JP2000079192A - Slot machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve representation effect and interest of a game by increasing variety of previously noticing actions. SOLUTION: Either side of each of reels 8a, 8b, 8c at an inner position of a symbol display window 20 of a front panel 11 is provided with a light-emitting display 50 for notifying a player of information relating to a lottery result of internal lottery processing. Each light-emitting display 50 executes a first notification after game start operation when the play wins the lottery, and executes a second notification before a residual reel stops.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a variable symbol display for a plurality of symbol variable display devices so that a predetermined symbol is drawn on a winning line when a lottery is hit by an internal lottery process for each game. It relates to a slot machine that is stopped.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional typical slot machine has three reels on a peripheral surface of which are displayed a plurality of types of symbols, as a variable symbol display. When the start lever is operated after the medal is inserted into the medal insertion slot, the three reels start simultaneously. A stop button switch is provided for each reel, and when any one of the stop button switches is pressed, the corresponding reel is individually stopped.

When a predetermined combination of symbols is formed on the pay line when all reels are stopped, the game is awarded, and a predetermined number of medals according to the type of award are paid out in the game. Will be paid out as. Further, when a specific symbol combination is formed on the pay line, the game is a special winning, and an opportunity to execute a bonus game is given as a privilege given to the player. The player can obtain a large number of medals by executing this bonus game.

In a conventional slot machine, when a start lever is operated, a lottery process is executed inside the machine. If there is a lottery, when there is a stop operation by the player,
A so-called pull-in control is performed in which a predetermined symbol related to a prize is drawn on the prize line and the reel is forcibly stopped. In this pull-in control, it is possible to delay the reel stop timing so that the symbols are displaced by a maximum of four frames from the stop operation timing. on the other hand,
When it is not a lottery, the reel stop operation is controlled so that the symbols related to the winning do not stop on the winning line.

[0005] In the case of a lottery, in the case of a lottery relating to a special prize (hereinafter referred to as a "bonus hit"), the state of the bonus prize is carried over to a subsequent game until a special prize is established. In the case of a lottery pertaining to a prize other than the special prize (hereinafter, referred to as a "small win"), it is limited to that game, and the state of the small win is not carried over to a subsequent game.

In recent models, particularly when a bonus hit occurs, a stop operation of each reel is controlled so that a specific symbol combination pattern called "reach eye" appears, and the bonus hit occurs. Is implied to the player. However, in such a notification method, a player needs to store a combination pattern of a large number of symbols constituting a reach eye, which is complicated.

[0007] Then, the fact that there was a bonus hit,
In order to notify the player more directly, there has been proposed a notification method of turning on a lamp or generating a buzzer sound when a bonus is hit.

[0008]

However, such an informing method merely informs the player of the occurrence of a bonus hit, and lacks a variety of informing operations, and the effect of game effects and the like. There is a problem of lack of interest.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and by increasing the chances of notifying a player of information relating to a lottery result, the variety of notice operations has been increased, and the effect of the game effect and interest have been enhanced. It is an object of the present invention to provide a slot machine in which is improved.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, when a lottery is made by an internal lottery process for each game, a plurality of symbol variable displays are used to change a symbol so that a predetermined symbol is drawn on a winning line. In the slot machine in which the display is stopped, the slot machine is provided with a lottery means for executing the internal lottery process, and a notifying means for notifying a player of information relating to a lottery result by the lottery means, wherein all symbols are displayed. Until the variable display stops the variable display, the notification means sets the opportunity to notify the information at least twice.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the information may be notified while the variable symbol display units are performing variable display and when the remaining one variable variable display unit is performing variable display. Is set to twice.

[0012]

When there is a lottery by the internal lottery process for each game, the information relating to the lottery is provided at least twice by the notification means until all symbol variable displays stop the variable display. To be notified.

In the slot machine according to the present invention, when a lottery is made by the internal lottery process for each game, once during the variable display of all the variable symbol display units, and once for the remaining symbol variable display. The information relating to the lottery is notified to the player two times in total while the device is performing the variable display.

[0014]

FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a slot machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the illustrated slot machine, a body 1 is configured by attaching a door 3 to the front opening of a box-shaped main body 2 so as to be openable and closable. As shown in FIG. 2, a circuit board 5 on which a reel block 4 and a control device are mounted at an upper position, and a medal payout having a hopper 6a for accommodating a large number of medals at a lower position, as shown in FIG. The machines 6 are respectively incorporated. Incidentally, reference numeral 60 in FIG. 2 denotes a power supply device for supplying power to the circuit board 5 and the like. Reference numeral 61 denotes a medal collection box for collecting medals overflowing from the hopper 6a of the medal payout machine 6.

The reel block 4 comprises three reels 8a, 8b, 8c as variable symbol display units integrally assembled to a metal frame 7. Each reel 8a, 8
b and 8c are formed by attaching a band-shaped tape to the outer peripheral surface of the reel frame. On the belt-shaped tape, a special winning symbol for establishing a special winning, another winning symbol for establishing a normal winning, a plurality of types of symbols not related to winning, and the like are printed. Each of the reels 8a, 8
Stepping motor 9 for individually rotating b and 8c
a, 9b, 9c and six light emitting indicators 50 described later are assembled. Note that a liquid crystal display panel, a CRT display, or the like may be used as the symbol variable display instead of the reel.

The front surface of the door 3 is provided on each of the reels 8a, 8
a front panel 11 having a symbol display window 20 for variably displaying the symbols b and 8c; an upper panel 12 and a lower panel 13 for displaying a model name and game information;
It is composed of Each of the panels 11, 12, 13 is formed by performing silk screen printing on the surface of a transparent synthetic resin plate or tempered glass.

Below the front panel 11, a starting lever 1 is provided.
Four or three stop button switches 15a, 15b, 15c and a medal slot 16 are provided, and a medal discharge port 17 and a medal tray 18 are provided below the lower panel 13, respectively. The medal insertion slot 16 receives insertion of a medal. The starting lever 14 has three reels 8a, 8b, 8c.
Operated to start all at once. The three stop button switches 15a, 15b, 15c correspond to the corresponding reels 8a, 8
It is operated to individually stop b and 8c.

As shown in FIG. 3, an uncolored and transparent symbol display window 20 surrounded by a color print layer is provided at the center of the front panel 11. This symbol display window 20
Behind each reel 8 of the reel block 4.
a, 8b, 8c are arranged with the outer peripheral surface facing the symbol display window 20. The symbol display window 20 is provided so that the reels 8a, 8b, and 8c having three horizontal lengths can be seen.
When the reel length is stopped, the symbol S for three frames
Is formed in a rectangular shape that is long horizontally.

On the surface of the front panel 11, three horizontal pay lines L1 to L3 connecting the symbols of three frames on each of the reels 8a, 8b and 8c viewed from the symbol display window 20 in the horizontal direction.
L3 and two diagonal winning lines L4 and L5 that are diagonally connected to each other and that are diagonally lower right and lower left are shown. When the reels are stopped, the symbols of the respective reels 8a, 8b, 8c are arranged on these five pay lines L1 to L5.

If the number of medals inserted into the medal insertion slot 16 is one, the central horizontal prize line L1 is activated. If the number of inserted medals is two, three horizontal winning lines L1 to L3
Is activated. If the number of inserted medals is 3, 5
All the winning lines L1 to L5 are activated.

In this slot machine, a so-called credit game system, in which a number of medals are inserted in the medal slot 16 in advance and stored in the machine, and a game is performed using the stored medals, is performed. it can.
For this purpose, a stored number display 32 for digitally displaying the number of medals stored in the machine is provided on the front surface of the door portion 3.
Three types of bet button switches 33, 34, 34 for selecting the number of stored medals to be used for one game and starting the game.
35, and a settlement switch 36 for instructing the settlement of the stored medals.

When the first bet button switch 33 is pressed, three stored medals are used and five pay lines L
1 to L5 are activated. Second bet button switch 34
By pressing, two stored medals are used and three pay lines L1 to L3 are activated. When the third bet button switch 35 is pressed, one stored medal is used and one stop line L1 is activated.

In this embodiment, the player can select a conventional game system in which one to three medals are inserted for each game and a credit game system in which a game is performed using stored medals. It has become. Therefore, a changeover switch 37 for selecting one of the game modes is provided.

In this slot machine, the medal slot 1
After the winning line is activated by inserting a medal into the number 6 or operating one of the bet button switches 33, 34, 35, the start lever 14 is operated to perform a lottery process inside the machine. Then, the stop button switches 15a, 15b,
When a push operation is performed on the reels 15c, each reel 8 is set so that a predetermined symbol based on the lottery result of the internal lottery process is stopped on the activated pay line if it is a lottery.
The stop operations of a, 8b, and 8c are controlled. In particular, when there is the above-mentioned bonus, each of the reels 8a and 8a is stopped so that the special winning symbol stops on the activated winning line.
The stop operations of b and 8c are controlled.

In the lottery process, the random number generated by the random number generator is sampled, and it is determined whether or not the sampled random number value is within a predetermined range. Or a small winning combination for other winning symbols. In this embodiment, a random number generator generates a random number from 0 to 999, and if the sampled random number value is 0 to 199, it is regarded as a small role and 200 to 2
If it is 09, it is a bonus hit, and if it is 210 to 999, it is a loss. Note that this kind of lottery process is known, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

In this slot machine, in order to inform the player of information relating to the lottery result by the internal lottery process,
At a position inside the symbol display window 20, a total of six vertically long light emitting displays 50 capable of emitting light of a plurality of colors are provided. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,
Two light-emitting indicators 50, 50 are provided at each boundary position between the adjacent reels 8a, 8b and 8b, 8c, and one light-emitting indicator 5 is provided at each position outside the reels 8a, 8c at both ends.
0 is arranged. Each light-emitting indicator 50 is provided on each reel 8
a, 8b, and 8c, which are curved along both side edges, and are fixed to the metal frame 7 of the reel block 4 described above.

As shown in FIG. 6, each light emitting display 50 has
A printed circuit board 51 that follows the curvature of the outer peripheral surface of the reel, a plurality of light emitters 52 arranged on the printed circuit board 51 at regular intervals along the length direction, and a partition that individually partitions each light emitter 52 It is composed of a plate 53 and a translucent cover plate 54 that covers the upper part of the row of the light emitting bodies 52.

In this embodiment, each of the light emitters 52A emits red light (hereinafter, referred to as "red LED") 52A and orange light emitting diode (hereinafter, referred to as "orange LED") 52B. And a light emitting diode (hereinafter, referred to as “green LED”) 52C that emits green light.
However, it is also possible to use a multi-color light emitting diode that emits light of a plurality of colors by itself.

In each of the light emitting displays 50, a fluorescent display tube, electroluminescence, cold cathode tube or the like may be used as a light source instead of the light emitting diode. Further, the light emitting display 50 does not necessarily need to be provided at the position of the front panel 11, and may be provided at the upper panel 12, for example. Further, as the notification means, it is also possible to use a means that appeals to the auditory sense, such as a sound or a buzzer sound, in place of a means for appealing to the sight such as the light emitting display 50, or in combination with a means for appealing to the sight. .

Each light-emitting display 50 is provided with all the reels 8a,
By the time 8b and 8c stop rotating, at least 2
The time of the notification operation is set so as to perform the light emission operation each time.
In this embodiment, after the player performs a game start operation,
The first notification time is set before the player performs the stop operation on the first reel, and the second notification time is set before stopping the third reel after the player stops the second reel. The notification time is set for the second notification.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a specific example of a light emitting display pattern of the light emitting display 50 used for notifying information relating to a lottery result. FIG. 7 is a light emission display pattern displayed at the first notification time, and FIG. 8 is a light emission display pattern of the light emitting display 50 displayed at the second notification time. Although FIG. 2 shows only the light emitting display patterns of the light emitting displays 50 on both sides of the first reel 8a, the light emitting displays located on both sides of the second and third reels 8b and 8c are shown. The same applies to the light-emitting display patterns 50 and 50, and illustration and description thereof are omitted here.

The light emitting display pattern PA1 shown in FIG.
Indicates that red is used as a display color, and after the respective red LEDs 52A of the respective light emitting indicators 50 sequentially emit light from top to bottom, an operation of simultaneously turning off the lights is repeated a predetermined number of times (for example, three times). is there. Note that, in the drawing, arrows indicate the direction of light emission sequentially.

The light emitting display pattern PB1 shown in FIG.
Indicates that the display color is orange, and after the respective orange LEDs 52B of the respective light-emitting indicators 50 are sequentially illuminated from top to bottom, the operation of simultaneously turning off the lights is repeated a predetermined number of times (for example, three times). is there. Note that, in the drawing, arrows indicate the direction of light emission sequentially.

The light emitting display pattern PC1 shown in FIG.
Indicates that green is used as a display color, and after the respective green LEDs 52C of the respective light emitting indicators 50 sequentially emit light from top to bottom, an operation of simultaneously turning off the lights is repeated a predetermined number of times (for example, three times). is there. Note that, in the drawing, arrows indicate the direction of light emission sequentially.

The light emitting display pattern PA2 shown in FIG.
Represents every other red LED 5 in each light emitting display 50.
Light emission and extinguishing of 2A are alternately repeated for a certain period of time. The light-emitting display pattern PB2 shown in FIG.
The ED 52B and the light emission display pattern PA2 shown in FIG. 8 (3) are such that every other green LED 52C in each light emitting display 50 alternately emits light and turns off for a certain period of time. is there.

The notification of the information relating to the lottery result is made by the three types of light emission display patterns PA1, PB1, PC1 shown in FIG.
And the second notification by the three types of light-emitting display patterns PA2, PB2, and PC2 shown in FIG. 8, and is a non-display pattern in which the light-emitting indicator 50 is not operated. In addition, 16 kinds of combinations shown in FIG. 9 are prepared. In FIG. 9, “none” indicates a non-display pattern.

Which one of the 16 types of combinations is selected is determined by a lottery process using random numbers.
Generates 99 random numbers from
For example, there are five sampled random numbers (for example, 0
4), the light emission display pattern PA1 in the first notification and the light emission pattern P in the second notification.
A2 is selected, and if the value is any of the following five values (for example, 5 to 9), the light emission display pattern PA1 is selected in the first notification, and the light emission pattern PB2 is selected in the second notification.

Similarly, in the case of a small role, if the sampled random number is one (eg, 0), the light emission display pattern PA1 in the first notification and the light emission pattern PB2 in the second notification. Is selected, and if the value is one of the following two values (for example, 1 to 2), the light emission display pattern PA1 is selected in the first notification, and the light emission pattern PC2 is selected in the second notification. In this embodiment, any combination is selected with a probability of 9/100 even in the case of a loss, so that the light emitting display 5 is selected.
It is configured such that a lottery hit does not always occur even if 0 is activated.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, at the time of the first notification, the light-emitting display 50 displays the red light-emitting display pattern PA.
When the notification operation is performed in step 1, the player knows that either a bonus hit or a small win has occurred. Further, when the notification operation is performed with the same color of the light emission display pattern at the time of the first notification and at the time of the second notification, the player is highly likely to have a bonus hit. You can see that. That is, when the notification is performed in the red light-emitting display patterns PA1 and PA2 in both the first and second times, the bonus expectation degree is 100%.
Light emitting display patterns PB1 and PB2 of orange color for the second time
, The expected bonus is 37.5%. When the first and second times are notified with the green light emitting display patterns PC1 and PC2, the expected bonus is 20.0%. is there.

Here, the “bonus expectation degree” refers to, for example, the probability that a bonus hit will occur when the notification is performed in a combination of the orange light emitting display patterns PB1 and PB2 in both the first and second times. Is 10/1
000, probability of occurrence of small role winning is 200/1000
When the probability that the combination of the orange light emitting display patterns PB1 and PB2 is selected is a bonus, 12
/ 100 and 1/100 at the time of the small role, (10/1000) × (12/100) is converted to (10/100).
/ 1000) × (12/100) + (200/100)
A value of “37.5%” is obtained by multiplying the value obtained by dividing the value by (0) × (1/100) by 100%.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the probability of performing the light-emitting display in the first time and the second time is higher in the case of winning a bonus than in the case of winning a small role and when the bonus is lost. Therefore, when the light emission display is performed in both the first time and the second time, the player knows that there is a high possibility that a bonus hit has occurred.

FIG. 10 shows an electrical configuration of the above-described slot machine. In the figure, reference numeral 40 denotes a control unit composed of a microcomputer, which is a CPU that is a main body of control and calculation.
41, ROM 4 for storing programs and fixed data
2. In addition to the RAM 43 used for reading and writing data,
It includes a random number generator 44 for executing an internal lottery process.

To the CPU 41, a bus 49
Reel drive units 47a, 47 of the reels 8a, 8b, 8c
b, 47c, a medal dispensing machine 6, a stored number display 32, an output unit such as a light emitting display circuit 55, and a medal detection sensor 4.
6, starting lever 14, three types of bet button switches 33,
34, 35, three stop button switches 15a, 15b, 1
5c, input switches such as a settlement switch 36 and a changeover switch 37 are connected. The CPU 41 reads and writes data to and from the RAM 43 in accordance with a program stored in the ROM 42, controls a series of operations of the input / output units, samples the random number generated by the random number generator 44, and performs various internal operations. Execute the lottery process.

The reel drive units 47a, 47b, 47c
Controls the driving of the stepping motors 9a, 9b, 9c, which are the driving sources of the reels 8a, 8b, 8c. The medal payout machine 6 is driven, for example, when the settlement switch 36 is operated, and pays out the number of medals displayed on the stored number display 32 to the medal tray 18 from the medal discharge port 17.
The light-emitting display circuit 55 causes each light-emitting display device 50 to perform a light-emitting operation, and displays the above-described plurality of light-emitting display patterns. The medal detection sensor 49 detects a medal inserted into the medal insertion slot 16 and outputs a medal detection signal.

FIG. 11 shows the flow of control by the control unit 40. In the drawing, ST means each step in a series of control flows. In ST1 of FIG.
1 is waiting for a game start operation by the player. When the player operates the start lever 14 after inserting a medal into the medal insertion slot 16 or pressing one of the bet button switches 33, 34, 35, the determination of ST1 becomes "Y".
ES ", and in the next ST2, it is checked whether or not the flag F1 indicating that there is a bonus hit by the internal lottery process in the previous game is set to" 1 ". In this case, since the determination in ST2 is “NO”,
Proceeding to T3, the CPU 41 executes an internal lottery process by sampling the random number value generated by the random number generator 44. If there is a bonus hit by the internal lottery process, the determination in ST4 is "YES", and the bonus hit flag F1 is set to 1 (ST6). If there is a small win in the internal lottery process, the determination in ST4 is "NO", the determination in ST5 is "YES", and the small win flag F2 is set to 1 (ST7).

In the next step ST8, the CPU 41 samples the random number value generated by the random number generator 44, thereby performing an internal lottery process for the notice type, that is, whether or not to perform light emission display by the light emitting display 50. Then, an internal lottery process of selecting which combination in FIG. 9 is to be executed. When it is determined by the internal lottery process that the notification is to be performed and the combination for performing the first notification is selected, the determination in ST9 is “YES”,
The CPU 41 causes each light emitting display 50 to emit light to execute the notification. If it is determined by the internal lottery process that notification is not to be performed or a combination that does not perform the first notification is selected, the determination in ST9 is “NO” and ST1 is determined.
0 is skipped.

In the next ST11, the CPU 41 simultaneously starts the three reels 8a, 8b, 8c and waits for the player to operate the stop button switches 15a, 15b, 15c (ST12). If there is a first stop operation by the player, the determination in ST12 becomes "YES", and the corresponding reel stops (ST13). In the next ST14, it is determined whether or not the two reels have stopped. In this case,
Since the determination in ST14 is "NO", the process returns to ST12 and waits for the next reel stop operation. If there is a stop operation on the second reel, ST12 becomes "YES", the corresponding reel stops (ST13), and the next S
The determination at T14 is "YES".

In the next step ST15, the CPU 41 determines whether or not two special winning symbols or two winning symbols are arranged on an effective winning line, so that a so-called "reach" state is reached. If the state is “reach”, the determination in ST16 is “YES”, and the ST
In the lottery process of No. 8, it is determined whether it is determined to perform the advance notification and whether the combination for performing the second notification is selected (ST17).

If it is determined that the advance notification is to be performed and the combination for performing the second notification is selected, the determination in ST17 is "YES", and the CPU 41 causes each of the light-emitting indicators 50 to emit light. Then, the notification is executed (ST18). If it is determined by the internal lottery process that notification is not to be performed or a combination that does not perform second notification is selected, the determination in ST17 is “NO”.
And ST18 is skipped.

In the next ST19, it is determined whether or not a stop operation has been performed on the remaining one reel. If the player performs a stop operation, the determination in ST19 is “Y
ES ”and the corresponding reel stops (ST2).
0). When the three reels 8a, 8b, 8c stop in this way, the CPU 41 determines whether or not a combination of a special winning symbol or a normal winning symbol has been established on an active winning line (ST21).

As a result of the winning determination, if a winning is established, the determination in ST22 is "YES" and the CPU 41
Pays out the number of medals according to the winning or the special winning to the player (ST23). If it is a special prize, the determination in ST24 is "YES", the flag F1 is reset, and the routine shifts to a bonus game.

If the winning is not established, ST2
If the determination of No. 2 is “NO” and the winning is established but it is not a special winning, the determination of ST24 is “NO” and the process proceeds to ST26. In ST26, it is determined whether or not the flag F2 per small combination is set to 1, and the determination is “YE
S ", the flag F2 is reset (ST2
7), and proceed to the next game. If the small winning combination flag F2 is not set, the determination in ST26 is "NO" and ST27 is skipped.

In the next game, if the carryover is carried out with the bonus winning flag F1 set, the determination in ST2 is "YES", and the internal lottery process for determining whether or not to generate a small winning combination is performed. (ST2
8). As a result of the lottery process, if there is a small role, ST29
Is "YES", and the flag F2 per small combination is set to 1 (ST7). In this case, at the time of the next reel stop operation, stop control is executed to draw a normal winning symbol on the winning line prior to the special winning symbol.

[0054]

As described above, according to the present invention, in order to inform the player of information relating to the lottery result, at least an opportunity to inform the information is provided until all the variable symbol displays stop the variable display. Since the setting is performed twice, the variety of the notice operation can be increased, and the effect and interest of the game can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an opportunity for notifying information between all the variable symbol displays while performing variable display and between the remaining one variable symbol display and the variable display. After the setting, the player can perform the stop operation of the remaining one symbol variable display with reference to the two notifications.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a slot machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the slot machine showing an internal structure.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the configuration of a reel and a light emitting display as viewed from a symbol display window of a front panel.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a reel block provided with a light emitting display.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a reel block provided with a light emitting display.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a light emitting display.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of a light emitting display pattern by a light emitting display.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of a light emitting display pattern by a light emitting display.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a combination of light emitting display patterns.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the slot machine.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a flow of control by a control unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8a, 8b, 8c Reel 40 Control unit 44 Random number generator 50 Light emitting display

Claims (2)

[Claims] When a lottery is made by an internal lottery process for each game, a plurality of symbol variable display devices are provided.
In a slot machine in which variable display of symbols is stopped so as to draw a predetermined symbol on a winning line, a lottery means for executing the internal lottery process, and information relating to a lottery result by the lottery means to a player. A slot machine comprising: a notifying unit for notifying, and at least two times at which the notifying unit notifies the user of the information until all symbol variable indicators stop the variable display. 2. Opportunities for notifying the information are set to two times: while all of the variable symbol displays are performing variable display, and while the remaining one variable display is performing variable display. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein