JP2001224807A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To resume game control from a halfway part interrupted by a power failure without hindrance at a return from the power failure even when the power failure occurs, to prevent a player's disadvantage without being affected by the power failure and to prevent the occurrence of trouble. SOLUTION: A main control means 50 is provide with a command retransmission part 56 having a command storage part 56a and a retransmission judging part 56b. In the case of the occurrence of a transmission failure due to the power failure during the transmission of a control command from the main control mans 50, the control command is stored in the command storage part 56a, and when the necessity of retransmission is judged by the retransmission judging part 56b at the return from the power failure, the control command which resulted in the transmission failure is retransmitted. At the return from the power failure, the game control can therefore be resumed without hindrance from the halfway part interrupted by the power failure.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gaming machine, and in particular, when a power failure occurs, a game control can be restarted by re-transmitting a control command, which has been insufficiently transmitted due to the power failure, when returning from the power failure, and the game control can be resumed by the power failure. To prevent inconvenience from occurring.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in ball-and-ball game machines such as pachinko machines, the launching of a game ball by operating a shooting handle, a game starting means provided on a game board, and an opening / closing type winning means (large winning means). Control of objects, detection control for detecting winning in the prize winning means, symbol display control for changing symbols in a plurality of symbol display portions of the variable symbol display means provided in the symbol display, game accompanying prize to the winning means A control device is provided that controls various controls for ball game, such as ball payout control, sound control at the time of a prize or a jackpot, and lamp control.

In this control device, a main control section mainly controlling game control on a game board side transmits a series of control signals (control data) for symbol display control for performing symbol variation display for each symbol display section. Is output directly to the control of the symbol display. Further, the main controller outputs a payout control signal for driving a payout motor to the payout control unit to control the payout of the prize balls when the game balls are won in the normal winning means or the open / close type winning means. Further, the main control unit outputs an opening / closing control signal for the opening / closing plate driving solenoid of the opening / closing winning means to the special game control unit when the stopped symbol after the change in the symbol display unit is a big hit symbol, and sets the opening / closing plate to a predetermined value. Open control is performed until the condition is satisfied.

[0004] For example, the main control unit controls the symbol control unit.
Since the detailed control signal for each operation is transmitted one by one to control the fluctuation of the symbols, even if one control signal becomes invalid due to noise, static electricity, etc., the fluctuation control is continued based on the subsequent control signal. it can. Therefore, the symbol control unit does not check the error of the control signal transmitted from the main control unit. As described above, since the main control unit performs not only the symbol display control but also various controls such as lamp control, sound output control, and lamp lighting control, the control load is very large, and the operation processing is slow. In this case, a control delay tends to occur in the control of these accompanying operations.

Therefore, each sub-control unit such as a symbol control unit and a sound control unit is formed on a separate control board provided with a microcomputer independent of the main control unit, and the main control unit is connected to each sub-control unit. A command transmission method for transmitting a control command in one direction is being adopted. Thereby, for example, the main control unit sequentially transmits a symbol variation start command (including a variation pattern designation number) and a symbol designation command for designating a stopped symbol for each symbol display unit to the symbol control unit when the symbol is varied. The symbol variation control can be simplified, the load on the main control unit can be significantly reduced, and sound control and lamp control can be executed in synchronization with the symbol variation.

Further, at the time of payout, it is only necessary to transmit a payout control command for instructing the number of payout balls to be paid out from the main control unit to the payout control unit, so that the payout control can be simplified. This control command is often composed of a plurality of bytes (for example, 2 to 3 bytes) of data. When transmitting the control command, the control command is continuously transmitted a plurality of times for each 1-byte data via an 8-bit parallel data bus. I do.

[0007]

As described above, the main control unit and the sub control unit are configured on independent control boards, and the number of control commands transmitted from the main control unit to the symbol control unit is significantly reduced. In this case, although the control load of the main control unit can be reduced, for example, when a power failure occurs due to a lightning strike or the like,
Even if the big hit game is being executed, the control device does not operate, and all the information such as the information indicating the big hit state, the winning ball number information and the payout ball number information to be paid out is deleted. Therefore, even if the game is restarted after the power supply is restored, the jackpot game cannot be executed in a state immediately before the power outage, so that a trouble may occur between the player and the hall.

Therefore, when the control command transmitted from the main control unit to the sub control unit is always stored and held by the backup power supply, even if a power failure occurs, the state immediately before the power failure is restored from the state immediately before the power recovery from the power failure. The jackpot game or the like can be continued, but if a power failure occurs during or immediately after transmission, the control command cannot be completely stored in the memory of the transmission destination, and the control command will be insufficiently transmitted. As a result, the control command becomes invalid, and the game restarted when returning from the power failure cannot be continued from the state immediately before the power failure. In particular, when the payout control command is incompletely transmitted, a prize ball is not paid out, so that a problem occurs between the player and the hole side, and the profitability also deteriorates for the hole side. .

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to enable a game control that has been interrupted by a power failure to be restarted without any trouble even when a power failure occurs, and that a player can operate without being affected by a power failure. That is, profits can be prevented and troubles can be prevented.

[0010]

A gaming machine according to claim 1 is:
A main control means for performing a lottery in connection with the winning of a game ball and selectively determining an advantageous state or a disadvantageous state for the player based on the lottery result; and a control board different from the main control means. A power failure occurs during or immediately after transmission of a control command from the main control means, in a gaming machine having a plurality of sub-control means for performing game control in accordance with a control command transmitted from the main control means. The main control means further includes a command retransmitting unit for retransmitting the control command that has become inadequate when returning from the power failure.

The main control means performs a random lottery on the symbol starting means in connection with the winning of the game ball, and selectively determines a favorable state or a disadvantageous state for the player based on the lottery result. Then, control commands corresponding to these disadvantageous or advantageous states are transmitted to the plurality of sub-control means. The sub-control means performs various game controls according to control commands transmitted from the main control means. If a power failure occurs during or immediately after the main control unit is transmitting the control command and transmission failure occurs, the command retransmitting unit transmits the transmission failure control command to the subordinate of the transmission destination when returning from the power failure. Retransmit to control means. As a result, even if a power failure occurs, it is possible to resume without interruption from the middle of the game control interrupted by the power failure when returning from the power failure, and it is possible to reliably prevent disadvantages of the player and the game arcade, and to prevent trouble from occurring. Can be prevented.

[0012] Here, the command retransmitting unit includes a command storing unit that stores a control command that has been transmitted deficiently;
A retransmission determination unit for determining whether the control command needs to be retransmitted, wherein a power failure occurs when the control command determined by the retransmission determination unit to need to be retransmitted is retransmitted (claim 2) The control command that has become incomplete due to the occurrence of the error can be securely stored in the command storage unit without omission, so that only the control command that the retransmission determination unit determines that retransmission is necessary can be retransmitted, resulting in transmission failure. It is possible to reliably prevent a dropped control command and duplicate transmission.

Further, the plurality of sub-control means include payout control means for performing payout control for paying out game balls, and the main control means issues a control command for instructing payout of a predetermined number of game balls. If the payout control command transmitted from the main control means is not transmitted due to the power failure, the payout control command can be retransmitted when returning from the power failure. Is performed without shortage, and disadvantages of the player can be surely prevented.

Further, the plurality of sub-control means include a symbol control means for controlling a variable symbol display means for variably displaying a symbol at the time of winning, and the main control means transmits a control command relating to the symbol variation to the symbol control means. In this case (claim 4), even if the symbol control command transmitted from the main control means becomes defective due to the power failure, the symbol control command can be retransmitted when returning from the power failure, and thereby, the fluctuation of the symbol can be reduced by the power failure. Can continue from the middle of the interrupted game,
The disadvantage and dissatisfaction of the player can be reliably prevented.

The plurality of sub-control means include sound control means for controlling a sound generator, and the main control means transmits a control command relating to sound to the sound control means. Even if the sound control command transmitted from the main control unit becomes defective due to a power failure, the sound control command can be retransmitted when returning from the power failure, so that the sound control can be continued from the middle of the game interrupted by the power failure. Therefore, the sound effect for the player can be sufficiently exhibited.

Further, the plurality of sub-control means include a lamp control means for controlling a plurality of lamps, and the main control means transmits a control command relating to lamp lighting to the lamp control means. If the lamp control command sent from the main control unit becomes defective due to a power failure, the lamp control command can be retransmitted when returning from the power failure, so that the lamp lighting or blinking is interrupted by the power failure during the game , The game characteristics for the player can be sufficiently exhibited.

In the case where the main control means transmits a control command to each sub-control means by one-way communication (claim 7), the main control means adopts the one-way communication of the control command to stop the symbol. In addition to the above, it is possible to reliably prevent improper operation, to significantly reduce the control load of the main control means, and to simplify the transmission control.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is an example of the case where the present invention is applied to a so-called card-type ball game machine installed in an island structure of a game store, and the island structure provided in a pachinko hall includes: A card-type ball rental machine is installed in a sandwich and is electrically connected to a pachinko machine.

As shown in FIG. 1, a pachinko machine 2 which is a card type ball game machine has a rectangular frame-shaped outer frame 3 and an outer frame 3.
And an outer frame 3 is detachably mounted on an island structure (not shown) in a state in which the card-type ball lending machine 1 is sandwiched between the front frame 4 and the front frame 4 which is pivotally connected to the island structure. .

A game board 5 is detachably mounted on the front frame 4 from the back side, and a glass door 6 having a window 6a and a front plate 7 are pivotally opened and closed corresponding to the front side of the game board 5, respectively. Is being worn. An upper plate 8 for storing game balls for firing is mounted on the front plate 7, and a lower plate 9 for storing game balls overflowing or withdrawn from the upper plate 8, and a firing means 10 below the front frame 4.
Firing handle 11 is provided. The launching means 10 includes a launch handle 11 that can be rotated and a launch motor (not shown) that launches a game ball with a hitting hammer 12 with a hitting force according to the turning angle of the launch handle 11. .

On the right side of the upper plate 8, there is provided an operation panel 13 for operating a ball lending operation for the card-type ball lending machine 1. The operation panel 13 has a card balance for displaying the card balance by a three-digit number. A display unit 13a, a ball lending switch 13b for instructing ball lending of a predetermined amount of game balls, and a return switch 13c for instructing return of a card at the end of the game are provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the game board 5 is provided with a substantially annular guide rail 15 composed of an outer rail and an inner rail made of metal. Color liquid crystal display 16, symbol starting means (symbol starting and winning means) 17, opening and closing winning means (large winning means) 18, a plurality of normal winning means 19 (in this case, in addition to the normal winning means 19 in the upper stage, opening and closing type Winning Means 1
For example, on the left and right sides of 8, for example, six ordinary winning means 19),
Two gates 20 (passing ports) and the like are respectively provided at predetermined positions.

The liquid crystal display 16 functions as a variable symbol display means 22 for displaying a variable symbol and displaying a background image and moving images of various characters. The variable symbol display means 22 displays a background image or a character in an animated manner, and has, for example, three (left, middle, right) symbol display portions 22a to 22c arranged in the left-right direction. On the condition that the ball wins, the display symbols of the symbol display portions 22a to 22c are changed and displayed (scroll display) for a predetermined time, and based on the lottery result according to the winning timing of the game ball to the symbol starting means 17. Stop at the determined stop symbol pattern.

Immediately above the liquid crystal display 16, ordinary winning means 19 and second symbol display means 23 are provided. The second symbol display means 23 has an ordinary symbol display section for displaying one ordinary symbol, and when a game ball passing through the gate 20 is detected, the symbol displayed on the ordinary symbol display section fluctuates for a predetermined time. When the game ball passes through the gate 20, a stop symbol determined by a lottery value selected by lottery is displayed and stopped. Symbol starting means 1
Reference numeral 7 denotes an electric tulip provided with a pair of left and right openable pawls 17a that can be opened and closed, and when the stop symbol after the change of the second symbol display means 23 hits the symbol, the open / close nail 17 is opened.
a is opened for a predetermined time, and it becomes easy to win a prize.

The open / close prize means 18 has an open / close plate 18a which can be opened forward, and when the stop symbol after the change of the variable symbol display means 22 is a hit symbol such as "777", a special game called "big hit". Is started, and the opening / closing plate 18a is opened to the front side. There is a specific area 18b inside the open / close type winning means 18, and when a winning ball passes through the specific area 18b, the special game is continued. Here, the special game state corresponds to a state advantageous to the player, and the normal state other than the special game state corresponds to a state disadvantageous to the player.

After the opening / closing plate 18a of the opening / closing type winning means 18 is opened, a predetermined time has elapsed, or a predetermined number (for example, 1).
(0) when the game ball wins and the opening / closing plate 18a closes, the special game ends when the game ball does not pass through the specific area 18b. The special game is continued up to (for example, 16 times), and is controlled in a state advantageous to the player.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, on the back side of the front frame 4, a back mechanism plate 30 for holding the game board 5 from the back side is detachably mounted. The back mechanism plate 30 has an opening 30a. A winning ball tank 33 and a tank rail 34 extending therefrom are provided on the upper side thereof.
Is provided on a side portion of the back mechanism plate 30, and a passage unit 36 connected to the payout means 35 is provided below the back mechanism plate 30. The game balls paid out from the payout means 35 are paid out to the upper plate 8 from the upper plate outlet 8a via the passage unit 36.

At the opening 30a of the back mechanism plate 30, a back cover 37 mounted on the back side of the game board 5 and the winning means 17 to
A winning ball discharge gutter (not shown) for discharging the game ball winning the 19 is fitted to each. A main control board 39 is disposed inside a case 38 attached to the back cover 37,
A symbol control board 40 is provided on the front side. The case 4 attached to the back cover 37 under the main control board 39
A lamp control board 42 is provided inside 1a, and a sound control board 43 is provided inside a case 41b adjacent to the case 41a.

A power supply board 45 and a payout control board 46 are provided inside the case 44 mounted on the back mechanism plate 30 below the cases 41a and 41b. Further, a firing control board 48 is provided inside a case 47 mounted on the rear side of the firing means 10. That is, these control boards 39-40, 42-43, 45-46, 48
Are independent boards. Each of the control boards 39, 40, 42, 43, and 46 except the power supply board 45 and the emission control board 48 is provided with a microcomputer having a ROM, a RAM, and a CPU.

The main control board 39 and other control boards 40,
42 to 43, 45 to 46, and 48 are electrically connected to the control boards 40, 42, 43, and 46 from the main control board 39 to the control boards 40, 42, 43, and 46, respectively. Various control commands to be executed can be transmitted by one-way communication. By adopting the one-way communication of the control command, it is possible to reliably prevent the improper operation related to the symbol stop, to significantly reduce the control load of the main control unit 50, and to simplify the transmission control. Next, various functions achieved through a plurality of control programs stored in advance in the control device of the pachinko machine 2 will be described with reference to a functional block diagram of FIG. However, these various functions are achieved by the aforementioned microcomputer or the like.

The main control means 50 formed on the main control board 39 transmits and outputs a symbol control command to the symbol control means 60, and controls various game components and game ball detection switches provided on the game board 5. It mainly controls game control related to input and output of signals. The symbol control unit 60 configured on the symbol control board 40 executes display control for displaying various moving images and background images on the liquid crystal display 16 based on the symbol control command transmitted from the main control unit 50. The symbols on the symbol display units 22a to 22c are variably controlled, and the symbol display unit 22a is controlled by a designated stop symbol.
Stop control is performed for fluctuations of .about.22c.

The payout control means 70 provided on the payout control board 46 controls the payout of the game balls by the payout means 35. The lamp control means 71 configured on the lamp control board 42 controls lighting of a lamp group LP including a large number of display lamps provided on the game board 5 and the like. The sound control means 72 configured on the sound control board 43
It is responsible for sound output for various sound effects by a speaker SP (corresponding to a sound generator). The launch control means 73 configured on the launch control board 48 controls the launch control of the game ball by driving the launch motor. Here, these control means 60, 70 to 72 and the like correspond to a plurality of sub-control means.

The main control means 50 includes a lottery means 51, a judgment means 52, a special game generating means 53, and a probability varying means 5.
4, command output means 55, and command retransmission unit 56
And the like, and can control the driving of the payout control means 70, the lamp control means 71, the sound control means 72, the emission control means 73, and the like as necessary. The lottery means 51
A minute update cycle (for example, about 2
By updating the numerical value in a predetermined range (for example, 0 to 299) in the msec cycle, and extracting the numerical value when the game ball has won the symbol starting means 17, a lottery regarding a hit or miss is performed.

The judging means 52 determines which one of "big hit" and "missing (including missing reach)" based on the lottery value supplied from the lottery means 51 when the game ball has won the symbol starting means 17. Is determined. For example, when the lottery value is a predetermined specific value “71”, it is determined to be “big hit”, and when it is a large number of other values, it is determined to be “out”. Special game generating means 53
When a special judgment result such as a big hit is received from the judging means 52, or when the stopped symbol after the change of the changing symbol display means 22 becomes a specific display such as a big hit symbol, the opening / closing type is determined by a predetermined special game generating program. By operating the open / close plate 18a of the winning means 18 as described above, a special game for giving a profit state to the player is executed.

The probability varying means 54, when receiving the special judgment result of "big hit" from the judging means 52, sets the probability when the "big hit" is a predetermined probability changing symbol (for example, an odd number of big hit symbols). The fluctuation mode is set, and the number of the specific numerical values to be the big hit by the lottery means 51 is increased from the normal time until the next or next big hit or until the symbol fluctuates a predetermined number of times, so that the big hit probability is increased. The command output unit 55 receives the lottery result from the determination unit 52, transmits the symbol control command (two-byte configuration) shown in FIG. 6 to the symbol control unit 60 when the symbol changes, and shows in FIG. 7 when paying out the game balls. The payout control command (2-byte configuration) is transmitted to the payout control means 70.

The one-byte hit / miss data is "probability variable jackpot", "non-stochastic variable jackpot", and "miss" data, and the one-byte variable time data is the time required for symbol change ( For example, 4
0 seconds, 60 seconds, etc.). Further, although not shown, the command output unit 55 transmits a lamp control command (two-byte configuration) to the lamp control unit 71 when the lamp group LP is turned on, and a sound control command (two-byte configuration) when the speaker SP sounds. )
Is transmitted to the sound control means 72.

The command retransmitting section 56 is for retransmitting a control command that has become incomplete at the time of a power failure, and includes a command storage section 56a and a retransmission determining section 56b. The command storage unit 56a is a memory composed of several bytes for receiving and storing the control command that has become incompletely transmitted from the command output unit 55. Also, the retransmission determination unit 56
b has a timer for counting the time required for writing the control command transmitted from the start of transmission of the control command by the command output means 55 to the memory and completing the transmission, and determines whether or not retransmission of the control command is necessary. Things.

The symbol control means 60 includes a stop symbol determination means 6
1, a symbol control command transmitted from the command output unit 55 is received, and the symbol variation in each of the symbol display units 22a to 22c of the variable symbol display unit 22 is controlled based on the symbol control command. This stop symbol determining means 61
To briefly explain, in the fluctuation pattern table,
"Probability-variable jackpot", "Non-probability-type jackpot",
A plurality of pattern data are stored for each of "missing reach" and "missing normal", and based on the "hit / miss data" included in the symbol control command, any one of the corresponding jackpot pattern or the missing pattern is used. Is determined by lottery.

Next, the power supply board 45 will be described with reference to FIG. A plurality of transformers are provided for each island structure installed in the pachinko hall, and a low-voltage AC voltage (for example, 24 V AC) is supplied to the power supply board 45 of the pachinko machine 2 from the transformers. The power supply board 45 includes a voltage supply circuit 75, a power supply monitoring circuit 76 including a microcomputer, and a backup power supply circuit 77.
Etc. are provided. The voltage supply circuit 75 generates 24 V DC for driving an actuator such as a solenoid, and 5 V DC supplied to an IC chip such as a CPU or a ROM of a microcomputer.
9 to 40, 42 to 43, 46, etc.

The power supply monitoring circuit 76 receives the supplied AC24
V is directly read to constantly monitor the supply voltage, and when the supply voltage drops to a predetermined value (for example, 15 to 20 V) due to a power failure or the like, a voltage abnormality signal VS is output to output the main control board 39 and the payout control board. It is supplied to the CPU provided at 46 as the highest priority interrupt (NMI). As a result, in the main control unit 50 and the payout control unit 70, when returning from the power failure, a backup process for storing in the RAM the data to be stored and required to restart the game interrupted by the power failure is executed, and the CPU is stopped. State (standby state).

The backup power supply circuit 77 has a backup power supply composed of a capacitor and the like, and constantly supplies 5 V DC from the backup power supply to the main control board 39 and the payout control board 46. That is, these main control boards 39
Since the backup voltage is always supplied to the + 5V line of the payout control board 46, even if a power failure occurs, the data stored in the RAM is stored and held, and the operation stop state of the CPU is reliably held. You. However, the backup operation by the backup power supply circuit 77 can be continued for a long time.

Next, a retransmission determination control routine executed by the retransmission determination unit 56b of the command retransmission unit 56 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This control is started each time the control command transmission from the command output unit 55 to any of the symbol control unit 60, the payout control unit 70, the lamp control unit 71, and the sound control unit 72 is started. However, the symbol Si (i = 10, 11, 12)
...) are steps. When this control is started,
First, a predetermined time (for example, 100 msec) is set in the timer for timer operation, and a timer operation (subtraction count operation) is executed (S10).

Next, when the timer has not timed out (S11: No), the voltage abnormality signal VS is not output from the power supply monitoring circuit 76, and when no power failure occurs (S12: No), S11 to S12 are performed. It is executed repeatedly. When the timer times out without a power failure (S11: Yes), the control is terminated and the process returns to the main routine. In this case, the main control unit 50
A power failure does not occur within a predetermined time after a control command is transmitted from the sub-control unit 60, and the control command transmitted by the sub-control means 60, 70 to 72 at the transmission destination can be reliably received and stored in the RAM without fail. The game control according to the command can be executed.

By the way, when the power failure occurs by receiving the voltage abnormality signal VS before the timer times out, for example, only the first payout command data (1 byte) of the payout control command consisting of 2 bytes from the main control means 50 is transmitted. When a power failure occurs during transmission to the payout control means 70 and transmission failure occurs in the payout control command (S11: N
o, S12: Yes), the control command having the transmission failure is stored in the command storage unit 56a (S13), and the control is terminated. At this time, although a power failure has occurred, all data stored in the RAMs of the main control board 39 and the payout control board 46 is stored and held by the backup power supply. The payout control means 70 deletes one byte of defective data.

Next, a command retransmission control routine executed by the command retransmission unit 56 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When returning from a power failure, each of the control means 39 to 40, 42 to 4 is controlled by a system reset signal from a system reset output circuit (not shown).
The CPUs 3 and 46 are activated, and the command retransmission control is executed. When this control is started, first, the command storage unit 56a is searched, and when the control command in which the transmission failure has occurred is not stored (S20: No), the control is immediately terminated and the process returns to the main routine.

However, when the control command of the transmission failure is stored (S20: Yes), only the control command determined to need to be retransmitted is sent to the sub-control means 40, 42 to 43, 46 of the transmission destination. The control command is retransmitted (S21), and the retransmitted control command is deleted in the command storage unit 56a (S22). As described above, since the command retransmitting unit 56 is provided in the main control unit 50, even if a transmission failure occurs due to a power failure while a control command is being transmitted from the main control unit 50, this command is returned when the power failure is restored. Since the control command that has become inadequate is retransmitted, it is possible to resume without interruption from the middle of the game control interrupted by the power failure when the power supply is restored, and it is possible to reliably prevent the disadvantage of the player and the game hall, The occurrence of trouble can be prevented.

The command re-transmitting section 56 stores a control command that has become incompletely transmitted.
And a retransmission determination unit 56b that determines whether retransmission of the control command is necessary. Since the control command that the retransmission determination unit 56b determines that retransmission is necessary is retransmitted, The control command that has become incompletely transmitted can be securely stored in the command storage unit 56a without omission, and only the control command that the retransmission determination unit 56b determines to need to be retransmitted can be retransmitted. It is possible to reliably prevent a command from being dropped or duplicate transmission.

That is, even if the payout control command transmitted from the main control means 50 becomes defective due to a power failure,
The payout control command is retransmitted when returning from the power failure, and the payout of the game balls is accurately performed without shortage, so that the disadvantage of the player can be reliably prevented. In addition, even if the symbol control command transmitted from the main control unit 50 becomes defective due to the power failure, the symbol control command is retransmitted when returning from the power failure,
As a result, a symbol change such as a big hit can be continued from the middle of the game interrupted by the power outage, so that disadvantages and dissatisfaction of the player can be reliably prevented.

Even if the sound control command transmitted from the main control means 50 becomes defective due to a power failure, the sound control command is retransmitted when returning from the power failure, so that the sound control command is interrupted due to the power failure. , The sound effect for the player can be sufficiently exerted. Furthermore, even if the lamp control command transmitted from the main control unit 50 becomes defective due to a power failure, the lamp control command can be retransmitted when returning from the power failure, so that the lighting or blinking of the lamp is interrupted due to the power failure. Since the game can be continued from the middle, the game property for the player can be sufficiently exhibited.

Next, a description will be given of a modified embodiment in which the above-described embodiment is partially modified. 1] Various control commands such as symbol control commands are not limited to the 2-byte configuration, and may be composed of data of 3 bytes or more. 2) The time measured by the transmission completion timer is 10
It may be set shorter or longer than 0 msec.
Alternatively, the transmission completion time of the timer may be set to be long, and it may be determined that the transmission is to be performed again even when a power failure occurs immediately after the transmission.

3) The low-voltage AC voltage (for example, 24 VAC) supplied to the power supply board 45 is set to a predetermined value (for example, about 20 V).
It is also possible to determine that a power failure has occurred even when the power supply voltage has dropped to V), and to retransmit a control command that has become incomplete when transmission is restored. 4] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications may be added without departing from the gist of the present invention. Further, the present invention is not limited to pachinko machines, but also arrange ball machines, turning machines, etc. The present invention can be applied to various types of gaming machines.

[0052]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a main control unit and a plurality of sub-control units respectively configured on a control board different from the main control unit, and the main control unit has a command retransmission unit. Even if a power failure occurs during or immediately after transmission of a control command from the main control means and transmission failure occurs, the transmission-defective control command is retransmitted when returning from the power failure, When returning from the power failure, the game control can be restarted without any trouble from the middle of the game control interrupted by the power failure, and the disadvantages of the player and the playground can be reliably prevented, and the occurrence of trouble can be prevented.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the command retransmitting section includes a command storage section for storing a control command having a transmission failure, and a retransmission determining section for determining whether the control command needs to be retransmitted. Since the control command determined by the retransmission determination unit to need to be retransmitted is retransmitted, the control command that has become incomplete due to the occurrence of a power failure can be securely stored in the command storage unit without leakage. Only the control command that the retransmission determination unit determines that retransmission is necessary can be retransmitted, and dropping of the control command that has become insufficient for transmission and duplicate transmission can be reliably prevented. Other effects similar to those of the first aspect are obtained.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the plurality of sub control means include payout control means for performing payout control for paying out game balls, and the main control means instructs to pay out a predetermined number of game balls. Is transmitted to the payout control means, the payout control command transmitted from the main control means can be retransmitted when returning from the power failure, even if the transmission control command transmitted from the main control means becomes incomplete due to the power failure. Is performed without shortage, and disadvantages of the player can be surely prevented. Other Claim 1
Or, the same effect as that of 2 is achieved.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the plurality of sub-control means include a symbol control means for controlling a variable symbol display means for displaying a symbol in a variable manner at the time of winning, and the main control means includes a control relating to the symbol variation. Since the command is transmitted to the symbol control means, even if the symbol control command transmitted from the main control means becomes incomplete due to a power failure, this symbol control command can be retransmitted when returning from the power failure, thereby changing the symbol fluctuation Can continue from the middle of the interrupted game,
The disadvantage and dissatisfaction of the player can be reliably prevented.
Other effects similar to those of any one of the first to third aspects are exhibited.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the plurality of sub-control means include a sound control means for controlling a sound generator, and the main control means transmits a control command relating to a sound to the sound control means. Even if the sound control command transmitted from the main control unit becomes defective due to a power failure, the sound control command can be retransmitted when returning from the power failure, so that the sound control can be continued from the middle of the game interrupted by the power failure. Therefore, the sound effect for the player can be sufficiently exhibited. Other effects similar to those of any one of the first to fourth aspects are exhibited.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the plurality of sub-control means include a lamp control means for controlling a plurality of lamps, and the main control means transmits a control command relating to lamp lighting to the lamp control means. Therefore, even if the lamp control command sent from the main control unit becomes defective due to a power outage, this lamp control command can be retransmitted when returning from the power outage. , The game characteristics for the player can be sufficiently exhibited. In addition, the same effect as any one of the first to fifth aspects is obtained.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the main control means transmits the control command to each sub-control means by one-way communication. In addition to the above, it is possible to reliably prevent improper operation, to significantly reduce the control load of the main control means, and to simplify the transmission control. Other effects similar to those of any one of the first to sixth aspects are exhibited.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pachinko machine (ball game machine) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a game board of the pachinko machine.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the pachinko machine.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the pachinko machine.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a control system of the pachinko machine.

FIG. 6 is a chart for explaining a data configuration of a symbol control command.

FIG. 7 is a table illustrating a data configuration of a payout control command.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a power supply circuit that supplies power from a power supply board.

FIG. 9 is a schematic flowchart of retransmission determination control.

FIG. 10 is a schematic flowchart of command retransmission control.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 pachinko machine (ball game machine) 22 fluctuating symbol display means 50 main control means 51 lottery means 52 determination means 56 command retransmission section 56a command storage section 56b retransmission signal determination section 60 symbol control means 70 payout control means 71 lamp control means 72 sound control means

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A main control means (50) for performing a lottery in connection with a winning of a game ball and selectively determining an advantageous state or a disadvantageous state based on the result of the lottery. Control means
(50) and a plurality of sub-control means (60, 60) each configured on a separate control board (40, 42, 43, 46) and performing game control in accordance with a control command transmitted from the main control means (50). 70 to 72), when a power failure occurs during or immediately after the transmission of the control command from the main control means (50), the control command which has become incomplete when returning from the power failure is reproduced. A gaming machine characterized in that a command retransmitting section (56) for transmission is provided in the main control means (50). 2. The command retransmitting section (56), wherein a command storage section (5) for storing the control command having the transmission failure.
6a), and a retransmission determination unit (56b) for determining whether retransmission of the control command is necessary, and the control command determined by the retransmission determination unit (56b) to require retransmission is retransmitted. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The plurality of sub-control means (60, 70 to 72),
Payout control means (70) for performing payout control for paying out game balls
3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the main control means (50) transmits a control command for paying out a predetermined number of game balls to the payout control means (70). 4. The plurality of sub-control means (60, 70-72)
Including a symbol control means (60) for controlling a variable symbol display means (22) for displaying a symbol at the time of winning, the main control means (50) transmits a control command related to the symbol change to the symbol control means (60). The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein 5. The plurality of sub-control means (60, 70 to 72)
A sound control means (72) for controlling a sound generator (SP), wherein the main control means (50) transmits control commands related to the sound to the sound control means (72). 4. The gaming machine according to any one of 4. 6. The plurality of sub-control means (60, 70 to 72),
2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising lamp control means for controlling the plurality of lamps, wherein the main control means transmits a control command related to lamp lighting to the lamp control means. A gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5. 7. The main control means (50) includes a sub-control means (6
The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control command is transmitted to the communication device (0, 70 to 72) by one-way communication.