JP2002292074A - Operating information relaying device and operating program for operating information relaying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To have desired processing executed for a signal put into an operating information relaying device by simple operation from the side of a game machine controlling device. SOLUTION: Information is received such as input signal name, delay mode, delay time, processing, etc., which is information on an input signal put in through an input terminal 540 set on the side of a game machine controlling device 100, and processing is given for the input signal put in through the input terminal 540 based on this received information, and then, desired processing can be executed for a signal put into an operating information relaying device 500 by simple operation from the side of the game machine controlling device 100.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operation information relay device for inputting a signal from a game machine through an input terminal and transmitting an input signal to a game machine management device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent gaming arcades, a gaming machine management device for managing operation information of each of a plurality of gaming machines arranged in the gaming arcade is installed. And each gaming machine and 1
An operation information relay device (referred to as a P-box or the like) is provided in a desired mode such as one-to-one or each gaming machine island, and the operation information relay device inputs and processes the input via the input terminal group. The information is transmitted to the gaming machine management device as operating information of the gaming machine. The gaming machine management device that receives this is configured to manage these for each gaming machine and use it for business strategy and the like.

[0003]

However, the processing mode of the operation information acquired for each gaming machine model differs, and the processing mode differs for each operation information even for the same model. In addition, since the life cycle of the gaming machine is short, it is necessary to frequently change the specifications of the operation information relay device. Therefore, it has been desired to easily perform the change.

The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and a desired operation can be performed on a signal input to the operation information relay device by a simple operation from the gaming machine management device side. It is an object of the present invention to provide an operation information relay device and an operation information relay device operation program as described above.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a signal from a gaming machine is inputted through an input terminal, and the inputted signal is supplied to a gaming machine management device for managing operation information. Or, in an operation information relay device that transmits a signal obtained by performing signal processing on the receiving device, a receiving unit that receives information related to processing of an input signal input through the input terminal set on the gaming machine management device side, And processing means for performing a process related to an input signal input via the input terminal based on the received information.

According to the present invention, information relating to the processing of an input signal input via an input terminal set on the gaming machine management device side is received, and information is input via the input terminal based on the received information. Since the processing relating to the input signal is performed, the desired processing for the signal input to the operation information relay device can be performed by a simple operation from the gaming machine management device side.

Further, the information may be information for designating an input signal name, and the processing means may include means for storing the input terminal and the input signal name in association with each other. .

Further, the information includes information designating that a specific signal processing is to be performed on an input signal, and the processing means is configured to perform processing on the input signal input through the input terminal. There may be provided a means for performing the specified specific signal processing and transmitting the signal processing to the gaming machine management device.

In this example, the information designating that a specific signal processing is performed on the input signal includes designating that a predetermined number of pulse signals are shaped as one pulse signal and a delay time after the shaping. The processing means,
Means for transmitting the predetermined number of pulse signals input via the input terminal into one pulse signal and adding the delay time thereto as one pulse signal to the gaming machine management device; Configuration.

Further, as another example, the information designating that the input signal is to be subjected to a specific signal processing includes information indicating that one pulse signal is divided and shaped as a plurality of pulse signals, and a time for dividing and shaping the pulse signal. And the processing means includes a number of pulses obtained when it is assumed that one pulse signal input through the input terminal is divided by the time specified by the division shaping time. A configuration including means for transmitting a signal to the gaming machine management device is also included.

Further, the information designating that a specific signal processing is to be performed on the input signal includes information designating that a signal before or after shaping is to be multiplied by a predetermined number and transmitted to the gaming machine management apparatus. The processing means may include means for transmitting a pulse signal obtained by multiplying the input signal or a pulse signal obtained by shaping the input signal by a predetermined number to the gaming machine management apparatus.

[0011] In each of the operation information relay devices, setting means for interactively setting information relating to processing of an input signal input through the input terminal on the gaming machine management device side is provided. The setting means displays on the display device information capable of selecting an input terminal to be set among a plurality of input terminal groups, and information on an input signal input via the input terminal selected and operated. Means for displaying required information on a display device so that input is possible.

Further, according to the present invention, the operation of the operation information relay device for inputting a signal from a gaming machine through an input terminal and transmitting the input signal to a gaming machine management device for performing operation information management. An operation program for causing a computer to execute a process including a process using an input signal input through the input terminal in response to an operation on the gaming machine management device side. An operation information relay device operation program is also provided.

Examples of a recording medium for recording the operation program for the operation information relay device include a magnetic recording medium such as a flexible disk, a semiconductor recording medium such as a ROM and an IC card, and an optical recording medium such as a CDROM. M
Computer-readable recording media such as a magnetic optical recording medium such as O.

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

(Structure) As shown in FIG. 1, a game information management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention
0 and each gaming machine 300 are connected by a communication cable 400 so that required information can be transmitted and received via an operation information relay device 500 installed one-to-one with each gaming machine 300. In this embodiment, an example in which the operation information relay device 500 is installed one-to-one with respect to the gaming machine 300 will be described. However, one operation information relay device is provided for a plurality of gaming machines 300. 500 or one per game machine island
It goes without saying that the operation information relay device 500 may be installed on a one-to-one basis.

The control unit 31 of each of the gaming machines 300,.
Numerals 0,..., 310 denote an out signal output each time the number of pachinko balls hit into the gaming machine is counted 10, and a safe ball signal output each time the number of safe balls supplied by winning is counted by ten. It outputs various operation information such as a start signal indicating that a pachinko ball has won a winning opening and a jackpot occurrence signal indicating a jackpot state. The operation information relay device 500 inputs the information via an input terminal and performs predetermined signal processing and the like as described later, and
It is transmitted to the 0 side together with the unit number.

Each of the gaming machine management devices 100
I / O port 110 for receiving operation information transmitted from communication devices 0,.
And a CPU 120 for performing various operations described later, and a gaming machine management program 179 describing a processing procedure of the present invention.
Is formed, and a storage device 170 that stores a table stored in a table area 173 described later in a nonvolatile manner, data read from the storage device 170 and the like, and calculations performed by the CPU 120 RA for storing the operation result required in the process
M130 and an input device 150 for inputting necessary commands and selection data.

Further, the gaming machine management apparatus 100 reads the gaming machine management program 179 recorded in the CDROM 200 as a recording medium, and stores the gaming machine management program 179 in the gaming machine management program storage section 172 in accordance with a command from the CPU 120. CDROM drive 160
And a display device 180 for displaying and outputting the elapsed time of the operation state of each gaming machine in a comprehensible manner, and a printer 190 capable of printing the processing results and the like executed by the CPU 120. Are connected by a bus 140 so as to be able to exchange data.

The input device 150 can be realized by an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse.
0 can be realized by a display device such as a CRT, a liquid crystal display device, an EL display device, and the storage device 170 can be realized by a storage device such as a hard disk. It can be constructed with one computer system such as a workstation.

The CPU 120 manages, as operation information, information obtained by performing a predetermined operation on the operation information received from the operation information relay apparatus 500 side. CPU
For example, every time an out ball signal or a safe ball signal is received, the operating information 120 is updated by increasing the number of out balls or safe balls of the gaming machine by ten. Further, the CPU 120 is configured to increase the number of times of start and the like by one each time the signal is received and manage the start signal and the like.

Next, referring to FIG. 3, table 17 stored in table area 173 formed in storage device 170 will be described.
4 will be described. The operation information is stored in the table 174 by the CPU 120 executing the gaming machine management program 179.

As shown in FIG. 3, the table 174 can store a machine number as an identifier of a gaming machine and operation information in association with each other. The CPU 120 constructs the operation information of the table 174 by updating the operation information by, for example, increasing the number of out balls or safe balls of the gaming machine by 10 each time the out ball signal or the safe ball signal is received. Is done. Note that FIG. 3 particularly shows the information of the out ball, the safe ball, and the number of starts as the operation information. However, this does not exclude other types of operation information and is merely for convenience of explanation.

(Configuration of Operation Information Relay Device 500) As shown in FIG.
And a ROM as a recording medium for recording an operation program
520 and a RAM 530 as a work area, and the CPU 510 executes an operation program recorded in the ROM 520 to realize an operation described below. Also, a plurality of input terminals 540a, 540b,.
540n are provided, and the CPU 510 receives signals input through these input terminals 540. A predetermined portion of the gaming machine (not shown) is connected to each input terminal 540 via a signal line, and a required signal is input to each input terminal 540.

On the other hand, the CPU 510 has an output line 550
, 550n are connected, and the communication cable 400 is configured to include at least these output line groups. The CPU 510 controls the first input terminal 54
0a, or a signal obtained by subjecting the input signal to the gaming machine management apparatus 100 via the first output line 550a.
The input signal itself from 40b or a signal processed on the input signal is transmitted to the gaming machine management apparatus 100 via the second output line 550b, and so on. Note that, as described later, each input terminal 540
a, 540b,... 540n, the terminal number “1”,
.. "N" are assigned, and the CPU 510 is configured to recognize this. Thus, the operation information relay device 500 receives a signal from the gaming machine 300 via the input terminal 540, and inputs the signal to the gaming machine management device 100 that performs operation information management or a signal obtained by performing signal processing on the signal. Has been sent.

(Operation) Next, the operation will be described. CD
When the ROM 200 is inserted into an insertion section (not shown) of the CDROM drive 160, the gaming machine management program 179 stored in the CDROM 200 is changed to the CDROM drive 1
60, this is stored in the gaming machine management program storage unit 172, and a series of operations are executed by the CPU 120 by executing the gaming machine management program (including the construction of the table 174 described above). .

(Operation) Next, the operation will be described. When a specific instruction is given by operating the input device 150, the CPU 120 of the gaming machine management device 100 proceeds to step S60 in FIG.
At 0, a terminal number selection screen is displayed on the display device 180. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the display screen 181, in which terminal numbers are displayed as “1, 2,..., N” from top to bottom in the drawing. Here, the input device 150 is operated to operate the pointer 41.
Move 0 and click on the terminal number "1" (corresponding to the input terminal 540a in FIG. 2) to be selected.

Then, the CPU 120 displays an information setting screen as shown in FIG. 5 on the display screen 181 of the display device 180. As shown in FIG. 5, the CPU 120 displays the terminal number 1 previously selected, and displays the area 182,
183, 184, 185 are displayed, and in each area, input signal name, delay mode, delay time, and processing information can be input and set. In this example, the input terminal 54
The input signal name of 0a is "start", the delay mode,
The delay time is "delay 1", "500 (msec)",
It is assumed that information for designating the processing to be “double (× 2)” is input and set. In the area 186, a number for designating the operation information relay device 500 is input, and a number functioning as an identifier is assigned in advance to each of the operation information relay devices 500 arranged in the game arcade.

When an OK button 186 is clicked in this state, CPU 120 sends the information to communication cable 400. Referring to this information, the CPU 510 of the operation information relay apparatus 500 whose operation information relay apparatus number is “1” determines that the information is addressed to the own apparatus, and constructs the information in the RAM 530 as shown in FIG. The information is stored in the salel table 531 (step S70 in FIG. 7).
0). As shown in FIG. 8, the table 521 can store the terminal number, the input signal name, the delay mode, the delay time, and the processing in association with each other, and stores the received information in the corresponding area of the table 531. FIG. 8 shows a storage state of each information in the example shown in FIG. Thus, the processing information on the input signal of the input terminal 540 set on the gaming machine management apparatus 100 side is constructed in the table 531, and the CPU 510 sets the input terminal 540
It becomes possible to grasp that the name of the input signal a is "start".

Now, it is assumed that the wiring is performed so that a lighting control signal of an effect lamp device for a game machine (not shown) is input to the input terminal 540a. As shown in FIG. 9A, the control unit 310 of the gaming machine 300 outputs, as a lighting control signal, a pulse signal that goes from low to high and goes low again when a game ball has won a start port (not shown). 3 (P
1, P2, P3).

When a lighting control signal is input to the input terminal 540a, the CPU 510 performs a delay process because the delay mode 1 is designated. In this delay processing, as shown in FIG. 9B, one pulse signal that rises at the rising edge of the first pulse signal P1 and falls at the falling edge of the third pulse signal is converted to a delay time of 500 (msec). ) So as to extend for the time specified by one pulse signal P4.
Generate By such signal shaping, a start signal is generated from the lighting control signal.

Further, the CPU 510 generates two generated pulse signals P4 and transmits them to the gaming machine management device 100, as shown in FIG. Thus, for example, a model that outputs a one-pulse start signal each time a game ball is won at the starting port, and a model that outputs a two-pulse start signal each time a game ball is won at the starting port (in this case, The gaming machine management apparatus 100 can manage the start signal with the same operation program for both (1) processing, ie, designate no processing).

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of another example of signal processing. In the case where the delay mode 2 is selected by the operation of the gaming machine management apparatus 100, the CPU 510 receives the delay mode 2 as the delay mode. The signal processing of this example is performed. In this case, each time a game ball is awarded at the starting port, FIG.
It is assumed that a one-pulse pulse signal P5 as shown in FIG. When a start signal as shown in FIG. 10A is input via the input terminal 540a, the CPU 510 generates one pulse signal every delay time 1000 (msec), From the pulse signal P
If it corresponds to the low of 5, the pulse generation ends. Thus, in this case, two pulse signals P6 and P7 can be divided from one pulse signal P5 to obtain a two-pulse signal.

According to such a shaping example as well, a model that outputs a one-pulse start signal each time a game ball is won at the starting port, and a two-pulse start signal each time a game ball is won at the starting port. The gaming machine management apparatus 100 can manage the start signal with the same operation program for both the output model (in this case, the processing shown in FIG. 10 is not performed).

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, information relating to processing of an input signal input via the input terminal 540 set on the gaming machine management apparatus 100 is received, and the reception is performed. Input terminal 5 based on the information
Since the processing related to the input signal input through the communication device 40 is performed, desired processing can be performed on the signal input to the operation information relay apparatus 500 by a simple operation from the gaming machine management apparatus 100 side. .

When the CPU 510 receives the information designating the input signal name, it stores the input terminal 540 in association with the input signal name, so that the CPU 510 can grasp the signal name assigned to each input terminal. Become. Further, the CPU 510 performs a specified specific signal processing on an input signal input via the input terminal 540 and transmits the processed signal to the gaming machine management apparatus 100, so that the program on the gaming machine management apparatus 100 is changed. Etc. are reduced.

For example, when the CPU 510 is connected to the input terminal 540
A signal obtained by adding a delay time to a predetermined number of pulse signals input through the PC through the input terminal is transmitted to the gaming machine management apparatus 100 as one pulse signal, or input through the input terminal 540. It is possible to transmit to the gaming machine management apparatus 100 the number of pulse signals obtained when it is assumed that one pulse signal is divided by the time specified by the division shaping time. Further, the CPU 510
The processing load on the gaming machine management device 100 may be reduced by transmitting the input signal or a pulse signal obtained by multiplying the pulse signal of the input signal by a predetermined number to the gaming machine management device 100.

Then, the CPU 120 displays, on the display device 180, information that allows the user to select an input terminal to be set from among the plurality of input terminal groups, and relates to an input signal input through the input terminal that has been selected. Since necessary information is displayed on the display device 180 so that information can be input, operability is extremely good.

Each operation in the embodiment of the present invention can be realized by CPU 510 executing an operation program recorded in ROM 520.
That is, the CPU 510 executes the operation program to cause the computer to execute a process including a process using an input signal input via the input terminal 540 in response to an operation on the gaming machine management device 100 side. Can be.

It should be noted that various modifications and changes can be made to each of the above embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the same operation can be performed for an input signal of an input terminal other than the input terminal 540a. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of examples of types of delay mode and the like. According to this example, the delay mode can be selected from the delay modes 1 and 2 described above and no delay mode. Does not perform the above-described signal processing. No delay time, 500, 1000,
Although 2000 (msec)... Can be selected, other times may be selectable. And there is no processing, double (× 2), triple (× 3),
Other than these may be selectable. Note that a combination of directly processing a signal without delay may be appropriately performed.

Further, the operation of the gaming machine management apparatus 100 is such that the CPU 120 downloads all of the gaming machine management programs 179 recorded on the CDROM 200 read from the CDROM drive 160 to the storage device 170 at one time. The downloaded gaming machine management program 179 may be executed by the CPU 120, or the CPU 120 may read out the gaming machine management program 170 recorded in the CD ROM 200 by a predetermined amount and temporarily store it in the RAM 130. May be sequentially read and executed.

In any case, the processing on the gaming machine management apparatus 100 can be executed by causing the CPU 120 to execute the gaming machine management program 179 recorded in the CD ROM 200. Note that at least a part of the processing according to the present invention may be executed by an OS, middleware, another application, or the like which is installed in the gaming machine management apparatus 100 in advance.

The present invention can be applied to a gaming machine management apparatus 100 that manages gaming information of not only a gaming arcade having a pachinko machine or a pachislot machine but also other gaming machines such as an arcade game machine. It is suitable.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to perform a desired process on a signal input to the operation information relay device by a simple operation from the gaming machine management device side. The effect that it can be obtained is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a game information management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an operation information relay device 500.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a table 174.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen 181 of the display device 180.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a display screen 181 of the display device 180.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an operation on the gaming machine management device 100 side.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an operation on the operation information relay device 500 side.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a table 531.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of signal processing.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of another signal processing.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a delay mode, a delay time, and a type of processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 gaming information management system 100 gaming machine management device 110 I / O port 120 CPU 130 RAM 140 bus 150 input device 160 CDROM drive 170 storage device 172 gaming machine management program storage unit 173 table area 174 table 180 display device 181 display screen 190 printer 195 Communication control unit 200 CDROM 300 Game machine 310 Control unit 400 Communication cable 500 Operation information relay device 510 CPU 520 ROM 530 RAM 540a, 540b,... 540n Input terminal 550a, 550b,.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An operation information relay for inputting a signal from a gaming machine through an input terminal and transmitting the input signal or a signal obtained by subjecting the signal to signal processing to a gaming machine management device for managing operation information. In the apparatus, receiving means for receiving information relating to processing of an input signal input via the input terminal set on the gaming machine management device side, based on the received information, input via the input terminal And a processing means for performing processing relating to the input signal. 2. The operation information relay device according to claim 1, wherein the information is information for designating an input signal name, and the processing unit stores the input terminal and the input signal name in association with each other. An operation information relay device comprising means. 3. The operation information relay device according to claim 1, wherein the information includes information specifying that a specific signal processing is to be performed on an input signal. Wherein the processing means includes means for performing the specified specific signal processing on an input signal input via the input terminal and transmitting the processed signal to the gaming machine management device. Information relay device. 4. The operation information relay device according to claim 3, wherein the information designating that a specific signal processing is performed on the input signal is formed by shaping a predetermined number of pulse signals into one pulse signal. And a delay time after shaping. The processing means adds the delay time to a signal obtained by converting the predetermined number of pulse signals input through the input terminal into one pulse signal. An operation information relay device comprising means for transmitting the result as one pulse signal to the gaming machine management device. 5. The operation information relay device according to claim 3, wherein the information designating that specific signal processing is performed on the input signal is performed by dividing one pulse signal into a plurality of pulse signals. And the information for designating the division shaping time. The processing means assumes that one pulse signal input via the input terminal is divided by the time designated by the division shaping time. An operation information relay device comprising means for transmitting the number of pulse signals obtained when the game is performed to the gaming machine management device. 6. The operation information relay device according to claim 3, wherein the information designating that a specific signal processing is performed on the input signal includes a pre-shaping information. Alternatively, the processing means includes information designating that the signal after shaping is to be transmitted to the gaming machine management apparatus as a predetermined multiple of the predetermined number, and the processing unit determines the number of pulses of the input signal or the pulse signal obtained by shaping the input signal to the predetermined number. An operation information relay device comprising means for transmitting a multiplied pulse signal to the gaming machine management device. 7. The operation information relay device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, wherein the operation information is relayed via the input terminal on the gaming machine management device side. Setting means for interactively setting information relating to processing of input signals to be input, wherein the setting means displays, on a display device, information capable of selecting an input terminal to be set among a plurality of input terminal groups. And a means for displaying required information on a display device so that information on an input signal input through an input terminal selected and operated can be input. 8. An operation for inputting a signal from a gaming machine through an input terminal and causing a gaming machine management device for managing operation information to operate an operation information relay device for transmitting the input signal. A program for operating an operation information relay device for causing a computer to execute a process using an input signal input via the input terminal in response to an operation on the gaming machine management device side. program.