JP2002306748A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine which excites players to feel expectations sufficiently by making an advance notice for the possibility of the appearance of ready-to win display state inducing display characters while notifying the players in an understandable manner of how the pre-winning display pattern develops to the final result. SOLUTION: A plurality of decoration characters A to D are arranged in a game region and a display character 31 is defined and displayed near the decoration characters before the ready-to-win display pattern is presented thereby notifying the players of the appearance of the ready-to-winning undertandably in advance. Moreover, the appearance of a special display pattern is notified in advance by making the ready-to-win pattern appear that contains a character figure the same in contents as the decoration character B near which the display character 31 is defined and displayed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a variable display device provided with an image display area provided substantially at the center of a game area and including a variable display area capable of variably displaying a plurality of pieces of identification information; Display control means for performing display control,
After the identification information is variably displayed in the variable display area based on the satisfaction of a predetermined condition, a display game including stopping the variable display and stopping and displaying a plurality of pieces of identification information is executed, and a display mode of an execution result of the display game is performed. The present invention relates to a gaming machine capable of generating a special game state advantageous to a player in connection with the stop display mode being a predetermined special display mode.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A game machine of this type, represented by a pachinko machine, has a variable display device such as a liquid crystal display whose display mode can be changed. There are gaming machines in which a predetermined game value can be given (for example, a jackpot control can be executed) on condition that the display result of the variable display device becomes a predetermined specific display mode (for example, a jackpot symbol combination).

In such a gaming machine, a reach display mode that leads to the appearance of a jackpot or the like is displayed before the final display result is displayed, and then a specific display mode such as a jackpot or the like may occur. . When the reach display mode appears, there is a high possibility that the display mode will be a specific display mode. Then, in order to appropriately elevate the player's expectation, when the reach display mode appears, the fact is notified to the player.

The notification that the reach display mode has appeared is as follows:
For example, it is performed by effect display such as lighting a lamp or LED provided on a game board, or displaying a character on a variable display device.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-235431 discloses a gaming machine in which a character appears in various poses on a variable display device when a pachinko ball enters a starting port. On the gaming board surface of this gaming machine, the previous character is drawn in a pose appearing on the variable display device. For this reason,
The player is provided with a pleasure of waiting for the character to appear on the variable display device in a pose as drawn on the game board.

[0006]

In a conventional gaming machine, a reach display mode is displayed without any warning during execution of a display game, so that the appearing reach display state evolves into any final result. It was difficult for players to understand. For this reason, there is a problem that even if the reach display mode appears, it is not possible to excite the player with a sense of expectation and to entertain the player.

[0007] When there are many characters drawn on the game board, the player must confirm each time the character derived and displayed on the variable display device against the one drawn on the game board. However, the game became cumbersome, and the excitement of the player could not be sufficiently increased.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of such a problem. By deriving a display character, the possibility of appearance of the reach display mode is foreseen, and the final result of the reach display mode is determined. It is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine capable of sufficiently estimating a player's expectation by notifying the player in an easy-to-understand manner that the game will be developed.

[0009]

The gist of the present invention to achieve the above object lies in the following inventions. [1] A variable display device (310) provided substantially at the center of a game area and including an image display region including a variable display region capable of variably displaying a plurality of pieces of identification information, and the variable display device (31).
Display control means (100, 300) for performing display control of 0)
And performing a display game including stopping the variable display and variably displaying the plurality of pieces of identification information after variably displaying the identification information in the variable display area based on the satisfaction of a predetermined condition,
In a gaming machine in which a special game state advantageous to a player can be generated in association with the stop display mode being a display mode of the execution result of the display game being a predetermined special display mode, A plurality of types of decorative characters are provided on the surface, and identification information to be displayed in the display game includes identification information having the same content as the decorative characters, and the display control means (100, 300) controls the display of the image display area. The reach display mode in which the special display mode is likely to be established can be derived by confirming and displaying a predetermined display character at a proximity position where the distance to any one of the plurality of types of decorative characters is the shortest. Notifying the character and displaying a reach display mode including the same identification information as the decorative character forming the relationship between the display character and the close position. , Gaming machine, characterized by notifying said stop display mode is a special display mode to the player.

[2] A variable display device (310) provided substantially at the center of the game area and including an image display region including a variable display region capable of variably displaying a plurality of pieces of identification information, and the variable display device (310). Display control means (10)
0, 300), and performing a display game that includes variably displaying identification information in the variably displayed area based on the satisfaction of a predetermined condition, and then halting the variable display and stopping and displaying a plurality of pieces of identification information. In a gaming machine in which a special game state advantageous to the player can be generated in association with the stop display mode being a display mode of the execution result of the display game being a predetermined special display mode, the surface of the gaming area Is provided with a plurality of types of decorative characters, the identification information to be displayed in the display game, includes the same identification information as the decorative character,
The display control means (100, 300) may include any one of the plurality of types of decorative characters in the image display area.
The reach display mode in which the special display mode may be established by confirming and displaying a predetermined display character at a proximity position in which the distance to the first character is shorter than the distance to another decorative character by a certain degree or more. And informing the player that the stop display mode becomes a special display mode by causing a reach display mode including identification information having the same content as the decorative character forming the relationship between the display character and the proximity position to appear. A gaming machine characterized by notification.

The present invention operates as follows. The variable display device (310) is provided substantially at the center of the game board, and includes a variable display area for variably displaying identification information and an area for displaying a display character. Based on the establishment of a predetermined game condition such as a ball winning a starting port, a symbol matching game or the like as a slot machine is developed and displayed in a variable display area.

A plurality of types of decorative characters are provided in the game area, and the plurality of types of identification information displayed in the display game include identification information having the same contents as the decorative characters. Note that the game area is a concept including a game board surface, a peripheral decoration portion (referred to as a center case) of the variable display device (310) provided on the game board surface, and an image display area of the variable display device (310). Therefore, the decorative character may be drawn on the game board or the center case, or may be displayed in the image display area. Further, the identification information having the same content is a concept including a character completely matching the decorative character and a similar character. In other words, even if they are not completely the same, they need only be similar to the extent that the player can recognize at a glance that they are the same character, and may have different poses, facial expressions, sizes, and the like.

[0013] The display control means (100, 300), as a first stage of the notice notification, determines whether the distance to one of the plurality of types of decorative characters is the shortest or the distance to another decorative character in the image display area. A predetermined display character is fixedly displayed at a position at which the display position becomes a proximity position that is shorter than a certain distance compared to the distance, thereby notifying the possibility of deriving a reach display mode in which a special display mode may be established. Further, a reach display mode including identification information having the same content as the decorative character displayed at the position where the distance to the confirmed displayed display character is the shortest (that is, the decorative character having a close relationship with the display character) appears. This informs the player that the reach display mode will eventually evolve into the special display mode.

As described above, the appearance of the reach display mode is notified to the player in an easy-to-understand manner by confirming and displaying the display character near the specific decorative character. Therefore, the player's expectation due to the appearance of the reach display mode is accurately determined. Can be excited. Further, the appearance of the special display mode is notified by the appearance of the reach display mode including the identification information having the same content as the decorative character displayed and displayed close to the decorative character. Can be doubled.

In the case where the position where the display character is fixedly displayed is defined as a region around the variable display region, and the decorative character is further disposed around the surrounding region, the player can easily understand the positional relationship between the characters. Arrangement.

[0016]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1 to 21 show a gaming machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. The gaming machine according to the present embodiment includes a gaming machine main body 1 for executing a game of hitting a ball on a gaming board 2 and a card unit (CR ball lending machine) b attached to the gaming machine 2 for lending the ball by inserting a prepaid card.
Consisting of

First, the general outline of the gaming machine main body 1 will be described.
FIG. 1 is a front view of a gaming machine main body 1 and a card unit b. The gaming machine main body 1 includes a gaming machine status lamp 422 for notifying the special gaming state of the gaming machine by lighting, a glass frame 11 formed in a frame shape and fixing a front glass, and a glass frame 11 behind the glass frame. A glass frame opening detection switch 132 for detecting opening, and a game board 2 on which a ball fired by a player moves and to which a part for proceeding a game is attached are detachably attached.

On the lower surface of the glass frame 11, an upper tray 3 for storing lent or dispensed balls, a lower tray 4 for storing spheres overflowing from the upper tray 3, and a ball stored in the upper tray 3 are provided. An upper tray ball pulling lever 7 for pulling out the ball, a lower tray ball pulling lever 8 for pulling out the ball stored in the lower tray 4, and a hit ball operation handle 5 for a player to perform a ball hitting operation are provided. In addition, hitting operation handle 5
Has a firing stop switch 65 for stopping the firing of the ball.
2 are provided. In addition, beside the lower tray 4, an ashtray 6 for smokers is also provided.

Further, as a device for the player to operate the card unit b, a frequency display section 12 for displaying and confirming the remaining frequency of the value card, and a lending button 9 for giving a lending instruction for the ball. A return button 10 for instructing a return of a value card is provided in the vicinity of the upper tray 3, and their output terminals are connected to an operation panel board a on the back of the gaming machine.
Connected to each other.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the gaming machine body 1 and the card unit b. On the back of the gaming machine main body 1, a control board for various functions and components are provided. Here, as a control board, a main board 100 that manages and controls the operation of the entire game,
The instruction information from the main board 100 is received by parallel communication, and a prize ball payout operation is performed.
0, a payout control board 200 for controlling the ball lending operation by communicating with the card unit, a launch control board 600 for controlling the launch of the ball, a launch motor 653 controlled by the launch control board 600, A power supply board 700 for supplying predetermined power to the power supply, a frame external terminal plate 800 for connecting to an external device and outputting frame external information (prize ball signal, ball lending signal, ball out signal), and a card unit b And a card unit connection board 900 for connection with the card unit.

The display control board 300, the lamp control board 400, and the audio control board 50 are provided in the protective cover 93.
0 and the like are provided on the game board 2. Each control board is housed in a special case to protect it from dust from outside, spilling balls from other equipment, static electricity and electrical noise. Above all, the case of the main substrate 100 has a structure that can be opened and closed a predetermined number of times using a special screw.

Next, the flow path of the ball received from the pachinko ball supply device will be described. In FIG. 2, the balls replenished from a pachinko ball replenishing device (not shown) are stored in a tank unit 90 at the upper part of the gaming machine, and every time a prize ball is paid out and a ball-lending operation is performed, the ball is shot into a shoot unit 91. , And is delivered to the upper tray 3 through the payout unit 92.

The tank unit 90 stores the balls supplied from the pachinko ball supply device, and a prize ball tank ball presence / absence switch 80 is provided on the bottom surface of the tank unit 90.
1 and a ball leveling 94 are provided. The prize ball tank ball presence / absence switch 801 is a switch for detecting the presence / absence of a ball stored in the tank unit 90. Output to the outside.

The ball leveling 94 is for leveling the spheres flowing in the lane of the chute unit 91 so that they do not rise due to the ball pressure. The bottom surface of the tank unit 90 is inclined, so that the spheres collect and drop at a portion joined to the chute unit 91.

The chute unit 91 divides the balls flowing down from the tank unit 90 into two lanes and arranges them. While the ball is moving toward the dispensing unit 95, the bulge due to the ball pressure is suppressed by the ball leveling 94, but the ball is leveled more effectively by the ball leveling 95, and the ball is sent to the dispensing unit 92. is there.

On the ball path of the chute unit 91, a chute ball cutout switch 131 is provided.
The shot ball out switch 131 is a switch for detecting the presence or absence of a ball up to the payout unit 92, and a detection signal is input to the main board 100 to monitor the presence or absence of the ball. The switch 131 is connected to the prize ball tank ball presence / absence switch 80.
Although the application is similar to 1, the presence or absence of connection with the main substrate 100 is a significant difference.

The dispensing unit 92 forms a ball passage to the upper receiving tray 3, and on the ball passage, a dispensing motor 222 for sending out the ball, a dispensing stop solenoid 223 for suppressing the flow (fall) of the ball, and , A path switching solenoid 224 for switching the path between the lent ball and the payout ball, a prize ball detection switch 130 for detecting the payout ball, a ball lending detection switch 220 for detecting the lent ball, and the like.

The dispensing motor 222 and the dispensing stop solenoid 223 are connected to and controlled by the dispensing control board 200. When there is a request to pay out a predetermined ball from the main board 100 to the payout control board 200, the payout control board 200 operates the path switching solenoid 224 to shift the ball to the payout ball side, and stops the payout motor 222 and the payout. Solenoid 223
Sends the ball to the upper receiving tray 3.

When a lending request signal for a predetermined ball is input from the card unit b to the payout control board 200 via the card unit connection board 900 by the operation of the player, the payout control board 200 switches the path. Solenoid 22
4 is operated, the path of the ball is set to the lending ball side, and the ball is sent out to the upper tray 3 by the payout motor 222 and the payout stop solenoid 223.

The reason why the ball path is made variable depending on the content of the request is to ensure that the predetermined number of balls is counted separately by the prize ball detection switch 130 and the ball lending detection switch 220. . Further, the prize ball detection switch 130 is connected to the main board 100, counts a predetermined number of balls similarly to the payout control board 200, and can confirm that the payout has been performed more accurately.

The overflow ball from the upper tray 3 is
An overflow switch 133 is provided on the spherical passage formed so as to flow downward. When the balls stored in the lower tray 4 become full, the overflow switch 13
When the ball reaches the installation position of the ball 3, the switch is input by the ball pressure of the stored ball, and the detection signal is sent to the main board 1
00 is input. When the main board 100 detects the input of the overflow switch 133, the payout control board 200
And outputs instruction information to stop the launch of the ball.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the game board 2. Gaming board 2
On the front of the vehicle, a guide rail 16 for guiding the shot ball to the game area 17, a nail (not shown) and a windmill 15 for changing the flow of the game ball guided to the game area 17,
A variable display device 310 for performing a variable display of a plurality of types of identification information in accordance with a detection signal of the start port switch 121 caused by a winning in each of the winning ports and the starting port 21 which is one of the winning ports;
A normal symbol display device 140 or the like that performs a variable display of a plurality of types of normal symbols based on a detection signal of the normal symbol display device operation gate switch 126 is provided. Variable display device 31
0 is accommodated in a center case 315 surrounding the periphery. Note that the game area 17 also includes the image display area of the surface of the game board 2, the center case 315, and the variable display device 310.

At the lowermost portion of the game board 2, an out port 29 is provided for discharging a ball that has fallen without entering any of the winning ports in the game area 17 to the outside of the gaming machine. ing. When a ball enters the out port 29, no privilege is given to the player, and no prize ball is paid out.

Further, as a decorative lamp, a variable display device 31
A special symbol holding LED 420 for notifying the player of the number of balls reserved for operating 0 (the maximum number of balls winning the starting port 21 is four), and a ball reserved for operating the ordinary symbol display device 140 The normal symbol holding LED 421, the side case lamp 423, the game frame status lamp 424, the center LED 425, and the gate for informing the player of the number (the maximum number of balls detected by the normal symbol display device operation gate switch 126 is four). LED426, attacker LE
D427, a side LED 428, and the like are provided.

The winning opening includes a starting opening 21, a right sleeve winning opening 22a, a left sleeve winning opening 22b, a right down winning opening 23a, a left down winning opening 23b, and a large winning opening 24. When a game ball wins each winning opening, a winning ball is detected by a switch attached to each winning opening, and a predetermined prize ball allocated to each winning opening is paid out every time a winning ball is detected.

The start opening 21 is a winning opening for securing the execution right of the display game executed on the variable display device 310 as described above, and the large winning opening 24 is provided with a predetermined game value. The special game state that can be given to the player is generated. Decorative characters A to D are drawn adjacent to the four corners of the center case 315 in the game board 2. The decorative characters A to D are different characters so that the player can recognize at a glance that they are different.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the game board 2. Gaming board 2
Various control boards and their related components are assembled on the rear surface of the control board in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. The control board includes a display control board 300 for controlling the variable display device 310, a lamp control board 400 for controlling the decorative lamp, a voice control board 500 for controlling voice, and external information for the board connected to external equipment. (1 jackpot signal, 2 jackpot signals, symbol determination frequency signal), and the like, an external terminal board 850 for the board and the like are provided.

As switches for detecting a winning ball in each winning opening, a starting opening switch 121, a right sleeve winning opening switch 122a, a left sleeve winning opening switch 122b, a right down winning opening switch 123a, a left down winning opening switch 123b, and the like. Is installed near each winning opening. In the vicinity of the special winning opening 24, an accessory continuous operation device switch 124 and a count switch 125 are provided. The switch of each winning opening is provided near each winning opening, but may be arranged on a passage until the winning ball is discharged out of the gaming machine.

When a ball is won in each winning opening, it is detected by each winning opening switch, and each time the ball is detected, the next predetermined prize ball assigned to each winning opening is paid out. The starting opening 21 has five shots, a right sleeve winning opening 22a, and a left sleeve winning opening 22.
b, rightward winning opening 23a, leftward winning opening 23b have 8
Departure, large winning opening 24 (for detecting the winning ball by the continuous actuating device switch 124 and the count switch 125)
Is assigned 15 shots. The allocation of the number of prize balls is fixed for each winning opening, but can be arbitrarily changed.

As a switch for detecting a ball for operating the normal symbol display device 140, a normal symbol display device operation gate switch 126 is provided at a predetermined position on the game board 2 and moves within the game area 17. Detects the passage of a sphere.

A related device for variably moving the accessory includes a special winning opening solenoid 1 for opening and closing the door of the special winning opening 24.
34, a direction switching solenoid 135 for switching the direction of the ball flow to one of the accessory continuous operation device switch 124 and the count switch 125 for the flow of the ball winning the big winning opening 24; A normal electric accessory solenoid 136 for operation is provided.

Next, main components on the game board 2 will be described in more detail. The starting port 21 is generally referred to as a starting chucker. The starting port 21 is provided with a condition device including a pair of movable pieces at both left and right ends of the winning port. The driving source includes a normal electric accessory solenoid 136 (see FIG. 4). Is used to open and close each movable piece. The starting port 21 is configured as a so-called electric tulip accessory, which changes to a normal second state (closed state) where the ball is hard to win and a first state (open state) where the ball is easy to win by opening and closing operations of the movable pieces. ing.

The winning of a ball in the starting port 21 is set as a starting condition for executing a display game on the variable display device 310 described below. As shown in FIG. 6, the starting port 21 includes a starting port switch 121 for detecting a winning of a ball. When the starting port switch 121 is turned ON upon detecting a winning ball, the starting port switch 121 outputs a starting winning signal to the main board (game control board) 100. The starting port switch 121 may be constituted by various sensors such as an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, and a magnetic sensor.

The variable display device 310 is provided with a variable display area 311 capable of variably displaying various symbols as identification information in the image display area. The variable display apparatus 310 is constituted by a liquid crystal unit. It is also possible to employ a vessel or the like.

A ball is won in the starting port 21 and the starting port switch 1
When a winning ball is detected by the variable 21, the variable display device 310
Has been granted the right to display games (special symbol games),
The display game is executed. Display game is a variable display device 310
When a plurality of types of symbols (identification information) displayed for a predetermined time fluctuate for a predetermined time and a predetermined symbol (for example, “777” or the like) is aligned in a horizontal line, a special display mode (big hit) is obtained. FIG. 17 shows an aspect of the identification information displayed in the display game.

The identification information includes an identification pattern consisting of a single-digit number and character patterns A to D having the same contents as the decorative characters A to D. The character pattern A is a pattern similar to the decorative character A, although the size and pose are different,
At first glance, it can be recognized that the four decorative characters A to D are similar to the decorative character A. The character pattern B is a pattern similar to the decorative character B, and it can be recognized that the four decorative characters are similar to the decorative character B at first glance. Similarly, the character pattern C is similar to the decorative character C, and the character pattern D is similar to the decorative character D.

When a ball wins in the starting port 21 during the display of the change of the identification information, the right of the display game is acquired but held, and after the display game currently in progress is consumed, the game is held. Rights are sequentially digested. Display game can be held up to 4
And is notified by the special symbol holding LED 420.

As shown in FIG. 16, in the display game according to the present embodiment, the image display area 3 of the variable display device 310 is changed.
12 uses the center as a variable display area 311. The display character 31 can be displayed on the entire image display area 312 including both sides of the variable display area. The variable display area 311 is used by being divided into three columns. In each column, a variable display in which various kinds of identification information are scrolled from top to bottom is performed. Is stopped and displayed in each column.

In a certain case, the display character 31 is fixedly displayed in the special display area 312. What is confirmed display?
This refers to a display state in which the player can recognize that the position of the display character 31 has been determined. That is, the display character 3
In addition to the movement of 1 and the state where all animations are stopped,
Even if the animation is continuously changing, the determination of the position of the display character 31 may be recognized by the player.

When the result of the display game is finally determined in the special display mode, a special game state in which the special winning opening 24 described below is repeatedly opened and closed up to a predetermined number of times can be formed. If the result of the display game is not finally determined to be the special display mode, it corresponds to the off display mode.

The special winning opening 24 is generally called an attacker, and it is difficult for the winning opening to receive a ball due to the operation of a drive source such as a solenoid (a special winning opening solenoid 134, a direction switching solenoid 135). It is configured to be able to change between a normal second state (closed state) and a first state (open state) where winning is easy.

The special winning opening solenoid 134 operates to open and close the special winning opening 24 door a predetermined number of times (for example, 15 times) when the special game state is established. When the door of the special winning opening 24 is opened, the direction switching solenoid 135 is connected to the accessory continuous operation device switch 12.
The passage member is operated to guide the winning ball to the fourth side, and when a winning ball is detected by the accessory continuous operation device switch 124, the operation is performed so as to guide the winning ball to the count switch 125 side.

That is, the special winning opening 24 is controlled to open and close so as to produce a special game state when the special display mode is set in the display game. Here, the special game state is the first state.
This is a state in which the opening / closing operation of returning to the second state for a short time after being maintained in the state for a predetermined time is repeatedly performed up to a predetermined number of rounds (for example, 16 times).

A predetermined number of balls (for example, 10 balls) is a special winning opening 2
4 or when a predetermined time (about 30 seconds) elapses, the door of the special winning opening 24 is closed. When the series of operations is completed for the predetermined number of times, the special game state ends.

The ordinary symbol display device 140 performs variable display by turning on two left and right LEDs. This L
In a method other than the ED2 lamp, a 7-segment display may be used. The right and left LEDs are assigned “hit” and “out”, respectively, and when the passing of the ball is detected by the normal symbol display device operation gate switch 126, the right of the ordinary symbol game by the ordinary symbol display device 140 is acquired. Play a regular symbol game.

In the ordinary symbol game, the ordinary symbol display device 14 is used.
In the case of 0, the variation display by alternately blinking the left and right LEDs is started, and when the variation display is performed for a predetermined time and stopped, the left or right illumination display is performed, and the player can visually confirm the result of the determination and can confirm the result of the determination. When the result of the determination is "hit", the ordinary electric accessory (not shown) operates.

Normally, while the symbol display device 140 is displaying the variation,
When a passing ball is detected by the ordinary symbol display device operation gate switch 126, the right of the ordinary symbol game is acquired but held, and after the ordinary symbol game currently in progress is consumed, the right held is retained. Digested sequentially. The maximum number of ordinary symbol games to be held is four, and the ordinary symbol holding L
It is notified by ED421.

Next, various control boards used for controlling the gaming machine body 1 will be described. FIGS. 5 and 6 are block diagrams showing various control boards used for controlling the gaming machine main body 1 and components related thereto. 5 and 6,
As a control board, a main board (also called a game control board) 10
0, payout control board 200, display control board 300, lamp control board 400, voice control board 500, emission control board 6
00, a power supply board 700 is shown.

First, the main substrate 100 shown in FIG. 6 will be described. The main board 100 operates based on a clock generated by the clock circuit 108 inside the main board. Further, the clock generated by the clock circuit 108 is output to the internal timer 10.
The interrupt signal at a fixed time interval obtained by dividing the frequency by
02, the CPU 102
Reset. The CPU 102 performs a series of operations by executing, at each reset, a process divided so as to end in a time shorter than the reset interval.

The starting port switch 121, the right normal symbol display device operating gate switch 126a, the left normal symbol display device operating gate switch 126b, the right sleeve winning opening switch 122.
a, a left sleeve winning opening switch 122b, a right down winning opening switch 123a, and a left down winning opening switch 123b are switches for detecting a winning of a ball, and an input signal from these switches is sent to the gate circuit 110. Supplied.

Switch for continuous actor actuation switch 124, count switch 125, left prize ball detection switch 130a, right prize ball detection switch 130b, shot ball out switch 13
1. Each input signal from the glass frame open detection switch 132 and the overflow switch 133 is supplied to the gate circuit 111.

The addresses of the gate circuits 110 and 111 are
It is set in the address space of the CPU 102 by a memory mapped I / O method. An address signal output from the CPU 102 and a write / read control signal are decoded by an address decode circuit 113 in accordance with a system clock output from the CPU 102 to generate a chip select signal.

The gate circuit 1 is controlled by the chip select signal.
When 10, 111 are selected, the starting port switch 12
Each input signal from 1 etc. is output to the data bus through the gate circuit. Each input signal on the data bus is detected a plurality of times by an interrupt signal generated at fixed time intervals until the next reset, and chattering prevention processing is performed. Stored in the area.

The input signal from the starting port switch 121 is 5
As the prize ball signal of the individual prize ball, the right sleeve winning port switch 12
The input signals from the 2a, the left sleeve winning opening switch 122b, the right down winning opening switch 123a, and the left down winning opening switch 123b are each a prize ball signal of 8 prize balls, and further, the accessory continuous operation device switch 124 and the count switch 12
The input signal from 5 is treated as a winning ball signal of 15 winning balls, and the winning number detected by each switch is stored in a designated RAM area. At the same time, the CPU 102 calculates the total number of award balls and stores the total in the specified RAM area.

In addition, random numbers are set for input signals from the starting port switch 121, the right normal symbol display device operating gate switch 126a, and the left normal symbol display device operating gate switch 126b, and these values are stored in the RAM.
Stored in the area. Based on this data, the gaming state of the gaming machine body 1 is set, and the data is output to each control board.

Output data to each control board passes through a buffer 114 provided in the middle of a data bus, and is further output to latch circuits 112a to 112g through an output data bus. By arranging the buffer 114 in the middle of the data bus connecting the output latch circuit and the CPU 102, the bus signal flows in one direction, which is a measure for preventing fraud.

5 start port switches prize ball RAM area, left and right sleeve prize port switches, left and right drop prize port switches 8 prize balls R
Since there are data in the RAM area, the AM area, the continuous actuating device switch, and the 15 count switches,
The PU 102 sequentially outputs the 8-bit winning ball data set for each winning ball number to the latch circuit 112a through the data bus and the output data bus. In synchronism with this, an interrupt signal to the payout control board 200 and a control signal of a strobe signal are output to the latch circuit 112e through a data bus and an output data bus.

When the chip select signal obtained by decoding by the address decode circuit 113 controlled by the memory mapped I / O is sequentially output to the latch circuits 112a and 112e, the 8-bit prize ball data is stored in the latch circuit 11.
2a, an interrupt signal and a strobe signal control signal are latched by a latch circuit 112e, respectively, and an output signal composed of an 8-bit parallel prize ball output signal, an interrupt signal, and a 2-bit control signal of a strobe signal is output to a payout control board. Is output as prize ball data.

The payout control board 200 shown in FIG. 7 controls the ball discharging mechanism to discharge a number of prize balls corresponding to the prize ball data. The discharged prize ball is detected by the left prize ball detection switch 130a and the right prize ball detection switch 130b,
The detection signal is output to the gate circuit 211. When the chip select signal is output from the address decode circuit 213 to the gate circuit 211, the detection signals output from the left prize ball detection switch 130a and the right prize ball detection switch 130b are output on the data bus and taken in by the CPU 102.

Based on these detection signals, the total number of awarded balls actually paid out is calculated by the CPU 102, the value is subtracted from the data stored in the RAM area, and the data of the total number of awarded balls is updated in real time. An output signal is output to the latch circuit 112f for each set number of ejected prize balls, and is output to the outside in synchronization with the chip select signal of the address decode circuit 113.

A random number value is obtained for each of the input signals of the winning start switch 121, the right ordinary symbol display device operation gate switch 126a, and the left ordinary symbol display device operation gate switch 126b, and based on the random numbers, the CPU 102 performs the game effect. The type (control pattern) is determined, and game state effect data is generated and stored in the RAM area.

Further, to the display control board 300, left symbol data, middle symbol data, right symbol data, display character data, etc. for determining a stop symbol corresponding to the gaming state effect data are output as time-series display effect data. You. That is, when the 8-bit recognition code and the display state effecting 8-bit data are sequentially output from the CPU 102 to the latch circuit 112b through the data bus, the interrupt signal to the display control board 300 and the two strobe signals are synchronized so as to be synchronized with these. A bit control signal is output to latch circuit 112e.

These signals are sequentially latched by the latch circuit at the timing based on the chip select signal decoded and output from the address decode circuit 113 controlled by the memory mapped I / O, and are output in parallel.
The left symbol data, middle symbol data, right symbol data,
The fluctuation stop data is sequentially output to the display control board 300 as display effect data.

In synchronization with the display effect data, 8-bit parallel lamp display output data and a control signal are output to the lamp control display board 400 via the latch circuit 112c. The 8-bit parallel sound source output data and the control signal are output to the audio control board 500 through the latch circuit 112d in synchronization with the display effect data. That is, the chip select signal is output from the address decode circuit in synchronization with the timing at which each data is output to the data bus, and the data on the data bus is latched by the latch circuits 112c and 112d. Is output.

When the game state is the special game state (big hit), the control data of the special winning opening solenoid 134 is output to the latch circuit 112g in synchronization with the game state effect data,
Further, the chip select signal from the address decode circuit 113 is input to the latch circuit 112g. As a result, the control data of the special winning opening solenoid 134 is output from the latch circuit 112g, the special winning opening solenoid 134 is driven, the large winning opening 24 is opened and closed, and the ball is moved to the special winning opening 24.
Can be guided to

When the accessory continuous operation device switch 124 disposed in a specific area inside the special winning opening 24 detects a ball, a ball detection signal is output, and this signal is output to the data bus via the gate circuit 111 and sent to the CPU 102. It is captured.
As a result of the detection processing based on the ball detection signal output from the accessory continuous operation device switch 124, the direction switching solenoid 13
5 is output to the latch circuit 112g, and the direction switching solenoid 135 is braked. At the same time, round continuation data indicating whether or not to continue the big hit state in the next round is stored in the RAM area based on the ball detection signal output from the accessory continuous operation device switch 124.

When the direction switching solenoid 135 is braked, the balls are counted by the count switch 125 disposed in the special winning opening 24. When the total count of the data counted by the count switch 125 reaches a predetermined number, the output data of the latch circuit 112g is changed, the special winning opening solenoid 134 and the direction switching solenoid 135 are deactivated, and one big hit round is performed. Ends. After a predetermined time, if the round continuation data indicates continuation of the round, the jackpot state round continues further by the above-described control method.

Right normal symbol display device operation gate switch 1
26a, left normal symbol display device operation gate switch 126
A random value is obtained for each of the input signals from b. On the basis of this random number, the ordinary symbol display device 140
The display control data of the (normal symbol LED1, the ordinary symbol LED2) is generated, and is output from the CPU 102 to the latch circuit 112g via the data bus. Then, each time a chip select signal is output from the address decode circuit 113, a normal symbol LED display is performed for a fixed time.

If the result of obtaining the random number value is a hit, the braking data of the
2 is output to the latch circuit 112g, and is output from the latch circuit 112g for a certain period of time in response to the chip select signal from the address decode circuit 113 to control the ordinary electric accessory solenoid 136. For this reason, a state in which the ball easily enters the starting port 21 in the game board 2 occurs.

When power is supplied to the main board 100, a reset signal is supplied from the power board 700, and each device on the main board 100 is reset. Thereafter, the system reset signal becomes inactive, and each device transits to the active state. When the system reset signal changes to the inactive state, the reset signal to the one-chip microcomputer 101 becomes inactive after a certain period of time due to clock synchronization and delay processing by the delay circuit 109. As a result, the one-chip microcomputer 101 enters the operating state, and the operating state of the main board 100 is maintained. After that, the initialization of the one-chip microcomputer 101 is performed.

When the power supply externally supplied to the gaming machine is unstable, a power failure detection signal is sent from the power supply board 700 to the NMI (non-maskable interrupt) of the one-chip microcomputer 101.
The one-chip microcomputer 101 performs a save operation of each storage area.

More specifically, after detecting the prize ball detection data for a certain period of time, the data of the power failure process determination is stored in the RAM area to protect the RAM 104. That is, when the power supply voltage decreases, the power supply
A backup power supply DC5VBB is supplied to M104,
The storage state of the RAM 104 is maintained.

The next time power is supplied, the one-chip microcomputer 101 recognizes that a power failure has occurred based on the presence / absence of data for the power failure processing determination, and executes the power failure recovery process. At the time of initialization, if the RAM initialization signal is active, the CPU 102 detects data of the I / O port 106 and initializes the RAM area.

A signal indicating that the ball has been cut by the shot ball cut switch 131 and a signal by which the overflow switch 133 has detected the clogged ball of the winning ball on the lower plate of the game board are sent to the one-chip microcomputer 101 through the gate circuit 111 and the data bus. It is captured. After the data conversion, these signals are output from the latch circuit 112a to the payout control board 200 in the same configuration as the prize ball output data. The latch circuit 1
The outputs 12a to 112g are unidirectional and take an irreversible output form.

The main board 100 operates based on a clock generated by the clock circuit 108 inside the main board. Further, the internal timer 107 generates an interrupt signal to the CPU 102 at regular time intervals by the frequency dividing operation. The CPU 102
Various processes are performed at regular intervals when the interrupt signal is input.

Next, the payout control base 200 shown in FIG. 7 will be described. The payout control board 200 performs one-way communication only for reception from the main board 100, and performs 8-bit parallel prize ball data, a prize ball data control signal 1, and a prize ball data control signal 2
Receiving the communication data composed of.

When the prize ball data control signal 1 is input to the counter circuit 202 of the one-chip microcomputer 201, an interrupt signal is output from the counter circuit 202 to the CPU 203. As a result, the award ball data control signal 1 becomes C
The fetch of prize ball data to the PU 203 is used as a trigger.

The CPU 203 has the address decode circuit 2
13, a gate select signal is supplied to the gate circuit 212,
Output to the gate circuit 211, and the gate circuits 212 and 211
The award ball data and various signals input to the RAM 205 are fetched via a gate circuit and a data bus, and are stored in the RAM 205. Then, the payout operation is sequentially performed with the number of prize balls corresponding to the acquired prize ball data.

The CPU 203 outputs a winning ball path switching signal to the latch circuit 215 via the data bus, and at the same time, causes the address decode circuit 213 to output a chip select signal. As a result, a prize ball path switching signal is output to the solenoid 224, and the prize ball path is secured in the payout operation. Thereafter, a stop release signal of the payout stop solenoid signal is output to the latch circuit 214, and the payout motor control signals 1, 2, 3, and 4 are sequentially output to the payout motor 222, and the rotation of the motor is controlled by the output timing of the chip select signal. While performing the prize ball payout operation.

With reference to the clock of the clock circuit 209,
Interrupt signal at fixed time intervals by internal timer 208
Generated for U203, the detection signal of the winning ball payout ball is taken into the data bus at this interrupt timing, and when the predetermined number of winning balls is detected, the drive of the payout stop solenoid 223 and the payout motor 222 is stopped. The prize ball payout ball is detected by the right prize ball detection switch 130 installed on the ball lending route.
b, performed by the left prize ball detection switch 130a. These detection signals are taken into the data bus by outputting a chip select signal to the gate circuit 211.

The ball lending operation is performed by transmitting and receiving a ball lending signal to and from the card unit (CR ball lending machine) b through the gate circuit 211 and the latch circuit 215.
During the ball lending operation, the CPU 203 outputs a ball lending path switching signal to the path switching solenoid 224 through the latch circuit 215 to secure the ball lending path, and the right lending ball detection switch 220a installed on the ball lending path and the left lending ball detection. Switch 2
At 20b, a lending ball is detected and a payout operation is performed.

In the ball lending operation, information is output from latch circuit 215 to the outside at regular intervals. In a state where the transmission and reception of the ball lending signal is normal, a firing permission signal is output from the latch circuit 215 to the firing control board 600 in an active state. Further, when an abnormality occurs in transmission and reception of the ball lending signal, the firing permission signal changes to an inactive state, and the ball cannot be fired. However, when the transmission and reception of the ball lending signal returns to a normal state, the ball can be fired.

In addition, in the payout operation, the main board 10
From 0, when the shot ball cut signal of the shoot ball cut switch 131 and the overflow signal of the overflow switch 133 installed on the lower tray 4 of the gaming machine main body 1 are transmitted to the prize ball data, the payout control board 200 performs the payout operation. To stop. The payout operation is restarted by transmitting each release signal to the prize ball data.

When power is supplied to the payout control board 200, a system reset signal is supplied from the power supply board 700, and each device of the payout control board 200 is reset. Thereafter, the reset signal is in an inactive state, and each device transits to an active state.

Due to the delay processing of the clock synchronization / delay circuit 210, the reset signal to the one-chip microcomputer 201 becomes inactive after a lapse of a predetermined time since the original reset signal changes to the inactive state. After a certain period of time from when the original reset signal became inactive,
The one-chip microcomputer 201 enters the operating state, and the operating state of the payout control board 200 is maintained. After that, the initial setting of the one-chip microcomputer 201 is performed.

When the power supply externally supplied to the gaming machine is unstable, the power supply board 700
A power failure detection signal is supplied to an MI (non-maskable interrupt) 206, and the one-chip microcomputer 201 performs a save operation of each storage area. Specifically, after detecting prize ball detection data for a certain period of time, the RAM
The power failure processing determination data is stored in the area, and the RAM 205 is protected.

When the power supply voltage decreases, the power supply board 70
0V DC5V as backup power supply to RAM205
BB is supplied, and the storage state of the RAM 205 is held. When the power is supplied again, the one-chip microcomputer 201 recognizes the existence of the data of the power failure processing determination, and performs the power failure recovery processing. At the time of initialization, if the RAM initialization signal is in the active state, the CPU 203 sets the I / O port 10
6, the RAM area is initialized.

Next, the display control board 300 shown in FIG. 8 will be described. Display control board (display control means) 300
Mainly controls the variable display device 310 installed on the game board 2. The display control board 300 includes a display control ROM 302 that stores a predetermined image processing procedure (program) and image control data, and a display control CPU 301 that reads and executes the predetermined image processing procedure.

The display control board 300 has a display control RAM 303 for storing information obtained by executing the image processing procedure by the display control CPU 301.
And an input / output interface 306 for inputting / outputting instruction information from the main board 100, each control IC in the display control board, and the like, and control instruction information obtained by the display control CPU 301 via the input / output interface 306. Further, it has an image control IC 304 for generating a specific image.

Further, the display control board 300 controls the image control I
An image data ROM 305 which is managed by the C 304 and stores various images as data, and a display control CPU
A test test terminal 3 for outputting a signal to the outside for confirming that the image 301 is operating normally and an image is displayed
07 etc.

The display control CPU 301 receives instruction information from the main board 100 via the input / output interface 306 by parallel communication. Display control CP
U301 executes the contents of the input instruction information in accordance with the image processing procedure stored in the display control ROM 302, and organizes and stores the information in the display control RAM 303 while giving specific instructions to the image control IC 304. I do.

The image control IC 304 is a display control CPU.
In accordance with the instruction of 301, a specific video signal is generated with reference to the image data ROM 305 and output to the display device.
In the block diagram of FIG. 8, a VRAM which is an area for temporarily storing image data, pallet (color) information, and the like generated by the image control IC 304 is not shown, but the image control IC 304 has a built-in VRAM. A one-chip microcomputer may be used.

The reset signal from the power supply board 700 is input from the power supply board 700 to the display control CPU 301 when the game machine body 1 is powered on. Thereafter, the display control CPU 301 initializes each control circuit in the display control board 300 according to the image control procedure stored in the display control ROM 302.

Next, the lamp control board 400 shown in FIG. 9 will be described. The lamp control board 400 includes a gaming machine status lamp 4 installed on the front of the gaming machine main body 1 or on the gaming board 2.
22, side case lamp 423, various LEDs 424 ~
Lighting control of 428, 420, 421, etc. is performed.

The lamp control board 400 includes a lamp control ROM 402 storing predetermined lamp control processing procedures (programs) and control data, a lamp control CPU 401 for reading and executing predetermined lamp control processing procedures, and a lamp control CPU 401. Lamp control RAM 40 for storing information obtained by executing the lamp control procedure
3 and instruction information from the main board 100 and the lamp control board 4
00, an input / output interface 404 for inputting / outputting to / from each control circuit and the like, and a lamp control board 40 via the input / output interface by the lamp control CPU 401.
It is composed of a driver circuit 405 for driving a lighting signal of each lamp / LED connected to 0 and the like.

The lamp control CPU 401 receives instruction information from the main board 100 via the input / output interface 404 by parallel communication. Lamp control CPU
Reference numeral 401 denotes a lamp control RO for the content of the input instruction information.
The driver circuit 405 is operated according to the lamp control processing procedure stored in the M402, and the information is organized and stored in the lamp control RAM 403 to turn on / off each connected lamp / LED.

[0107] The reset signal from the power supply board 700 is input from the power supply board 700 to the lamp control CPU 401 when the game machine body 1 is powered on. Then, the lamp control CPU 401 initializes each control circuit in the lamp control board according to the control procedure stored in the lamp control ROM 402.

Next, the sound control board 500 shown in FIG. 10 will be described. The audio control board 500 is used for the gaming machine main body 1.
When the game is in a game state, the sound effects, sounds, and the like based on the game effects are controlled. When it is not in the gaming state, control such as a warning sound for notifying an abnormal state of the gaming machine body 1 is performed.

The voice control board 500 includes a voice control ROM 502 storing predetermined voice processing procedures (programs) and control data, a voice control CPU 501 for reading and executing predetermined voice control procedures, and a voice processing CPU A voice control RAM 503 for storing information obtained by executing the procedure, an input / output interface 506 for inputting / outputting instruction information from the main board 100 and each control IC in the voice control board 500, and a voice control CPU 5
01, a voice control IC 504 that obtains control instruction information via an input / output interface and generates a specific voice.
And a voice data ROM 505 that is managed by the voice control IC 504 and stores various kinds of voices as data, and an amplifier circuit 507 that amplifies the voice signal generated from the voice control IC 501.

The voice control CPU 501 receives instruction information from the main board 100 via the input / output interface 506 by parallel communication. Voice control CPU 501
Stores the content of the input instruction information in the voice control ROM 502
, And instructs the voice control IC 504 while organizing and storing information in the voice control RAM 503.

The voice control IC 504 includes a voice control CPU 5
01, refer to the audio data ROM 505,
A specific audio signal is generated and output to the amplifier circuit 507. The reset signal from the power supply board is output from the power supply board 700 when the pachinko machine is powered on.
The voice control CPU 501 inputs the voice control R
According to the voice control procedure stored in the OM 503, each control circuit in the voice control board is initialized.

Next, the emission control board 600 shown in FIG. 11 will be described. The launch control board 600 includes the launch motor 6
Signals from an oscillation circuit 601, a frequency dividing circuit 602, and a touch sensor 651 in a handle portion 650 are circuits that generate pulses for setting the number of rotations of the pulse motor used in the motor 53 to a predetermined number of rotations. , Stop switch 65
2, a reset signal from the power supply board 700, and a firing permission signal from the payout control board 200, and a motor drive signal control circuit 603 that generates a firing motor drive signal; and a pulse motor (the firing motor 653). ) And a driver circuit 604 for exciting each coil.

The handle 650 is provided with a touch sensor 65 for detecting whether or not the player is touching the handle 5.
1. A stop switch 652 that allows the player to arbitrarily stop firing the ball, a pulse motor 653 (fire motor) for firing the ball, and the like.

The reset signal from the power supply board 700 is input from the power supply board 700 to the motor drive signal control circuit 603 when the game machine body 1 is powered on, and initializes each circuit of the firing control board 600.

Touch sensor 651 in handle 650
Outputs a signal indicating that firing is possible when the player is touching the steering wheel 5, and outputs a signal indicating that firing is not possible if the player is not touching the steering wheel 5 To the motor drive signal control circuit 603.

The stop switch 652 is a switch provided so that the player can arbitrarily stop shooting the ball. When the player operates the stop switch 652, the motor drive signal control circuit 603 is provided. And outputs a ball firing signal when the stop switch 652 is not input.

When the stop switch 652 is not operated by the player and the steering wheel 5 is not rotated, the stop switch 652 outputs the same signal as that input from the stop switch 652. I do. That is, due to the internal structure of the handle 5, when the handle 5 is not rotating, the signal from the stop switch 652 is input. That is, after the game machine main body 1 is powered on, the reset signal is input to the motor drive signal control circuit 603, each circuit is initialized, and the player touches the handle 5 to rotate the game machine. Only then is the ball fired.

Next, the power supply substrate 700 shown in FIG. 12 will be described. Full-wave rectification of AC 24 V supplied from the outside is performed by a diode bridge rectifier, and a DC power supply DC 24
Generate V. Smoothing is performed by a condenser through a diode through a 24 V DC power supply to generate a 32 V DC power supply.
DC24V and DC32V are unstable power supplies.

Supplying 24 VDC to the power supply circuit 701,
A constant voltage power supply of stable power supply DC18V, DC12V, DC5V is generated, and the main board 100, the payout control board 2
00, the lamp control board 400, the voice control board 5
00, the display control board 300, the emission control board 60
0 is supplied.

The generated DC 5 V constant voltage power supply is connected to the capacitor of the backup circuit 702 through a diode to generate a DC 5 VBB backup power supply, and the DC 5 VBB is connected to the main board 100 and the payout control board 2.
00 is supplied. The AC24V is supplied to the card unit connection board 900, and is used as a power supply for communication between the payout control board 200 and the card unit b and a power supply for the operation panel board a.

The voltage level of the DC 24 V power supply is detected by voltage detection circuit 708 and output to delay circuit 707. The delay circuit 707 has a delay time of an internal time constant of 500 msec, and the continuous output time of the voltage detection circuit 708 is
If the time constant is not larger than 7, the delay circuit 707 does not output an output signal. For this reason, the voltage fluctuation and the stop of the power supply when the voltage level of the DC 24 V power supply is smaller than the time constant of the delay circuit 707 are ignored, and the power failure detection signal is not output from the power supply board to the outside.

When an input signal larger than the time constant is input to the delay circuit 707, the delay circuit 707 outputs the power failure detection signal to the main board 100, the payout control board 200, and the shift register 7.
04 is output to the serial input terminal. To the 8-bit shift register 704, a clock having a period of 20 milliseconds is always input from the clock circuit 706.

Here, the 8-bit data input terminal is fixed to zero. For this reason, when the power failure detection signal is input to the 8-bit shift register 704, a reset signal is sent from the 8-bit shift register 704 after 8 clocks (about 160 msec) to the main board 100, the payout control board 200,
The signals are output to the emission control board 600, the display control board 300, the lamp control board 400, and the audio control board 500.

At the time of power-on and after the recovery from the power failure, the power failure detection signal and the reset signal are output in an active state from the time of the peripheral circuit power-on to the time of the delay circuit 707. After the time constant of the delay circuit 707, the power failure detection signal becomes inactive, and the reset signal is output inactive after eight clocks of the 8-bit shift register 704.
The RAM initialization signal is output to the main board 100 and the payout control board 200 in an active state by manually pressing the RAM initialization switch 705. The functions of the notice unit and the re-variation control unit are performed by the main board 100 and the display control board 300.

Next, the operation will be described. Player has handle 5
Is operated, pachinko balls are driven one by one into a game area formed on the game board 2. The pachinko ball that has won the inside of the starting port 21 is detected by the starting port switch 121, and based on a starting signal of the starting port switch 121, the variable display device 310 starts displaying various symbols (identification information).

FIG. 19 shows an example of the flow of a display game developed on the variable display device 310. When the display game is started, as shown in FIG.
The identification information starts to fluctuate in each of the three rows of the ten fluctuating display areas 311 (in the figure, a downward arrow indicates a fluctuating state in which the identification information scrolls from top to bottom). After a while, one identification information is stopped and displayed in order from any column, and then the identification information is stopped and displayed in all columns.

In order to make the reach display mode appear during the current display game according to the random number lottery performed at the time of winning in the starting port 21, as shown in FIG.
The display character 31 is displayed in ten special display areas 312. The display character 31 is fixedly displayed in a proximity position where the distance to any one of the plurality of types of decorative characters drawn on the game board 2 is shorter than the distance to the other decorative characters by a certain amount or more. Here, the display character 31 is fixedly displayed at a position closest to any one of the decorative characters in the image display area 312. In the example of FIG. 19B, the display character 31 is fixedly displayed at a position near the decorative character B.

As described above, when the display character 31 is displayed at a position close to any of the decorative characters,
The appearance of the reach display mode is notified to the player in advance. At this time, a sound effect, a kind of lamp blinking, or the like may be performed to produce a notice operation of the reach so that the player can easily understand the operation.

The appearance timing of the display character 31 may be before the start of the change display of the identification information in the change display area 311 or after the start of the change display. However, it needs to be before the reach display mode. In addition, the display character 31 may appear at a position near any of the decorative characters from the beginning and be confirmed and displayed, or may move to the close position after the appearance. Movement is
You may go straight from the position where you appeared to the nearby position,
It may be moved to a close position by a random movement such as zigzag movement or meandering. Further, the display character 31 may be animated. For example, an animation display of the display character 31 walking, or raising and lowering its hands, standing upside down, or flying in the sky is provided. As described above, various movement patterns of the display character 31 may be prepared, and the movement pattern may be appropriately changed.

[0130] The determined display means a display state in which the player can recognize that the position of the display character 31 has been determined. That is, in addition to the state where the movement of the display character 31 and the animation are all stopped, and the state where the animation is continuously changing, the display character 31
It is sufficient that the determination of the position is recognized by the player.

After the display character 31 is fixedly displayed,
The identification information in the variable display area 311 is sequentially stopped and displayed, and a reach display mode as shown in FIG. 19 (3) is displayed. In the example of FIG. 19C, “7” is displayed in the left and right columns.
Is stopped and the reach display mode is formed in which a special display mode is formed when "7" appears in the remaining one center column still in the variable display mode. Thereafter, the identification information is displayed in the remaining columns.

After the reach display mode has appeared, as shown in FIG. 19 (4), a character pattern having the same content as the decorative character having a close relationship with the display character 31 appears. The appearance (big hit) is notified to the player in advance. FIG. 19 (4)
In this example, the appearance of the big hit is notified to the player in advance by causing the character symbol B to appear in a state where the display character 31 is fixedly displayed at the position close to the decorative character B.

After the appearance of the jackpot is displayed in advance, the identification information is changed again in the change display area 311, and the special display mode such as “777” is finally stopped and displayed. When the result of the display game is finally determined as the special display mode, the special winning opening 24 is repeatedly opened and closed up to a predetermined number of times. After the reach display mode has appeared, if identification information having the same content as that of a decorative character other than the decorative character having a close relationship with the display character 31 appears, the jackpot announcement is not established,
The display game ends up with a high probability. However, even when the jackpot announcement is not established, a jackpot may be rarely caused to appear.

FIG. 20 shows various display modes in a case where a character pattern having the same content as a decorative character having a close position relationship appears and a jackpot announcement is made. As shown in FIGS. 20 (1) and 20 (2), the reach display mode includes a case in which all the symbols are once stopped and displayed, and then re-changed again. Further, in FIG. 20 (3), the identification information that constitutes the reach display mode itself that has been notified and displayed by the display character 31 is a character pattern having the same content as the decorative character in the proximity position, and the reach display is performed. The jackpot announcement is being made at the same time as the appearance of the mode.

As described above, the appearance of the special display mode is notified by the appearance of the reach display mode including the identification information having the same content as the decorative character in the close proximity relationship with the display character 31 that has been fixedly displayed. Expectation is further increased, and the pleasure of the game can be doubled.

Next, the control of the game machine body 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to flowcharts shown in FIGS.
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the main processing of the main substrate 100. When the power of the gaming machine body 1 is turned on,
One-chip microcomputer 10 mounted on main board 100
1, a reset signal is input. One-chip microcomputer 1
When the reset signal is input, the CPU 102 initializes the program counter (PC) and executes the program from the start address (step 001) of the main processing.

When the main processing is started, step 00
1 interrupt initialization is executed. In the interrupt initial setting, setting of an interrupt vector depending on the CPU 102 and setting of interrupt inhibition are performed. Subsequently, in the initialization of the hardware in step 002, the CPU 102
Set various devices and input / output interfaces to be connected. Here, a parallel I / O and a serial I / O are prepared for the input / output interface.

Next, in step 003, the input of the RAM initialization switch is confirmed. The RAM initialization switch is a hardware switch installed on the back of the game board 2. If this switch is pressed when the power is turned on, the input is determined by this processing and the processing branches. If the input has been confirmed, the process proceeds to step 005 to forcibly initialize the game information storage area. If there is no input, the process proceeds to step 004.

The power failure flag confirmation processing at step 004 is a flag confirmation processing for determining whether or not a power failure has been detected previously and the evacuation action of the game information storage area has been performed. In this case, if the power failure flag is ON (1), it is determined that the above-mentioned action has been performed, and the processing branches to shift to the return operation of the game information storage area after step 012. on the other hand,
If the power failure flag is OFF (0), the next step 0
Move to 05.

In the initialization of the stack pointer in step 005, the pointer (address) of the stack area managed by the CPU 102 is initialized. In the initialization of the game information storage area in step 006, the minimum necessary parameters are set in addition to the clear processing, and the game information storage area is set at the time of factory shipment.

Activation of timer interrupt in step 007,
And permitting an interrupt is performed by setting a hardware timer connected to the CPU 102 and operating the timer.
The interrupt setting of the PU 102 is changed from the disabled state to the interrupt enabled (enabled) state, and the timer interrupt processing (steps 101 to 110 in FIG. 14) is operated.

The special symbol game process of step 008 is as follows.
Monitoring of fluctuation time of identification information, management of random numbers for special symbols, control transition to a customer waiting demonstration screen, monitoring of opening time of the special winning opening 24, monitoring of the winning count, confirmation of special symbol holding balls, etc. are performed. Things.

The normal symbol game process in step 009 is as follows.
The monitoring of the winning count, the monitoring and operation of the fluctuation time, the confirmation of the ordinary symbol holding ball, the hit judgment, and the like are performed in accordance with the operation of the ordinary electric accessory solenoid 136.

The external information editing process of step 010 is a process of editing the signal information output from the external connection terminal board and the trial test signal terminal 116 and storing the edited signal information in the game information storage area. In the signal information editing process, a prize ball signal is output every time a predetermined number of balls are paid out, a special symbol determination signal is output each time the identification information ends and stops changing, and a normal symbol ends and stops changing. Normal symbol confirmation signal output every time,
Output monitoring and setting of a special symbol holding signal for signaling and outputting the number of special symbols to be held and a normal symbol holding signal for signaling and outputting the number of held ordinary symbols are performed.

In the main random number updating process of step 011, a synchronization preventing random number corresponding to each stop symbol is extracted, and the random number for the stop symbol extracted in the timer interrupt process (FIG. 14) described later corresponds to each symbol random number. By adding the synchronization preventing random numbers, the symbols are prevented from stopping in the same order.

Steps 008 to 011 are repeatedly executed in the main processing. During this time, the timer interrupt operates and the timer interrupt process is executed in parallel, so that the gaming machine main unit 1 is in a playable state, and the game information storage area is updated.

The stack pointer return processing in step 012 is the power failure flag confirmation processing in step 004 described above.
The process moves when the power failure flag is ON (1). The stack pointer, which is part of the game information saved at the time of the power failure, is reset here.

The timer interrupt activation processing at step 013 is almost the same as the processing at step 007, except that the register return processing at step 014 is inserted between the activation processing at step 013 and the interruption permission processing at step 015. After the return process is completed, the timer interrupt process can be performed.

When the return process from step 012 to step 014 is completed, the CPU 102 is operated from the power failure execution address of a part of the game information storage area saved during the power failure. The process of setting the power failure flag OFF in step 016 is such that the process is not shifted to the power failure recovery process at the next power-on.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing the operation of the main board 100 for timer interrupt processing. When the timer interrupt processing is enabled and becomes executable in steps 007 and 015 of the above-described main processing (FIG. 13), the timer interrupt processing is executed at set time intervals. During the repetitive processing from step 008 to step 011 of the main processing, a timer interrupt is activated and the processing described below is executed.

First, in the register save processing of the first step 101, C at the time when the timer interrupt processing is started is set.
The registers of the PU 102 are saved to the stack area. The input process of step 102 is performed by inputting information on various devices connected to the CPU 102 (starting port switch 121, winning port switches 122 and 123, ordinary symbol display device operation gate switch 126, glass door open detection switch 132, overflow switch 133, Shot ball out switch 13
1, a signal of the prize ball detection switch 130, etc.) is read from the input port via the input / output interface and stored in the game information storage area.

In the output processing of step 103, the game state information edited by other processing centering on step 010 of the main processing is read out from the game information storage area, and the output port is output through the input / output interface connected to the CPU 102. And outputs it as a signal to the special winning opening solenoid 134, the ordinary electric accessory solenoid 136, the ordinary symbol display device 310, the external terminal for the panel, and the external terminal for the frame.

In the command transmission processing of step 104,
The game control information edited by other processing is read from the game information storage area, and is output to various devices connected to the CPU 102 from the output port via the input / output interface. The output destination is a display control board 300, a lamp control board 400, a payout control board 200, a voice control board 500, and the like.

In the timer interrupt random number updating process of step 105, in addition to the content of step 011 in the main process, the random number for winning determination, the symbol random number, the reach execution random number, the control pattern random number, and the like used for the jackpot lottery are updated. I do.

The random number for winning determination is a random number for determining in advance a probability for determining whether or not to generate a big hit as a result of the variable display of the symbol on the variable display device 310. The random number for the hit determination is composed of, for example, a numerical value of 0 to 299. The random number is counted up by one at every random number update process. It is configured to count up again by one. For example, if the lottery result is 59, 59 is set as the start position and 1
Count up by one.

The symbol random numbers are used to determine each stop symbol specified as a display result of the variable display device 310, and each of the symbols has a value of 0 to 9 and counts up by one at each predetermined timing. When the upper limit ("9") is reached,
It is configured to count up again from 0.

The reach execution random number determines whether or not to perform a special effect until the final stop symbol is determined when the reach display mode appears. Count up by one for each update process,
When the upper limit (“14”) is reached, the count is restarted from 0.

The effect pattern random number determines various control patterns at the time of executing the variable display, and is composed of, for example, a value of 0 to 5, and is incremented by one for each random number update process, and the upper limit value ("5") ) Is configured to count up from 0 again.

The timer updating process in step 106 is to output the time from the start to the stop of the variable display of various symbols on the variable display device 310, the display (lighting) time of the ordinary symbol display device 140, and the payout control signal for a fixed time. Update the software timer (counter) and so on. These control processes are based on the signal ON / O while monitoring this timer.
Controls FF.

The error updating process in step 107 is a process of monitoring payout sensor information, which is one of the information obtained in step 102, for a certain period of time, and detecting an error by confirming the movement of the ball. If the movement of the ball cannot be confirmed by the payout sensor, the error information is updated because it is considered that the ball is clogged on the passage before the sensor position. In addition to the error monitoring based on the payout sensor information, the open / close state information of the glass frame on the front of the gaming machine is monitored in the same manner, and when the glass frame is opened, the error information is updated.

In the switch monitoring process in step 108, the state information of each sensor and switch input in step 102 is read from the game information storage area, and the game state information is updated. The target sensors and switches here are the starting port switch 121, each winning port switch 1
22, 123, an accessory continuous operation operation switch 124, a count switch 125, a prize ball detection switch 130, a normal symbol display device operation gate switch 126, etc. relating to ball detection. It is generated and edited as state information and stored in the game information storage area.

In the register return processing in step 109, the contents of the register saved in step 101 are returned to the CPU 102 from the stack area. The timer interrupt permission process of step 110 permits the next timer interrupt process.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the operation of the NMI interrupt processing of the main board 100. The NMI interrupt process is started by a power failure detection signal output from a power failure detection circuit 709 in the power supply board 700. CPU1
When a power failure detection signal is input to the 02, NMI interrupt processing is executed, and the following contents are processed.

First, in the register saving process of step 201, the register of the CPU 102 at the time of detecting the power failure is saved in the stack area. At this time, the contents of the register are saved, but before this, the address immediately before the NMI interrupt is automatically saved. The power failure flag ON setting process of step 202 is a process of detecting a power failure and setting the execution of the power failure detection process as a flag in the game information storage area.

The game information storage area access prohibition process in step 203 is a setting process for prohibiting access (read / write) to the game information storage area by hardware. Access to the game information storage area becomes impossible in the subsequent processing, and the game information storage area is protected.

Thus, the evacuation action of the game information storage area at the time of the power failure is completed, and the NMI interrupt processing itself is not terminated, but the processing enters the infinite loop and substantially stops the processing of the CPU 102 and completely cuts off the power supply. wait. This is because if the NMI interrupt processing is terminated, there is time until the power supply is completely cut off, so that the timer interrupt is processed and the operation becomes undefined.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and even if there are changes and additions without departing from the gist of the present invention. Included in the invention.

In the embodiments, the present invention has been described with respect to a pachinko game machine, but the present invention can be similarly applied to a game machine such as a smart ball game machine or an arrange ball game machine which is controlled by a program. In each of these cases, effects similar to those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

Further, in the embodiment, a numeral pattern is used as identification information, but a pattern using another motif may be used. Further, the display characters and the decorative characters are not limited to those exemplified in the embodiment, and various characters can be used.

Further, in the embodiment, the decorative character is drawn and displayed on the game board 2, but may be provided in the center case 315 as shown in FIG. Further, the decorative character may be displayed in the image display area of the variable display device 310.

In the embodiment, the decorative character is provided in association with the four corners of the variable display device 310 or as shown in FIG.
Are arranged one at each of the four corners of the center case 315, but may be arranged so as to correspond to each side of the variable display device 310 and the center case 315. Further, the number of decorative characters is not limited to four, and may be any number as long as it is plural.

[0172]

According to the gaming machine of the present invention, the appearance of the reach display mode is notified to the player in an easy-to-understand manner by confirming and displaying the display character closest to the decorative character. It is possible to excite the player's expectation accurately. Further, the appearance of the special display mode is notified by the appearance of the reach display mode including the identification information having the same content as the decorative character displayed and displayed close to the decorative character. Can be doubled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the gaming machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a game board of the gaming machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an internal structure of the gaming machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an entire circuit configuration of the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a main board included in the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of a payout control board included in the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a display control board included in the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of a lamp control board included in the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of an audio control board included in the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a launch control board included in the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a power supply board included in the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a main process in the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a timer interrupt process in the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 shows N in the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.
It is a flowchart of MI interrupt processing.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory view schematically showing a game board of the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing identification information displayed on a display game developed by the variable display device of the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing display characters displayed in a display game developed by the variable display device of the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of screen transition of a display game developed by the variable display device of the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing various examples of reach display modes appearing in a display game developed by the variable display device of the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a front view showing a center case in which a decorative character is arranged.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Game machine main body 2 ... Game board 3 ... Top tray 4 ... Bottom tray 5 ... Handle 6 ... Ashtray 7 ... Top tray ball removal lever 8 ... Bottom tray ball removal lever 9 ... Lending button 10 ... Return button 11 ... Glass frame 12 ... frequency display section 15 ... windmill 16 ... guide rail 21 ... starting opening 22a ... right sleeve winning opening 22b ... left sleeve winning opening 23a ... right falling winning opening 23b ... left falling winning opening 24 ... large winning opening 29 ... out opening 31 ... Display character 100 Main board 101 One-chip microcomputer 102 CPU 103 ROM 104 RAM 105 NMI 106 I / O port 107 Internal timer 108 Clock circuit 109 Clock synchronization / delay circuit 110, 111 Gate circuit 112a to 112g latch circuit 113 address decode circuit 114 buffer 115 reset 1 Reference numeral 16: Test shot test signal terminal 121: Starting port switch 122a: Right sleeve winning port switch 122b: Left sleeve winning port switch 123a ... Right drop winning port switch 123b ... Left drop winning port switch 124: Official object continuous operation device switch 125: Count Switch 126: Normal symbol display device operating gate switch 126a: Right normal symbol display device operating gate switch 126b: Left normal symbol display device operating gate switch 130: Prize ball detection switch 130a: Right prize ball detection switch 130b: Left prize ball detection switch 131: Shooting ball out switch 132: Glass frame open detection switch 133: Overflow switch 134: Large winning opening solenoid 135: Direction switching solenoid 136: Normal electric accessory solenoid 140: Normal symbol display device 200: Dispensing control board 201 ... One-chip microcomputer 202 ... Counter circuit 203 ... CPU 204 ... ROM 205 ... RAM 206 ... NMI 207 ... I / O port 208 ... Internal timer 209 ... Clock circuit 210 ... Clock synchronization / delay circuit 211,212 ... Gate circuit 213 ... Address Decode circuit 214, 215 Latch circuit 216 Reset 220 Ball Detector switch 220a Right ball Detector switch 220b Left Ball Detector switch 222 Discharge motor 223 Discharge stop solenoid 224 Path switching solenoid 300 Display control Substrate 301 ... Display control CPU 302 ... Display control ROM 303 ... Display control RAM 304 ... Image control IC 305 ... Image data ROM 306 ... Input / output interface 307 ... Testing test signal terminal 310 ... Variable display device Position 311 ... Variable display area 312 ... Image display area 315 ... Center case 400 ... Lamp control board 401 ... Lamp control CPU 402 ... Lamp control ROM 403 ... Lamp control RAM 404 ... I / O interface 405 ... Driver circuit 420 ... Special symbol hold LED 421 ... normal design holding LED 422 ... gaming machine status lamp 423 ... side case lamp 424 ... gaming frame status lamp 425 ... center LED 426 ... gate LED 427 ... attacker LED 428 ... side LED 500 ... voice control board 501 ... voice control CPU 502 ... voice control ROM 503 ... voice control RAM 504 ... voice control IC 505 ... voice data ROM 506 ... input / output interface 507 ... amplifier circuit 510 ... speaker 600 ... emission control board 601 ... Vibration circuit 602 Frequency dividing circuit 603 Motor drive signal control circuit 604 Driver circuit 650 Handle part 651 Touch sensor 652 Fire stop switch 653 Fire motor 700 Power board 701 Constant voltage power supply 702 Backup power supply 703 ... voltage detection circuit 704 ... shift register 705 ... RAM initialization switch 706 ... clock circuit 707 ... delay circuit 708 ... voltage detection circuit 709 ... power failure detection circuit 800 ... frame external terminal board 801 ... prize ball tank ball existence switch 850 ... board External terminal board 900: Card unit connection board 1711, 1712 Front / rear identification information 1811, 1911, 1921 ... Instruction line 2010 ... Left instruction line 2020 ... Right instruction line a ... Operation panel board b ... Card unit c ... Power supply AC24V AD: Decoration Yarakuta

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C088 AA17 AA35 AA36 AA42 BA16 BA27 BA41 BA44 BA56 BA57 BA66 BA88 BA89 BB21 BC58 CA31 EA09 EA10 EA15 EB14

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A variable display device provided substantially at the center of a game area and including an image display region including a variable display region capable of variably displaying a plurality of pieces of identification information, and display control for controlling display of the variable display device. Means for performing a display game including variably displaying the identification information in the variable display area based on the satisfaction of a predetermined condition, and then stopping the variable display and stopping and displaying a plurality of pieces of identification information. In a gaming machine in which a special game state advantageous to a player can be generated in association with the stop display mode being a display mode of an execution result being a predetermined special display mode, a plurality of types are provided on the surface of the game area. And the identification information to be displayed in the display game includes identification information having the same content as the decoration character, and the display control means includes the plurality of types of decoration characters in the image display area. In addition to notifying the possibility of deriving the reach display mode in which the special display mode is likely to be established by definitely displaying a predetermined display character at a proximity position where the distance to any one of the characters is the shortest, By displaying a reach display mode including identification information having the same content as the display character and the decorative character having the close position, the player is notified that the stop display mode is a special display mode. Gaming machine. 2. A variable display device which is provided substantially at the center of a game area and has an image display area including a variable display area capable of variably displaying a plurality of pieces of identification information, and display control for controlling display of the variable display device. Means for performing a display game including variably displaying the identification information in the variable display area based on the satisfaction of a predetermined condition, and then stopping the variable display and stopping and displaying a plurality of pieces of identification information. In a gaming machine in which a special game state advantageous to a player can be generated in association with the stop display mode being a display mode of an execution result being a predetermined special display mode, a plurality of types are provided on the surface of the game area. And the identification information to be displayed in the display game includes identification information having the same content as the decoration character, and the display control means includes the plurality of types of decoration characters in the image display area. The reach display in which the special display mode may be established by definitely displaying a predetermined display character at a proximity position where the distance to any one of the characters is shorter than the distance to another decorative character by a certain amount or more. The stop display mode becomes the special display mode by notifying the derivation possibility of the mode, and by displaying the reach display mode including the same identification information as the decorative character forming the relationship between the display character and the close position. A gaming machine characterized by notifying a player of the fact.