bingo combination and a poker combination can be set, as a result of which the number of combinations of the achievement state increases, which makes it difficult to recognize them. In addition, since the bingo cells can be moved, the achieved state changes in accordance with their movement. Consequently, it becomes difficult for players to quickly determine what state has been reached. However, using the above two methods of displaying the status of achievement for players, it is possible to easily and accurately recognize which bingo cell activation should be expected to establish a poker combination and / or bingo combination during a bingo game. Therefore, players in anticipation of such an event can easily play the game while maintaining a high interest in the game.

The transition display on the screen of the individual state of achievement of the gaming terminal

The transition of the display of the individual achievement status displayed on the display device 370A of the gaming terminal 314 is described with reference to FIG. 20A-20E.

As indicated above, when describing the display of an individual achievement state in FIG. 19, when the bingo cells designated as king of hearts, ace of spades, king of spades and jack of clubs are activated, the poker combination and / or bingo combination is established. In FIG. 20A-20E show the same situation as in FIG. 19, wherein in FIG. 20A-20E show, in an appropriate sequence, how bingo cells designated as king of hearts, ace of spades, king of spades and jack of clubs are individually displayed with a blink.

In FIG. 20A, when the king of hearts is activated, a combination of Three is set, which is a combination of poker, and the three activated bingo cells that make up the bingo combination are aligned. Therefore, the bingo cell, which is designated as the king of worms, is displayed with a flicker, like a 486 display with a flicker. After such a blinking display for a predetermined time, a transition to the state shown in the following FIG. 20V.

In FIG. 20B, when the ace of spades is activated, a straight combination is set, which is a combination of poker, and the five activated bingo cells that are a combination of bingo are aligned. Therefore, a cell that is designated as an ace of spades is displayed with a flicker, like a 487 display with a flicker. After such a blinking display for a predetermined time, a transition to the state shown in the following FIG. 20C.

In FIG. 20C, when the king of spades is activated, a combination of Three is set, which is a combination of poker, and the three activated bingo cells, which are a combination of bingo, are aligned. Therefore, the bingo cell, designated as king of spades, is displayed with

- 16 008586 flickering, like a 488 display with flickering. After such a flickering display, a transition to the state shown in FIG. 20Ό.

In FIG. 20Ό, when the king of clubs is activated, the Kare combination, which is a poker combination, is set, and the four activated bingo cells that make up the bingo combination are aligned. Therefore, the bingo cell, designated as a jack of clubs, is displayed with a flicker, like a 489 display with a flicker. After such a flickering display for a predetermined time, a transition to the state shown in FIG. 20 A.

Thus, the flickering display 486 shown in FIG. 20A, the flicker display 487 shown in FIG. 20B, the flickering display 488 of FIG. 20C and the flickering display 489 of FIG. 20Ό are alternately displayed in the indicated order so that each display is displayed for a predetermined time and then they transition. This makes it possible to easily and accurately recognize the expected bingo cell to activate, which sets up poker combinations and / or bingo combinations. Therefore, players in anticipation of this event can easily play while maintaining interest in the game.

Then, the above blink display 486 of FIG. 20 A, the flickering display 487 of FIG. 20B, the flickering display 488 of FIG. 20C and the flickering display 489 of FIG. 20Ό are displayed repeatedly in the indicated order, so that each display is displayed for a predetermined time, and then it transitions. However, a configuration may be used in which the flickering displays will transition in order of precedence of the bingo and poker combinations (for example, combinations that provide more dividends may be indicated as a stronger combination).

Screen image of doubled game on the gaming terminal

The double game screen image displayed on the display device 370A of the gaming terminal 314 is described with reference to FIG. 21.

Double game is a game in which a player, when assigning dividends to him for playing bingo on a slot machine 310, makes a bet on the amount intended for payment of the dividend. In a doubled game, the symbol of the dealer’s playing card selected using the control circuit of the gaming terminal 314 is compared with the symbol of one playing card selected by the player from the plurality of playing cards laid out face down by the control circuit of the gaming terminal 314. Moreover, the one who selects the oldest playing card card wins the game. When a player wins in such a game, the dividends won by the player are doubled, and if the dealer wins in the game, all dividends won by the player are completely lost.

For example, in FIG. 21 shows a configuration in which the symbol of the playing card selected to be dealt is presented first, and the player can select one of four playing cards dealt face-up using the controls of the gaming terminal 314. When the player selects the desired playing card by touching the display of this playing card, the above card is turned face up, thereby determining the result of a doubled game. If the player wins the game, he can make a further choice whether to continue the doubled game again or not.

In addition, if any dividend is won in a bingo game in the gaming machine 310, the player can choose at his discretion whether to play the double game again or not.

Thus, a game is provided in which the dividend won by the player during the game increases, i.e. the goal of the gaming machine 310 is achieved. Thus, the player seeks to win a dividend during the game and, at the same time, tries to further increase the dividend won. Therefore, the player has a significant interest in the game on the gaming machine 310.

The operation of the device for drawing a lottery and a gaming terminal

Below with reference to FIG. 22 and 23, the operation of the main control circuit 400 (see FIG. 15) of the lottery device 312 and the operation of the main control circuit 500A (see FIG. 16) of the gaming terminal 314 are described.

Lottery device operation

Below with reference to FIG. 22 describes the processing performed by the main control circuit 400 of the lottery machine 312.

At block 8100, a game preparation process is performed. In particular, a certain number of lottery balls contained on a screw conveyor is moved to a lottery ball holding portion 332. In addition, the CPU 406 performs various processes, such as tilting the housing 313 by a certain angle. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8101.

At step 8101, the CPU 406 of the lottery machine 312 determines the start of the lottery. The CPU 406 determines whether the time has come for the start of the lottery after passing a predetermined waiting time. If the result of such a determination is YES, the process proceeds to step 8102, and in the case of the result NO, the processing proceeds to step 8103.

At step 8102, the CPU 406 of the lottery machine 312 transmits a lottery start signal. CPU 406 transmits a lottery start signal through control circuits 414A-4141

- 17 008586 data transfer to gaming terminals 314A-3141, respectively. At the end of this process, the processing proceeds to step 8104. In addition, the above lottery start signal is received by the gaming terminal 314 in the step 8204 described below, which is the processing process of the main control circuit 500A of the gaming terminal 314.

On the other hand, in step 8103, the CPU 406 of the lottery machine 312 waits until a predetermined wait time has passed. At the same time, the CPU 406 measures the elapsed time until it receives a predetermined wait time. When this process ends, processing returns to block 8101.

At step 8104, the CPU 406 of the lottery device 312 awaits receipt of a bet operation. The CPU 406 measures the elapsed time until the predetermined waiting time for the receipt of the bet operation has passed. When this process ends, the processing proceeds to step 8105.

At step 8105, the rotation of the lottery wheels begins. Under the control of the main control circuit 400 of the lottery device 312, lottery wheel motors 335 and 337 are turned on, which begin to rotate the flat sections 338A and 339B. When this process ends, the processing proceeds to step 8106.

At step 8106, the swing of the housing begins. Under the control of the main control circuit 400 of the lottery device 312, the swing device 346 starts swinging the body of the lottery device 312. When this process ends, the processing proceeds to step 8107.

At step 8107, the process of throwing in one lottery ball is performed. Under the control of the main control circuit 400 of the lottery device 312, the rotating body 328 (see FIG. 1) throws one lottery ball onto the lottery ball receiving portion 334. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8108.

At 8108, a process for obtaining symbols is performed. In this process, under the control of the main control circuit 400 of the lottery device 312, one of the ball hit detection sensors 349, one in each of the plurality of lottery holes 340, detects the hit of one lottery ball. In this case, the CPU 406 of the device 312 for drawing a lottery receives a symbol corresponding to the hole 340 for the lottery, which hit one ball for the lottery. CPU 406, etc. to perform such a process, etc. aligns it with an example of a means of determining the outcome of a game. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8109.

At step 8109, the CPU 406 of the lottery machine 312 transmits the symbols obtained at step 8108 and information about which round is currently running during the lottery. The CPU 406 transmits the symbols and information about the lottery round to the gaming terminals 314A3141 via the data transfer control circuits 414A-4141, respectively. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8110. In addition, the above information about the lottery round is calculated using the CPU 406 and recorded in RAM 410 (see Fig. 15). In addition, the above symbols and information about the current lottery drawing round are received by the gaming terminals 314 in the step 8214 described below, i.e. using processing performed by the main control circuit 500A of the gaming terminal 314.

At step 8110, the CPU 406 of the lottery draw device 312 determines whether or not the predetermined number of lottery rounds has ended. By checking the above information about the current round of the lottery, which is recorded in the RAM 410, the CPU 406 determines whether the value of this information has reached the specified number of rounds or not. If the result of such a determination is YES, the processing proceeds to step 8112, and in the case of the result NO, the processing returns to step 8107.

Step 8112 completes the swing of the housing. Under the control of the main control circuit 400 of the lottery device 312, the swing device 346 stops, stopping the swing of the body of the lottery device 312. When this process ends, the processing proceeds to step 8113.

Step 8113 completes the rotation of the lottery wheels. Under the control of the main control circuit 400 of the lottery device 312, the lottery wheel rotation motors 335 and 337 stop, stopping the rotation of the lottery wheels 338 and 339. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8100.

Game terminal operation

The processing performed by the main control circuit 500A (see FIG. 16) of the gaming terminal 314 is described with reference to FIG. 22 and 23.

At step 8201, initialization of the gaming terminal 314 is performed. The CPU 506A (see FIG. 16) of the gaming terminal 314 performs processing such as resetting various variables located in the RAM 510A (see FIG. 16) and initializing the display on the display device 370A. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8202.

At block 8202, a demo screen image is displayed. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8203.

At block 8203, processing is performed to determine a game entry operation. In this process, players enter the game. Under the control of the main control circuit 500A of the gaming terminal 314 (or the main control circuit 500A itself) using the sensor sensor 372A, it is determined

- 18 008586 that the player touched the display device 370A (or turned on the 376A or 377A dial switch). At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step §204.

At step §204, processing is performed to receive a start signal of a lottery draw. Under the control of the main control circuit 500A (see FIG. 16) of the gaming terminal 314, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 receives, via the data transfer control circuit 514A, a lottery drawing start signal transmitted by the lottery drawing device 312 during processing in step 102 . At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step §209.

At step §209, processing is performed to generate a bingo ticket display. The CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 selects a predetermined amount (e.g., twenty-five) of data to display from the display data (e.g., playing card symbols) that are recorded in the ROM 508A and uses them to display the symbols. Thus, a predetermined amount of display data arranged in matrix form is displayed on the display device 370A. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step §210.

In step §210, an operation to enable bingo cell movement is performed. In this process, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 includes a bingo cell move activation activation flag located in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16). As a result of this, the operation of the disk switch 376A or 377A for moving bingo cells on the gaming terminal 314 is activated. As long as the activation flag of the operation for moving bingo cells is turned on, the operation of the disk switch 376A or 377A remains enabled. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step §211.

In step §211, a bet operation is received. In this process, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 processes the information, i.e. information related to the bet operation that the player performed by touching the display device 370A and which the sensor sensor 372A determined under the control of the main control circuit 500A of the gaming terminal 314 and writes the bet information to the RAM 510A (see FIG. 16). At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step §212.

At step §212, the number of dividends is determined in accordance with the number of bets. In this process, based on the bet information recorded in the RAM 510A (see FIG. 16) in step 211, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 determines the number of dividends in the game. The determination result is recorded in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16) and displayed on a predetermined display area of the display device 370A. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step §213.

In step §213, a determination is made whether the time for accepting the bet has expired or not. The CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 measures the time elapsed after the processing in step 209, and determines whether the measured time has reached the predetermined time. If the result of such a determination is YES, the process proceeds to step §214 of FIG. 23, and if the result matches NO, the process returns to step §211.

At step §214, signs are received that are transmitted through processing at step §199, and which are received by the CPU 406 of the lottery device 312 at step §108 (see Fig. 22), as well as information about the current round of the lottery. Under the control of the main control circuit 500A (see FIG. 16) of the gaming terminal 314, the above information is received through the data transfer control circuit 514A. The CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 writes to the RAM 510A (see FIG. 16) the above symbols and information about the current round of the lottery. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step §215.

In step §215, the process of disabling the operation of moving the bingo cell is performed. This processing is described in detail in the following detailed description of the process of disabling the operation of moving the bingo cell. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step §216.

In step §216, it is determined whether the characters adopted in step §214 are present on the bingo ticket and, if present, the corresponding bingo cells are activated. In this process, it is determined whether or not the characters obtained in step 214 on the bingo ticket that was generated in step §209 and which is displayed on the display device 370A are present. If any identical symbols are present, the ON flag of the inclusion of the bingo cell to which the identical symbol is assigned is included in RAM 510A (see Fig. 16). In addition, the above bingo cell is displayed on the display device 370A in a relatively bright state, so that it can be distinguished from other bingo cells, while the merged halftone display is turned off, or similar processing is performed. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step §217.

At step 217, a process for determining a win amount is performed. This process is described in detail below with a detailed description of the processing of determining the amount of winnings. In addition, CPU 406, etc., to complete steps §216, §217, etc. compares with an example of a means of determining a game outcome. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step §218.

At step 218, a determination is made whether the prize has been won or not. Based on the determination obtained in step 217, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 determines whether the prize has been won or not. If the result of this determination is YES, then the process proceeds to step §219, and if NO, the process proceeds to step §225.

At step 219, it is determined whether to play a double game or not. Under the Basics

With the 19 008586 control circuit 500A of the gaming terminal 314, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 determines whether the sensor sensor 372 has detected that the player has activated a predetermined touch area displayed on the display device 370A to select a double game option. If the result is YES as a result of this determination, the process proceeds to step 8220, and if NO, the process proceeds to step 8223.

At 8220, a double game process is performed. This process is performed under the control of the main control circuit 500A of the gaming terminal 314, and the contents of the process are described in the above description of the screen image of the double game of the gaming terminal. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to block 8221.

At 8221, it is determined whether the player won the game or not. Under the control of the main control circuit 500A of the gaming terminal 314, the result of the game is determined, as described in the above description of the screen image of the double game of the gaming terminal, it is determined whether the player won the game or not. If the result of this determination is YES, then the process proceeds to step 8222, and if NO, the processing proceeds to step 8224.

At block 8222, processing to double the player’s dividend is performed. Given the information on the number of dividends received by the player, which is recorded in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16), the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 doubles this amount and updates the source information. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8219.

On the other hand, at block 8223, dividend payment processing is performed. The CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314, referring to information on the number of dividends received by the player, which is recorded in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16), while under the control of the main control circuit 500A, the container 588A pays out the number of tokens corresponding to the above information on the number of dividends, received by the player. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8201.

In addition, at block 8224, zeroing processing of the amount of dividends received by the player is performed. With reference to information about the number of dividends received by the player, which is recorded in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16), the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 reduces this amount to 0 and updates the source information. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8201.

On the other hand, at step 225, the processing of determining an achievement state is performed. Details of this processing will be described below, with a detailed description of the determination process. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 226.

At step 8226, a determination is made whether or not the achievement state has been reached. Based on the results of determining the achievement state obtained in step 8225, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 determines whether an achievement state has actually been reached in which several bingo ticket bingo cells displayed on the display device 370A are activated and one or more bingo cells can be activated with the establishment of a combination of bingo and / or combination of poker. If the result of such a determination is YES, then the processing proceeds to step 8227, and if NO, then the processing proceeds to step 8228.

At step 8227, a process for starting an achievement cell notification is performed. This process is described in detail in the following detailed description of the process for starting notification of an achievement cell. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to block 8228.

At 8228, a determination is made whether the number of received symbols has reached a predetermined number. When referring to information about the current round of the lottery, which is recorded in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16), based on this information, it is determined at block 8214 whether or not the number of characters has reached the set number value. If the result of such a determination is YES, then the processing proceeds to step 8201, and if NO, the processing proceeds to step 8214.

Detailed description of the process of disabling the operation of moving the bingo cell

In detail, the process of disabling the operation of moving the bingo cell is described with reference to FIG. 24.

At step 8241, a determination is made whether or not the information received at step 8214 about the current round of the lottery is reached. The CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 determines the value of the above information, thereby determining whether a predetermined number of rounds has been reached or not (this number may be, for example, three or may have a different value). If the result of such a determination is YES, then the process proceeds to step 8242, and if NO, the current procedure immediately ends, and the processing proceeds to step 8216 of FIG. 23.

At block 8242, a preliminary notification of disabling the operation of moving the bingo cell is performed. The main control circuit 500A of the gaming terminal 314 performs a predetermined prior notification display on the display device 370A to indicate to the player beforehand that the process of finishing receiving the commands of the disk switch 376A or 377A to move the bingo cells should be performed. When this process ends, the processing proceeds to step 8243.

At block 8243, processing to wait for a predetermined time is performed. In this process, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 measures the time elapsed after processing at step 8242, thereby preventing this process from moving to the next step until it ends in

- 20 008586 the given time period. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step §244.

At 244, a process of disabling the bingo cell moving operation is performed. In this process, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 disables the activation flag of the bingo cell move operation located in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16). In this case, the operation of the disk switch 376A or 377A for moving bingo cells on the gaming terminal 314 is turned off. At the end of this process, this procedure ends, and the process proceeds to step §216 of FIG. 23.

Detailed description of the prize determination process

A detailed description of the process for determining a prize won is described below with reference to FIG. 25.

At step 233, a determination is made whether the bingo combination is set or not. In this process, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 determines a combination of: the characters constituting the bingo ticket displayed on the display device 370A, the information of which is recorded in the RAM 510A (see FIG. 16); information about the positions of bingo cells, with the symbols assigned to them; and activation flags corresponding to these symbols. Thus, the CPU 506A determines whether or not a bingo combination is set on a particular bingo ticket line. If the result of such a determination is YES, then processing proceeds to step §232, and if NO, then processing proceeds to step §233.

In step §232, the flag for establishing a bingo combination is turned on, information about all installed bingo combinations and then about bingo cells is written to RAM, and the corresponding number of dividends is written to RAM. The CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 includes a bingo combination establishment flag located in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16). In addition, the CPU 506A writes to RAM 510A information about all established combinations of bingo and then bingo cells. And CPU 506A determines the amount of dividends equivalent to all established bingo combinations and writes the result of the determination to RAM 510A. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step §233.

At step 233, a determination is made whether the poker hand is set or not. In this process, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 determines a combination of: the characters constituting the bingo ticket displayed on the display device 370A, this information being recorded in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16); information about the positions of the bingo cells to which the symbols are assigned; and activation flags corresponding to symbols. Thus, the CPU 506A determines whether a poker hand is set on a particular line of a bingo ticket. If the result of such a determination is YES, then the processing proceeds to step §234, and if NO, then this procedure ends immediately, and the processing proceeds to step §218 of FIG. 23.

At step 234, the poker combination setting flag is turned on, information about all established poker combinations and then bingo cells is recorded in RAM, and the corresponding number of dividends is recorded in RAM. The CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 includes a poker combination setting flag located in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16). In addition, the CPU 506A writes to RAM 510A information about all established poker combinations and bingo cells. And the CPU 506A determines the number of dividends equivalent to all established poker combinations, and writes the result of the determination to RAM 510A. When this process ends, this procedure ends, and the processing proceeds to step §218 of FIG. 23.

As described above, the process of determining a prize won determines the establishment of a bingo combination and the establishment of a poker combination, independently of each other. This makes it possible to simultaneously establish a bingo combination and a poker combination on a certain identical bingo ticket line. And dividends are paid for each bingo combination and poker combination that are set on a particular identical bingo ticket line. That is, the player is paid the total amount of dividends for the bingo combination and for the poker combination. Thus, the player experiences the expectation that the combination resulting in more dividends will be set on a certain identical bingo ticket line. In addition, this embodiment allows you to simultaneously set a bingo combination and a poker combination on a certain identical bingo ticket line. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It can be determined that only a bingo combination will be set, or it may be determined that only a poker combination will be set. In this case, the player is paid only dividends for the combination of bingo or only dividends for the combination of poker.

A detailed description of the process of determining achievement

A detailed description of the achievement determination process is provided with reference to FIG. 26.

At step 252, a determination is made whether a bingo combination is established as a result of activating a particular bingo cell or not. In this process, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 determines a combination of: the characters constituting the bingo ticket displayed on the display device 370A, the information of which is recorded in the RAM 510A (see FIG. 16); information about the positions of the bingo cells to which the symbols are assigned; and activating flags corresponding to these symbols. In this case, the CPU 506A determines whether or not the situation is such that the bingo combination can be installed on a certain line of the bingo ticket if a specific bingo cell is activated. If the result of such a determination is YES, then the processing proceeds to step §252, and if NO, then the processing proceeds to step §253.

- 21 008586

At step 8252, the bingo achievement status flag is turned on and information about all the cells included in the achieved bingo combination is recorded in RAM 510A. In a situation where a bingo combination can be set on a certain line, if one or more bingo cells are activated, the achievement cell means another bingo cell. The CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 includes a bingo achievement status flag located in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16). In addition, the CPU 506A records information about all cells to achieve a bingo combination in RAM 510A. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8253.

At step 8253, a determination is made whether a particular bingo cell is activated to establish a poker combination or not. In this process, the CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 determines a combination of: the characters constituting the bingo ticket displayed on the display device 370A, information about which is recorded in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16); information about the positions of the bingo cells to which these symbols are assigned; and activation flags corresponding to these symbols. Thus, the CPU 506A determines whether or not there is a situation where the bingo combination can be set on a specific bingo ticket line if a specific bingo cell is activated. If the result of such a determination is YES, then the process proceeds to step 8254, and if NO, then this procedure ends immediately, and processing proceeds to step 8226 of FIG. 23.

At 8254, the poker combination achievement status flag is turned on, and information about all poker combination achievement cells is recorded in RAM. The CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 includes a poker achievement status flag highlighted in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16). In addition, the CPU 506A records information about all poker achievement cells in RAM 510A. When this process ends, this procedure ends, and the processing proceeds to step 8226 of FIG. 23.

Detailed description of the process of starting to indicate achievement cells

A detailed description of the process for starting to indicate achievement cells is given with reference to FIG. 27.

At step 8261, a determination is made whether an achievement cell is present or not. The CPU 506A of the gaming terminal 314 determines whether or not at least one of the flags of the bingo combination achievement state and the poker combination achievement state flags that are recorded in the RAM 510A (see FIG. 16) in steps 8252 and / or 8254 of FIG. 26. If the result of such a determination is YES, then processing proceeds to step 8262, and if NO, then this procedure ends immediately and processing proceeds to step 8228 of FIG. 23.

At step 8262, the process of starting to display all of the achievement cells is performed so that they can be distinguished simultaneously in the entire state designation unit. Under the control of the main control circuit 500A (see FIG. 16) of the gaming terminal 314, the display controller 600A is brought into a display state of all achievement cells that are recorded in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16) in steps 8252 and / or 8254 of FIG. 26, in the entire general condition display unit 483 displayed on the display device 370A. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8263.

At step 8263, the process of starting an individual, distinguishable, alternate display of all achievement cells is performed. Under the control of the main control circuit 500A (see FIG. 16) of the gaming terminal 314, a command is sent to the display controller 600A to start individual, distinguishable, alternate display of all achievement cells that are recorded in RAM 510A (see FIG. 16) at step 252 and / or in step 254 of FIG. 26, on a bingo ticket displayed on the display device 370A. Such a display situation is described in the above description of the transition state of reaching a separate screen image of the gaming terminal. In addition, the screen display of the achievement cell notification, which was started in steps 8262 and 8263, continues until step 8201 of FIG. 22 to initialize the gaming terminal 314. When this processing ends, this procedure comes to an end and the processing proceeds to block 8228 of FIG. 23.

Step 8263 in the process of starting notification of the achievement cell of FIG. 27 is performed, thus providing an individual, distinguishable, alternate display on the gaming terminal 314 of all achievement cells on its display device 370A. That is, the gaming machine includes display means that displays a bingo ticket formed from a plurality of bingo cells arranged in a matrix form; symbol mapping data accumulating means in which symbol data for displaying symbols including combinations of various symbols is recorded; bingo ticket character determination means that selects from the characters and determines bingo ticket characters corresponding to the plurality of bingo cells; lottery drawer that draws a symbol draw; activation means that activates bingo cells corresponding to the symbols of the bingo ticket when the symbols played by the lottery lottery means and the symbols of the bingo ticket correspond to each other when comparing; and combination determination means that determines whether or not the combination of bingo cells activated by the activation tool and the non-activated specific bingo cells can generate a given combination of bingo, or whether or not a combination of bingo ticket symbols corresponding to the bingo cells activated by the activation tool and ticket symbols bingos corresponding to non-activated specific bingo cells to form a combination different from the given bingo combination in a predetermined com

- 22 008586 binations. In such a gaming machine, the process of starting the notification of the achievement cell, in particular its step 8263, is an example representing a method of notification of the achievement cell in which certain unactivated bingo cells are sequentially displayed in sequence according to the result of determining the combination determination means.

The following describes the game preparation process performed by the CPU 406 in step 8100 of FIG. 22, with reference to FIG. 28.

At step 8301, the CPU 406 transmits a drive signal to the engine 345 of the open / close shutter 344, thereby performing the process of setting the open / close shutter 344 to the open state. In addition, the CPU 406 also stops the drive signal being supplied to the engine 345 of the ball feed device 354. And after a predetermined period of time, the opening / closing shutter 344 moves to the closed state. Then, to prepare for the next game, the CPU 406 performs a process of initializing preparation information. In addition, this preparation information is placed in RAM 510A, etc. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8302.

At step 8302, the CPU 406 transmits the signal of the motor drive 356 to thereby perform the process of turning on the motor drive of the ball feed devices 354A and 354B, and then transfers the processing to step 8303. This process at step 8302 is performed before the housing tilt control process (step 8304) , which allows you to collect balls for the lottery before turning on the inclination of the collection channel 350 together with the body so that preparation for the next game can be completed in a short time.

At step 8303, the CPU 406 transmits the drive signal to the lottery ball lift engine 320C, thereby performing the process of turning on the drive of the lottery ball lift engine 320C. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8304.

At step 8304, the CPU 406 determines whether the predetermined time period has passed or not. The term predetermined period of time here means a sufficiently long time for the balls for the lottery to fall from the holes 340, 341 for the lottery and to get them into the collection channel 350. In this process, after determining that the predetermined time period has passed, the CPU 406 transfers the processing to step 8305. And if it is determined that the predetermined time period has not passed, the CPU 406 transfers the process again to step 8304. Due to this, the CPU 406 performs the process at 8305 or after it, only when a sufficiently long period of time elapses from the moment the balls for the lottery fall from the holes 340, 341 for the lottery, and until they reach the collection channel 350.

At step 8305, the CPU 406 provides the swing device 346 with a tilt signal of the housing 313 by a predetermined angle. This predetermined angle corresponds to the angle at which the side of the stern 312B becomes lower than the side of the bow 312A. Thus, the swing device 346 tilts the housing 313 so that the side of the stern 312B becomes lower than the side of the bow 312A. After that, the CPU 406 transmits a signal to the open / close shutter 352 indicating a transition to the open state (step 8306). After receiving a signal indicative of an open state, the opening / closing shutter 352 moves to the open state. Accordingly, the side of the stern 312B becomes lower than the side of the bow 312A and, at the same time, the opening / closing shutter 352 is set to open, so that the lottery balls located in the collection channel 350 roll to the lower portion of the spiral body 320A. This control allows you to collect balls for the lottery, only due to the tilt of the case, and this simplifies the production of a gaming machine with low costs. At the end of this process, processing proceeds to step 8307.

At step 8307, the CPU 406 determines whether a predetermined number of lottery balls has passed through the opening / closing gate 352 in accordance with a predetermined signal transmitted from the lottery ball detection sensor 351. When determining that the predetermined number of balls for the lottery has passed through the opening / closing gate 352, the CPU 406 transmits a signal indicating the closed state to the opening / closing gate 352 (step 8308). After receiving a signal indicative of a closed state, the opening / closing shutter 352 is set to the closed state. On the other hand, when determining that the predetermined number of lottery balls has passed through the opening / closing shutter 352, the CPU 406 again transfers the process to step 8307. Accordingly, lottery balls arriving at the lower end of the spiral body 320A do not return to collection channel 350. In addition, lottery balls located in the collection channel 350 do not reach the lower end of the spiral body 320A. This control allows you to collect balls for the lottery only by tilting the case, which, thus, ensures the simplicity and economy of the production of a gaming machine. When this process ends, the processing proceeds to step 8309.

At step 8309, the CPU 406 determines whether the predetermined time period has passed or not. The term “predetermined period of time” here means a sufficiently long period of time for the predetermined number of lottery balls located in the collection channel 350 to be brought out to the lower portion of the spiral body 320A to be moved with the screw conveyor 320 after tilting the housing 313 by a predetermined angle and installing opening / closing shutter 352 to the open position. In this process, the CPU 406, when determining that the predetermined period of time has passed, transfers the processing again to step 8309. And when determining that the predetermined period of time has not yet passed, the CPU 406

- 23 008586 passes the processing to block 8310. As a result, the CPU 406 performs the process at block 8305 only after a sufficiently long period has elapsed from the moment when the lottery balls fall from the hole 340, 341 until they reach the collection channel 350 .

At step 8310, the CPU 406 transmits to the rocking device 346 a signal to tilt the housing 313 by a predetermined angle, thereby performing a control process to limit the tilt of the housing. Here, the predetermined angle denotes the angle at which the side of the stern 312B is aligned horizontally with the side of the bow 312 A. As a result, the rocking device 346 performs control to limit the inclination of the body 313 so that the side of the stern 312B is set horizontally with the side of the bow 312 A.

Then, the CPU 406 stops supplying the drive signal to the engine 356, thereby performing the process of ending the engine drive of the ball feeders 354A and 354B (step 8311). After that, the CPU 406 also transmits a stop signal to the lottery ball lift engine 320C, thereby performing the process of ending the drive of the lottery ball lift engine 320C (step 8312). At the end of this process, the implementation of this procedure comes to an end.

In accordance with the present invention, in a gaming machine that determines a game result based on hit of lottery balls in the lottery holes, a ball feeder is installed in the collecting channel for guiding the lottery balls from the lottery holes to the start position of moving the lifting device. As a result of this, the lottery balls move at high speed through the collection channel, so that the collection of lottery balls is ensured in a short time. In addition, when an obstacle is formed, such as a slight bulge, or concavity, or a particle of dust, the accumulation of balls for the lottery is eliminated in this place so that the next game starts smoothly. In addition, the ball feeder feeds the lottery balls in the direction of the start position of movement, which limits the return of the lottery balls to the side of the removal channel.

According to the present invention, lottery balls supplied from the removal channel, immediately after entering the collection channel, are supplied in the direction of the start position of the lifting device. This makes it possible to speed up lottery balls at an early stage, so that collecting lottery balls is provided in a shorter time. In addition, even when a large number of lottery balls are removed from the removal channel in a short time, jamming of lottery balls in the collection channel or in the removal channel is prevented.

In accordance with the present invention, the collection channel is inclined with the housing, as a result of which the lottery balls move inside it. In such a collection channel, a ball feeding device is installed for forcing the balls for the lottery, thereby reducing the time for collecting balls for the lottery.

In accordance with the present invention, in a gaming machine in which a game result is determined based on the entry of lottery balls into the lottery holes, a ball feeder is arranged in the collecting channel for guiding the lottery balls from the lottery holes to the start position of the lifting device . In this case, the balls for the lottery are forcibly served through the collection channel so that the collection of balls for the lottery is provided in a short time.

The above described embodiments of the present invention, which only illustrate certain examples, but do not limit the present invention.

In the above embodiments, a ball feeder is described that is installed in a specific position in the collection channel, opposite the removal channel. However, the present invention is not limited to this option. The ball feeder may be located in a place other than this position. For example, a ball feed device 354A comprising a motor 356, a ball feed rod 357, and a ball feed hole 358 may be located on the side of the collection duct 350.

In addition, the ball feed device comprising a ball feed rod rotating in a vertical plane is described above. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The ball feed rod can rotate horizontally.

In addition, the above described collection channel is rigidly mounted obliquely in the housing. However, the present invention is not limited to this option. The collection channel does not have to be installed obliquely, unless it has a slight inclination.

In addition, the advantages described in the embodiments of the present invention represent the most preferred benefits resulting from the use of the present invention. Moreover, the advantages of the present invention are not limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims (5)

CLAIM 1. A slot machine containing a lottery wheel containing a plurality of holes for the lottery, which can be hit by lottery balls; a device for determining the content of the game, which, when the lottery balls fall into one of the plurality of holes for the lottery, determines the result of the game based on any plurality of holes for the lottery into which the balls for the lottery have fallen; a removal channel, which is located below the lottery wheel and through which the lottery balls that have fallen into each of the many lottery holes are removed; a lifting device that moves the lottery balls to a position higher than the lottery wheel; and a collection channel that guides the lottery balls to be removed from the removal channel to the starting position for moving the lifting device, the collection channel comprising a ball feeding device for feeding the assembled lottery balls towards the starting position for moving the lifting device. 2. A gaming machine according to claim 1, in which the ball feeding device is located opposite the collection channel, and the collection channel is located opposite the removal channel. 3. A gaming machine according to claim 2, wherein the ball feeding device comprises an engine, a ball feeding rod and a hole for the ball feeding rod, made in the collection channel; the ball feed rod and the hole for the ball feed rod are arranged in the collection channel. 4. A gaming machine according to claims 1-3, in which the collection channel is made in an inclined housing. 5. A gaming machine according to claim 4, further comprising a swing device for tilting the inclined body to a predetermined angle, wherein the inclinable body comprises a lifting device and a ball feeding device; and the predetermined angle is the angle at which one end, where the lifting device is located, becomes lower than the other end, where the ball feeding device is located.