JP2000093579A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To regenerate a sound field filled with an abundant site presence feeling by providing a sound source containing sound source information or sound sources for generating an effective sound and/or an alarm sound during play, and also providing a virtual sound image localizing means for receiving the signal from the sound source to perform a virtual sound image localizing processing. SOLUTION: The signal controlled by a CPU 1 according to game state is generated from a sound source 6 containing sound sources as forward left and light signals and surround left and right signals. These signals are processed by a virtual sound image localizing means 7, whereby the sound image of effective sound and/or alarm sound is localized in the position of a virtual speaker on the side of a player. The virtual sound image localizing processing means 7 has a virtual sound image localizing filter 71 and front and rear mixer parts 12, 72b. The surround left and right signals and forward left and right signals processed by the filter part of the virtual sound image localizing filter 71 are regulated by the rear mixer part 72b, added by an adder part 13, and then given to speakers 3L, 3R through amplifies 2L, 2R.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a game machine, and more particularly, to a game machine capable of reproducing a sound field that wraps around a player without arranging surround speakers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, amusement machines (for example, pachinko amusement machines and NES) reproduce sound effects and notification sounds during a game using monaural speakers. However, reproduction of sound by a monaural speaker is poor in realism, and a player cannot obtain sufficient satisfaction.

In order to solve such a problem, there has been proposed a pachinko game machine which reproduces sound effects and a notification sound during a game through a stereo speaker. FIG. 7 is a block diagram for explaining the reproduction of a sound effect or a notification sound in such a pachinko game machine. Pachinko machine 10
The sound signal of the sound effect and the notification sound at 0
(This also controls the playing state of the pachinko game machine) and is emitted from a stereo or monaural sound source 106 controlled by a stereo speaker (ie, L speaker 103L and R speaker 103R) through amplifiers 102L and 102R. Will be played. By converting the speaker and / or the sound source into a stereo in this way, the player can enjoy a more realistic game. However, in a stereo speaker, as shown in FIG.
The player 105 is limited to the area 104 on the left and right front of 105.
It is impossible to reproduce a sound field that wraps around. More specifically, the sound image movement of the sound effect and the notification sound is performed using a stereo speaker.
Limited to the region between 103L and 103R. As a result, the sense of presence in the game is still insufficient.

[0004] As a method of reproducing a sound field full of a sense of reality, a method of arranging surround speakers on the sides and behind a listener is known. It is not practical to use surround speakers. For example, in order to adopt a surround system for a pachinko game machine, surround speakers must be arranged in the play space of another player provided on the left, right, and rear of the player. as a result,
The number of pachinko machines that can be installed in pachinko parlors will be greatly reduced. Therefore, it is practically impossible to employ the surround system for amusement machines such as pachinko machines. Although it is possible in principle to use a surround system for the NES, this attempt is inappropriate in consideration of housing conditions.

[0005] As described above, there is a demand for a game machine capable of reproducing a sound field full of a sense of reality without arranging surround speakers.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to dispose a surround speaker without disposing a surround speaker.
To provide a game machine capable of reproducing a sound field that is more realistic (for example, a sound field that wraps around a player, a sound field that is whispered at the ear, or a sound field in which a sound image can move back and forth). is there.

[0007]

The present inventors have conducted intensive studies on sound field reproduction of amusement machines, and as a result, have found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by using virtual sound image localization means, thereby completing the present invention. Was.

A game machine according to the present invention has a control means for controlling a play state, a sound source containing sound source information or a sound source for generating a sound effect and / or a notification sound during a game, Virtual sound image localization means for receiving a signal from the sound source to perform virtual sound image localization processing, a multi-channel amplifier of two or more channels, and a pair of speakers or more provided substantially symmetrically to the player. .

In a preferred embodiment, the virtual sound image localization means has a mixing means.

In a preferred embodiment, the virtual sound image localizing means includes a shuffler type filter having a decorrelation processing circuit.

Alternatively, the amusement machine of the present invention comprises a control means for controlling a playing state, a stereo sound source containing a sound source for generating a sound effect and / or a notification sound during the play, and two or more channels. A multi-channel amplifier and a pair of loudspeakers provided substantially symmetrically to the player are provided, and the sound source is subjected to virtual sound image localization processing in advance and stored in the sound source.

In a preferred embodiment, the stereo sound source includes a sound source containing a sound source subjected to virtual sound image localization processing and a sound source containing a sound source not subjected to virtual sound image localization processing.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the stereo sound source further comprises mixing means.

The operation of the present invention will be described below. According to the present invention, since the virtual sound image localization means for performing the virtual sound image localization process is provided in the amusement machine, a sound image is formed at the position of the front speaker and a position surrounding the player (for example, , Diagonally forward and rearward), and as a result, the sound image of the sound effect and / or the notification sound can be localized at the position of the virtual speaker. Therefore, a sound field full of a sense of reality can be reproduced without arranging surround speakers. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the CPU that controls the game situation can control the reproduction sound signal and the game situation in association with each other, so that the sound effect and / or the sound effect appropriate according to the game situation and / or the content of the game can be obtained. Alternatively, the notification sound can be reproduced. For example, the effect that the player is wrapped in applause,
The effect of being whispered at the ear at the time of the "reach" state can be realized.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the virtual sound image localization means has a mixing means. By simply changing the ratio of the signal processed by the virtual sound image localization means by the mixing means, the sound image localization of the sound effect and / or the notification sound and the movement of the sound image can be performed between the front speaker and the virtual speaker. Thus, a more realistic sound field can be reproduced. That is, the sound image position of the sound effect and / or the notification sound can be moved very easily according to the situation of the game and / or the content of the game.

In another preferred embodiment, the virtual sound image localization means includes a shuffler type filter having a decorrelation processing circuit. By using the decorrelation processing circuit, even for a monaural sound source signal, it is possible to reproduce a very good sound field with a more realistic feeling without giving the player a sense of incongruity such as in-head localization. In addition, since the processing method of the shuffler type filter is simpler than that of other filters, efficient circuit design is possible.

According to another aspect of the present invention, since the sound source that has been subjected to the virtual sound image localization processing is contained in the sound source, the virtual speaker can be used without disposing the virtual sound image localization means in the game machine. The sound image of the effect sound and / or the notification sound can be localized at the position of the virtual speaker. Therefore, the degree of freedom in designing the amusement machine is increased.

In a preferred embodiment, the sound sources include a sound source containing a sound source subjected to virtual sound image localization processing and a sound source containing a sound source not subjected to virtual sound image localization processing. Thereby, since the same effect as simple mixing can be obtained by appropriately selecting the sound source, the sound image localization of the sound effect and / or the notification sound and the movement of the sound image between the front speaker and the virtual speaker can be performed. As a result, a more realistic sound field can be reproduced.

In a preferred embodiment, the amusement machine further comprises mixing means. By using the mixing means, the sound image localization of the sound effect and / or the notification sound and the movement of the sound image as described above can be performed more precisely and more easily, and as a result, a very realistic feeling can be obtained. The sound field can be easily reproduced.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For simplicity,
In the present specification, a pachinko game machine will be described, but the present invention also includes, for example, a pachislot machine, a pinball machine, a so-called arcade game machine (ie,
It is clear that the present invention can be applied to a game machine such as a game machine used in a game center) and a NES.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the reproduction of sound effects and / or notification sounds in a pachinko game machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a reproduced sound field when the pachinko game machine of FIG. 1 is used.

The pachinko game machine 10 includes a control means (for example, CPU) 1 for controlling a playing state, a sound source 6, a virtual sound image localization means 7, an amplifier 2, and a speaker 3.

The sound source 6 contains a sound source (for example, a sound such as "reach" or "big hit") for generating a sound effect and / or a notification sound during play. When the sound source is stored in the sound source 6, for example, the recorded sound source is digitized and stored in the sound source 6. Sound source 6
May be single or plural. That is, n sound sources each containing one sound source may be provided in the game machine, or a single sound source containing n sound sources may be provided in the game machine. Any suitable number of sound sources containing an appropriate number of sound source sources may be provided in the game machine.
The sound source 6 may also be monaural or stereo. Alternatively, the sound source 6 may be a synthesizer sound source such as an FM sound source containing only sound source information. These sound sources can be used in an appropriate combination.

A pair of speakers 3 or more is provided substantially symmetrically with respect to the player 5 (here, a pair of speakers 3L and 3R are shown for simplicity). As the amplifier 2, two-channel or more multi-channel amplifiers are used corresponding to the number of the speakers 3 (the amplifiers 2L and 2R are shown here).

The virtual sound image localization processing means 7 has a virtual sound image localization filter 71 and, if necessary, a front mixer 72a and a rear mixer 72b. Examples of the virtual sound image localization filter unit 71 include a shuffler type filter and a lattice type filter. In this embodiment, a shuffler type filter having a decorrelation processing circuit as shown in FIG. 3 is used.

The operation of the virtual sound image localization processing means 7 used in the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

From each of the sound sources 6, the CPU according to the playing state
1 are generated as the front left signal FL, the front right signal FR, the surround left signal SL, and the surround right signal SR. These signals may be generated directly from the signals controlled by the CPU 1 or may be appropriately mixed via any suitable mixing means 72 (eg, front mixer 72a) as needed. Can be generated by For example, the signals FL, FR,
By generating SL and SR directly from the signals controlled by the CPU 1 and processing these signals by the virtual sound image localization means 7, the virtual speakers XL and XL on the sides of the player 5 are generated.
The sound image of the sound effect and / or the notification sound can be localized at the position of XR. Alternatively, the signals FL, FR, S
L and SR are generated via mixing means 72 (for example, front mixer 72a), and these signals are converted to virtual sound image localization means 7 (and, if necessary, mixing means (for example, rear mixer 72b)). By processing in
For example, the sound image of the sound effect and / or the notification sound can be localized between the front speaker and the virtual speaker or behind the player. In the following description, a case in which mixing means is used will be described.

The surround left signal SL and the surround right signal SR generated through the front mixer 72a are provided to the virtual sound image localization filter 71. In the virtual sound image localization filter unit 71, the surround left signal SL and the surround right signal SR are first given to the decorrelation processing circuit 75. Any suitable decorrelation circuit may be used, but a typical example is an all-pass filter (APF). By passing through the APF, a predetermined phase difference (for example, 140 degrees to 160 degrees) is obtained between the surround left signal SL and the surround right signal SR according to the frequency as shown in FIG. Surround left signal SL having a predetermined phase difference
And the surround right signal SR are added to an adder 76 and a subtractor
Passed through 77. The signal added by the adder 76 is processed by a filter unit 78 having a predetermined transfer function H _sum , and the signal subtracted by the subtracter 77 is converted into a signal by a predetermined transfer function H _dif
Is processed by the filter unit 79 having The transfer functions H _sum and H _dif are set, for example, so as to have frequency versus gain characteristics as shown in FIG. Furthermore, the filter section
The signals processed at 78 and 79 are added to the adder 80 and the subtractor
The signal is passed through 81 to output a surround left signal SL ′ and a surround right signal SR ′.

The surround left signal SL 'and the surround right signal SR', the front left signal FL and the front right signal FR
Means the attenuator 74L in the rear mixer section 72b,
Appropriately adjusted by 74R, 75L and 75R, adder 73
, And then applied to speakers 3L and 3R via amplifiers 2L and 2R. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, sound images are formed at the positions of the speakers 3L and 3R, and virtual speakers XL and XR are provided, for example, on the sides of the player 5, and sound effects and sound effects are provided at the positions of the virtual speakers. And / or the sound image of the notification sound can be localized. By appropriately changing the attenuator ratio of the front mixer section 72a and the rear mixer section 72b, the sound effect and / or
Alternatively, the localization position of the notification sound can be moved to a predetermined position (for example, diagonally right and left forward of the player, behind the player, and the like). As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, a moving range 4 of the reproduction sound field that surrounds the player 5 is formed.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a sound source that has been subjected to virtual sound image localization processing before being stored in the sound source 6 is used. FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining the reproduction of the sound effect and / or the notification sound in this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6, depending on the playing state, the CPU
From each sound source 6 controlled by the front left signal F
L, a front right signal FR, a surround left signal SL, and a surround right signal SR are generated. The generated signal is supplied to speakers 3L and 3R via amplifiers 2L and 2R, and as a result, as shown in FIG.
, And virtual speakers XL and XR are provided, for example, on the sides of the player 5, and the sound images of the effect sound and / or the notification sound can be localized at the positions of the virtual speakers.

The virtual sound image localization processing for the sound source is
This can be performed using virtual sound image localization means as described in the above embodiment.

If necessary, the sound source 6 includes a sound source containing a sound source subjected to the virtual sound image localization processing and a sound source containing a sound source not subjected to the virtual sound image localization processing.
As a result, the sound image localization of the sound effect and / or the notification sound and the movement of the sound image can be performed between the front speaker and the virtual speaker, and as a result, a more realistic sound field can be reproduced.

If necessary, the gaming machine 10 includes a mixing means 8 as shown in FIG. By appropriately mixing the generated front left signal FL, front right signal FR, surround left signal SL, and surround right signal SR using the mixing means 8, the sound effect and / or the notification sound can be obtained in the same manner as in the above embodiment. The sound image position can be moved appropriately.

According to the present embodiment, since the sound source 6 which has been subjected to the virtual sound image localization processing in advance is contained in the sound source 6, the virtual speakers XL and XR can be provided without disposing the virtual sound image localization means in the game machine. Is provided, and the sound image of the effect sound and / or the notification sound can be localized at the position of the virtual speaker.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, by using the sound source subjected to the virtual sound image localization processing or the virtual sound image localization processing means, the sound field which is more realistic can be provided without arranging surround speakers. A game machine capable of reproducing a sound field (for example, a sound field that wraps around a player, a sound field that is whispered at the ear, or a sound field in which a sound image can move back and forth) is provided. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is suitably used for a game machine such as a pachinko machine, a pachislot machine, a pinball machine, a so-called arcade game machine (that is, a game machine used in a game center), and a NES.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining reproduction of a sound effect and / or a notification sound in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a reproduced sound field in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a virtual sound image localization unit used in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic graph showing an example of a relationship between a frequency and a phase of a decorrelation circuit used in the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between the frequency of transfer functions H _sum and H _dif of a shuffler type filter used in the present invention and gain characteristics.

FIG. 6 shows a sound effect and / or sound according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Alternatively, it is a block diagram for explaining reproduction of a notification sound.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram for explaining reproduction of a sound effect or a notification sound in the related art.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a reproduced sound field in the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 CPU 2 Amplifier 3 Speaker 4 Reproduction sound field area 5 Player 6 Sound source 7 Virtual sound image localization processing means 8 Mixing means 10 Amusement machine 71 Virtual sound image localization filter part 72 Mixer part

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroshi Uchimoto 2-1 Nisshinmachi, Neyagawa-shi, Osaka Onkyo Corporation F-term (reference) 2C001 AA01 AA17 BA00 BA07 BC00 BC09 BC10 CB01 CC08 2C088 BC06 BC10 9A001 BB02 HH15 HH18 HH34 JJ76

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A control means for controlling a playing state, a sound source containing sound source information or a sound source for generating a sound effect and / or a notification sound during play, a signal from the control means and a signal from the sound source A game machine comprising: virtual sound image localization means for receiving a virtual sound image localization process, a multi-channel amplifier having two or more channels, and a pair of speakers provided substantially symmetrically to a player. 2. The amusement machine according to claim 1, wherein said virtual sound image localization means has mixing means. 3. A game machine according to claim 1, wherein said virtual sound image localization means includes a shuffler type filter having a decorrelation processing circuit. 4. A stereo sound source containing a sound source for generating a sound effect and / or a notification sound during a game; a two-channel or more multi-channel amplifier; A game machine comprising: a pair of speakers or more provided substantially symmetrically with respect to a player, wherein the sound source is subjected to virtual sound image localization processing in advance and stored in the sound source. 5. The sound source according to claim 4, wherein the stereo sound source includes a sound source containing a sound source subjected to virtual sound image localization processing and a sound source containing a sound source not subjected to virtual sound image localization processing. Amusement machine. 6. The amusement machine according to claim 4, further comprising mixing means.