JP2001299996A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine capable of appropriately coping with such foul play that a game medium may foully be paid out in the game machine in which a game is carried out using a game medium and a particular game state that the possibility of paying out the game medium is increased as a game state can be generated. SOLUTION: When a pachinko-slot machine 10 is in a particular prize state or within a predetermined time from a finishing of the particular prize state or when it is in the state of executing a credit clearing off or within a predetermined time from a finishing of the credit clearing off, a supply request permission mode is permitted. The supply request permission mode is forbidden at the time other than the above case. In the case where a lack of coin storage amount in a hopper device 80 is detected by a coin lack sensor 83 when the supply request permission mode is forbidden, an abnormality is judged to be produced and a measure (forbidding of transmittance of coin supply request signal and an informing by an abnormality informing lamp 35) is taken to counter the abnormality.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a gaming machine capable of playing a game using a game medium and generating a special game state in which the possibility of paying out the game medium increases as a game state. The present invention relates to an improvement that can appropriately cope with fraudulent acts to be paid out.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Game media (for example, coins, game balls, etc.)
A gaming machine (e.g., a pachislot machine, a ball-and-ball gaming machine, etc.) playing a game using a normal gaming state as a gaming state, and the possibility of paying out game media increases as compared to the normal gaming state. There is a game machine that can be switched between a special game state (big hit state).

For example, in a pachislot machine, coins (medals) as game media are paid out from a hopper device as a payout mechanism in accordance with the progress of the game. When the game is switched from a normal game state to a special game state, The amount of paying out coins to the player is greatly increased. Thus, the amount of coins stored in the hopper device is constantly increasing and decreasing due to the balance between coin insertion by the player and coin payout to the player, but a large number of coins are paid out due to the occurrence of a special game state. When the coins in the hopper device run short, a signal requesting coin supply is transmitted from the pachislot machine to the game medium supply device (coin supply device), and the coin supply from the coin supply device is responded to in response to the request signal. Will be done.

[0004]

By the way, in such a game machine, the payout mechanism of the game medium is operated erroneously,
A fraudulent act of illegally paying out coins may be performed. Once such an illegal payout is made, the game media for which the payout has run out of game balls will be replenished with game media one after another from the game media supply device, so that damage (payout of game media) will occur. Amount) may endlessly increase.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and a game can be played using a game medium, and a special game state in which the possibility of paying out the game medium increases as a game state can be generated. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple gaming machine capable of properly coping with an illegal act of paying out game media illegally.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gaming machine in which a game is played using a game medium and a special game state in which a possibility of paying out the game medium is increased as a game state is provided. When the storage amount detecting means for detecting that the storage amount of the game medium in the gaming machine is insufficient, and when the storage amount detection means detects the shortage of the game medium storage amount even though the gaming state is not the special gaming state. An abnormality determining means for determining that an abnormality has occurred, and an abnormality handling means for executing a predetermined abnormality handling process when the abnormality determining means has determined that an abnormality has occurred.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a request signal transmitting means for transmitting a request signal for requesting the supply of a game medium to the game medium supply device, and the abnormality handling means is provided with the request signal transmitting means as the abnormality handling processing A transmission inhibiting means for inhibiting transmission of the request signal is provided.

[0008] In the third invention, the abnormality handling means includes an abnormality notifying means for notifying that an abnormality has been determined by the abnormality determining means.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the abnormality determination means does not perform the abnormality determination until a predetermined time elapses after the special gaming state is completed.

[0010] In the fifth invention, a function of holding the payout of the game medium until the settlement is provided, and the abnormality determination means does not perform the abnormality determination while the settlement processing of the game medium payout is being executed. I made it.

In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the abnormality determining means does not perform the abnormality determination until a predetermined time elapses after the settlement processing ends.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is considered that the gaming state is not the special gaming state (the special prize state in the embodiment), but a large amount of the gaming medium is paid out and the gaming medium in the gaming machine becomes insufficient. If a shortage of game media is detected despite that there is no game media, it is determined that improper payout of game media has been performed due to fraudulent acts or breakdowns, etc. do. Therefore, it is possible to accurately and promptly cope with an improper operation of paying out the game medium by illegally operating the game machine or a failure of the game medium payout mechanism of the game machine.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the game medium supply device is not requested to supply the game medium even if the game medium is insufficient in the game machine at the time of the abnormality determination. Game media resupply continues, and the newly replenished game media is not paid out, and damage (the amount of the paid out game media) can be minimized. Further, when the game medium is extracted from the game machine during the maintenance of the game machine, a request to supply the game medium to the game medium supply device is made as a shortage of the game medium, and the game medium is newly supplied from the game medium supply device. And the processing at the time of maintenance becomes easy.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when an abnormality is determined, a notification is made by the abnormality notification means, so that the occurrence of the abnormality can be quickly known, and the countermeasure can be taken quickly.

In the fourth aspect, the abnormality determination is not performed until a predetermined time has elapsed since the end of the special game state, so that the game medium is insufficient due to the discharge of the game medium in the special game state. (For example, when the shortage of the game medium is detected late) or the like, and the progress of the game is not hindered by the unnecessary abnormality determination.

In the fifth aspect of the present invention, the abnormality determination is not performed during the clearing process, so that the clearing process does not make an unnecessary abnormality determination only when the game media is insufficient. The unnecessary progress of the game does not hinder the progress of the game.

In the sixth aspect of the present invention, the abnormality determination is not performed until a predetermined time elapses after the settlement processing is completed. Therefore, the game medium is discharged due to the discharge of the game medium by the settlement processing executed immediately before. Unnecessary abnormality determination is not performed only when the shortage is insufficient (for example, when the shortage of the game medium is detected late), and the progress of the game is hindered by such unnecessary abnormality determination. It will not be done.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an island unit 1 to which a pachi-slot machine (slot machine) 10 and a coin supply unit 100 are attached.

As shown, the frame 2 of the island unit 1 is constructed by assembling metal members into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. Four pachislot machines 10 are installed on the mounting member 3 provided on the frame 2. FIG. 1 shows the frame 2
Although only one pachislot machine 10 is shown on the left side of the figure, in actuality, one pachislot machine 10 is provided on the right of the illustrated pachislot machine 10, and further, these left and right pachislot machines 10 are provided.
Are provided with two pachislot machines 10.
A coin lending machine (not shown) is provided between the left and right pachislot machines 10.

A replenishing unit 100 for supplying coins as game media to the pachislot machine 10 includes a coin storage unit 101, a coin lifting device 110, and a lifting rail 11
2. The transport rail 121, the introduction gate 122, the overflow channel 131, the sub-coin storage unit 132, the coin transfer device 133, the coin transfer passage 134, the supply unit control device 150, and the like.

The coin storage section 101 is a coin tank provided below the mounting member 3 and includes four pachislot machines 1.
The coins are collected from the collection gutter 102 provided for each of the coins 0, and new coins can be supplied from the coin loading unit 103. The amount of coins stored in the coin storage unit 101 is detected by a coin storage amount sensor 104 (see FIG. 3).

The coin lifting device 110 includes a coin storage unit 1
01 is a device that lifts the coin in 01 through the coin feeding unit 111 and along the lifting rail 112 to above the pachislot machine 10. The lifting rail 112 is connected to the transport rail 121 when it reaches above the pachislot machine 10. The number of coins in the coin supply section 111 and the lifting rail 112 (the number of coins being lifted) is detected by a lifting coin sensor 114 (see FIG. 3). A coin polishing device 113 is provided near the upper end of the lifting rail 112 so that coins are polished.

The transport rail 121 is disposed above the pachislot machine 10 and is a path for transporting coins along a gentle slope, and is provided with a plurality of introduction gates 122.
These introduction gates 122 are gates for introducing coins in the transport rail 121 to each pachislot machine 10 or coin lending machine, and are opened and closed by energizing a drive mechanism (solenoid). Note that a counting sensor 123 is provided at the start end (entrance) of the transport rail 121 so that the number of coins introduced into the transport rail 121 is counted.

Excess coins not introduced into the pachislot machine 10 or the coin lending machine from the transport rail 121 are supplied to the overflow channel 1 connected to the end of the transport rail 121.
After passing through 31, the water returns to the subcoin storage 132 below the pachislot machine 10. The subcoin storage unit 132 is a coin tank that is larger than the coin storage unit 101, and the coins therein can be transferred to the coin storage unit 101 via the coin transfer path 134 by the coin transfer device 133. The coin storage amount in the subcoin storage unit 132 is detected by a subcoin storage amount sensor 133 (see FIG. 3). The number of coins in the coin transfer device 133 (the number of transferred coins) is detected by a transferred coin sensor 136 (see FIG. 3).

The supply unit control device 150 is provided below the island unit 1 and controls operations of the coin lifting device 110, the introduction gate 122, the coin transfer device 133, and the like to supply coins to each pachislot machine 10. Control.

Detection signals from the coin storage amount sensor 104, the unloading coin sensor 114, the counting sensor 123, the sub coin storage amount sensor 135, and the transfer coin sensor 136 are input to the supply unit control device 150. The replenishment unit control device 150, based on these detection signals,
Lifting device 110, introduction gate 122, coin transfer device 1
A control signal is transmitted to 33 to control these operations.
For example, the introduction gate 122 for the pachislot machine 10 to which coins are to be supplied is opened, and the coins are lifted by the lifting device 112, and the number of coins carried into the transport rail 121 reaches a predetermined number. Counting sensor 123
If the introduction gate 122 is closed when is detected, a predetermined number of coins can be supplied to the pachi-slot machine 10.

The replenishment control (automatic operation) by the replenishment unit control device 150 can be temporarily switched to a manual operation. In this case, the remaining time until the return to the automatic operation is displayed on the information display unit 141 provided above the supply unit control device 150.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the pachislot machine 10.

As shown in the figure, a symbol display window 15 is provided in front of the main body box 11 of the pachi-slot machine 10, and from the symbol display window 15, a left reel 16 arranged in three rows in order from the left. , A part of the center reel 17 and a part of the right reel 18. Each of the left reel 16, the center reel 17, and the right reel 18 has various symbols (colored numbers, various shapes such as a star shape, a heart shape, etc.) arranged in a line in the length direction of the reels. Each is mounted on a separate rotatable metal frame and driven separately. This rotation drive causes the symbol display window 1
The symbol of each reel displayed in 5 is changed.

The left, middle, and right reels 16, 17, and 18 stop in a state where three symbols are displayed in the symbol display window 15 in the vertical direction. That is, the reel 16,
When symbols 17 and 18 are stopped, nine symbols are displayed in the symbol display window 15. As a result, in the symbol display window 15 in the reel stopped state, three stop lines (upper line, middle line, lower line) constituted by three symbols arranged in the horizontal direction and three diagonal lines are displayed.
Two stop lines (lower right line, upper right line) constituted by one symbol are displayed.

A coin slot 21 is provided at the lower right of the symbol display window 15, a start lever 22 is provided at the lower left, a left reel stop button 23, a middle reel stop button 24 is provided at a lower center.
A right reel stop button 25 is provided. Further, a coin outlet 26 and a coin tray 27 are provided below the main body box 11.

In the pachislot game, the player inserts one to three coins from the coin insertion slot 21 and
By operating the start lever 22, three reels 16, 17,
Start rotation drive of 18 and 3 stop buttons 2
By pressing 3, 24, 25, three reels 16,
The rotation of 17, 18 is stopped. Then, at the time of this stop, coins are paid out from the coin outlet 26 to the coin tray 27 in accordance with the combination of the symbols displayed on the respective lines of the symbol display window 15.

More specifically, first, the coin insertion slot 21
Symbol display window 15 according to the number of coins inserted into
Among the five stop lines displayed in, the one that will be the active line is determined. Specifically, the number of coins inserted is 1
In the case of sheets, only the middle line is an effective line. When the number of inserted coins is 2, the upper line and the lower line are effective lines in addition to the middle line. Furthermore, when the number of inserted coins is 3, in addition to these three stop lines, a downward-sloping line and an upward-sloping line are effective lines.

A stop line display lamp 3 is provided on the left side of the symbol display window 15 to indicate that the middle line has become an active line by lighting up (one coin has been inserted).
1 and stop line indicator lamps 32A and 32B arranged above and below the stop line indicator lamp 31 to indicate that the upper line and the lower line have become effective lines (two coins have been inserted), respectively. Stop line indicator lamps 33A and 33B are provided above and below the stop line indicator lamps 32A and 32B, and indicate that the lower right line and the upper right line have become effective lines (three coins have been inserted), respectively. Have been.

After the valid line is set as described above,
When the start lever 22 is operated, a winning lottery process is performed in the gaming machine control device 50 (see FIG. 3). This lottery process is performed, for example, based on the operation timing of the start lever 22. The lottery results are displayed on the left, middle, and right reels 16, 1
It is indicated by a combination of symbols on the active line at the time of stopping at 7 and 18. The fact that the lottery has been won is indicated by the fact that the same type of symbols are arranged on the activated line when the left, middle and right reels 16, 17 and 18 are stopped (for example, in FIG. 2, the number 7 is displayed on the middle line). Are available). Note that in this case, the same lottery result is corresponded so that the reels 16, 17, and 18 can be stopped without a sense of incompatibility with the timing at which the player presses the left, middle, and right reel stop buttons 23, 24, and 25. Reels 16, 17, 18
A plurality of stop patterns (combinations of symbols at the time of stop) are prepared, and an appropriate one is selected from the plurality of patterns at the time of actual stop.

As a result of this hit, the hopper device 8
The coin from 0 (see FIG. 3) is paid out to the coin tray 27 through the coin outlet 26. In this case, the number of coins to be paid out varies depending on the type of the winning, but the type of the winning is indicated by the type of the symbols arranged on the activated line.

In the normal game state (the game state before the occurrence of a particular type of hit), the probability of occurrence of a hit (symbols are aligned on an active line) is determined for each number of coins inserted (the number of coins inserted is large). The higher the probability of hitting, the higher the probability). Since the number of coins to be paid out is determined according to the type of hit as described above, the expected value of the number of coins to be paid out for coin insertion is determined for each number of coins inserted. In this case, the expected value of the number of payouts is set to be smaller than 1, and the number of coins held by the player is reduced by the game.

On the other hand, when a specific type of hit occurs in the normal game state (specific symbols (eg, “777”) are aligned on the activated line), the game is in the special prize state (bonus mode). ), And the expected value of the probability of winning and the number of coins to be paid out is higher than in the normal gaming state. In the special prize state, the expected value of the number of coins to be paid out for coin insertion is set to be larger than 1, and the number of coins held by the player increases.

More specifically, a case will be described in which the occurrence of a special prize state increases the probability of occurrence of one symbol (designated as a "bell" symbol) and consequently increases the expected value of the number of coins to be paid out. . In this case, assuming that the probability of occurrence of the “bell” symbol is 1/30 and the number of payouts is 15 for three coins inserted in the normal gaming state,
The expected value of the number of payouts is 15 × (1/30) / 3 = 1/6, and the number of coins held by the player decreases as the game progresses. On the other hand, when a prize condition occurs,
The probability of occurrence of the hit by the "bell" symbol is increased to 9/10, and the expected value of the number of payouts is 15 × (9/10) / 3 =
4.5, and the number of coins held by the player increases.

The fact that the game has entered the special prize state is indicated by the lighting of the special prize notification lamp 34 above the symbol display window 15.

The prize state may be determined as follows: a predetermined number of hits (excluding a hit generated under the same conditions as in the normal gaming state in the special prize state) based on an increase in the probability of hit occurrence, or after the transition to the prize state. The game ends when a predetermined number of games have been played (from the coin insertion to all operations of the stop buttons 23, 24, and 25 are one game). For example, as described in the above example, in the special prize state, the hit with the “Bell” symbol having an increased probability of occurrence occurs eight times, or the game is played 12 times in total. The special prize state ends.

In connection with the occurrence and termination of the special prize state (validity / invalidity of the bonus mode), a bonus occurrence state is set. This bonus occurrence status is "Running",
The state transitions between three states of “timer updating” and “pausing”. When the pachislot machine 10 is in the special prize state, it is “executing”, and until the predetermined delay time elapses after the special prize state ends. "Timer is being updated", otherwise it is "pausing" (see flowcharts in FIGS. 6 and 9).

An abnormality notification lamp 35 is provided near the left and right upper portions of the main body box. This abnormality notification lamp 35
Indicates that the pachislot machine 10 is in an abnormal state (for example, the pachislot machine 1
When a failure is assumed to have occurred at 0, or when a misconduct has been performed), this is illuminated to notify this.

At the lower left of the symbol display window 15, a credit setting button 41 and bet buttons 42 and 43 are provided. Further, a credit display section 44 is provided at the lower right of the symbol display window 15.

The credit setting button 41 is for using the credit function. Each time the credit setting button 41 is pressed, the credit mode is switched between valid and invalid.

When the credit mode is enabled, the number of coins to be discharged is accumulated as the number of credits instead of stopping the coin from being discharged from the coin discharge port 26. The number of credits can be accumulated up to a predetermined upper limit number (for example, 50), and the accumulated number of credits is displayed on the credit display unit.

The number of credits accumulated in the effective credit mode can be used instead of coin insertion from the coin insertion slot 22 by using the bet buttons 42 and 43. In this case, pressing the bet buttons 42 and 43 corresponds to inserting one and three coins, respectively, and 1 and 3 are respectively subtracted from the number of credits.

On the other hand, when the credit mode is invalidated, the credits up to that point are settled, and the coins having the accumulated number of credits are discharged from the coin discharge slot 26 to the coin tray 27.

A credit settlement state is set in connection with the credit settlement processing. The credit clearing state transitions among three states of “executing”, “timer updating”, and “pausing”. During the execution of the credit clearing process (the process of discharging coins of the number of credits), “ "Executing", "timer updating" until a predetermined delay time elapses from the end of the credit settlement process, and "otherwise" otherwise (see flowcharts in FIGS. 5 and 8).

Further, a replenishment request permission mode in which permission or prohibition can be taken is set based on the above-mentioned bonus generation state and the credit settlement state. Specifically, when both the bonus occurrence state and the credit settlement state are inactive, the replenishment request permission mode is set to prohibition. In other cases (at least one of the bonus occurrence state and the credit settlement state is “executing” or If “timer is being updated”, permission is set in the replenishment request permission mode. (Refer to the flowchart of FIG. 8 for details). In other words, when the pachi-slot machine 10 is not in the special prize state or in the credit settlement, and when a predetermined time or more has elapsed from the end of each of these states, the replenishment request permission mode is prohibited. Become. This replenishment request permission mode is used for abnormality determination described later (see the description of FIG. 3).

As described above, in the present embodiment,
The symbol row is moved and displayed by the mechanical reels 16, 17, and 18. However, the display method of the symbol is not limited to such a form.
Symbols may be displayed as images on a liquid crystal screen or CRT.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the pachi-slot machine (slot machine) 10 and the coin supply unit 100. As shown in FIG.

The gaming machine control device 50 of the pachislot machine 10
It controls the game in the pachislot machine 10,
U, ROM, RAM, interface, etc.

The game machine control device 50 has a detection signal of coin insertion into the coin insertion slot 21 by the insertion coin counting sensor 61, a detection signal of operation of the start lever 22 by the start lever switch 62, and a stop through the interface. Detection signals of operation of the left, middle, and right reel stop buttons 23, 24, 25 by button switches 63, 64, 65, bet button 4 by bet button switches 67, 68
2, a detection signal of the operation of the credit setting button 41 by the credit changeover switch, a detection signal of the reset operation by the reset switch 90, and a detection signal of the occurrence of the shortage of coins by the coin shortage sensor 83 are input.

Based on these detection signals, the gaming machine control device 50 determines a winning lottery, switches the gaming state between the normal gaming state and the special prize state (switches between enabling and disabling the bonus mode), and setting the bonus generating state. In addition to performing processing such as switching, enabling / disabling of a credit mode, switching of a credit settlement state, and switching between permission / prohibition of a replenishment request permission mode, a stop line display lamp 3 is provided.
1, 32A, 32B, 33A, 33B, credit indicator 44, special prize notification lamp 34, abnormality notification lamp 34,
A control signal is transmitted to each of the left, middle, and right reel driving units 71, 72, and 73 (the driving units of the left, middle, and right reels 16, 17, and 18, respectively) to control these operations.

The hopper device 80 stores coins replenished from the coin replenishment unit and discharges coins to the coin discharge slot 26 of the pachislot machine 10 based on a command from the gaming machine control device 50. And a coin payout machine 81 for paying out coins. A command signal instructing coin payout from the gaming machine control device 50 is input to the coin payout machine 81. The hopper device 80
Is provided with a discharged coin counting sensor 82, and a coin payout machine 81
The number of coins paid out is counted and input to the gaming machine control device 50.

When the storage amount in the hopper device 80 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount, the shortage of coins is detected by the coin shortage sensor 83 and inputted to the gaming machine control device 50. When the detection of the insufficient coin storage amount is performed in the replenishment request permission mode of permission, the gaming machine control device 50 outputs a coin replenishment request signal for requesting coin replenishment to the replenishment unit control device 150 of the coin replenishment unit 100. I do.

When the detection of the shortage of the stored coins is performed in the prohibition of supply request permission mode, it is determined that an abnormal state has occurred, and a predetermined abnormality handling process is executed.
That is, the pachislot machine 10 is in the special prize state (bonus mode) or in the process of credit settlement, or immediately after these, and a large amount of coins are paid out and the hopper device 80
Hopper device 8 when the amount of coins stored in
If the shortage of coin storage of 0 is detected, a coin supply request signal is output as usual.

On the other hand, unless a special prize state, a credit settlement, or immediately after such a state occurs, and unless there is a fraud or a failure of the hopper device 80, a large number of coins are paid out such that the amount of coins stored in the hopper device 80 is insufficient. If it is unlikely that the coins have been stored in the hopper device 80, it is considered that a large amount of coins has been dispensed improperly. Execute

The abnormality handling processing includes (1) transmission of a coin supply request signal to the coin supply unit 100,
(2) Processing such as notification of occurrence of an abnormality by lighting of the abnormality notification lamp 35 is performed. By executing the abnormality handling process of (1), it is possible to prevent the replenishment of new coins from the coin replenishment unit 100 and to continue the improper ejection, and even if there is an improper act, the improper payout can be performed. Damage can be minimized. Further, by executing the abnormality handling process (2), the occurrence of an abnormal state can be quickly known, and an immediate action can be taken.

The gaming machine control device 50 performs a reset operation (an operation of pressing a reset button,
0), the process returns to the normal state from the abnormality handling process.

The replenishment knit control device 150 of the coin replenishment unit 100 is a control device for controlling the operation of the coin replenishment unit 150, and includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an interface and the like.

As described above, the supply unit control device 1
Reference numeral 50 denotes the coin storage sensor 104, the unloading coin sensor 114, the counting sensor 123, and the sub coin storage sensor 1.
35, detection signals from the transfer coin sensor 136 are input, and based on these detection signals and a coin replenishment request signal from the pachislot machine 10, the operation of the lifting device 110, the introduction gate 122, and the coin transfer device 133 is controlled. The coin is supplied to the pachislot machine 10. The replenishment unit control device 150 includes an information display 141, a lamp and an LED.
A command signal is transmitted to 142 to control these lighting operations. Note that the lamp / LED 142 is used for notification of occurrence of an abnormal state, and the like.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a game control main process in the game machine control device 50.

When the power is turned on, an initialization process is executed in step S1, and the RAM of the gaming machine control device 50 is cleared.

In step S2, it is determined whether or not the abnormality flag is set. If the flag is set, the flow proceeds to step S3 to execute abnormality handling processing, and if not, the flow proceeds to step S4. In the abnormality handling process, as described above, (1) prohibition of the transmission of the coin replenishment request signal (the coin replenishment request signal is not transmitted at all until the abnormality handling process state is released by the reset operation),
(2) Processing such as abnormality notification by the abnormality notification lamp 35 is executed.

In step S4, it is determined whether or not a betting operation has been performed. More specifically, the bet button switches 66 and 67 for counting coin insertion into the coin insertion slot 21 by the inserted coin counting sensor 61 or operating the bet buttons 42 and 43. It is determined whether or not any of the bet operations has been performed. If there is a bet operation, the bet number is updated in step S5 to be equal to the coin insertion number or the number corresponding to the operated bet buttons 42 and 43, and to step S6. move on. When the bet buttons 42 and 43 are operated, the number corresponding to the operated bet buttons 42 and 43 is subtracted from the credit amount. If there is no betting operation, the process proceeds directly to step S6.

In step S6, it is determined whether or not the start lever 22 has been operated. If there is no operation, the process proceeds to step S7, and if there is, the process proceeds to step S9. If the bet number is 0, the operation is invalid even if the start lever 22 is operated, and the process proceeds to step S7.

In step S7, it is determined whether or not a credit operation has been performed, specifically, whether or not the operation of the credit setting button 41 has been detected by the credit switch 68. If no credit operation has been performed, step S2 is performed.
Return to If there is a credit operation, the credit operation process of step S8 (for details, see the flowchart of FIG. 5) is executed, and then the process returns to step S2.

In step S9, a lottery process is executed. Specifically, a determination of a hit or a miss is made based on the operation timing of the starting lever 22 by the starting lever switch 62, and the reels 16, 17, and
Eighteen stop patterns are selected. As described above, a plurality of patterns are selected as the stop patterns,
When the actual reels 16, 17, 18 are stopped, the player selects the stop buttons 23, 2
The user selects one that does not seem uncomfortable with operations 4 and 25.

In step S10, a reel fluctuation process is executed. Specifically, left, middle, and right reels 16, 17,
At the same time as starting the changing operation of 18, the corresponding left, middle and right reels 16, 17 and 18 are stopped according to the operation of the stop buttons 23, 24 and 25 by the player, respectively. If the three reels 16, 17, 18 stop,
Proceed to step S8.

In step S11, a coin payout process is executed. Specifically, when the game is a winning, the hopper device 80 pays out a number of coins corresponding to the type of the winning (displayed by the symbols arranged on the activated lines). When the credit mode is valid, credits are added and payouts exceeding the upper limit are paid out.

In step S12, a bonus handling process (for details, see the flowchart of FIG. 6) is executed. In step S13, the number of bets is cleared to 0, and the process returns to step S2.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of the credit operation process (step S5 of the game control main process).

In step S21, a credit mode switching process is performed. That is, if the credit mode is valid, it is switched to invalid, and if it is invalid, it is switched to valid.

In step S22, it is determined whether or not there is a remaining number of credits (whether or not the number of credits is greater than 0). If there is any remaining number, the process proceeds to step S23. If there is no remaining number, step S26 is performed. Proceed to.

In step S23, the credit clearing state is set to "executing" (if it is "executing", the status is maintained. In step S24, one coin is paid out, and in step S25, the number of credits is updated by -1). hand,
It returns to step S22. As described above, while there is a remaining number of credits, the processing of steps S23 to S25 is repeated, and coins of the remaining number are discharged.

In step S26, the credit clearing state is set to "timer updating" (if "timer updating", the status is maintained).
Initialize the delay timer and end the routine. Note that the first delay timer is a timer that counts the time during which the credit settlement state is “timer updating”, and the “timer updating” state ends when the first delay timer times out (see the flowchart of FIG. 8). ).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the bonus handling process (step S9 of the game control main process).

In step S31, it is determined whether or not the bonus mode is valid. If the bonus mode is not valid, the process proceeds to step S32, and if it is, the process proceeds to step S35.

In step S32, it is determined whether the bonus start condition has been satisfied, that is, whether or not a particular type of hit has occurred. If the bonus start condition has not been satisfied, the routine ends.

On the other hand, if the bonus start condition is satisfied, the flow advances to step S33 to set the bonus mode to valid. In a succeeding step S34, the bonus generation state is set to "executing", and the routine ends.

In step S35, it is determined whether a bonus end condition has been satisfied. Specifically, as described above, in the bonus mode, (1) a specific advantage (hit with a high probability of occurrence) occurs a predetermined number of times (for example, eight times), or ( 2) The bonus end condition is satisfied when any one of the conditions that the game has been played a predetermined number of times (for example, 12 times) is satisfied. If the bonus end condition is not satisfied, the routine ends as it is.

On the other hand, if the bonus start condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S36, and the bonus mode is set to invalid. In step S37, the bonus generation state is set to "timer updating". In step S38, the second delay timer is initialized, and the routine ends. Note that the second delay timer is a timer that counts the time when the bonus occurrence state is “timer updating”, and the “timer updating” state ends when the second delay timer times out (see the flowchart of FIG. 9). ).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a timer interruption process in the gaming machine control device 50. This timer interrupt processing is the game control main processing described above (FIG. 4).
Is executed every predetermined interruption time.

At step S41, it is determined whether or not the credit settlement state is "timer updating". If "timer updating", the first delay processing of step S42 (see the flowchart of FIG. 8) is executed. Then, the process proceeds to step S43, and if not “timer updating”, the process directly proceeds to step S43.

In step S43, it is determined whether the bonus occurrence state is "timer updating" or not. If "timer updating", the second delay processing in step S44 (see the flowchart of FIG. 9) is executed. And then step S4
The process proceeds to step S5, and if not "timer updating", the process directly proceeds to step S45.

In step S45, a supply request permission mode setting process (see the flowchart of FIG. 10) is executed.

In step S46, the coin shortage sensor 8
It is determined whether or not a shortage of coins has been detected by 3. If a shortage of coins has been detected, the flow proceeds to step S47, and if not, the flow proceeds to step S50.

At step S47, it is determined whether or not the replenishment request permission mode is permitted. If the replenishment request permission mode is permitted, the process proceeds to step S48, where the coin replenishment request signal is turned ON.
It returns to the game control main process.

On the other hand, if the replenishment request permission mode is forbidden, the flow proceeds to step S49, sets an abnormality flag, and proceeds to step S50. I do. Accordingly, when a shortage of coins occurs even though the replenishment request permission mode is prohibited, it is detected that the abnormality flag is set in the game control main process, and the abnormality handling process is executed. (See steps S2 to S3 in FIG. 4).

In step S50, the coin replenishment request signal is turned off, and the process returns to the main game control process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the first delay process (the process of step S42 of the timer interrupt process (FIG. 7)).

In step S51, the first delay timer is updated. In step S52, it is determined whether or not the time of the first delay timer has expired. If the time has not expired, the routine ends. If the time of the first delay timer has expired, the process proceeds to step S53, the credit settlement state is set to "pausing", and the routine ends.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the second delay processing (the processing of step S44 of the timer interruption processing (FIG. 7)).

In step S61, the second delay timer is updated. In step S62, it is determined whether or not the time of the second delay timer has expired. If the time has not expired, the routine ends. If the second delay timer has timed out, the flow proceeds to step S63, the bonus generation state is set to "pausing", and the routine ends.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the supply request permission mode setting processing (the processing of step S45 of the timer interruption processing (FIG. 7)).

In step S71, it is determined whether or not the credit settlement state is "pausing".
If so, the process proceeds to step S72, and if not “pausing”, the process proceeds to step S73. In step S73, permission is set in the supply request permission mode, and the routine ends.

In step S72, it is determined whether or not the bonus generation state is "pausing". If "pausing", the process proceeds to step S74, and if not "pausing", the process proceeds to step S73.

In step S74, prohibition is set in the replenishment request permission mode, and the routine ends. in this way,
The replenishment request permission mode is prohibited when both the credit settlement state and the bonus generation state are “pausing”.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the pachi-slot machine 10 does not permit the replenishment request permission mode (during the special prize state, during the execution of the credit settlement, or immediately after these), the pachislot machine 10 If a shortage of coins is detected, it is determined that an abnormal state has occurred in which inappropriate coin ejection has been performed, and an abnormality handling process is performed. Therefore,
It is possible to quickly detect the occurrence of an abnormality (injustice) and minimize the damage caused by the injustice.

In the above embodiment, the pachislot machine 10
However, the present invention is not limited to such a form, and can be applied to, for example, a pachinko machine.

In the above embodiment, the gaming machine (pachislot machine 10) can take two types of gaming states, a normal gaming state and a special gaming state, but the present invention is limited to such an embodiment. is not. For example, three or more types of game states may be provided, and one or two or more of the plurality of game states may be set as a special game state. Specifically, (1) a mode in which the probability of occurrence of the bonus mode (a mode in which the expected value of the number of coins is improved) as described in the embodiment increases (a “big bonus” mode) (2) the number of coins to be paid out In the mode in which the expected value of is improved, a mode in which the upper limit value is not specifically set for the number of occurrences of the hit with a high probability is specifically set (“concentration” mode). Can be actually determined through the operation of the reel stop buttons 23, 24, 25 (reels 16, 17, 18).
(The "challenge time" mode) in which the possibility of coin acquisition is substantially increased by aiming at the stop position ("challenge time" mode).

The embodiments disclosed this time are illustrative in all aspects and are not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims, and includes all modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an island unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a pachislot machine.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the pachi-slot machine and the coin supply unit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a game control main process.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the credit operation processing.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of bonus corresponding processing.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a timer interruption process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the first delay processing.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a second delay process.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a supply request permission mode setting process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Pachislot machine 50 Game machine control device 80 Hopper device 83 Coin shortage sensor 100 Coin replenishment unit 110 Lifting device 122 Introduction gate 150 Replenishment unit control device

Claims (6)

[Claims] In a gaming machine in which a game is played using a gaming medium and a special gaming state in which the possibility of paying out the gaming medium is increased as a gaming state, the amount of the gaming medium stored in the gaming machine is insufficient. Storage amount detecting means for detecting that the game state is not a special game state, and abnormality determination means for determining that an abnormality has occurred when the storage amount detection means detects a shortage of the game medium storage amount, A gaming machine characterized by comprising: abnormality handling means for executing a predetermined abnormality handling process when an abnormality occurrence is determined by the abnormality determining means. 2. A request signal transmitting means for transmitting a request signal for requesting supply of a game medium to a game medium supply device, and a request signal transmission by said request signal transmitting means as said abnormality handling processing to said abnormality handling means. The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission prohibiting unit that prohibits transmission. 3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality handling means includes abnormality notification means for notifying that abnormality has been determined by the abnormality determination means. 4. The abnormality determination means according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality determination means does not perform the abnormality determination until a predetermined time elapses from the end of the special game state. The gaming machine according to any one of the above. 5. The game machine according to claim 1, further comprising a function of suspending the payout of the game medium until the settlement, and wherein the abnormality determination means does not perform the abnormality determination while the settlement processing of the payout of the game medium is being executed. The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein 6. The gaming machine according to claim 5, wherein said abnormality judging means does not judge the abnormality until a predetermined time elapses after the settlement processing ends.