JP2003000801A - Slot machine and game medium rental system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent game mediums to be rented according to a rental request signal from being confused with game mediums to be put out with prize-winning. SOLUTION: A slot machine 3 outputs a signal PRDY showing whether its own machine is in the state of being capable of renting medals to a machine 2 between slot machines. After betting operation, this signal is set to be off until all the reels are stopped. In the case of performing medal put-out processing with prize-winning or production processing by a back light source 22 after stopping of the reels, the PRDY is kept in the off state until the processing of these is finished. When this PRDY is off, the side of the machine 2 invalidates the operation of a rental switch 27 to set a state of not performing rental request processing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a slot machine for executing a game in which a plurality of symbol displays are variably displayed and then stopped, and a combination of symbols stopped and displayed on each symbol display is used to determine a win or loss. In particular, the present invention relates to a slot machine having a function of renting out a game medium used for a game of this kind by communicating with a game medium renting device arranged in a close position, and the slot machine and the game medium renting device. It is related to a game media lending system in combination with.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, pachinko halls are provided with card-shaped storage media (hereinafter simply referred to as "card") to which valuable value is added.
Say. ) Is used to introduce a pachinko ball lending system. In this lending system, an adjacent pachinko machine and a stand machine are electrically connected, and when the stand machine accepts a card, the stand machine transmits a signal for requesting the pachinko machine to lend a pachinko ball ( Hereinafter, this process is referred to as a "lending request".), And the pachinko machine side pays out the actual pachinko balls to the tray on the front side in response to the lending request.

Further, introduction of a similar lending system is also being considered for slot machines. Since the slot machine has previously been set up with a function of storing medals as a game medium in an electronic data format and consuming the stored medals to execute a credit system game, paying attention to this function, A system has been proposed in which a slot machine side automatically stores a predetermined number of medals in response to a lending request from a stand machine. In addition, the body of the slot machine,
Since a hopper for paying out medals at the time of winning a prize or settlement of stored medals is incorporated, it is possible to pay out actual medals in response to a lending request from the stand machine.

Further, the applicant has always sent a signal from the slot machine to the inter-mountain machine side indicating whether or not the machine is ready for lending, and at the time of requesting the lending machine from the inter-machine side. In addition, there is proposed a lending system in which a lending request is made after determining that lending processing can be performed on the side of the slot machine based on a signal from the slot machine (JP-A-11-221353). According to this configuration, the slot machine makes a lending request only when the lending process is possible, so that it is not necessary to perform processing such as accepting and canceling the lending request in a state where the lending process is not possible. The load on the control unit on the machine side can be reduced. Further, the lending process can be surely performed even on the machine side by the lending request.

[0005]

By the way, the lending system for pachinko machines always accepts the operation of the lending switch to perform the ball lending process according to the characteristics of the game in which pachinko balls are continuously shot on the board. Is set to do. On the other hand, in the slot machine, a medal is inserted for each game (“insertion” here also includes a process of withdrawing a medal from a stored medal) to execute the game, and the result of the game causes the medal to be displayed. Since it is determined whether or not to pay out, the medals paid out by winning the prize (the "payout" here also includes the process of adding accumulated medals) and the medals paid out by the lending process. It is desirable to prohibit the lending process when paying out medals so as not to be confused.

In the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-221353, for the purpose of reducing the load of the slot machine at the time of playing the game, a lending request is issued from the start processing of the reels to the stop of each reel. The signal (described as "lending instruction signal" in this publication) is not accepted, but regarding the point that lending processing is not performed even when medals are paid out by winning a prize,
It is impossible to avoid the above problems without any consideration.

In recent slot machines, even when a winning is not achieved, when a "big hit" is won by an internal lottery, there is a slot machine which gives a notification in a predetermined mode after the reel is stopped. . In a slot machine having such a notification function, if the lending process is accepted at the time of presentation for notification, the simultaneous appearance of the production process and the medal lending process is misunderstood as the establishment of a small winning a prize, and as a result, There is a risk that the player may feel suspicious that the lending operation may not correctly lend the medal. Further, if the medal lending process is performed at the same time as the production process, the load on the control unit may be increased, and the production process and the lending process may malfunction.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and prevents a game medium lent out in response to a lending request from being confused with a game medium paid out in accordance with a prize in a slot machine, The purpose is to make it easy to confirm that the loan processing is being performed properly.

Further, according to the present invention, the lending process according to the lending request is not performed during the rendering process after the end of the variable display of the symbols, so that the announcement production is not confused with the winning. A second object is to reduce the load on the control unit during the effect processing.

[0010]

In the slot machine according to the present invention, a plurality of symbol display units for variably displaying symbols are arranged in parallel, and when the variable display of symbols is stopped, each symbol display unit is displayed. The symbols for each symbol display are stopped and displayed on a predetermined number of pay lines that cross.

The "symbol display" is composed of, for example, a symbol display window, a reel arranged behind it, and a stepping motor as a drive source. Symbols for a plurality of frames are drawn on the outer peripheral surface of the reel, and variable display of the symbols is realized by rotation of the stepping motor.

However, the symbol display is not limited to the reel,
For example, a strip-shaped body having a plurality of symbols arranged on the surface and having both ends connected to each other may be used. Also CRT, LCD
It is also possible to perform a variable display of symbols by scroll-displaying each symbol string on the screen by using a symbol display as an animation display of a plurality of symbol strings on such a display device. Furthermore, a plurality of indicators for single symbol display such as a 7-segment indicator can be combined and used as one symbol indicator. In this case, it is possible to display the symbols in a variable manner by sequentially displaying the symbols in the symbol array in the predetermined arrangement order along the arrangement direction of the respective display devices.

Further, the slot machine according to the present invention,
It is configured to perform a lending process of a game medium used for a game in response to a lending request from the outside. This lending request can be made by the game medium lending device. This game medium lending device accepts a storage medium such as a prepaid card to which a valuable value is added and makes a lending request to a slot machine. A slot adjacent to the slot machine or a position above the slot machine is used. It is desirable to be installed in the vicinity of the machine.

The lending request is made by transmitting to the slot machine a control signal (lending request signal) for letting the gaming medium lend processing. For example, a predetermined number of 1 pulse lending request signals. By requesting the lending of the game medium, the lending request signals of a plurality of pulses can be sequentially transmitted. In this case, on the slot machine side, each time the lending request signal is received, the lending process is performed and a response signal is transmitted to the game medium lending device, and in response to the response signal, the next lending request signal is sent from the game medium lending device. Is preferably configured to send. Further, prior to the transmission of the lending request signal, a control signal (hereinafter referred to as a "lending state signal") indicating that the gaming medium lending device is in a state of executing a lending request to the slot machine, is sent. It is desirable that the machine prohibits the game start operation according to the lending status signal.

Further, the communication between the slot machine and the game medium lending device is preferably performed by electrically connecting the two, but the invention is not limited to this, and wireless communication may be performed. Further, the slot machine and the game medium lending device are integrated into one device, and a control unit for controlling the slot machine and a control unit for controlling the game medium lending device are provided as separate computers in the machine body. It may be configured by dividing by.

The storage medium accepted by the game medium lending processing device is not limited to a card, but a memory stick, I
A C chip or the like can also be used. Instead of the storage medium, real money may be accepted. The game medium lending device can make a lending request when a storage medium or money is received, or when a lending instruction operation is performed by the player after the receipt.

The "game medium lending process" executed by the slot machine means the number of stored game mediums for a credit game in the control unit (generally constituted by a microcomputer) of the slot machine. It can be done by remembering. It can also be performed by the process of paying out the actual game medium from the machine.

According to the present invention, in the slot machine having the above-described structure, from the reception of the operation for starting the variable display of the symbols until the end of the variable display of the symbols, the lending process of the game medium in response to the lending request. When the payout process of the game medium associated with the winning is performed after the variable display of the symbols is finished, the lending prohibited state is maintained until the payout process is completed.

The above-mentioned "operation for starting variable display of symbols" can be, for example, operation of a starting lever for instructing variable display of symbols. In addition, the operation for inserting the actual game medium or the bet operation for setting the game start state by dropping the stored game medium before this operation is performed by "the operation for starting the variable display of symbols". As an example, the lending process may be prohibited from the time when the operation of inserting the game medium for these games is performed.

The "rental prohibition state" can be set, for example, by the "acceptance status notification signal (PRDY)" described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-221353 (hereinafter, this PRDY is referred to as "rental availability signal"). In other words.). The lendable signal is a signal indicating whether or not the machine is in a lendable state, and is always output to the game medium lending device. Therefore, the level of the lendable signal cannot be lent out until the variable display of the symbols is completed after the operation for starting the variable display of the symbols is completed, or until the payout process of the game medium associated with the winning is completed. It may be set to a level indicating a state. As a result, the game medium lending device cancels or holds the lending request to the slot machine even if the player issues a lending instruction operation, so that the game on the slot machine side is played until the lending enable signal is reversed. It is possible to prohibit lending processing of media.

The setting of the "lending prohibition state" is not limited to the above, and the slot machine does not accept the lending request when the own device is in a state where lending is impossible (a signal for lending request is transmitted). Even if it is done, it is ignored.) By configuring so that the “lending prohibition state” may be set. If this method is combined with the method of controlling the lending request according to the signal from the slot machine described above, the slot machine becomes unlending after the game medium lending device starts the lending request. Even if
You can cancel the loan request.

Further, when an operation switch for lending an instruction is provided on the slot machine side and the operation signal of this switch is transmitted to the game medium lending device, an interface for relaying this operation signal is provided. The “rental prohibition state” can also be set by providing the board with a means for stopping the transmission of the operation signal. The means for canceling the transmission of the operation signal is, for example, a switch mechanism, and receives the instruction to prohibit the lending processing of the game medium from the control unit of the slot machine, and opens the switch to operate the operation signal to the game medium lending device. Can be configured not to be transmitted. The switch mechanism may be composed of a microcomputer.

According to the above configuration, when the winning is achieved on the side of the slot machine and the payout process of the game medium is performed,
Since the game medium lending process is prohibited until the payout process is completed, the payout process and the lending process at the time of winning are not performed at the same time, and the game medium to be paid out and the game medium to be rented are confused. Can be prevented.

In a slot machine of a further preferred mode, in addition to the above-mentioned configuration, performance processing according to a predetermined mode is executed under predetermined conditions, and when this performance processing is performed after the end of variable display of symbols, the performance processing is completed. It is configured to continue the lending prohibition state until.

The "condition" for executing the effect process is, for example, that a special winning is won, and there are two cases, that is, the case where the winning is actually established and the case where the winning is not established. The following are possible. Especially, the effect process when the winning is not established functions as an effect for notifying the player that there is a possibility of winning the prize. In addition, it is also possible to set the "condition" to stop the variable display of symbols at the timing when a predetermined combination of symbols set as a combination for producing an effect is established. If a lottery for performance is performed, winning the lottery is set as the “condition”.

The "effect processing" includes visual effect using an illumination lamp on the front of the machine body and a light source (backlight light source) for illumination behind the reel, and auditory effect using sound effects and BGM. It is also possible to combine and perform both visual and auditory effects. Further, the number of effect patterns is not limited to one, and a plurality of effect patterns can be executed according to the combination of the appearing symbols and the like. Depending on the mode and condition of the effect, the effect process may be started before the variable display of the symbols is stopped.

According to the above configuration, when the effect process is performed after the variable display of the symbols, the lending process of the game medium is prohibited until the effect process is completed, so that, for example, a notice effect is performed. Lending process is performed while
There is no misunderstanding that the prize has been won. Further, since it is not necessary for the control unit of the slot machine to perform the control for the lending process at the time of the effect process, the load on the control unit can be significantly reduced and the malfunction can be prevented.

In a slot machine according to still another aspect, when an abnormality occurs in the payout operation of the game medium during the payout process of the game medium associated with the winning, when the abnormality is eliminated and after the abnormality is eliminated. The lending prohibited state is continued until the game medium payout process is completed. According to this configuration, in particular, when the actual game medium is paid out as the lending process, the proper lending process is not performed due to an abnormality in the payout operation such as a failure of the game medium payout mechanism or a lack of the game medium. It is possible to prevent such a situation, and it is possible to perform lending processing with high reliability.

[0029]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the external appearance of an apparatus constituting a game medium lending system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This game medium lending system 1 is for lending a predetermined number of game media in a pachinko hall by deducting the valuable value of a prepaid card, and a stand machine 2 as a game medium lending device and a slot machine as a game machine. 3 and 3 are arranged adjacent to each other, and both are electrically connected.

The slot machine 3 is constructed by assembling a door 5 at the opening of the machine body 4 at the front opening. The main body of the door portion 5 is composed of a metal frame having a predetermined thickness, and the front opening thereof has three panels 11, 12, 13
Is assembled. Each panel 11, 12, 13
It is formed by silk screen printing on the surface of a transparent synthetic resin plate or tempered glass.
A large number of lamps, LEDs, etc. for illumination, which are not shown, are installed.

As shown in FIG. 2, a medal payout machine 6 having a reel block 10 and a hopper 6a is provided inside the machine body, and a control board 51 on which a controller 50 described later is mounted. The reel block 10 is formed by assembling three reels 8a, 8b, 8c and stepping motors 9a, 9b, 9c, which are driving sources thereof, on a metal frame 7. A plurality of types of symbols are drawn on the peripheral surfaces of the reels 8a, 8b, and 8c.
By rotating b and 9c, variable display of symbols is realized.

The front panel 11 is for displaying the progress of the game, and as shown in FIG. 3, a transparent and colorless symbol display window 20 is formed in the center. The reel block 1 is located behind the symbol display window 20.
0 reels 8a, 8b, 8c are arranged with their outer peripheral surfaces facing the symbol display window 20. Symbol display window 20
The horizontal length is such that the three reels 8a, 8b, 8c can be seen from the outside, and the vertical length is such that the symbols for three frames can be seen from the outside when the reels are stopped. It has a long rectangular shape. Also symbol display window 2
On the surface of 0, three horizontal pay lines L1, L2, L3 and two pay lines L4, L5 extending diagonally are drawn so as to connect the stop display positions of the respective symbols.

On the back side of each reel 8a, 8b, 8c, a backlight source 29 for illuminating symbols is provided corresponding to each of the three symbol stop display positions. This backlight light source 29 is a multicolor light emitting type L
A planar light emitting type light source including an ED, which is a control unit 50.
Is set to emit light in a predetermined color.

Further, on the front panel 11, five activated line display lamps 23 for showing activated lines among the five winning lines L1 to L5, and are stored for a credit system game. A credit display 24 for displaying the number of medals, a payout medal number display 25 for displaying the number of medals paid out at the time of winning, and a remaining count display 26 for displaying the remaining count of a card to be described later,
A lending availability display lamp 22 or the like indicating whether or not lending processing is possible is provided.

Returning to FIG. 1, a start lever 14 and a stop button switch 1 are provided between the front panel 11 and the lower panel 13.
In addition to 5a, 15b, 15c, medal slot 16, three bet button switches 17, 18, 19 and settlement switch 21, a lending switch 27 and a return switch 28 are provided as switches related to the medal lending process. Further, below the lower panel 13, a medal payout opening 30, a medal tray 31, and the like are provided.

The bet button switches 17, 18 and 19 are
The switches 17 and 18 are used when the accumulated medals are consumed to execute a credit-based game.
By the operation of 19, three pieces from the stored medal, two pieces,
One medal is withdrawn. Settlement switch 21
Is for paying out the stored medals and paying out medals corresponding to the number of stored medals from the medal payout opening 30.

The lending switch 27 and the returning switch 28 are electrically connected to the control unit 43 on the side of the intermachine unit 2 as described later. The lending switch 27 is for instructing the lending process of medals by the card inserted in the inter-machine 2, and the return switch 28 is for instructing the return of the card inserted in the inter-machine 2. It is a thing.

In the slot machine 3 of this embodiment, each time the game is carried out, a lottery is conducted in the control section 50 to determine a combination of symbols to be stopped on the activated pay line, and the reels 8a, 8b, With respect to 8c, the pull-in control for stopping the symbol corresponding to the winning is performed. (Since this kind of lottery and pull-in control are known, details thereof will be omitted.) In this embodiment, when the "big hit" is won by the lottery, the lottery result is maintained until the big hit is achieved. At the same time, when all the reels are stopped, a method for switching a plurality of types of illumination patterns by the backlight light source 29 is used to perform an effect process for notifying that the "big hit" may have been won. .

On the other hand, the inter-mounting machine 2 comprises an upper door 32 and a lower door 33 arranged on the opening surface of a box-shaped main body 60. Both of the doors 32 and 33 are locked by locks 34 and 35. The upper door 32 has a bill accepting opening 36 for receiving 1,000-yen bills, and the lower door 33 has a card entrance 37 for carrying in / out a card. , Respectively formed. Further lower door 33
Is provided with a card insertion switch 38 and a plurality of display lamps 39 to 42 for notifying the player of the state of the machine. The bill accepting port 36 also serves as a bill return port. A transparent cover body 43 is provided at the card entrance / exit 37 so as to be openable / closable.

Of the display lamps 39 to 42, the lower door 3
An indicator lamp 39 provided on the upper part of the lamp 3 is turned on during the card insertion to indicate that the card is being processed inside the machine. Further, the display lamp 40 in the central portion indicates that the inter-machine machine 2 is in an offline state due to a disconnection of a communication line in the game hall described later, and the display lamp 41.
Indicates that the card is out. Further, the display lamp 42 is lit when a card is carried out to the card entrance / exit 37 to urge the player to remove the card.

The inter-mounting machine 2 of this embodiment accepts the insertion of a 1,000-yen bill and issues a card in which the frequency corresponding to the insertion amount is recorded, and at the same time, accepts the card and outputs the medal to the adjacent slot machine 3. A signal for requesting a lending process (a lending request signal) is output, and a bill processing unit (not shown) is provided at a position corresponding to the currency receiving port 36.
A card processing unit (not shown) is provided at a position corresponding to the card door 37.

The card processing unit has a card accommodation section (not shown) capable of accommodating only one card in the initialized state, and information such as the amount of money is written in the accommodation card to enter the card entrance 37. Issued to
We accept the issued cards and read and write information for medal lending. The card insertion switch 3
8 is operated when inserting the issued card immediately into the body.

When the remaining card count becomes zero due to the medal lending process, and the used card storage is empty, the used card is initialized and then taken into the card storage. Stocked. Therefore, the same one card is repeatedly used unless the issued card is removed. In addition, the bench machine 2 of this embodiment
Can also accept cards issued by other devices while the cards are stocked in the card storage section. In this case, when the remaining number of cards received after the medal lending process becomes zero, the card is carried out to the card entrance 37 and returned to the player.

FIG. 4 shows an electric configuration of the game medium lending system 1. The slot machine 3 of this system, and the control units 50 and 43 of the machine-to-machine machine 2 are all based on a microcomputer. Including.

Further, the slot machine 3 has an interface board 51 for relaying control signals exchanged with the stand-alone machine 2, the lending switch 27, the returning switch 28, the remaining number display 26, and lending. A second interface board 54 for connecting the display lamp 22 to the control unit 43 on the side-by-side machine 2 is incorporated. (Here, the board of 51 is called a "control signal relay board" and the board of 54 is called a "relay board for input / output unit" so that the boards can be distinguished.) An interface board 56 for communicating with both the signal relay board 51 and the input / output relay board 54 is incorporated.

In the slot machine 3, the controller 50 has various switches 53 for the game (the starting lever 1).
4, stop button switches 15a, 15b, 15c, bet button switches 17, 18, 19 and the like. ), A credit display 24, a payout medal number display 25, a reel block 10, a medal payout machine 6, a back light source 29, a medal detection sensor 52, and other output parts are connected. It should be noted that the medal detection sensor 52 collectively shows a sensor for detecting medals paid out in the medal payout machine 6 and a sensor for detecting medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 16.

The slot machine 3 includes a power supply device 55.
Is incorporated. The power supply device 55 receives an external AC power supply and generates a DC power supply of 5V and 24V. Of these power supplies, 5V DC is used as a drive power supply for the control unit 50. Further, the 24V DC is supplied to the various input / output units described above and also to the interface board 56 on the side of the intermount machine 2.

On the other hand, in the control unit 43 on the side-by-side machine 2, in addition to the card insertion switch 38, the display lamps 39 to 42, and various components included in the bill processing unit and the card processing unit, other units in the hall. A communication interface circuit 58 or the like for communicating with the device is connected.

The banknote processing unit includes a banknote detection sensor 44 for detecting the insertion of a banknote into the banknote receiving slot 36, and a banknote identification for determining the denomination and authenticity of the inserted banknote. The machine 45 is connected to a banknote transport mechanism 46 for taking the inserted banknotes into the machine and transporting them to an external safe. As a configuration included in the card processing unit, a card detection sensor 47 for detecting insertion and removal of a card into the card entrance / exit 37, a card reader / writer 48 for reading / writing information recorded on the card, and a card. A card transport mechanism 49 and the like for transporting to the card entrance / outlet and the card storage unit are connected.

The communication interface circuit 58 is a bidirectional communication line (not shown) installed in the game arcade.
Via other machines in the amusement hall, card vending machines that are dedicated to issuing cards, card settlement machines for settlement of the balance of the card, issuing and using cards in the amusement hall It is connected to an information processing device (not shown) for totaling related data. The communication interface circuit 58 is used to issue a card collation request and a registration information rewriting request to the issuing device when a card issued by another device is accepted, and also to another device. It is used when a collation request for a card issued by the device itself or a request for rewriting registration information is received and responded to, or when data for aggregation is transmitted to the information processing device.

Although not shown here, a power supply device similar to that on the side of the slot machine 3 is also incorporated in the inter-machine 2 to supply drive power to the control unit 43 and various input / output units. . Further, the interface board 56 incorporates a conversion circuit (not shown) for converting the 24V DC from the slot machine 3 into the 18V DC. This 18 V DC is applied to the control signal relay board 51 of the slot machine 3 and used for generating various control signals, and also applied to the input / output section relay board 54 to display the remaining number indicator 26. It is also used as a drive source of the lendable display lamp 22.

The control section 43 includes a bill detecting sensor 44.
When it is determined that a proper bill has been inserted by a detection signal from the bill validator 45 or the bill validator 45, the card reader / writer 48 and the card transport mechanism 49 are driven to issue a card. Further, the control unit 43 registers the information recorded on the issued card in the internal memory, and thereafter, when accepting the card issued by the own device, the recorded information on the card is correct using the internal registration information. Determine if there is.

When a card issued by another vehicular machine 2 or a card vending machine is accepted, the control section 43 makes a request for collating the card to the device which issued the card, and requests this request. Is used to determine whether the recorded information on the card is proper or not.
In this embodiment, as described above, the card registration information is managed by the issuing device, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the information of all cards issued in the hall is specified by a specific device. It is also possible to carry out centralized management by means of, and to carry out card collation processing by communication with the device of this management source. Alternatively, only the card vending machine may issue the card, and the card collating process may be performed by communication between the inter-unit machine 2 and the card vending machine or the card information management device.

When the control process of the received card is completed, the control unit 43 of the stand machine 2 deducts a predetermined frequency from the card in accordance with the operation of the lending switch 27, and the medals corresponding to the deduction frequency to the slot machine 3 side. Request a loan.
In response to this lending request, the control unit 50 of the slot machine 3 executes a lending process by a method of storing medals as electronic data. (Hereinafter, this process is referred to as "credit up".)

As a lending process, instead of the credit increase, the medal payout machine 6 is driven to drive the hopper 6
The actual medal may be paid out from a. In addition, a switch for switching the lending processing mode is provided on the front face of the slot machine 3 or the stand-alone machine 2, and the lending processing is performed by either a credit increase or a method of paying out an actual medal according to the switch operation. You may

A plurality of types of control signals are exchanged between the inter-machine 2 and the slot machine 3 of the game medium lending system 1 having the above-mentioned configuration for the lending processing. These control signals reduce the load of medal lending processing on the side of the slot machine 3, affect the main control of the slot machine 3, and confuse the medal to be paid out as a prize when winning and the medal to be lent out. In order to prevent this, any control signal is relayed by the control signal relay board 51, the interface board 56, and a signal line unique to each signal set between these boards.

FIG. 5 shows the four types of control signals PRDY,
BRDY, BRQ, EXS, and control signals TDS, RE indicating whether or not the lending switch 27 and the return switch 28 are available.
Regarding S and the signal TDL for display control of the lendable display lamp 22, an example of a change in each signal according to the operation of the player (operation for the game and operation for the lending process) and the progress state of the game Show. Hereinafter, the role of each control signal and a specific example of the lending process performed by these control signals will be described with reference to this figure.

The four control signals PRDY, BRD
Each of Y, BRQ, and EXS is set to be in an off state when it is at a high level and to be in an on state when it is at a low level. Further, the display control signal TDL is set to turn on the lendable display lamp 22 when it is at a low level.
On the other hand, the control signals TDS and RES indicating the availability of the lending switch 27 and the return switch 28 are transmitted to the control unit 43 of the intermachine unit 2.
Is an internal signal that is set as a flag, and is set to "1" when it is valid and to "0" when it is invalid.

(1) Lending Available Signal (PRDY) This is a signal indicating whether or not the slot machine 3 is ready to accept a lending request from the stand machine 2, and the slot machine 3 sends the stand machine 2 to the stand machine 2. Is output to. This PRDY turns on after a lapse of a predetermined time after the power is turned on, but when the player inserts a medal (operation of the bet button switches 17, 18, 19 or insertion of a real medal), it shifts to an off state. After that, the off state is maintained until at least all reels are stopped.
Furthermore, when a winning is achieved in this game, the off state is maintained until the payout process of medals associated with the winning is completed, and when the effect process is performed, the effect process is ended. As described above, the lending possible signal PRDY is the same signal as the acceptance status notification signal described in JP-A-11-221353.

(2) Rental status signal (BRDY) This is a signal indicating whether or not the inter-machine 2 is in a state capable of issuing a loan request to the slot machine 3, and the inter-machine 2 to the slot machine 3 Is output to. This BRD
Y is normally in the off state, and when the lending switch 27 is operated, the state is changed to the on state and maintained in the on state until the lending request ends. However, this BRDY rises only when the lending possible signal PRDY is in the ON state and the operation of the lending switch 27 is validated by the presence / absence signal TDS.

(3) Bending request signal (BRQ) This is a signal for instructing the slot machine 3 to credit up from the inter-machine machine 2. This lending request signal BR
The Q turns on in response to the rental state signal BRDY being turned on, then returns to the off state after a predetermined time, and thereafter, in the same manner, the on state and the off state are sequentially switched. In this embodiment, when the BRQ is turned on, the slot machine is instructed to lend a medal for one time (more strictly speaking,
By switching the BRQ from off to on, preparation for lending a medal for one time is requested, and by switching the BRQ from on to off, execution of the lending process is instructed. ), The process of turning the BRQ on and off is repeated as many times as the number of times the card is withdrawn.

(4) Acknowledgment signal (EXS) This signal is transmitted from the slot machine 3 to the inter-machine machine 2 and is a signal for notifying that the lending instruction by the lending request signal BRQ has been received. This EXS is also normally in an off state, and after a predetermined time has passed since the BRQ was turned on, it transitions to the on state and then returns to the off state in response to the transition of the BRQ to the off state.

The slot machine 3 credits one medal (for example, 5 coins) in response to the lending request signal BRQ changing from the ON state to the OFF state after turning on the acceptance signal EXS. Then, the acknowledge signal EXS is turned off. The control unit 43 of the stand machine 2 determines whether or not the lending process is completed depending on the response state of the approval signal EXS to turning on and off of the lending request signal BRQ.

(5) Yes / No signal TDS, RES TDS indicates whether the operation of the lending switch 27 is valid or not.
RES indicates whether the operation of the return switch 28 is valid,
Shown respectively. These signals TDS and RES are internal signals of the inter-mounting machine 3 as described above, and the card processing unit of the inter-mounting machine 2 holds the verified card.
It becomes "valid" when three conditions, that is, the lending possible signal PRDY is in the ON state and the lending state signal BRDY is in the normal state (OFF state), are satisfied.
When receiving the operation signal of the lending switch 27 from the slot machine 3, the control unit 43 of the machine-to-machine 2 has a valid / invalid signal T.
Only when the DS is in the ON state, the operation is accepted and the lending request process is performed. Similarly, when the return switch 28 is operated, the operation is accepted and the card return process is performed only when the presence / absence signal RES is in the ON state.

(6) Display control signal TDL This is a signal for controlling the lighting state of the lendable display lamp 22. This signal is a valid / invalid signal T of the lending switch 27.
When DS indicates valid, it goes to a low level to turn on the lending allowance display lamp 22, thereby making it possible to inform the player whether or not the lending switch 27 can be operated.

As shown in FIG. 5, while the game is being executed on the slot machine 3 side, and during the medal payout or effect processing associated with winning, the lending available signal P is displayed.
Since the RDY is turned off, the machine-to-machine 2 side is set in a state in which the lending request cannot be made. Therefore, even if the lending switch 27 is operated during the game execution, the lending request is not issued from the inter-machine unit 2 side, and the slot machine 3
The load on the control unit 50 can be lightened, and it is possible to prevent the game processing from being delayed and the malfunction from occurring. Furthermore, when a prize is established by a game, the condition that the lending request cannot be issued until the medal payout associated with this winning is completed, so the medal payout as the prize prize and the medal lending process are performed at the same time. It is possible to prevent the medals to be paid out from being confused with the medals to be lent out without being played.

Further, in this embodiment, the lending possible signal PRDY is set to the off state so that the medals cannot be lent out even during the performance process by the backlight light source 22 or the like. It is possible to prevent the effect process from being confused with winning. The lending available signal PRDY is not limited to the above-mentioned state, and the lending is possible even when the number of stored medals reaches a predetermined upper limit value or when the settling process of stored medals is performed. It is desirable to set the enable signal PRDY to the off state so that the lending process is not performed.

FIG. 6 shows a procedure of processing by the control unit 43 on the machine-to-machine unit 2 side. (Hereinafter, each step in FIG.
Indicates. ) First, when the player inserts a 1,000-yen bill into the bill accepting slot 36 of the inter-machine 2 for card purchase, st1 becomes "YES", and the process proceeds to st2. In st2, it is checked whether or not the card is accommodated in the card accommodating portion. If it is determined that the card is not accommodated, the process proceeds to st4 and the bill is returned.

On the other hand, when the card is accommodated in the card accommodation section, the process proceeds from st2 to st3, in which information such as the ticket issuing number and frequency data is written and issued from the card entrance 37. The information written in the card at this time is registered in the memory of the control unit 43.

Next, when the player operates the card insertion switch 38 to insert the issued card, st5 becomes "YES" and the process proceeds to st6, the information recorded on the card is read, and the information in the memory is read. Execute the process of matching with the registration information of. If the information recorded here is proper, the next st7 becomes "YES" and the process proceeds to st9,
The remaining number display 26 displays the remaining number of cards.
If the recorded information on the card is incorrect, st
When 7 becomes "NO", the process proceeds to st8, and the card is returned to the card entrance / exit 37.

When the remaining frequency is displayed, next st1
0 indicates the loanable signal PRDY from the slot machine 3
Check. If the lending possible signal PRDY is turned on, the operation of the lending switch 27 is enabled by the internal signal TDS and stands by. When the lending switch 27 is operated, st11 becomes "YES" and the process proceeds to st12 to execute a lending request process to the slot machine.

At st12, the rental status signal BRDY is sent.
After turning on, set the lending request signal BRQ to the on state for the number of times the card is withdrawn, and confirm whether or not the lending process for each frequency is completed by the acknowledge signal EXS from the slot machine 3 side. To do. Also, each time the end of lending processing for one frequency is confirmed, a control signal is transmitted to the remaining frequency display device 26 to update the display frequency. Although not shown here, if the consent signal EXS does not respond to turning on or off of the lending request signal BRQ, the lending request process is stopped and a predetermined error process is executed.

When the end of the lending process is confirmed by the response of the acknowledge signal EXS to the last ON operation of the lending request signal BRQ, st13 becomes "YES". The control unit 43
In response to this "YES" determination, the process proceeds to st14, where the lending status signal BRDY is returned to the off state to end the lending request, and then in st15, the remaining number of registration information in the memory and the information recorded in the card. Update the remaining frequency.

If the residual frequency after updating is not zero, s
It returns to t10 and waits for the operation of the lending switch 27. On the other hand, when the residual frequency becomes zero, st16 to st1
In step 7, the card is initialized and stored in the card storage section.

On the other hand, when the lending switch 27 is operated while the lending enable signal PRDY from the slot machine 3 is in the off state, the operation is invalidated by the presence / absence signal TDS, so that st10 is "NO". The status of “” continues, and the loan request is prohibited. In this case, when the lending switch 27 is operated again at the stage when the lending enable signal PRDY is turned back on, st10 and st11 are set to "YE.
S ”, and the lending request process of st12 is executed.

Although not shown here, the return switch 28 is operated while holding a card having a remaining number of points.
When is operated, the card is returned from the card entrance / exit 37 according to the operation.

When a card issued by another stand-mounted machine 2 or a card vending machine is accepted, the frequency data of the card is deducted by the processing of st5 to 15 as in the case of the card issued by the device itself. Send a lending request signal. However, when collating the card record information in st6, or in st15
When updating the frequency of the registration information, communication with the issuing device is required. Further, when all the frequency data of the card is consumed by the lending request and the process proceeds from st16 to st17, if the card is accommodated in the card accommodation section, the card is returned from the card entrance / exit 37.

FIG. 7 shows a procedure for medal lending processing in the slot machine 3. (In this FIG. 7, each step is shown as “ST”.) In the following, as a medal lending process, credits of medals are increased, and the payout process of medals associated with winning a prize is equivalent to the number of payouts. Will be described as being performed by crediting up. However, instead of this, by paying out the actual medal from the hopper, you can also perform the lending process and the medal payout at the time of winning the prize.
Of course it is possible.

Immediately after the power of the machine is turned on, the lending enable signal PRDY is set to the off state. In the first ST1, it is checked whether or not the current number of stored medals has reached the limit value. Since the number of stored medals immediately after the power is turned on is “zero”, ST1 becomes “YES” and the process proceeds to ST2, and the control unit 50 causes the lendable signal PRD to be output.
Set Y on.

In this state, when the card is inserted into the inter-machine unit 2 side and the lending switch 27 is operated, the inter-unit machine 2 executes the lending request process by the processes of st5 to 12 described above. When the control unit 50 determines that the lending request is made by reversing the lending status signal BRDY to ON, ST
From 4 to ST5, as described above, credits of a predetermined number of medals are credited in accordance with turning on / off of the lending request signal BRQ, and at the same time, the end of lending to the machine 2 side using the acknowledge signal EXS. Notify me. If a game start operation is performed during this period, this operation is ignored.

When the medal lending process is completed in this way, the process returns to ST1 to check the number of stored sheets. If the number of stored sheets is within the limit value, ST1 to ST2
Then, the lending enable signal PRDY is kept on.

As described above, when a predetermined number of medals are stored and the lending enable signal PRDY is set to ON, the game is started from the medals stored by operating any of the bet button switches 17, 18 and 19. When the medals for this are withdrawn, ST6 and 7 become "YES" and the process proceeds to ST8, and the lending possible signal PRDY is turned off.

When PRDY is turned off, as described above, the lending request process on the side machine 2 side is prohibited, but if the lending switch 27 is operated immediately before the lending prohibited state, BRD after PRDY is turned off
It is possible that Y turns on. However,
In the slot machine 3 of this embodiment, once PRDY is turned off, the BRDY signal change is ignored, so there is no risk of erroneous lending processing being performed when the medal lending processing is impossible. .

By performing the bet operation,
The control unit 50 activates a game process (not shown).
In this game process, according to the operation of the start lever 14,
The reels 8a, 8b, 8c are simultaneously started, and the combination of symbols to be stopped and displayed is determined by the lottery process described above. Furthermore, stop button switches 15a, 1
Each time 5b, 15c is operated, the corresponding reel 8a,
When 8b and 8c are stopped in a state where a predetermined symbol is pulled in, and a winning is achieved when all reels are stopped, a medal for reward is paid out. When the notification symbol combination is established, the notification presentation process using the backlight light source 22 is executed.

The procedure after ST9 in FIG. 7 is carried out in parallel with the above-mentioned game processing. First, in ST9, it is checked whether or not all reels 8a, 8b, 8c have stopped. If this determination is “YES”, the next ST
Check to see if the prize has been established at 10. If the winning is established here, the process proceeds from ST10 to ST11 to wait until the payout process of medals is completed, and when the payout process is completed, the process proceeds to ST12 to check whether or not the effect process is performed. To do. If the effect process is being performed here, the process waits in ST13 until the effect process is completed, and then the process returns to ST1. If the number of stored medals added by the above winning does not exceed the limit value, S
From T1 to ST2, the lending possible signal PRDY is returned to the ON state.

On the other hand, when the winning is established but no effect is produced, after confirming the end of the payout of medals by winning in ST11, ST12 becomes "NO" and the process returns to ST1. If the winning process has not been established but the effect process is being performed after the reels are stopped, the process proceeds from ST10 to ST12 to ST13, waits until the effect process is completed, and then returns to ST1.

When the "big hit" is achieved by stopping the reels, the subsequent game control is switched to the control for the bonus game, and the winning is frequently established. When the number of stored medals exceeds the limit value due to the payout process associated with such a prize, when the process returns to ST1 after the medal payout process, the determination becomes “NO”, the process proceeds to ST3, and the lendable signal PRDY is It will be maintained in the off state. However, in this state, if the player performs the settlement operation without playing the game, after returning from ST3 to ST1 via ST4 and ST6,
Since the determination in ST1 is "YES", the lending possible signal PRDY is returned to ON.

As described above, in this embodiment, the lending-out signal PRDY is turned off during the game execution to prohibit the medal lending process during the game execution.
Even when the medal payout process for winning and the presentation process for announcing are performed after the reels are stopped, the PRDY is kept in the OFF state, so that the player can lend out the medals and win the medals associated with the winning. It is possible to confuse the payout process and to avoid misunderstanding the notification effect process as the establishment of the small winning combination, and to clearly distinguish the medals to be lent out and the medals to be paid out by the winning.

When it is determined in ST11 that the medal payout has ended, the actual number of payouts of medals is counted using the detection signal from the medal detection sensor 52, and the winning is established when this count value is established. It is desirable to make a “YES” determination when the number of paid out medals has been reached. According to such a method, even if the actual medal is paid out instead of the credit increase as the lending process, the proper lending process will not be performed due to the failure of the hopper 6a, the medal running out, or the like. This makes it possible to perform lending processing with high reliability.

In ST13, it is possible to make a "YES" determination in response to the completion of the effect processing program. However, if this effect processing is to be performed by a dedicated sub control board, the sub control board is After issuing the production start command, when the time required for this production processing elapses, "YE
The determination of “S” may be performed. If the sub-control board receives an instruction from the main control unit and executes a lottery and selects and executes one of a plurality of effect processes depending on the result of the lottery, the effect time is the longest. "YES" when the longest production time has elapsed
May be determined.

Although not shown in FIG. 7, if the payout of medals is performed after the effect process is first performed after the winning is established, until the payout of medals is completed, P
It is necessary to keep RDY off. In addition, the production process is not limited to the one that indicates the possibility of winning or winning.
For example, at the time of starting the reels, a lottery for winning may be performed separately from a lottery for winning, and an effect may be performed according to winning of this lottery.

In addition, the method of production is also the backlight light source 29.
Not limited to this, it is possible to perform effect processing by various methods, such as causing a predetermined illumination pattern to appear by an illumination panel or LEDs on the front surface of the machine body or generating a sound effect. Depending on the aspect of the effect, the effect may be started before the reels 8a, 8b, 8c are stopped.

By the way, in the procedure of FIG. 7 described above, in any game, the lending possible signal PRDY is maintained in the off state from the time when the medal is inserted or the bet operation is performed until all the reels are stopped. However, when the acceptance of the inserted medals or the withdrawal of the stored medals by the bet operation is completed, the lending possible signal PRDY is temporarily returned to the ON state, and the acceptance status is notified again in response to the operation of the start lever 14. The signal may be turned off.

If a combination of replay symbols is established when the reels are stopped, the next game is a regame,
The state where the same number of medals as the previous game is bet is set automatically without betting operation or insertion of medals, but even when it is set to execute the re-game like this,
After the automatic setting of the betting medals is completed, the starting lever 1
The lending enable signal can be turned back on until 4 is operated. On the contrary, the lending possible signal PRDY may be kept off after the replay symbol is established, and the lending process may be prohibited until the re-game is started.

Further, in the procedure of FIG. 7, when the effect process is performed, it is set so that the medals cannot be lent out until the effect process is completed, but a predetermined operation (for example, a bet button switch) is performed. The production process may be forcibly ended by operating the 17 twice, etc., and the lending possible signal PRDY may be returned to the ON state.

Further, in the procedure of FIGS. 6 and 7, the operation of the lending switch 27 when the lending enable signal PRDY on the side of the slot machine 3 is turned off is unconditionally invalidated. Then, the operation of the lending switch 27 when the lending possible signal PRDY is in the OFF state is held for a predetermined time, and when the lending possible signal PRDY is returned to the ON state within this holding period, the medal is selected according to the previous switch operation. The lending process may be performed.

The game media lending system 1 of the above embodiment is
The lending request process is performed by accepting a card with a valuable value set. Next, a system will be described in which money is directly accepted and the lending process is performed instead of the card.

FIG. 8 shows a game medium lending system 1A including a cash-insertion type inter-machine 2A and a slot machine 3A. The inter-unit machine 2A of this embodiment is configured to accept a 1,000-yen bill and execute a medal lending request at a frequency (for example, 10 times) corresponding to the value of the thousand-yen at a time. A bill receiving opening 61, a receiving lamp 62, a frequency display 63, a liquid crystal panel 64, and the like are provided.

The acceptance lamp 62 is for notifying the player whether or not the bill is accepted, and is lit when the bill is accepted. In addition, the frequency display 63
Is for displaying the frequency according to the amount value of the received bill, and the display frequency is updated according to the lending request process and finally becomes 0 frequency.

As will be described later, the liquid crystal panel 64 displays a message indicating that it is in a state in which medals cannot be lent out when a lending request is held with bills accepted or when inserted bills are returned. It is for.

On the other hand, the slot machine 3A has the same construction as that of the first embodiment except that it does not have the lending switch 27, the return switch 28, the frequency indicator 26, and the lending indicator lamp 22. Here, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 are attached, and detailed description of each unit is omitted.

FIG. 9 shows an electric configuration of the game medium lending system 1A. The banknote processing unit similar to that of the first embodiment is incorporated in the stand-to-machine 2A, and the above-mentioned FIG.
The control unit 43, the interface board 56, the communication interface circuit 58, and the like similar to the above are incorporated. In addition, the reception lamp 62, the frequency display 63, the liquid crystal panel 64, etc. are connected to the control unit 43 to perform lighting or display according to the control.

The slot machine 3A side has the same electrical configuration as that shown in FIG. 4, but the slot machine 3A of this embodiment does not have the input / output section relay board 54 incorporated therein, and the inter-machine 2A is not provided. Are connected only via the control signal relay board 51.

Also in this embodiment, as in the first embodiment,
Four types of control signals PRDY, BRDY, BRQ, EXS
Based on the above, the lending request is issued from the inter-machine unit 2 side in response to the bill acceptance process, and the medal lending process is executed on the slot machine 3 side.

FIG. 10 shows changes in control signals, bill detection signals from the bill validator 45, and lighting states of the reception lamps according to the operation of the player and the progress of the game.

Also in this embodiment, the lendable signal PRDY
Is set to the off state until all reels are stopped after the game start operation, and when a medal payout or effect process by winning is performed, the off state is maintained until these processes are completed. The rental status signal BRDY is
It is normally in the off state, and shifts to the on state in response to the bill validator 45 determining that the inserted bill is proper and turning on the detection signal. However, when the bill detection signal is turned on when the lending possible signal PRDY is in the off state, the lending state signal B is returned until the PRDY returns to the on state.
The transition of the RDY to the ON state is delayed.
The relationship between the lending request signal BRQ and the approval signal EXS is the same as in the first embodiment, but in this embodiment, turning on and off the BRQ is repeated 10 times to lend medals for 10 times. There is.

In this way, the above-mentioned game media lending system 1
In A, the slot machine 3A performs the same processing as that of FIG. 7 of the first embodiment, but the inter-machine 2A is different from the first embodiment in that banknotes are accepted and a lending request is made. I am trying to initiate a lending request by the way. Therefore, in the following, description of the processing procedure for the slot machine 3A will be omitted, and only the processing on the intermachine machine 2A side will be described in detail.

FIG. 11 shows a procedure in which the insertion of bills is always accepted, but when the lending enable signal PRDY on the slot machine 3 side is in the off state, the inserted bills are held in the machine body. Note that, in FIG. 11, in order to avoid confusion with FIG.
Numbers up to 32 are attached.

First, when the bill detection sensor 44 of the bill processing unit detects the insertion of a bill, the first st
When 21 is "YES", the process proceeds to st22, and the bill validator 45 is used to determine the suitability of the inserted bill. When the bill validator 45 considers the inserted bill to be proper and turns on the bill detection signal, st23 becomes "YES" and s.
At t24, the frequency (10 times) for the amount of money to be inserted is set in the memory such as the RAM. Further, in the next st25, the acceptance lamp 62 is turned on to notify that the bill has been accepted.

If the lending enable signal PRDY is on in this state, the next st26 becomes "YES" and the process proceeds to st27 to drive the banknote transport mechanism 46 to transfer the inserted banknotes to an external safe. Transport. Further, in st28, the lending status signal BRDY is turned on to start the lending request processing.

In st28, the process of inverting the lending request signal BRQ is repeated 10 times to make a lending request for 10 times and the frequency data in the memory is set to 1 each time the end of the lending process is confirmed by the acknowledge signal EXS. Subtract in degrees. When the end of the lending process for the tenth time is confirmed, the process proceeds from st29 to st30, and the lending status signal B
Return RDY to the off state. Next st31
Then, the reception lamp 62 is turned off, and the process returns to st21.

On the other hand, if the lending enable signal PRDY is in the OFF state at the time when the inserted bills are received and the processing up to st25 is executed, the inserted bills are made to stand by on the bill conveying path until the PRDY is turned on. . Immediately after the PRDY is turned on, or after a predetermined time has elapsed, the processing from st27 is executed. If the inserted bill is determined to be inappropriate, st23 is “NO”.
Then, the operation proceeds to st32, returns the inserted bill and returns to st
Return to 21.

According to the above-mentioned procedure, when the game is not executed on the slot machine 3 side, and the medal payout and the effect process associated with the winning are not executed, the bill receiving opening 62
A lending request for 10 times is immediately made in response to the insertion of a bill from the slot machine 3, and the medals are lent out at the slot machine 3 side in response to the request.

On the other hand, when a banknote is inserted while any of the game process, the medal payout process, and the effect process is being performed, the banknote is held in the machine body and is rented when the process is completed. The request will be made. Even when the slot machine 3 cannot perform the lending process in this way, the inserted bills are held in the machine body, and the lending request is made without fail when the lending process becomes possible. There is no need to worry about the timing to put in,
It is possible to improve convenience in lending medals.

Although not shown in FIG. 11, when the control unit 43 determines in ST26 that PRDY is in the off state, it displays a message on the liquid crystal panel 64 informing that it is waiting for the lending process. To do. This allows
It is possible to stand by until the slot machine 3A becomes ready for lending, without making the player feel suspicious that the lending process is not performed even if a banknote is inserted.

Next, FIG. 12 shows another mode of the algorithm which can be set in the inter-machine 2A. In FIG. 12, the banknote is accepted only when the lendable signal PRDY is in the ON state, and the lendable signal PR is received after the banknote is accepted.
When DY shifts to the off state and this off state continues for a predetermined time or longer, the lending process is canceled. In FIG. 12, each step (st) is numbered after 41 so as not to be confused with FIG. 6 and FIG. 11.

First, in st41, the lending available signal P
Check if RDY is on. If this determination is “NO”, that is, if PRDY is in the off state, the process proceeds to st42 and prohibits the taking of bills. Note that this prohibition state is performed by, for example, stopping the power supply to the bill transport mechanism 46 or closing the bill accepting opening 61 with a shutter.
It is released when Y returns to the ON state.

When the insertion of bills is accepted while the lending enable signal PRDY is in the ON state, st43 becomes "YES", and thereafter, the acceptance process of the inserted bills is performed in the same procedure as st22 to 25 in FIG. 11 (st44). ~ 47). In addition, when it is determined that the inserted bill is not appropriate, the process proceeds from st45 to st59, and the inserted bill is returned.

If the lending enable signal PRDY is in the ON state at the time when the bill accepting process is completed, st48
Becomes "YES", and after performing the processing of st49, st
In 50 to 54, the same processing as st27 to 31 in FIG. 11 is performed to allow the slot machine 3A to lend medals for 10 times.

On the other hand, the lending enable signal PRDY is in the off state,
That is, if st48 is “NO”, st55 to 57
In, the determination process of st48 is repeated while checking the elapsed time by the internal timer. Here, if the lending possible signal PRDY shifts to the ON state before the set time of the timer is reached, the loop for checking the time is exited and st4
The processing shifts to 9 to 54. Incidentally, in st49,
The timer operated in st56 is reset, and in this embodiment, the process of st49 is performed even when the determination of st48 is "YES" without passing through st55 to 57. However, if the processing does not go through st55 to 57, the processing of st49 may be skipped.

When the lending enable signal PRDY is in the off state and the set time is reached, the process proceeds from st57 to st58 to clear the frequency data in the memory, and in the next st59, the inserted bill is returned and the lending process is performed. To cancel. Although not shown here, in st58,
The timer is reset together with the frequency data. In addition,
When canceling the lending process, the liquid crystal panel 64
It is desirable to display a message indicating the reason for cancellation on.

According to the above procedure, the slot machine 3A
The banknote is accepted only when the side is in the lending state, and even when the slot machine 3A side is in the unlending state while accepting the banknote, the inserted banknote is put on standby and the lending request is delayed. Can be dealt with. Further, when some deficiency occurs on the slot machine 3A side and the lending possible signal PRDY remains off,
Since the lending process is canceled and the accepted bill is returned to the player, the reliability of the medal lending can be improved, and the failure or malfunction of the slot machine 3 can be promptly dealt with.

In the inter-machine 2A of the second game medium lending system 1A described above, banknotes are accepted and the lending request is made, but the invention is not limited to this, and the insertion of coins may be accepted. Further, even in a stand-alone machine of a type that accepts the insertion of a storage medium processed into a card shape or a coin shape, when the lending request is made only by inserting the storage medium without operating the lending switch 27, the stand-alone machine 2A The loan request will be made in the same way as.

[0124] Further, in a machine between types capable of accepting both a card and currency, one of the card and currency is accepted and a lending request to the slot machine 3 is made. On the other hand, when the card is accepted, the procedure of FIG. 6 may be set, and when the currency is accepted, the procedure of FIG. 11 or 12 may be set.

[0125]

According to the present invention, from the acceptance of the operation for starting the variable display of the symbols on the slot machine 3 side until the end of the variable display of the symbols, the lending of the game medium in response to the lending request is completed. Processing is prohibited,
When the payout process of the game medium associated with the winning is performed after the variable display of the symbols is finished, the lending prohibited state is continued until the payout process is completed. The payout process is performed at the same time, and there is no risk of confusion between the two, and the player can easily confirm that the game medium lending process is correctly performed.

Further, according to the present invention, when the variable display of symbols is stopped and the effect process is performed under a predetermined condition,
Since the lending prohibition state of the game medium is continued until the production process is completed, there is no fear that the player mistakes the production process for winning a prize and recognizes that the lending process is not performed properly. It is possible to perform loan processing with high frequency. Further, since the load on the control unit can be reduced, there is no possibility that a malfunction occurs in either the effect process or the lending process.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an external appearance of an apparatus used in a game media lending system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an internal configuration of a slot machine body.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the configuration of the front panel of the slot machine.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a game medium lending system.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing changes in the control signal for the lending process along with the operation of the player and the flow of the game.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure on the machine side.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a lending process on the slot machine side.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing the outer appearance of the game medium lending system of the second configuration.

9 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the game medium lending system of FIG. 8. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing changes in the control signal for the lending process along with the operation of the player and the flow of the game.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure on the machine side.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure on the machine side.

[Explanation of symbols]

1,1A game media rental system 2,2A machine 3,3A slot machine 8a, 8b, 8c reels 22 Backlight light source 43,50 control unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A slot machine that performs a game medium lending process in response to a lending request from a game medium lending device that is communicably provided in a nearby position, after accepting an operation for starting variable display of symbols. Until the variable display of symbols is completed, the lending prohibition state is set so that the lending process of the game media according to the lending request is not performed, and after the variable display of the symbols is completed, the payout process of the gaming media associated with the winning is performed. The slot machine is characterized in that the lending-prohibited state is continued until the payout process is completed. 2. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein an effect process according to a predetermined mode is executed under a predetermined condition, and when the effect process is performed after the end of the variable display of symbols, A slot machine configured to continue the lending prohibited state until processing is completed. 3. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein when an abnormality occurs in the payout operation of the game medium during the payout process of the game medium associated with the winning, the abnormality is generated. A slot machine adapted to continue the lending-prohibited state until the game medium payout processing is completed after the solution and the abnormality is resolved. 4. A game medium lending device for accepting the insertion of a storage medium to which money or valuables has been added and making a request for lending a game medium, and a slot machine for lending a game medium in response to the lending request. , The slot machine is communicably provided in a close position, and the slot machine responds to the lending request from the reception of the operation for starting the variable display of the symbols to the end of the variable display of the symbols. Set the lending prohibition state in which the medium lending process is not performed, and when the gaming medium payout process associated with the winning is performed after the variable display of the symbols is finished, the lending prohibition state is continued until the payout process is finished. A game media lending system characterized by: 5. The slot machine executes effect processing in a predetermined manner under predetermined conditions,
4. The game medium lending system according to claim 3, wherein when the effect process is performed after the variable display of the symbols is finished, the lending prohibited state is continued until the effect process is finished.