JP2002058850A - Command control method for game machine and game machine having fraud preventing function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fraud preventing function on a game machine. SOLUTION: This command control method for a game machine comprising a main control substrate and a sub-substrate includes a step for generating the data having predetermined codes on the main control substrate and the sub-substrate, a step for generating a specific command including the generated data and of a type different from various control commands and transmitting it in a predetermined period in the main control substrate, a step for receiving the specific command transmitted in the transmitting step and initializing a first timer in the sub-substrate, a step for counting the first timer initialized in the initializing step, and a step for taking the predetermined control to the controller of the game machine and stopping the execution of various control commands from the main control substrate when the counted result of the first timer is larger than the predetermined period in the sub-substrate.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a command control method for a game machine and a game machine having a fraud prevention function, and more particularly, to a signal transmitted between a main control board and a sub control board from the main control board to the sub board. The present invention relates to a command control method in a gaming machine adopting a control method using only control commands and data, and a gaming machine having a fraud prevention function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Pachinko and pachislot machines are currently using state-of-the-art technologies for sound and images, but on the other hand, only those that have been inspected and passed by public institutions are manufactured and sold. Is allowed. In general, there is a problem that the inspection becomes very difficult when the latest technology is adopted. In order to eliminate such inconveniences while adopting the most advanced technology, various functions such as sound and image are physically divided as a printed circuit board, and these are divided into a so-called main board (main board) which mainly controls a game. It is desired that the CPU board be operated in response to a command from the CPU board. In the inspection by a public organization, the peripheral board that receives commands from the main board eliminates the conventional complicated inspection process as a system configuration that can be inspected by a simple method such as a simulator. The main board (main CPU board) focused on is inspected. This is because many of the conventional control functions for sound and image display are transferred from the main board (main board), whose functions are limited to game management functions, to the peripheral board (sub-board). The purpose is to greatly reduce the entire inspection items including the substrate and the peripheral substrate and to simplify the inspection content itself.

As a gaming machine complying with the above-mentioned policy, there is a gaming machine disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-128494 filed by the present applicant (name of the invention "Pachinko machine"). The gaming machine disclosed in this application includes a master unit (main control board), a plurality of slave units (sub-control board), and a plurality of independent units.
The unit operates in response to a one-way instruction from the master unit. Only the minimum necessary control command data is transmitted from the master unit to each slave unit, and each slave unit controls each control target based on the control command data. Here, there is no command signal or various status signals sent from the sub board to the main control board to change the operation of the main control board from the sub board to the main control board. This means that only the main control unit waits for the game management function. That is, the sub-board itself cannot participate in the game itself or influence the game content itself.

In the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-128494, for example, a payout unit is provided as one of the slave units.
The payout mechanism of the payout mechanism is controlled so as to pay out a game ball corresponding to a prize ball or a rental ball according to an instruction from the unit. In controlling the dispensing operation or completing the dispensing control, the dispensing unit does not send any answer signal to the master unit. That is, the payout unit successively receives and stores the payout commands received from the master unit, and performs the payout number control as the count value of the payout ball count sensor indicates the command for each of the stored payout commands. It has become.

[0005]

According to the above-mentioned conventional gaming machine, control command data necessary for control is transmitted from the master unit to each slave unit.
No signal (command or status information), directly or indirectly, can be sent from each slave unit to the master unit.

Normally, a handshake is performed between hardware or software between devices or units having both CPUs, and the execution state of the command receiving side is received by the command transmitting side so that the command transmitting side receives the command. The command transmission side manages execution or completion of execution of a command. When the command is not executed, the command is transmitted again or error information is output.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machine employing the above-described method, each slave unit only receives a command, and does not make any inquiry to the source of the command, or is currently busy. You can't even tell that you're in a state.
Therefore, the received command is used as a FIFO
Input one after the other, and process in order from the first input command. This method also cannot determine whether the received control command data is valid control command data transmitted from the master unit, and it is not possible to determine whether each slave device is valid regardless of whether the received control command data is valid. -The control target has to be controlled according to the control command data received by the unit. That is, the master unit cannot grasp the operation status of the slave unit, and does not know the operation status of the slave unit.
The unit was operating on the assumption that the unit was operating normally.

For this reason, even if the master unit normally executes the operation which has passed the inspection by the public organization properly, the communication path of the control command data from the master unit to the slave unit is not transmitted. The slave unit receives the command even if some kind of transmission error occurs or the control command data on the communication line is illegally operated due to intentional misconduct (so-called “goto”).・ Accurately control the control target based on the data. That is, the master unit does not fulfill the function of managing the game in the gaming machine satisfactorily, and there is a problem that the management of the operation of the slave unit is inadequate in terms of noise measures and security measures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to allow a main control board to control the operation of a sub control board under certain conditions. To the control board, in addition to the conventional command, a specific command that permits the operation of the sub-board for a predetermined period after receiving the command is transmitted. Only when it is determined that the command is a command, a normal operation is performed for the subsequent command reception for a certain period of time, and when it is not determined that the received command is a specific command, the game operates so as to ignore the subsequent received command. Is to provide a machine. That is, the sub-board is always reliably placed under the control of the main control unit, and when it is detected that the sub-board has left the control of the main control unit for some reason, the operation of the sub-board is stopped. Is to provide a gaming machine that operates as follows.

From another viewpoint, when it is determined that the sub-board itself is not under the control of the main control unit, the sub-board maintains a fail-safe state for the controlled device so as not to respond to a command. Is to provide a gaming machine having:

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for controlling a game having a CPU, the function of which is limited to a game management function, and a game ball to a winning port on a game board. A main control board that transmits various control commands to the sub-board in response to the winning signal of the main board, and the sub-board that controls each controlled part of the gaming machine in response to the various control commands from the main control board. In the command control method of a gaming machine configured to include, the step of generating data by a predetermined method in the main control board and the sub-board, including, in the main control board, the generated data, Generating and transmitting a specific command in a format different from the various control commands; and receiving the specific command transmitted in the transmitting step on the sub-board. A step of initializing a first timer, a step of timing the first timer initialized in the step of initializing, and a step of: When it indicates that it is longer than the period determined by the specific command received, the control unit performs predetermined control on the controlled unit of the gaming machine, and executes the various control commands from the main control board. A command control method for a gaming machine, characterized by having a step of stopping.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the game according to the first aspect, when the first timer indicates that the predetermined period is longer than the predetermined period, an error state is further stored in the nonvolatile RAM. The data representing the error state stored in the nonvolatile RAM is not changed even if the subsequent sub-board is started from a reset state. In this case, predetermined control is performed, and execution of the various control commands from the main control board is stopped.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the gaming machine according to the first aspect, when the first timer indicates that the predetermined period is longer than the predetermined period, the first timer is further stored in a nonvolatile RAM. Storing data representing an error condition at a predetermined location;
Reading the error data at a predetermined position in M, receiving and storing the specific command or the control command, reading the command stored by the storing step, and executing the read command Performing the step of reading the error data prior to the step of executing the read command, and executing the command when data indicating an error state is read. A step of executing the command without executing the predetermined error processing when the data indicating the error state is not read out.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the CPU is provided with a CPU that focuses its function on a game management function. In response to a winning signal of a game ball to a winning port on a game board, various functions are provided on the sub-board. A command control method for a gaming machine comprising: a main control board for transmitting a control command; and the sub-board for receiving the various control commands from the main control board and controlling each controlled part of the gaming machine. In the step of generating data having a predetermined code in the main control board and the sub-board, in the main control board,
Including the generated data, generating a specific command having a format different from the various control commands, transmitting the specific command at a predetermined cycle, and receiving the specific command transmitted in the transmitting step on the sub-board. And initializing a first timer;
The first initialized in the initializing step
Counting the timer, and, in the sub-substrate, when the time measurement result of the first timer indicates that the time is greater than the predetermined cycle, a predetermined control for the controlled unit of the gaming machine is performed. And stopping the execution of the various control commands from the main control board.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the gaming machine according to the fourth aspect, when the first timer indicates that the period is longer than the predetermined period, the non-volatile RAM further stores an error state. The data representing the error state stored in the non-volatile RAM is not changed even if the subsequent sub-board is started from a reset state, , And execution of the various control commands from the main control board is stopped.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the gaming machine according to the fourth aspect, when the first timer indicates that the period is longer than the predetermined period, the first timer is further stored in a nonvolatile RAM. Storing data representing an error condition at a predetermined location;
Reading error data at a predetermined position in M; receiving and storing the specific command or the control command; reading the command stored by the storing step; Performing the steps,
The step of reading the error data is executed prior to the step of executing the read command, and when data indicating an error state is read, a predetermined error processing is performed without executing the step of executing the command. And if the data indicating the error state is not read, a step of executing the command without executing a predetermined error process is executed.

Further, the invention according to claim 7 has a CPU and the function is narrowed down to a game management function. In response to a winning signal of a game ball to a winning port on a game board, various functions are provided on a sub-board. In a gaming machine, comprising: a main control board for transmitting a control command; and the sub-board for receiving the various control commands from the main control board and controlling each controlled part of the gaming machine. Means for generating and transmitting specific commands different from the various control commands, including data having a predetermined code with the sub-board, including the data having a predetermined code, and the transmission provided on the sub-board; Means for receiving the specified command and initializing a first timer; means for counting the first timer initialized by the initialization means; and means for counting the time counted by the first timer. Means for performing the predetermined control on the controlled part of the sub-board, when the time measurement result of the timer is larger than a predetermined value, The execution of the various control commands is stopped.

The invention according to claim 8 has a CPU and the function is narrowed down to a game management function. In response to a winning signal of a game ball to a winning port on a game board, various functions are provided on a sub-board. In a gaming machine, comprising: a main control board for transmitting a control command; and the sub-board for receiving the various control commands from the main control board and controlling each controlled part of the gaming machine. Means for generating and transmitting a specific command different from the various control commands in a command including data having a predetermined code with the sub-board, provided on the control board, and the sub-board, When a command other than the specified control command and the specific command is received, a predetermined control is performed on the controlled part of the sub-board, and the various controls from the main control board are performed. It is characterized in that to stop the execution of the command.

[0019]

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

First, a schematic configuration of a pachinko machine as a gaming machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a game board of an embodiment of the game machine according to the present invention, and shows various components provided on the game board. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electric configuration of one embodiment of the gaming machine according to the present invention, and each block is provided on the back side of the gaming board.

In the gaming board 1 shown in FIG.
Is a starting winning opening in which the game ball 11 wins. The starting winning opening 2 is, for example, an ordinary electric accessory (electric tulip). Reference numeral 4 denotes a variable winning ball device (attacker) having a large winning opening 5, for example. The big winning opening 5 is provided with, for example, a continuous winning area (V zone) 6. Further, a right sleeve winning opening and a left sleeve winning opening are provided.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a special symbol display device having three display areas, for example, a left symbol, a middle symbol, and a right symbol.
Reference numeral 7 denotes a normal symbol display device of, for example, a mini digital format. Reference numeral 8 denotes a normal symbol operation gate (through chucker). 9 is a display lamp. Reference numeral 10 denotes an out port. Further, a speaker for generating a sound effect is provided.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 100 denotes a CP of a main control board whose functions are limited to a game management function of a gaming machine.
The U unit has a function of generating and transmitting a specific command according to the present invention. The main control unit has a CPU denoted by reference numeral 100.
In addition to the components, an input port 30, a reset circuit 29, and an output port 31 are also included.

The CPU section 100 of the main control section includes a CP
A U101, a ROM 102 storing various control programs for generating and transmitting the game management function and the specific command and the like, a RAM 103 used as a storage area for various data and a work area for arithmetic processing, and the like are provided. The program for controlling the operation of the CPU 101 is R
Besides being stored in the OM 102 in advance, it can also be loaded from an external storage device (not shown). ROM10
2 further includes a module storage area 102a. The CPU section 100 inputs information from various game information inputs 20 provided inside the gaming machine through an input port 30, and outputs characters 32 to 35 through an output port 31.
Each of the sub-boards, the ordinary symbol display device 7, and the reference numeral 36,
A control signal (or control command) is output to each of the 37 solenoids. Here, the progress of the game of the gaming machine is executed by responding to various illustrated game information inputs 20 and various random numerical values generated in the CPU unit. Then, no signal is returned to the input port 30 from the various sub-boards 32 to 35.

Signals of the information input 20 of the overflow switch 21, the special symbol start switch 22, the normal symbol operation switch 23, the large winning opening switch 24, the starting winning opening switch 25, the right sleeve winning opening switch 26, and the left sleeve winning opening switch 27. Is transmitted to the CPU section 100 via the input port 30. Each winning opening switch detects that a game ball has won a winning opening (see the description of FIG. 1).

The reset circuit 29 is provided for repeatedly executing the operation of the CPU unit 100 at a predetermined cycle (usually about 2 ms to 4 ms), and for immediately returning to normal operation when receiving external noise. It is provided in.

On the output side via the output port 31, sub-control boards 32-35, which are slave devices using the main control board 100 as a master, a normal symbol display device 7, a normal electric accessory actuation solenoid 36, A plurality of winning opening operating solenoids 37 corresponding to each winning opening are connected. In addition, an actual inspection component, an LED, various actuators (solenoid, rotary motor) and the like (not shown) are connected.

The display control board 32, the lamp control board 33,
Each sub-control board of the sound effect control board 34 and the payout control board 35 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and a command receiving means, and is programmed. Each sub-control board 32
A program for controlling the operations of .about.35 can be stored in the ROM in advance, or can be loaded from an external storage device (not shown).

Only the control command data is transmitted from the CPU section 100 of the main control section to the respective sub-control boards 32 to 35 via the output port 31.
The transmission of signals or answers from the main control boards 100 to the main control board 100 and the mutual communication of commands and the like between the sub control boards 32 to 35 are not performed.

The display control board 32 controls the display of the special symbol display device 3, the lamp control board 33 controls the lighting of the display lamp 9, the sound effect control board 34 controls the sound generation by the speaker, and the payout control board. Reference numeral 35 controls the number of game balls to be paid out by a prize ball payout mechanism (indicated by reference numeral 351 in FIG. 6 to be described later), and various game functions are divided.

In the gaming machine having the above configuration, the main control unit C
A program installed in the ROM 102 of the PU unit 100 is executed at a predetermined cycle. This program also includes a timer / counter for counting the repetition of the predetermined cycle. Based on the data of the timer / counter, a specific command according to the present invention is periodically generated,
It is transmitted to a sub-board having a CPU inside. On the other hand, when the method of the present invention is incorporated as a program,
Each of the sub-control boards 32 to 35 having U has a timer / counter for measuring a cycle of a received command, similarly to the main control unit. Each sub control board 32-35
Receives the specific command from the main control unit and interprets the specific command. If it is determined that the received specific command is a predetermined command,
Commands other than the specific command received during the subsequent predetermined period are processed as correct commands, that is, regular commands sent from the main control unit. If the received specific command is not a predetermined command, a command received thereafter is ignored as an invalid command. If the received specific command is a predetermined command, the timer is initialized at that timing and the clock starts to obtain the above-mentioned predetermined period. Then, when the timing indicates that a predetermined period has elapsed, the CPU of the sub-board determines that the normal signal from the main control unit has been interrupted, and does not execute the command received thereafter, The control output is performed so that the controlled device is in a predetermined state.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are a flowchart showing a command receiving interrupt process in the sub-board and a main flowchart of the sub-board in the present embodiment. Parts that are not directly related to the main part of the present invention are omitted.

In FIG. 3, when a command is received from the outside, an interrupt process is performed in step S300, an input port process is executed in step S301, and the transmitted command is obtained. In step S302, it is checked whether the acquired command is a specific command. If not, in step S303, it is checked whether it is a normal command. If it is a normal command, the process proceeds to step S306, where the command is stored, and then proceeds to step S307. If it is determined that the command is not a normal command, the process proceeds to step S304, an error flag is set, and the process proceeds to S307. At step 307, an interruption end process is executed.

If it is determined in step S302 that the received command is a specific command, a timer is initialized in step S305 to determine a predetermined period from the reception of the specific command, and step S305 is performed.
Go to 7. If it is determined in step S304 that the command is not a normal command, the command is not a signal generated by an external noise or a failure, or a signal transmitted from a proper main control unit. "It could be a signal generated by an action.

Here, an error flag is set in step S304. This is performed for a non-volatile memory which can electrically save and erase programs and data in a batch and retain information even when the power is turned off. This is performed in a manner of writing data. This purpose will be described later.

FIG. 4 is a main flowchart in which the sub-board executes a process corresponding to the command received in the above-described interrupt processing. The sub-board performs processing corresponding to the command, a timer and an error flag controlled in the interrupt processing, and save. It is intended to mainly explain the processing of the command that has been performed, and also to outline the overall flow. First, when the reset state of the sub-board is released, it is checked in step S351 whether or not an error state has occurred before the initialization processing. Here, if it is determined that the state is not an error state, initialization processing (mainly, RAM
And setting of peripheral ICs that require initialization processing) are executed in step S351, and the main routine is entered. Steps S353 to S361 are a main routine, and this step is repeatedly executed in a normal operation.

In step S353, it is determined whether or not there is an external command input. If not, a timer integration process in step S357 is executed. This timer includes the timer initialized in step S305 described above. After this step S357, a job unique to each sub-board is executed.
In the execution process, some output according to the received command may or may not be performed. In either case, step 353 again
Is executed. If a command is input in step S353 during execution of the repetition of such a main routine, the command stored in step S306 in FIG. 3 described above is extracted, and in step S356, the setting process corresponding to the command is performed. Be executed.

In the above main routine, if there is a command input in step S353, step S3
Proceeding to 54, initialization is performed in step S305 described above,
In step S355, it is determined whether or not the value of the timer being counted has exceeded a predetermined time. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process proceeds to step S355, and it is determined whether or not the error state is set in step S304 in FIG. If it is not in an error state, a normal main routine is executed, that is, step S35
The setting process of the command received in step 6 is executed. However, if the predetermined time has elapsed, step S36
In step 3, an error flag is set, and then error processing in step S362 is executed, and the process returns to the main routine. Alternatively, if it is in the error state, the error processing of S362 is executed, and the process returns to the main routine.

As described above, whether or not an error has occurred in step S351 or S355 is determined.
The state set in step S304 of FIG. 3 is checked. Since this check is performed on the nonvolatile RAM, even if the power of the sub-substrate is turned off and turned on again, this step S351 or step S351 is performed.
At 355, it is possible to determine whether the error flag was previously set at S304. If an error state is determined in this determination, step S
Proceeding to 361, the process returns to the main routine after error processing is performed. Here, the error processing in step S362 also includes an operation of recording error information, for example, a progress of sending the command, on the nonvolatile memory. Also, a data set for controlling the controlled device on the sub-board to be in a fail-safe state is included.

The processing on the sub-substrate described above assumes the following case. Case 1. With the power of the gaming machine turned on, the connection between the main control unit and the sub-board was disconnected. Case 2. In the above, when the connection was disconnected, the sub-board received an incorrect command. Case 3. After the execution of 1 above, a reset signal was input to the CPU of the sub-board. Case 4. After executing the above step 1, the power connector of the CPU on the sub-board was disconnected and reconnected. Case 5. After the execution of 1 above, a command was input to the sub-board from outside the main control unit.

In case 1 described above, for example, a specific command is transmitted from the main control unit to the sub board once every two seconds, and the set time of the timer is set to 2.2 seconds in the sub board. If not, an error flag is set at most 2.2 seconds after the connection is disconnected, and the CPU of the sub board is stopped.

In case 2, when the sub-board receives an erroneous command, an error flag is set in step S304 in FIG. 3, and thereafter, the sub-board merely records the received command. For example, in the case of a payout control board, the state shifts to a state in which the payout control is not executed.

In case 3, even if the reset signal is input, the sub-board is not returned to the normal operation because the judgment is made in step 351 as to whether or not an error has occurred.

In the case 4 as well, the error status information is stored in the nonvolatile RAM, and
2 from this initialization process
Is excluded, so that the case is the same as in case 3.

Even in case 5, step S3
Since it is determined at 55 that step S356 of the normal command set process is not executed, for example, the payout operation is not executed.

In any of the above cases, an input command is accepted, but step S356 for executing the command is not executed, and instead, step S3 is executed.
62 error processing is executed. This error processing is, for example, a step of performing an operation for setting the state of the controlled device so as not to perform payout in the case of a payout board, and is generally a step of performing a fail-safe operation. Therefore, the processing content of step S362 differs depending on the type of the sub-board. Also, depending on the sub-board, the received command may be recorded,
Alternatively, it is conceivable to record for maintenance, for example, record the time of error processing and command data by providing a real-time counter. Or,
When the sub-substrate is a display device, specific display contents may be considered.

In the above, the processing mode on the sub-board side in this embodiment has been described. On the main control unit side, the above-mentioned specific command is transmitted to the sub-board after the operation of the gaming machine is started. After this transmission, the specific command is periodically transmitted to the same sub-board at a preset cycle. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating this state. Initialization of the main control unit is performed, and initialization of the sub-board including the above-mentioned nonvolatile RAM is performed, and the main control unit and the sub-board are properly connected, and control is performed in an environment without noise. This shows a case where the operation is started. In this case, in the embodiment, the timer processing in response to the specific command on the sub-board side described above is started when the main control unit transmits the specific command to the sub-board and the sub-board receives the specific command. . That is, after initialization, the timer of the sub-board is counted only after receiving a legitimate specific command from the main control unit.

In FIG. 5, when a specific command 350 is sent from the main control board to the sub-board, the sub-board treats a command received within a predetermined period thereafter as a valid command, and responds to the command. Control. Within a predetermined period, the timer starts counting from the reception of the specific command 350, and is set to be longer than the transmission cycle of the specific command previously set between the main control unit of the gaming machine and the sub board. I have. When this period is set as shown in the figure, normal commands 300, 301, 302 from the main control unit to the sub board are set.
Are treated as regular signals. During this period, the specific command is transmitted again from the proper main control unit, and when the sub-board determines the received specific command as a proper specific command, the predetermined period provided in the sub-board is determined. The timer is initialized, and the predetermined period is reset as shown in the figure. Therefore, the normal commands 303, 304, and 305 sent from the regular main control unit are also processed as regular signals on the sub-board. Here, the illustrated normal command 3
A command sent to the sub-board from a circuit other than the main control unit, such as 06, is also processed within the sub-board as a normal signal because it is received within a predetermined period. However, as shown in the drawing, even when the sub-board receives an incorrect specific command (not a normal command) as indicated by reference numeral 352 even within the predetermined period, the sub-board is received after the reception. Starts an operation of setting a device controlled by the sub-board as a fail-safe state as an error state, and maintains the state. In this state, the received command is ignored without being executed. Therefore, the illustrated reference numeral 30
The normal commands indicated by 7, 308 are not executed.

Here, if the specific command indicated by reference numeral 352 is not determined as a proper specific command on the sub-board, it may be a bit error due to noise contamination or a signal generated by the "goto" action. There is a nature. However, bit errors due to noise contamination are also caused by natural phenomena and
Although the noise may be generated by an action, in the present embodiment, the latter case is performed as described above.

Next, a case where the sub-control board is the payout control board 35, for which the application of the present invention is considered particularly effective, will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a main part of one embodiment of the gaming machine according to the present invention.
5 is a timing chart showing an example of a prize ball payout operation in the configuration of FIG.

In FIG. 6, reference numeral 351 indicates a prize ball payout mechanism. The prize ball payout mechanism 351 is controlled by the payout control board 35, and by driving the prize ball payout solenoid 356, the payout control is performed by the control command data from the main control unit generated according to the winning result at each winning opening. The substrate 35 pays out the specified number of prize balls. The paid out game balls are counted by the prize ball counting switch 355, and the counting result is input to the payout control board 35 via the relay board 104.
The payout control board 35 can monitor the counting result and pay out the number of winning balls as instructed. A similar signal is sent from one of the relay boards to the main control unit.

352 is a prize ball supply switch, and 353 is
Is a prize ball standby switch, 354 is a prize ball vibration motor,
Each of the payout game balls is provided on a supply path. Since these elements are not related to the present invention, their description is omitted. Reference numeral 20 denotes a game board, and reference numerals 201 and 202 denote prize ball status indicators and the like provided in the game board, and reference numeral 203 and
205 is a winning opening switch 1 arranged at the winning opening.
-Indicates n. Here, the prize ball state indicator is driven by a lamp control board controlled by the main controller,
It is controlled so as to be turned on in synchronization with the payout operation of the prize ball.
The above-mentioned switches are input to the board of the main control unit.

FIG. 7 shows a case in which a payout control board is used as a sub board in the example shown in FIG. First, a specific command is sent (reference numeral 350 in FIG. 7C). This specific command is determined to be a legitimate specific command on the sub-board. Next, when a winning signal is received from the winning opening switch 1 in FIG. 6 (FIG. 7A), the main control board 5
The control command for the individual prize ball (reference numeral 300 in FIG. 3C) is transmitted. Upon receiving this signal, the payout control board shifts to the execution process of this control command, and drives the winning ball payout solenoid 356 ((d) in the same drawing) to start paying out award balls. Then, the prize ball counting switch 355 starts counting the prize balls ((e) in FIG. 4). Here, since the received command is the fifth prize ball command, the payout control board stops driving the solenoid when detecting the payout of the fifth prize ball, and moves the fifth and subsequent prize balls. Ban. Similarly, a payout command 301 having 10 prize balls and a prize ball number of 5 transmitted within a period of a specific command 351 transmitted next from the first specific command.
The processing of the payout commands 302 is also executed.

When an error state occurs in the payout control board, it is understood that the fail safe control state described above is a state in which the winning ball payout solenoid is not driven, and there is no other state.

In FIG. 6, the signal of the prize ball counting switch in the prize ball payout is input not only to the payout control board but also to the board of the main control section via the relay board. The host computer, such as a management computer for the hall, does not mean the management of payouts, but the jackpot information including the number of jackpot occurrences of the gaming machine and the starting prize ball information indicating the number of starting prize balls for starting the variable display of special symbols. For output to

In FIG. 6, the command line from the board of the main control unit to the dispensing control board is opened (disconnected) by the so-called "goto" action, and then a command from another circuit is given to the dispensing control board. In this case, even if the data of the number of prize balls is obtained from the prize ball count data from the prize ball counting switch, the main control unit does not send any data to the payout control board because the control line is open. You will not have anything to do. In this case, the main control unit can only output information to the host computer such as a hall management computer that the number of prize balls other than the prize ball payout under the control of the main control unit is paid out. It is. Even in such a state, the gaming machine of the present invention in which the operation of the sub-board is basically under the control of the main control unit detects such an illegal command reception state, and the sub-board detects the payout control board. In this case, control is performed so that the prize ball payout solenoid 356 is not driven.

The above description does not describe a method or means for making a proper connection with the board of the proper main control unit after the sub-board is determined to be in an error state and returning to a normal operation state. Various methods can be considered. For example, as described above, a program for controlling the operation of each of the sub-control boards 32 to 35 is loaded from a special external storage device (not shown), and by executing the program, data in the nonvolatile RAM is stored. It is also possible to initialize. By loading the regular program again on the initialized sub-board, the state of the sub-board returns to a normal state without an error state. In addition, there are various other methods that are not easily used in the “goto” operation, but at least for the purpose of ensuring safety from the “goto” operation, initialization of an error state inside the sub-board, that is, in the embodiment, Non-volatile R
It is desirable that the configuration does not include a program for executing the AM initialization.

In the above description, only the specific command to be sent from the main control unit to the sub-board is different from the normal command. Command having a given fixed code. In this case, the degree of security can be increased by increasing the number of bytes of this command or by making it different for each gaming machine. In addition, the main control unit can use the same algorithm with the sub-board to generate a specific command having a random code each time. For example, the code of the first byte of a specific command is a code not used in a normal command, and 4 bytes are added to the byte of this code. Can be changed to In this case, the code of the specific command to be transmitted next may be generated from the code of the previous specific command, and the algorithm of the generation may be different for each gaming machine.

In the above description, the non-volatile RAM is used as the storage location of the error state. However, the non-volatile RAM cannot be easily removed from the sub-board by a socket or the like, and is formed integrally with a battery or a capacitor for battery backup. It may be a RAM. In this case, especially in the case of a large-capacity capacitor, the internal data becomes unstable after several hours, and the data in the error state is destroyed.However, the data is not necessarily in a form that eliminates the error state. Can be said to be secured.

The specific command sent from the main control unit to the sub-board is transmitted at a predetermined cycle. However, a part of this specific command is replaced by a period until the next specific command is transmitted. By inserting data representing this period, the sub-board side extracts data representing this period from the received specific command, and generates data to be compared with the time measurement result of the timer from the extracted data.
It is also easy to make the apparent cycle irregular. In such a configuration, for example, it is possible to lengthen the period when the payout control is not performed frequently, and to shorten the period when the payout control is performed frequently. In addition, by investigating the gaming state of the gaming machine at the time of the misconduct, the period is set to a short time in that state, and if not, the period is extended, or a control form such that the control by the timer is stopped. It is also possible.

Therefore, the destination from the main control board 100 is the payout control board 35, the control command data to be transmitted is the number of prize balls, and the control object is the prize ball payout mechanism 40.
In the case of, even if there is something that manipulates the control command data to obtain the number of prize balls unjustly due to impropriety, it is determined that the signal due to such act is an improper signal or command As a result, the payout of the prize ball is prohibited, so that the operation to the sub-board due to the illegal act has an effect of minimizing the damage to the game store. From the point of view of the amusement store manager, the gaming machine can have higher safety.

[0064]

As described above, according to the gaming machine of the present invention, a specific command is transmitted from the main control board to the sub-board, and if the received command is determined to be a specific command on the sub-board, this reception is performed. Various control commands received within a preset period starting from the time are executed as valid commands, and after this period, various control commands to be received are not executed as valid commands. Therefore, the communication route to the sub-board is disturbed by the misconduct, or the route is interrupted, or the signal is replaced by a signal from another circuit. When the transmission interruption is detected, the control of the control target is stopped.
Also, depending on the communication status such as noise mixing,
When an error occurring in the data is detected, the control of the control target is stopped. Therefore, it is possible to provide an effective security measure when an illegal “goto” action is performed on a predetermined communication path and the control command / data is operated, and
This has the effect of preventing erroneous control when a transmission error due to noise or the like occurs in a predetermined communication path.

Further, when the above-described control target control stop state occurs, the control target is stored in a non-volatile RAM provided on the sub-board, and is initialized by a reset signal of the sub-board. Since the contents of the non-volatile RAM are not initialized, the control stop state of the control target is generated even in the reset processing during an illegal “goto” action, so that a reliable security measure can be taken.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a game board of one embodiment of a gaming machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electric configuration of one embodiment of the gaming machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an interrupt routine for a sub-board in an embodiment of the gaming machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a main routine of a sub-board in an embodiment of the gaming machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining command data from the main control unit to the sub-board in one embodiment of the gaming machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a main part of the gaming machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing an example of a prize ball payout operation of a payout control board.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Game board 2 Starting winning opening 3 Special symbol display device 4 Variable winning ball device 5 Large winning opening 6 Continuous winning area 7 Ordinary symbol display device 8 Ordinary symbol operating gate 9 Display lamp 10 Out opening 11 Game ball 24 Large winning opening switch 25 Start winning port switch 32 display control board 33 lamp control board 34 sound effect control board 35 payout control board 40 prize ball payout mechanism 100 CPU section 101, 351 CPU 102, 352 ROM 103, 353 RAM 300 control command data of main control section 305 Specific command

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A main control having a CPU and having its functions narrowed down to a game management function and transmitting various control commands to a sub-board in response to a winning signal of a game ball to a winning port on a game board. A command control method for a gaming machine comprising: a board; and the sub-board, which receives the various control commands from the main control board and controls each controlled part of the gaming machine. Generating data by a predetermined method with the sub-board, including the generated data in the main control board,
Generating a specific command having a format different from the various control commands and transmitting the specific command; and, in the sub-board, receiving the specific command transmitted in the transmitting step and initializing a first timer. The first initialized in the initializing step.
Counting the time of the timer; and, in the sub-substrate, indicating that the time measurement result of the first timer is greater than a period determined by the specific command received earlier, the controlled unit of the gaming machine. A command control method for a gaming machine, comprising the steps of: performing a predetermined control on the main control board and stopping execution of the various control commands from the main control board. 2. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of: when the first timer indicates that the predetermined time period is longer than the predetermined period, storing data indicating an error state in a nonvolatile RAM. The data representing the error state stored in the non-volatile RAM is not changed even when the control unit is started from the reset state, and the control unit performs a predetermined control on the controlled unit continuously, and performs the control from the main control board. The command control method for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein execution of various control commands is stopped. 3. When the first timer indicates that it is longer than the predetermined period, further storing data indicating an error state at a predetermined position in a nonvolatile RAM; Reading error data at a predetermined position in the RAM, receiving the specific command or the control command,
Storing the command stored in the storing step; and executing the read command; and executing the step of reading the error data prior to the step of executing the read command. When the data indicating the error state is read, the predetermined error processing is performed without executing the step of executing the command, and when the data indicating the error state is not read, the predetermined error processing is performed. 2. The command control method for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein a step of executing the command without executing error processing is executed. 4. A main control which has a CPU and is focused on a game management function and transmits various control commands to a sub-board in response to a winning signal of a game ball to a winning port on a game board. A command control method for a gaming machine comprising: a board; and the sub-board, which receives the various control commands from the main control board and controls each controlled part of the gaming machine. Generating data having a predetermined code on the sub-board, including the generated data on the main control board,
Generating a specific command in a format different from the various control commands and transmitting the specific command at a predetermined cycle; and receiving, in the sub-board, the specific command transmitted in the transmitting step, a first timer. Initializing; and the first initialized in the initializing step.
Time counting a timer, and, in the sub-substrate, when the time measurement result of the first timer indicates that the time is greater than the predetermined period, a predetermined control is performed on the controlled unit of the gaming machine. Executing the various control commands from the main control board. 5. When the first timer indicates that the period is longer than the predetermined period, the method further includes the step of storing data indicating an error state in a nonvolatile RAM. The data representing the error state stored in the non-volatile RAM is not changed even when the control unit is started from the reset state, and the control unit performs a predetermined control on the controlled unit continuously, and performs the control from the main control board. The command control method for a gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein execution of various control commands is stopped. 6. When the first timer indicates that it is greater than the predetermined period, further storing data indicating an error state at a predetermined position in a non-volatile RAM; Reading error data at a predetermined position in the RAM, receiving the specific command or the control command,
Storing the command stored in the storing step; executing the read command; and executing the step of reading the error data prior to the step of executing the read command. However, when data indicating an error state is read, a predetermined error process is executed without executing the step of executing the command, and when data indicating the error state is not read, a predetermined error process is performed. 5. The command control method for a gaming machine according to claim 4, wherein the step of executing the command is performed without executing the error processing. 7. A main control which has a CPU and is focused on a game management function, and transmits various control commands to a sub-board in response to a winning signal of a game ball to a winning port on a game board. A gaming machine comprising: a board; and the sub-board, which receives the various control commands from the main control board and controls each controlled part of the gaming machine. Means for generating and transmitting a specific command different from the various control commands including data having a predetermined code with the sub-board, receiving the transmitted specific command provided on the sub-board, Means for initializing the first timer, means for counting the time of the first timer initialized by the initialization means, and means for obtaining the result of counting the time of the first timer, When the timing result of the immer indicates that the value is greater than a predetermined value, the control unit performs predetermined control on the controlled part of the sub-board, and executes the various control commands from the main control board. A gaming machine having a fraud prevention function characterized by being stopped. 8. A main control which has a CPU and is focused on a game management function, and transmits various control commands to a sub-board in response to a winning signal of a game ball to a winning port on a game board. A gaming machine comprising: a board; and the sub-board, which receives the various control commands from the main control board and controls each controlled part of the gaming machine. Means for generating and transmitting a specific command different from the various control commands with a command including data having a predetermined code in the sub-board, and the sub-board is other than the predetermined control command and the specific command When receiving the command of, performs a predetermined control on the controlled portion of the sub-board,
A gaming machine having a fraud prevention function, wherein execution of the various control commands from the main control board is stopped.