JP2006026195A - Medium dispensing controller - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a medium dispensing controller for the game machines with a control means for regulating the dispensing action during the ongoing game in a game machine equipped with a game medium dispenser such as a prepaid card unit. <P>SOLUTION: In the controller 70 of a game machine 100 to which is connected the card unit 2 through an interface 400, the input permission signal enable is supplied to the interface 400 from the controller 70 under the status other than the ongoing game. In the supply of the input permission signal enable, the communication is validated between the dispensing operation display part 30 and the card unit 2 to enable the operation of the dispensing button 34 and the display of a dispensing enable LED 36 is validated. Under the status of the ongoing game, the supply of the input permission signal enable is stopped from the controller 70. As a result, the photocoupler provided in the interface 400 is turned off to invalidate the operation of the dispensing button 34 to disenable the dispensing operation. The dispensing enable LED 36 is extinguished and the display to the effect of the disenabled dispensing is made. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to pachinko balls and medals for gaming machines such as pachinko gaming machines (hereinafter simply referred to as “pachinko”) and revolving type gaming machines (hereinafter simply referred to as “slot machines”). The present invention relates to a gaming machine that can be equipped with a gaming medium lending machine (also called a prepaid card unit; hereinafter simply referred to as a “card unit”) that lends gaming media, and more specifically, controls that regulate lending activities during gaming. The present invention relates to a medium rental control device for a gaming machine provided with means.

  In recent years, pachinko machines and slot machines have become widespread as gaming machines. This pachinko game is played by lending a ball of, for example, 4 yen as a game medium, and the first type (seven machine) using a game prepaid card is the mainstream. The player can purchase a prepaid card of a required amount, insert the prepaid card into the card unit, and receive a ball lending up to the required amount as appropriate.

  On the other hand, the slot machine plays a game by lending a medal of, for example, 20 yen as a game medium, and the player receives 50 medals from the medal lending machine at 1000 yen. Then, medals are inserted into the gaming machine from the medal insertion slot, the medals are stored in a storage device (credit unit) with a limit of 50, and the required bet (generally 3 bets) is pushed by pressing the bet button or the maximum bet button. ) And playing.

  In such a slot machine, usually, 1 to 3 medals as game media are inserted into a medal slot and a game is performed. When a prize is generated in the game, medals are paid out to the medal tray according to the prize. In the slot machine, the medal inserted by the player into the medal slot and the payout medal paid out according to the winning can be stored (credited) in the storage device. The number of credited medals is displayed numerically by a segment LED (light emitting diode) or the like on the stored number display section.

  Further, the slot machine is configured such that during the game, that is, when the start lever is turned on, the third reel is stopped, and when there is a payout, no medal is accepted until the payout is completed. Specifically, during the game, the coin selector blocker goes up, and even if a medal is inserted, the coin returns from the return slot.

  The reason is that the slot machine performs medal in / out management, and if a medal is received during a game, the in / out management cannot be performed and there is a risk of fraud.

  Such a slot machine can also be equipped with a prepaid card unit used in a pachinko machine, and the frequency recorded on the card can be stored in the credit as it is.

When such a pachinko card system is adopted for a slot machine, the slot machine is playing (from the time the start lever is turned on until all reels stop, or when there is a payout until the payout is completed. In spite of this, it is conceivable that the loan from the prepaid card unit is accepted and stored in the credit.
For this reason, there is a risk that proper in / out management of medals as described above cannot be performed, and there is a problem that the possibility of fraud is increased.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a medium lending control device for a gaming machine provided with a control means for restricting lending activity during a game in a gaming machine including a gaming medium lending device such as a prepaid card unit.

The present invention for solving the above problems has the following configuration.
(1) In a medium lending control device for a gaming machine comprising control means for controlling the progress and state of a game and a game medium lending device for lending game media,
A medium lending control device comprising lending suppression means for suppressing lending from the gaming medium lending device when the control means determines that the gaming machine is playing a game.

(2) Control means for controlling the progress and state of the game, a game medium lending device for lending game media, and an interface enabling electrical connection between the game medium lending device and the control means; In a medium lending control device for a gaming machine comprising:
An input switching means provided in the interface for switching whether or not to input a lending request signal to the game medium lending device;
A game judging means for judging whether or not the gaming machine is playing a game;
A control signal output means for sending an input permission signal for allowing signal input to the input switching means when the game determination means is determined not to be in a game;
The medium switching control device according to claim 1, wherein the input switching means enables a signal input to the game medium lending device based on an input permission signal, and enables lending from the game medium lending device.

(3) The game medium lending device includes an operation device provided on the gaming machine side, and a card unit that reads the card frequency and lends the game medium.
The operation device has a display means for notifying whether or not the card unit is in a lending enabled state, and a lending request operation unit that requests the card unit to lend game media,
The medium according to (2), wherein when there is no input permission signal input from the control signal output means, the input switching means switches the display means to a non-rentable state display that cannot be lent. Lending control device.

  (4) The input switching means includes a photocoupler, and energization of a signal relating to gaming medium lending between the interface and the gaming medium lending device is enabled by energization of the input permission signal. The medium lending control device according to (2) or (3).

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, while the gaming machine is playing, in the case of a slot machine, all the reels stop after the start lever is turned on. Lending of game media is regulated by the control means. As a result, in-out management of game media can be performed accurately, and the possibility of fraud is reduced.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the game determining means determines that the gaming machine is not in a game, it sends an input permission signal to the input switching means of the interface. By inputting the signal, it is possible to input a lending request signal from the interface to the game medium lending device. And let it be in the state which can be lent from a game media rental apparatus. In this way, when the gaming machine is playing, it is impossible to input a lending request signal to the gaming medium lending device, so lending from the gaming medium lending device during gaming is not performed and fraudulent acts are not performed. It is suppressed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the game determining means determines that the game is not in progress, the display means displays the status of the game medium lending device. Regardless of the situation, since the display is switched to the lend-inhibited display, the player can recognize that lending is not possible during the game.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, by using the photocoupler, the input switching means can be configured to be resistant to noise and simple.

  Hereinafter, as an embodiment of the present invention, a case where a slot machine is used as a gaming machine installed in a game hall or the like will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is an overall front view showing the external structure of the slot machine 100, FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the configuration of the lending operation display unit 30, and FIG. 3 is an overall view showing the internal structure of the slot machine 100. FIG. 4 is an overall perspective view showing a protection structure of the main control board 700, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system provided in the slot machine 100.

  In FIG. 1, the slot machine 100 includes a front door 101 that faces a player, and a case 102 (described later) to which the front door 101 is attached so as to be opened and closed. The front door 101 includes an upper panel portion 103, a middle panel 104, and a lower panel portion 105, and is formed of a metal frame (not shown) and a front panel formed of hard plastic as a whole. It has a mechanically strong structure.

  The upper panel portion 103 is provided with an effect lamp 103a called an upper lamp, sound emitting portions 103b and 103c to which speakers are attached, and an effect display device 103d formed of a liquid crystal display or the like.

  The middle panel unit 104 is provided with a spinning reel device 200 including a plurality (three in this embodiment) of spinning reels R1, R2, and R3. The front surface of the reel reels R1, R2 and R3 is provided with a substantially rectangular transmission window WD formed of a transparent hard plastic plate, thereby protecting the reel reel device 200 from the outside and the player. Can see the reels R1, R2, and R3 through the transmission window WD.

  Furthermore, an operation unit 104c for a player to operate is provided at the lower end of the middle panel unit 104. The operation unit 104c includes a medal insertion unit MD for inserting game medals and the number of medals per game. Bed button B1 for presenting, a start bed ST for instructing the start of one game, and three spinning reels R1, R2, R3 for individually stopping Stop buttons SP1, SP2 and SP3 are provided. In the vicinity of the max bed button B2, an input number display portion AA is provided, which is composed of three LEDs arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction. The inserted number display area AA is configured such that one LED is lit for each inserted number.

  Further, below the transparent window WD, an acquisition frequency display unit 32 for displaying the acquisition frequency added by winning and a credit display unit 31 for displaying the remaining credit frequency are provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a lending operation display unit 30 as an operation device is provided between the medal insertion unit MD and the max bed button B2, and the lending operation display unit 30 is a lending operation display unit 30. A possible number display unit 33, a lending button 34 which is a lending request operation unit, a return button 35, and a lending available LED 36 which is a display means for displaying whether the card unit 2 is in a lending state are provided. . The LED 36 that can be lent in this embodiment is turned on when the card unit 2 can be lent, and is turned off when the card unit 2 cannot be lent. As the display means, in addition to LEDs (light emitting diodes), other elements such as EL (electro luminescence) elements can also be used.

  In this embodiment, the game is started by operating the start lever ST in a state where the specified number of inserted sheets (3 sheets) is inserted and all three LEDs of the inserted sheet number display section AA are lit. The specified number of inserted coins can be inserted by pressing down the bet button B1 in addition to inserting medals from the medal slot MD. One operation is input from the storage device by one operation of the bet button B1, and one display on the credit display unit 31 is subtracted. In addition, by depressing the max bet button B2, the specified insertion number (three) is inserted at a time, and the frequency corresponding to the inserted number is subtracted from the credit display unit 31. If a part of the specified number of sheets has already been inserted, the shortage is inserted by pressing the max bet button B2.

  In the storage device, the upper limit number of sheets that can be stored is determined, and in this embodiment, the number is determined to be 50 sheets. The medals inserted from the medal insertion part MD exceeding this number are returned from the discharge port 105a described later. The number of sheets stored in the storage device is displayed on the credit display unit 31.

  On the lower panel 105, an image or the like (not shown) related to the game content of the slot machine 100 is drawn, and a discharge port 105a and a tray 105b for paying out medals acquired by the player, a speaker A sound emitting part 105c to which is attached is provided.

  Next, an internal structure of the housing 102 will be outlined with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows a state where the front door 101 is unlocked and opened from the housing 102. In the figure, in a housing 102, a main power supply device PWU, an auxiliary storage portion SHP for storing game medals overflowing from the hopper device HP, and rotating reels R1, R2 facing the transmission window WD described above. , R3, a rotating reel substrate 600 at the upper end, a main control substrate 700 above the rotating reel device 200, and an external concentrated substrate 800 as an external concentrated terminal device at one end of the inner wall of the housing 102. The interface boards 400 arranged between the spinning reel device 200 and the card unit 2 are respectively attached.

  The above-mentioned main control board 700, the spinning device board 600, the power supply board 500, the external concentrated terminal board 800, and the interface board 400 are all integrated circuit devices on a green resin substrate on which a conductive wiring pattern is formed. (IC), formed as a so-called electric circuit board on which electronic components such as transistors, resistors, capacitors, etc. are mounted and connected by wiring. In particular, the main control board 700 is individually housed in a hard plastic housing case. It has a unit structure. The main control board 700 has a monitor that summarizes input / output of each signal and displays a selection state of a selection switch 711 described later.

  A prepaid card unit (hereinafter simply referred to as “card unit”) 2 that is a gaming machine medium lending device is provided on the side of the slot machine 100. The card unit 2 has a thin casing 20 and serves as a lending medium, a prepaid card (hereinafter simply referred to as “card”) necessary for playing a game in a slot machine to which the card unit 2 is connected. Card entry / exit 221 for carrying in / out. In the card unit 2, a card processing unit (not shown) is arranged at a position corresponding to the card entrance / exit 221.

  After the card is received on the card unit 2 side, a predetermined number of medals are lent to the adjacent slot machine 100 by pressing down the medal rent button 34 of the player. Corresponding to this process, on the side of the slot machine 100, as a medal lending process, a process of storing the number of medals as electronic data in the storage device (hereinafter referred to as “credit process”) is performed. In addition, when the return button 35 is depressed, the medal payer MP is driven to pay out medals corresponding to the number of loans from the medal payout exit 105a (hereinafter referred to as “medal payout process”).

  The medal can be paid out by directly paying out the number recorded on the card from the medal dispenser MP, or paying out the number exceeding the storage limit number (for example, 50) of the storage device. You can also take.

  Based on FIG. 4, the structure of the control means 70 is demonstrated. The control means 70 is constituted by an integrated circuit or the like provided on the main control board 700. The control means 70 includes a CPU 720, a clock generation circuit 721 that generates a clock for performing a reference operation of the CPU 720, a control ROM 722, a control RAM 723, an address decoder 724, and the like. Various programs for performing game control are stored in the control ROM, and the control RAM 723 functions as a working area of the CPU 720. The address decoder 724 transmits a chip select signal to various elements to an input / output port to be selected based on a signal output from the CPU 720. If necessary, an address may be specified and a command may be supplied. These operations may be performed via the input port 731 and the output port 732.

  A signal is externally supplied to the CPU 720 via the input port 731. A signal is supplied from the CPU 720 to the outside via the output port 732. The input port 731 is supplied with operation signals from the max bet button B2, the start lever ST, the stop buttons SP1 to 3 and the like via the game operation input unit 741.

A signal from the card unit interface 400 is supplied via the external interface input unit 743.

Further, from the lending operation display unit 30, a game medium lending request signal by depressing the lending button 34, a return request signal by depressing the return button 35, and the like are also supplied to the interface 400.

  A signal is supplied from the CPU 720 to the card unit interface 400 via the external interface output unit 751. Signals are supplied to various output means such as the storage information display means 31 and the effect display device 103d via the game-related output section 753. The storage information display means 31 displays the remaining credit number.

  The interface 400 is connected to the game control means 70 configured as described above. The interface 400 includes a connection terminal 401 connected to a connection terminal of the main control board 700 via a cable, and a connection terminal 402 as a connection portion connected to the card unit 2 via a cable.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the medium lending control device 1 and showing signal exchange between the main control board 700 and the lending operation display unit 30 and the interface 400 connected to the card unit 2. From the interface 400, a main signal is a power supply signal VL, a signal BRDY for notifying completion of preparation for renting a game medium from the card unit 2, and a game medium rent request confirmation signal BRQ for notifying confirmation of a game medium rent request from the card unit 2. It is supplied to the control board 700. Further, the main control board 700 supplies the interface 400 with a response signal EXS for the game medium lending request confirmation signal BRQ, a signal PRDY for notifying the completion of preparation of the gaming machine from the main control board 700, and the like. Further, an input permission signal enable that is output when the gaming machine side is not playing is supplied to the interface 400 from the main control board 700 included in the control means.

  On the other hand, from the interface 400 to the lending operation display unit 30, a segment display signal SEG for displaying the frequency of the lending possible frequency display unit 33, a signal DG for designating a digit for segment display, and on / off of the lending available LED 36 are designated. The lending operation display unit 30 is supplied with a lending request signal TDS for notifying that the lending button 34 is depressed and a return request signal RES for notifying that the returning button 35 is depressed. The main control board 700 is supplied with operation signals for the start lever ST and the stop buttons SP1, SP2 and SP3.

  FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing the configuration of the input switching means. A signal line circuit for an input permission signal enable supplied from the main control board 700, a signal line circuit for a lending request signal TDS for notifying the depression of the lending button 34, and a signal TDLO for designating on / off of the lending enable LED 36 An example of a line circuit is shown.

  The input side of the photocouplers 411 and 412 is connected in series to the output circuit C-enable of the input permission signal “enable” output from the main control board 700. The output side of this photocoupler 411 includes the LED 36 that can be lent. A switching circuit C-TDLO for a signal TDLO for designating on / off is connected, and an output circuit C-TDS for a lending request signal TDS is connected in series on the output side of the photocoupler 412. In the card unit 2, the output side of the photocoupler 231 is connected to the switching circuit C-TDLO for the signal TDLO. Further, the input side of the photocoupler 232 is connected in the card unit 2 to the output circuit C-TDS of the lending request signal TDS.

  In the circuit configured as described above, the switching circuit C-TDLO for the signal TDLO is the input side of the photocoupler 231 when the card unit 2 side is in a lentable state (for example, when the card frequency remains). Is energized, and the output side is maintained in the energized state. When the input permission signal enable, which is a control signal, is output from the main control board 700, the output circuit C-enable is energized, an input current flows to the input side of the photocoupler 411, and the output side becomes energized. Thereby, the switching circuit C-TDLO is energized, and the rentable LED 36 is lit. That is, it is displayed by lighting that it can be lent. When the input permission signal enable is not output, the output side of the photocoupler 411 is not energized, so the switching circuit C-TDLO is not energized and the card unit 2 is in a state (whether it can be lent). Regardless of this, the rentable LED 36 is turned off to indicate that renting is not possible.

  Similarly, when the input permission signal enable, which is a control signal, is output from the main control board 700, the output circuit C-enable is energized, an input current flows to the input side of the photocoupler 412, and the lending request signal TDS The output circuit C-TDS can be energized. In this state, when the lending button 34 is pushed down (turned on), the output circuit C-TDS is energized, an input current flows to the input side of the photocoupler 232, and a lending request signal is transmitted to the output side. Accordingly, the card unit 2 starts the card frequency lending process. When the input permission signal enable which is a control signal is not output, the output side of the photocoupler 412 cannot be energized, and the output circuit C-TDS of the lending request signal TDS cannot be energized regardless of the operation of the lending button 34. It becomes. That is, even when the lending button 34 is depressed, the lending request signal TDS is not output.

  The operation of the medium lending control device 1 configured as described above will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. Processing is started by switching on the main power supply of the slot machine 100, and initial setting processing is first performed (step S101). In the initial setting process, for example, clearing of the memory, confirmation of completion of game medium lending preparation of the card unit 2 and the like are performed.

  Next, the input permission signal enable is output (step S103). As a result, the LED 36 that can be lent is in a state in which the state of the card unit 2 is displayed. The operation of the lending button 34 is also in an effective state.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the game start condition is satisfied by the insertion of medals (step S105). If not satisfied, the process does not proceed to the next process. If it is satisfied, it is determined whether the start lever ST is turned on (step S107). If it is not turned on, the process does not proceed.

  If it is turned on, it is determined that the game is in progress, and the output of the input permission signal enable is stopped (step S109). By this processing, the output side of the photocouplers 411 and 412 is deenergized, the rentable LED 36 is turned off, and the operation of the rent button 34 is invalidated. That is, in a state where the output of the input permission signal “enable” is stopped, medals from the card unit 2 cannot be lent out.

  It is determined whether all stop buttons SP1, SP2 and SP3 have been pressed (step S111). If not, the process returns to step S109.

If it has been pressed, it is determined whether or not a prize has been won (step S113). If no prize has been won, the process returns to step S103, and an input permission signal enable is output. If a prize has been won, it is determined whether the payout is completed (step S115). The payout may be performed by directly paying out medals from the discharge port 105a or storing in the storage device. Until the payout is completed, the process does not proceed to the next process, and the input permission signal enable is not output. This is to prevent lending from the card unit 2 while the payout process is being performed. A game determination unit is configured by steps S107 to S115.

  In addition to the above configuration, whether or not the game is in progress is determined by obtaining a drive signal indicating that the spinning reel is being driven from the spinning reel device 200 and outputting the drive signal. It may be determined that the game is being played while the input permission signal enable is not output.

  With the configuration as described above, since a lending request signal is not output to the card unit 2 side during a game, the card unit 2 side performs a specification change such as a circuit design for performing a lending invalid process during the game. For example, a card unit used for a pachinko can be connected.

Further, the input switching means may be an element other than a photocoupler, or other electromagnetic or mechanical switching means such as a relay.
The gaming machine of the present invention may be a slot machine or a pachinko machine. In this case, the card unit lends pachinko balls.

It is the whole front view showing the external structure of this slot machine. It is a partial expansion perspective view which shows the structure of a lending operation display part. It is the whole front view showing the internal structure of this slot machine. It is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system provided in the slot machine. It is a block diagram which shows transmission / reception of the main control board, a lending operation display part, and the interface connected to the card unit. It is a circuit diagram which shows the structure of an input switching means. It is a flowchart.

Explanation of symbols

100 slot machine 2 card unit 400 interface 411, 412 photocoupler

Claims (4)

In a medium lending control device for a gaming machine comprising control means for controlling the progress and state of a game and a game medium lending device for lending game media,
A medium lending control device comprising lending suppression means for suppressing lending from the gaming medium lending device when the control means determines that the gaming machine is playing a game. A game comprising control means for controlling the progress and state of a game, a game medium lending device for lending game media, and an interface enabling electrical connection between the game medium lending device and the control means In the machine lending control device,
An input switching means provided in the interface for switching whether or not to input a lending request signal to the game medium lending device;
A game judging means for judging whether or not the gaming machine is playing a game;
A control signal output means for sending an input permission signal for allowing signal input to the input switching means when the game determining means is determined not to be in a game;
The medium switching control device, wherein the input switching means enables signal input to the game medium lending device based on the input permission signal and lending from the game medium lending device. The gaming medium lending device comprises an operating device provided on the gaming machine side, and a card unit that reads the card frequency and lends gaming media,
The operation device has a display means for notifying whether or not the card unit is in a lending enabled state, and a lending request operation unit that requests the card unit to lend game media,
The medium lending according to claim 2, wherein the input switching means switches the display means to a lending-impossible state display in which lending cannot be performed when there is no input permission signal input from the control signal output means. Control device. The input switching means includes a photocoupler, and energization of a signal relating to gaming medium lending between the interface and the gaming medium lending device is enabled by energization of the input permission signal. Item 4. The medium lending control device according to Item 2 or 3.

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