JP2001259211A - Game machine with prepaid card unit attached thereto - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine which can annunciate proper information to a player even in the case where zero residue of cards or the like, an alarming situation, occurs in a type with a prepaid card unit attached thereto. SOLUTION: A card information display device 21 for showing card renting information is arranged on the front of an upper tray 5 of a game machine body 1 or the like, a position visually reconizable by a player. As a result, a sufficient information display area is secured and when an alarming situation occurs as for a prepaid card unit 30, proper information adptable to the stuation can be annunciated by the card information display device 21.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine provided with a prepaid card unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a pachinko machine, a prepaid card is widely used, and a prepaid card in which predetermined remaining number information is stored in advance is inserted into a reading port of a prepaid card unit device adjacent to a pachinko machine. Then, within the range of the remaining number information, a desired number of game balls are lent out,
Released on the upper plate.

On the other hand, a game machine has a 7-segment LED.
A card information display comprising a display is provided, and the number of remaining cards (number) stored in the card inserted into the reading slot is displayed. When an abnormality occurs or the remaining card number becomes zero, the remaining card portion (number) blinks and the card is automatically ejected.

[0004]

In such a configuration,
As the card information display, a small simple display such as the above-described 7-segment LED display has been applied. For this reason, this LED display has a low display capability, and when a cautionary situation such as when the number of remaining cards is exhausted or a failure occurs, appropriate information corresponding to the situation is notified. There is a limit, and when the alert situation occurs, the notification mode is such that only the remaining card portion (number) flashes, and the player can immediately determine what is abnormal even if the ball lending operation is not performed. Could not grasp the situation. Also, even if the player is engrossed in the game and the number of remaining cards becomes zero and the card is ejected from the reading slot, the player continues the game without noticing this, and a big hit occurs without a lending ball. In some cases, the player loses money, which impairs the interest of the player in the game.

The present invention is directed to a gaming machine provided with a prepaid card unit device and capable of notifying a player of appropriate information in the event of an alert such as when the number of remaining cards is zero. It is intended to provide.

[0006]

A gaming machine according to the present invention is provided with a prepaid card unit adjacent to the main body of the gaming machine. The prepaid card unit reads a card in which remaining number information is stored. In a gaming machine in which a game medium such as a game ball is rented out, a pixel group such as a liquid crystal display, a CRT display or a dot matrix display for displaying card lending information at a position visible to a player of the gaming machine main body. , A card information display device having a display area configured by the following. The card information display is displayed in various display forms such as letters, numbers, and designs, which makes it easy to judge the situation at a glance, and alleviates the disadvantage of the player related to the number of remaining cards.

Since this card information display has a high information display function, unlike the 7-segment display, various information may be displayed in addition to the card lending information.

[0008] The various information may be game information related to a game. As a result, the card information and the game information can be notified in a unified manner on the same display, and the player can grasp necessary information by watching only the display.

As a notification mode of the card information display, message information such as a remaining ball message is displayed while performing scroll display, and the arrival of an information portion to be highlighted, such as a remaining ball information portion in the remaining ball message. , The scrolling may be stopped, and the information portion may be stopped and displayed. That is, a scroll display is considered as a notification mode with a high appealing power. However, if the remaining ball message is long, the full text may not be displayed on the card information display due to a limit of its display capability. In this case, there is no problem even if the display capability is limited by sequentially performing scroll display. Further, the scrolling is stopped when the information part to be highlighted such as the remaining ball information part in the remaining ball message arrives, and the information part is stopped and displayed, so that the important information can be continuously displayed. Further, according to such a display mode, the dynamic expression by the scroll and the static expression by the stop display are converted and executed, so that the appeal to the player is further improved.

[0010] When the notification mode of the card information display is a notification content that should draw the player's attention, such as when the remaining number of cards is zero or near to the player, the normal state in the normal state The information may be displayed in an abnormal notification mode different from the notification mode. In this case, the player can easily recognize the emergency information. As this abnormality notification form,
It is proposed to notify the user while blinking the display content.

Further, as the card information display, a symbol display device including a group of pixels such as a liquid crystal display, a CRT display or a dot matrix display can be used. That is, in a case where the symbols displayed on the symbol display device are in a specific combination, a configuration (so-called one-type pachinko gaming machine, two-type pachinko gaming machine) that provides a predetermined profit to the player is well known. However, this symbol display device may be used as a card information display, in this case,
If a warning situation occurs, such as when the number of remaining cards is zero or near, use unused parts on the display surface of the symbol display device, and furthermore, the symbol accompanying the occurrence of the warning situation The card information is displayed, for example, by reducing the display and securing the abnormality notification surface. In addition, various usage forms are conceivable.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a card-type pachinko gaming machine in which a narrow-width prepaid card unit device 30 is adjacent to the left side of a gaming machine main body 1. The gaming machine main body 1 has a front frame 2, A disc 3 is provided, and a lower portion is provided with upper and lower trays 5 and 6 disposed on an upper tray panel 4 at upper and lower sides, and a firing handle 7 is provided at the lower right.

The game board 3 is provided with a liquid crystal display device for displaying a plurality of symbols, a symbol display device 10 including a dot matrix, a CRT, and the like. When a ball enters the special operation area 11, the symbol display device is displayed. The ten symbols fluctuate, and a specific symbol combination is expressed with the stop of the fluctuation. When a ball continuously passes through the special operation area 11, winning storage can be performed up to a predetermined number, and the symbol display device 10 also fluctuates even when the winning memory is consumed. And
When a predetermined symbol combination is achieved, the special winning opening 12 is opened and a big hit operation is generated.

The upper tray 5 stores game balls and the like as shown in an enlarged manner in FIG. 2. The game balls are arranged in a line by a guide path, and are sequentially provided on the back surface of the upper tray panel 4. Through the rectifier to the launch position. When a payout operation is performed by inserting a prepaid card in which predetermined remaining number information is stored in the card reading slot 31 of the prepaid card unit device 30 and performing a payout operation, the payout control device (see FIG. The game ball is paid out via (4). Further, the prize ball by the winning is also supplied to the upper tray 5, and when the upper tray 5 is full, it is discharged to the lower lower tray 6.

A card reading port 31 is provided at a lower portion of the prepaid card unit device 30 installed adjacent to the left side of the gaming machine main body 1. A card reader / writer 32 for reading and rewriting information on a card inserted into the card reading port 31 is provided inside the card reading port 31 together with a card ejection device 33.

Next, the main part of the present invention will be described. Figure 1
As shown by 2, the upper tray 5 displays a lending button 20a and a return button 20b, which are lending control operation buttons for operating the card at a position visible to the player, and information about the card and various information. And a card information display 21 which can perform the operation.

Here, when the card having the remaining number is inserted into the card reading slot 31 and the remaining ball information is read by the card reader / writer 32, the remaining ball is pressed by pressing the ball lending button 20a which is a lending control operation button. A desired number of game balls within the number range are discharged to the upper tray 5. At this time, when the ball lending button 20a is pressed once, when a lending request signal from the prepaid card unit device 30 is input to the payout control device, the ball lending solenoid (see FIG. 4) is operated, and 25 The game balls are paid out to the upper tray. This operation is performed when the lending amount of the ball lending button is set to 100 yen. If the player presses the ball lending button 20a three times, for example, the above operation is repeated three times, and the lending ball for 300 yen is obtained. Will be paid out. With this payout, the remaining ball information of the card is rewritten by the card reader / writer 32. When the return button 20b, which is a lending control operation button, is pressed, the card ejection device 33 (see FIG. 4) is driven to eject the card from the card reading slot 31.

In this configuration, on the front face of the upper tray 5, the card information display 21 is provided adjacent to a ball lending button 20a, which is a lending control operation button, and a return button 20b. As a result, the information display and the control for responding to the display content are performed in the same place,
The operation of pressing the lending control operation button in accordance with the information content by the card information display 21 can be smoothly performed, and it can be confirmed while playing the game that the number of game balls has been reduced, and further, the ball lending button 20a is pressed while playing the game. By pressing
A game ball is provided in the upper receiving tray 5. When the game is to be ended, the card is collected by pressing the return button 20b.

In the present embodiment, the card information display 21 uses a dot matrix LED display composed of 7 vertical LED groups and 65 horizontal LED groups. The card information display 21 scrolls the left ball message x from the right end to the left end within a preset time according to the current situation, and when a specific character portion is displayed at the left end, the scroll display is displayed. The game is stopped, and only the remaining ball information portion y that the player particularly wants to know is displayed. The remaining ball message x is displayed until the next operation is performed.

As a specific notification mode of the card information display 21, as shown in FIG. 3, message information x such as a remaining ball message is displayed while performing scroll display (FIG. 3, a) and a message There is proposed a configuration in which the scrolling is stopped when the remaining ball information portion y in the information x to be highlighted is displayed (FIG. 3C), and the remaining ball information portion y is stopped and displayed. Here, the scroll speed may be, for example, 200 m / s as a design value. For example, when a card is inserted into the card reading slot 31 of the prepaid card unit device 30, the card information display 21
Says, "There are 25 cards left."
The scroll display is performed at the speed of 0 m / s. When the scrolled character "remaining" is displayed at the left end, scrolling is stopped, and the ball lending button 20a is operated only for the character part "remaining 25" which is the information part to be highlighted. Or the remaining ball information portion y is lit up until a big hit occurs.

As described above, scrolling can be considered as a high appealing notification mode. However, if the message information x is long, it may be impossible to display the entire text on the card information display 21 at the same time. In this case, the scrolling is stopped in response to the arrival of the remaining ball information portion y (the information portion to be emphasized) in the message information x, while the scrolling display is sequentially performed, and the remaining ball information portion is stopped and displayed. Important information can be displayed continuously, and there is no problem even if the display capacity is limited. In addition, according to such a display mode, the dynamic expression by scrolling and the static expression by stop display are converted and executed, so that the appeal to the player is further improved.

When the notification mode of the card information display 21 is a notification content that calls attention to the player, such as when the number of remaining balls on the card becomes zero or near the same, It may be displayed in an abnormal notification mode different from the normal notification mode at the time, in this case, the player,
Emergency information can be easily recognized.

As an abnormality notification mode, a method of notifying while flashing the display content is proposed. Here, as shown in FIG. 3 described above, when the message information x is scroll-displayed, the abnormality notification mode for calling the player's attention scrolls from the right end to the left end while blinking characters. Display. The scroll speed at this time is 200 m / s as in the normal case, and the blinking speed is 30 m.
/ S.

When the number of remaining cards is 1, for example, the card information display scrolls and flashes "Card is 1 remaining" on the card information display, and the character of "remaining" reaches the left end. Then, "1 remaining" until the next operation is performed.
Is blinking, so you can see at a glance that the state is different from the normal state.

When the number of remaining cards becomes 0, a message "Please purchase a new card" may be displayed as an abnormality notification mode. By this display, even if the card is automatically ejected, the player can determine at a glance that the card has been ejected. If no card is inserted for a certain period of time, the message is displayed as a message indicating "Please insert a card and start the game" as an anomaly notification form until the card is inserted. Is also good. If the remaining number of cards is sufficiently large, the normal notification mode in a normal state is set without blinking as described above.

Various other information to be displayed on the card information display 21 is proposed, and the display contents are not limited to the above-described embodiments, but may be variously modified without departing from the gist of the present invention. It can be implemented. When there is no need to display card information, such as when a card is not inserted into the card reading slot 31, the in-store information is displayed, or game information such as payout information and ball jam information is displayed. Further, general information such as weather forecast and sports information may be displayed. As described above, when various types of information are also displayed, the amount of information irrelevant to the card information is large, and it is difficult for the notification content to call attention to the player to be transmitted to the player. By using the notification mode, it is possible to clearly distinguish the card from the normal notification mode irrelevant to the abnormal normal state of the card, and the usefulness of the abnormality notification mode is improved.

The card information display is also used in combination with the above-described symbol display device 10 constituted by a pixel group such as a liquid crystal display, a CRT display, or a dot matrix display for changing and displaying the symbols. be able to. In this configuration, if an alert situation such as the remaining ball of the card becomes zero occurs, an unused portion is used on the display surface of the symbol display device 10, and furthermore, a symbol display is performed in accordance with the occurrence of the alert situation. , The information notification surface is secured, and the above-described card information is displayed. Further, the card information may be notified in such a manner as to overwrite the display area of the symbol display device 10. In this case, interference with other functional areas such as a special symbol display area of the symbol display device is not hindered. Therefore, a large display area can be secured. As described above, when a partial area of the symbol display device 10 is used as a card information display, the symbol display device 10 is a place where the player is always watching closely, so that the remaining ball status of the card is displayed. , Without distracting the game.

The operation control of the card information display 21 and the like is controlled by a card processing control unit 40, a payout control unit 45, a main control unit 50, etc., each having a central processing unit CPU shown in FIG. Here, a card reader / writer 32 and a card ejection device 33 incorporated in the prepaid card unit device 30 are connected to the card processing control device 40, and further, a ball lending button 20a, a return button 20b, and a card information display 21 are connected. Is done. That is, when a card is inserted into the card reading slot 31, the remaining ball information is read out to the card reader / writer 32, and when the ball lending button 20a is pressed, a payout command is issued to the payout control device 45 when there is a remaining ball. , The payout control device 45
The ball-for-sale solenoid connected to is driven and game balls are delivered to the upper tray 5. With this payout, the number of supplies is subtracted from the remaining ball information, and is written on the card by the card reader / writer 32 as new remaining ball information. Also,
The remaining ball information is displayed on the card information display 21 by the card processing control device 40. As described above, under the control of the card processing control device 40, this display mode is displayed in a predetermined display mode such as a scroll display by discriminating between the normal notification mode and the abnormality notification mode in accordance with the information. The required information is notified to the person. When the return button 20b is pressed with the end of the game, the card ejection device 33 is driven by the drive designation of the card processing control device 40, and the card is ejected from the card reading opening 31. In addition, the payout control device 45 is connected to the main control device 50 because it is controlled by winning or the like. In addition, a ball-lending sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a ball-lending and a ball-lending-out switch are also connected to the payout control device 45.

Although the above-described embodiment has been described with respect to an example in which the present invention is applied to a pachinko game machine, the present invention can be applied to a game machine requiring various game media such as a throttle game machine using medals as a game medium.

[0030]

According to the gaming machine of the present invention, a card information display for displaying card lending information is provided at a position on the gaming machine main body which can be visually recognized by a player. In the case where an alert situation regarding the prepaid card unit device occurs, the card information display device can notify appropriate information that can respond to the situation.

If various information is displayed on the card information display in addition to the card lending information, the usefulness of the display is improved, and the various information is used for games. In the case of related game information, card information and game information can be notified in a unified manner on the same display, and the player can easily obtain required information by watching only the card information display. You can figure out.

Further, when a symbol display device is used as the card information display device, the usefulness of the symbol display device is improved. Further, it is not necessary to separately provide a card information display device, and the configuration can be made at a low cost.

As a notification mode of the card information display, message information is displayed while performing scroll display, scrolling is stopped when an information portion to be highlighted in the message arrives, and the information portion is stopped and displayed. In such a case, important information is continuously displayed and its confirmation is facilitated. Further, according to this display mode, a dynamic expression by scrolling and a static expression by stop display are converted and executed. By this large display change, the appeal to the player is further improved.

Further, as a notification mode of the card information display, when an alert situation occurs, it may be displayed in an abnormal notification mode different from the normal notification mode in the normal state. The player can easily recognize the emergency information.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a pachinko machine.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of an upper receiving tray.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a display mode of scroll display by the card information display 21.

FIG. 4 is a block circuit diagram.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Game machine main body 5 Upper tray 20a Ball lending button 20b Return button 21 Card information display 30 Prepaid card unit device 31 Card reading port 40 Card processing control device

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A game in which a prepaid card unit is provided adjacent to a game machine main body, and a game medium such as a game ball is lent out by reading a card storing remaining number information by the prepaid card unit. A card information display having a display area composed of a pixel group such as a liquid crystal display, a CRT display, or a dot matrix display for displaying card lending information at a position visible to a player of the gaming machine main body. A gaming machine provided with a prepaid card unit device. 2. A gaming machine provided with a prepaid card unit device according to claim 1, wherein the card information display device displays various information in addition to the card lending information. 3. A gaming machine provided with a prepaid card unit device according to claim 2, wherein the various information is game information related to the game. 4. The notification mode of the card information display device displays message information such as a remaining ball message while performing scrolling display, and stops scrolling when an information portion desired to be highlighted in the message information arrives. 4. A gaming machine provided with a prepaid card unit device according to claim 1, wherein the information portion is stopped and displayed. 5. When the notification mode of the card information display is a notification mode to alert the player, the card information display is displayed in an abnormal notification mode different from the normal notification mode in the normal state. A gaming machine provided with the prepaid card unit device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 6. A gaming machine provided with a prepaid card unit device according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality notification mode is to notify the user while blinking display contents. . 7. A card information display, a liquid crystal display, a CRT
7. The prepaid card unit device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is configured by a symbol display device having a display area configured by a pixel group such as a display device or a dot matrix display device. Gaming machine.