JP2006034860A5 - - Google Patents

Description

Game machine

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a slot machine.

  As a type of gaming machine, a display device that displays a combination of stop symbols after variably displaying a symbol row formed by attaching a plurality of symbols (a type of identification information) to a rotating drum (annular reel) at predetermined intervals Known slot machines are known. In the slot machine, a plurality of symbols are given to the outer peripheral portion of each reel, and a part of the symbols given to each reel is visible through the display window. Each reel starts rotating when a player inserts a medal and operates the start lever. After each reel starts rotating, each reel is operated by operating a stop switch or elapse of a predetermined time. Stop sequentially. Inside the slot machine, a lottery is performed on condition that the medal is inserted and the start lever is operated, and the result of the lottery is winning and the symbol that the player has won on the preset active line is stopped. As a condition, a predetermined number of medals are paid out or a special game (special game state) advantageous to the player is given.

  In this way, in the slot machine, unlike pachinko machines in which game balls can be constantly fired even during symbol variation display or prize ball movement, games are executed in sequence, so reel rotation control and medal The payout control is not executed at the same time. Therefore, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which these are controlled by one MPU, thereby reducing the device cost (a liquid crystal display device provided separately from the reel is controlled by an MPU provided separately). )

In recent years, a medal lending machine for lending medal, which is a game medium, is electrically connected to the slot machine and provided adjacent to the slot machine, and the player leaves the seat by operating the medal lending machine. Slot machines that can receive medals are being developed. The medal lending machine (card unit) is configured to be able to insert a prepaid card (magnetic card), a prepaid coin or the like, and within the range of the amount (or balance amount) of the inserted medal lending unit (for example, 5 or The medals are lent out in accordance with 25 units. Therefore, according to the medal lending machine, there is an advantage that the amount of money used by the player for the game can be clearly managed by managing the sales situation of the prepaid card or the prepaid coin. Specifically, when a lending button connected to a medal lending machine is operated by a player, the operation signal is output from the medal lending machine to the slot machine, and the slot machine to which the signal is input is This is done by operating the dispensing device (Patent Documents 1 and 2).
JP 2003-225351 A JP 2002-224417 A

  As described above, when the lending button is operated and the operation signal is output from the medal lending machine to the slot machine, the slot machine pays out the medals (lending). However, if such a payout is performed during the execution of a game in the slot machine, the reel rotation control and the medal payout control are executed at the same time. As a result, both controls are not executed normally, and the stepping that rotates the reel is performed. There is a problem that the motor steps out and the symbol display position is shifted, or the medal payout device does not operate well and the medal cannot be paid out.

  Such a problem can be solved by separately providing a control device (for example, MPU) that specially performs payout control, such as a pachinko machine, so that the MPU of the main control device does not participate in payout control. New problems such as increased costs arise. In the case of a pachinko machine, the game ball can be constantly fired by the player even during the symbol variation display or prize ball movement, so lottery control such as jackpots, symbol variation display control, The payout control must be configured to be executable at any time, regardless of whether other controls are being executed. For this reason, separate MPUs are provided for lottery control such as jackpots, symbol variation display control, and prize ball payout control, and these controls are shared by these MPUs. However, as described above, in the case of a slot machine, each control is executed in sequence, so that the reel rotation control and the medal payout control are not executed simultaneously. Therefore, in the slot machine, it is not preferable to perform reel rotation control and medal payout control by separate MPUs because the apparatus cost increases only for medal lending control.

  Therefore, the applicant of the present application has invented a slot machine for paying out (lending out) medals only when the game of the slot machine is in a non-execution state (unknown). According to such a slot machine, medal lending is performed when the game is in a non-execution state, so that medal lending control can be performed while avoiding the timing at which the control of the slot machine is concentrated. it can. Therefore, each control of the slot machine can be executed normally without separately providing a new control device (for example, MPU) for paying out (lending out) medals.

  However, apart from paying out (lending out) medals, there is a demand for returning a prepaid card being inserted (inserted) into a medal lending machine even while a game is being executed. This is because the player can recognize the formation of a big bonus, a regular bonus, etc. (bonus combination) from the stop symbols of one or two reels among the three reels that have started to rotate by operating the start lever. When the bonus combination is established, a special gaming state is generated and a lot of medals can be paid out, so that it is not necessary to lend new medals by the medal lending machine. If you forget to insert the prepaid card into the medal lending machine, the prepaid card may be removed by another person, so in such a case, the player must end the game with the prepaid card being inserted into the medal lending machine. I want to return it without waiting.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and allows a rental medium to be returned regardless of the game execution state, and a game that can be connected to a lending device without increasing the device cost. The purpose is to provide a machine.

  In order to achieve this object, the gaming machine according to claim 1 has main control means for performing main control of the game, and for actually or virtually paying out the game medium to the player under a predetermined condition. When a lending device is connected to a lending device that accepts a lending medium with added value and requests lending of game media within a range stored in the lending medium, and a lending request is input from the lending device, the main control means The medium is actually or virtually paid out, thereby renting out the game medium to the player, operated by the player and instructed to rent out the game medium, and operated by the player, the lending device Return instruction means for instructing the return of the lending medium accepted by the user, and the lending instruction by the lending instruction means is output to the main control means, while the return by the return instruction means Shown is configured to be output to the renting machine without passing through the main control unit.

  According to the gaming machine of the first aspect, when the lending instruction unit is operated by the player, the lending instruction for the game medium is output from the lending instruction unit to the main control unit. The main control means that has input the lending instruction outputs to the lending device that there is a gaming medium lending instruction under the second predetermined condition. The lending device outputs a game medium lending request to the gaming machine if it is possible to lend the game medium when it is input that there is a game medium lending instruction. When the main control means inputs a rental request from the lending device, the game medium is paid out actually or virtually, and the game medium is lent to the player.

On the other hand, when the return instruction means is operated by the player, a return instruction for the rental medium is output from the return instruction means to the lending device. When the lending device inputs the return instruction, the lending device returns the accepted lending medium.
The gaming machine according to claim 2 is the gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising operating means operated by a player to start a game, wherein the main control means is a lending output from the lending instruction means When an instruction is input, a lending instruction output means for outputting that there has been a gaming medium lending instruction to the lending device, and when a game started by the operation when an operation of the operating means is detected is being executed, Lending instruction invalidating means for invalidating the lending instruction input from the lending instruction means. As the lending instruction invalidating means, the lending instruction input from the lending instruction means is canceled, the lending instruction output from the lending instruction means is not accepted, or whether the lending instruction is output from the lending instruction means What is not confirmed can be exemplified.
The gaming machine according to claim 3 is the gaming machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of pieces of identification information are displayed and configured to be rotatable, and driving means for rotationally driving the annular rotating body. The main control means controls the driving means to control the rotational driving of the annular rotating body, and the lending instruction invalidating means controls the driving means to control the annular rotating body. While controlling the rotation drive, the lending instruction input from the lending instruction means is invalidated.
A gaming machine according to claim 4 is the gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a payout device for actually paying out game media, wherein the main control means controls the payout device to play a game The medium is actually paid out, and the lending instruction invalidating means invalidates the lending instruction input from the lending instruction means while actually paying out the game medium by controlling the paying apparatus. is there.

  According to the gaming machine of the first aspect, the game medium lending instruction is output to the lending device via the main control means for performing the main control of the game, so that the execution timing of the game medium lending control is the main control. It can be controlled by means. That is, the game medium lending control can be executed while avoiding the timing at which the game control is concentrated and executed. Therefore, there is an effect that each control of the gaming machine can be normally executed without separately providing a new control device for paying out (renting out) the game media. That is, there is an effect that a gaming machine connected to the lending device can be realized without increasing the device cost of the gaming machine.

On the other hand, the return instruction of the rental medium accepted by the lending device is output to the lending device without going through the main control means. When the lending device inputs a return instruction, the lending medium that has been accepted is returned, so that the lending medium can be returned regardless of the game execution state by the main control means. Note that since the rental medium is returned by the lending device, the control load of the main control means is not increased. Therefore, regardless of the game execution state, each control of the gaming machine can be normally executed even if the rental medium is returned.
According to the gaming machine according to claim 2, in addition to the effect of the gaming machine according to claim 1, when the game is started by operation of the operating means, the lending input while the game is being executed The instruction is invalidated and is not output to the lending device. Therefore, during the execution of the game, the game medium lending request is not input from the lending device, so that the game medium is not rented, and therefore, it is possible to avoid the concentration of control in the gaming machine. is there.
According to the gaming machine according to claim 3, in addition to the effect achieved by the gaming machine according to claim 1 or 2, the lending instruction input during the control of the rotational drive of the annular rotating body is invalidated to the lending device. Not output. Therefore, during the execution of the control, a gaming medium lending request is not input from the lending device, so that the gaming medium is not lending, and therefore, the concentration of control in the gaming machine can be avoided. There is.
According to the gaming machine according to claim 4, in addition to the effect of the gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the lending instruction input while actually paying out the gaming medium is invalidated, It is not output to the lending device. Therefore, during the execution of the control, a gaming medium lending request is not input from the lending device, so that the gaming medium is not lending, and therefore, the concentration of control in the gaming machine can be avoided. There is.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a rotating type gaming machine which is a kind of gaming machine, specifically, a slot machine will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of the slot machine 10 and the card unit 230, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the slot machine 10 with the front door 12 opened without changing the card unit 230, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view of the housing 11 with the front door 12 of the slot machine 10 removed. In the present embodiment, the slot machine 10 is used by being connected to the card unit 230, and is within the range of the balance amount (value) stored in the magnetic card (rental medium) inserted in the card unit 230. Thus, medals (rented balls) stored in the slot machine 10 are paid out as game media.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the slot machine 10 includes a housing 11 that forms an outer shell thereof. 2 and 3, the housing 11 includes a top plate 11a, a bottom plate 11b, a back plate 11c, a left plate 11d, and a right plate 11e formed in a wooden plate shape, and adjacent plates 11a to 11e. Is fixed by fixing means such as adhesion, so that it is formed in a box shape with the front surface opened as a whole. In addition, each board 11a-11e may be comprised with a synthetic resin panel or a metal panel other than being comprised with a wooden panel, or it is comprised by forming in the box shape integral with a synthetic resin material or a metal material. May be. The casing 11 configured as described above is attached by, for example, driving nails against a so-called island facility at the time of installation in the game hall.

  A front door 12 as a front open / close door is attached to the front side of the housing 11 so as to be openable and closable. That is, the left side plate 11d of the housing 11 is provided with a pair of upper and lower support shafts 25a and 25b as shown in FIG. Each of the support shafts 25a and 25b includes a tapered shaft portion that protrudes upward. On the other hand, the front door 12 is provided with support fittings 26a and 26b having insertion holes into which the shaft portions of the support shafts 25a and 25b are inserted corresponding to the support shafts 25a and 25b. Then, by placing the support brackets above the respective support shafts 25a and 25b and lowering the front door 12, the shaft portions of the support shafts 25a and 25b are inserted into the insertion holes of the support fittings 26a and 26b. Become. Thereby, the front door 12 is supported so as to be rotatable about an opening / closing axis extending in the vertical direction connecting the both support shafts 25a and 25b with respect to the housing 11, and the front opening side of the housing 11 is opened by the rotation. It can be closed or closed.

  The front door 12 is brought into a locked state that cannot be opened by a locking device provided on the rear surface. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a key cylinder 20 serving as an unlocking operation unit is provided at the upper right side of the front door 12. The key cylinder 20 is integrated with a locking device, and is configured such that the locked state is released by a predetermined key operation on the key cylinder 20. Therefore, an outline of the lock mechanism including the locking device will be described.

  On the right end side of the front door 12, that is, on the opposite side of the opening / closing axis of the front door 12, a locking device is provided on the back surface. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the locking device includes a base frame that extends in the vertical direction and is fixed to the front door 12, and a key cylinder 20 that extends from the top of the base frame to the front of the front door 12. And a long interlocking rod 21 assembled so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the base frame. And only the key cylinder 20 is provided in the state which protruded ahead of the front door 12 among the locking devices. The position where the key cylinder 20 is provided is the thin upper portion of the front door 12, and as a result, a versatile key cylinder 20 having a short overall length can be employed. In the present embodiment, Omlock (trade name) having a high function of preventing unauthorized unlocking is used as the key cylinder 20.

  The interlocking rod 21 moves downward by operating the key inserted into the key cylinder 20 clockwise. The interlocking saddle 21 is provided with a pair of upper and lower saddle fittings 22 having a bowl shape. When the front door 12 is closed with respect to the casing 11, the saddle fitting 22 is supported on the casing 11 side. (See FIG. 3) and locked. In addition, the urging member 22 is provided with an urging member such as a coil spring for urging to the side maintaining the locked state. When the key is operated clockwise with respect to the key cylinder 20, the interlocking rod 21 moves downward, and the rod bracket 22 moves against the biasing force of the biasing member, thereby supporting the rod bracket 22. The locked state with the metal fitting 23 is released, and the locked state of the front door 12 with respect to the housing 11 is released.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a gaming panel 30 for notifying the player of the gaming state is provided on the upper side of the central portion of the front door 12. In the game panel 30, three vertically long display windows 31L, 31M, 31R are formed side by side. The display windows 31L, 31M, 31R are made of a transparent or translucent material, and the inside of the slot machine 10 is visible through the display windows 31L, 31M, 31R. The display windows 31L, 31M, and 31R may be combined into a single display window.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the inside of the housing 11 is divided into upper and lower parts by a partition plate 40, and a reel unit 41 constituting a display device is attached to the upper part of the partition plate 40. The reel unit 41 includes a left reel 42L, a middle reel 42M, and a right reel 42R each formed in a cylindrical shape (annular shape). The reels 42L, 42M, and 42R may be configured as at least an endless belt, and are not limited to a cylindrical shape (annular shape). Moreover, you may comprise as a rotating drum, such as a belt and a drum.

  Each of the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R is rotatably supported so that the central axis thereof is the rotation axis of the reel. The rotation axes of the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are arranged on the same axis extending in the substantially horizontal direction, and the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R correspond to the display windows 31L, 31M, and 31R on a one-to-one basis. . Accordingly, a part of the surface of each reel 42L, 42M, 42R is visible through the corresponding display windows 31L, 31M, 31R. Further, when the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are rotated forward, the surfaces of the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are projected as if moving from top to bottom through the display windows 31L, 31M, and 31R.

  Each of the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R is connected to a stepping motor 61 (61L, 61M, and 61R (see FIG. 4)), and the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are driven by the stepping motors 61L, 61M, and 61R. 42R is configured to be able to rotate individually, that is, independently of each other.

  For example, the stepping motor 61 is set to rotate once by giving a drive signal of 504 pulses (also referred to as an excitation signal or an excitation pulse; hereinafter the same). The rotational position of each reel 42L, 42M, 42R is controlled.

  On each belt of each of the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R, a plurality of, specifically, 21 symbols are drawn in the long side direction (circumferential direction). Therefore, 24 pulses (= 504 pulses ÷ 21 symbols) are required to switch from one symbol to the next symbol at a predetermined position. Based on the number of pulses from when the detection signal of the reel index sensor 55 described later is output, it is possible to recognize which symbols are visible from the display windows 31L, 31M, and 31R, or to select any symbol. It is possible to perform control so that the exposure windows 31L, 31M, and 31R are visible.

  Of the symbols attached to the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R, the number of symbols that can be visually recognized through the display windows 31L, 31M, and 31R is mainly determined by the vertical lengths of the display windows 31L, 31M, and 31R. Is limited to a predetermined number. In this embodiment, three reels are provided. For this reason, when all the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are stopped, 3 × 3 = 9 symbols are visible to the player.

  Each of the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R of the reel unit 41 is an example of a display device that variably displays identification information, and the display device may have a configuration other than this. For example, other mechanical reel configurations such as a type in which the belt is rotated instead of rotating may be used, and instead of or in addition to the mechanical reel configuration, a liquid crystal display or a dot matrix display It is also possible to provide a display that displays the identification information in a variable manner by electrical display such as, and in this case, it is possible to provide a variety of display forms.

  A total of five combination lines are attached to the game panel 30 such that three display windows 31L, 31M, and 31R are connected to each other and three in parallel in the horizontal direction and two in diagonal directions. Of course, the maximum number of combined lines may be 6 or more, or less than 5, and the maximum number of combined lines may be changed according to a predetermined condition. Corresponding to these combination lines, effective line display sections 32, 33, and 34 are provided on the left side when viewed from the front of the display windows 31L, 31M, and 31R. The first effective line display unit 32 is notified by lighting or the like when the central horizontal line (center line) of the combination lines is activated. When the upper and lower horizontal lines (upper line and lower line) of the combination lines are activated, the second effective line display unit 33 is displayed and notified by lighting or the like. The third effective line display unit 34 is notified by lighting or the like when a pair of diagonal lines (downward right line and upward right line) of the combination lines is activated. A winning is awarded when the symbols are stopped in a predetermined combination on the activated combination line, that is, on the activated line, and a predetermined medal payout process, a transition process to a specific game, and the like are executed.

  In the present embodiment, a plurality of combinations having different game values are prepared depending on the combination of symbols. Specifically, a bonus combination that is a combination of symbols set as a bonus symbol on the active line, a small role that is a combination of symbols set as a bonus symbol on the effective line, and a replay symbol set For example, a replay combination that is a combination of symbols on an effective line. When a bonus combination is won (when bonus symbols are aligned on the active line), 15 medals are paid out. When winning a small role (when the small role symbols are aligned on the active line), 2 to 8 medals are paid out according to the type of the small role symbol. When winning the replay role (when the replay symbols are aligned on the active line), the player is given the right to play again without betting (inserting medals necessary to start the game). If you do not win a bonus combination, small combination, or replay combination (if the same pattern as left / middle / right is not aligned on the active line), you will lose and in this case no medals will be paid out.

  On the lower left side of the game panel 30, as shown in FIG. 1, a start lever 71 is provided that is operated to start rotation of the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R all at once (not necessarily simultaneously). . The start lever 71 constitutes start operation means for starting the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R, that is, for starting operation to start the symbol variation display. The start lever 71 is a lever that is pushed by a hand when the player starts a game (game), and automatically returns to the original position after the hand is released by a built-in spring. When the start lever 71 is operated while a medal is inserted, the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R start to rotate simultaneously or at some time interval.

  On the right side of the start lever 71, as shown in FIG. 1, button-like stop switches 72, 73, 74 operated to individually stop the rotating reels 42L, 42M, 42R are provided. Yes. Each of the stop switches 72, 73, 74 is arranged directly below the display windows 31L, 31M, 31R corresponding to the reels 42L, 42M, 42R to be stopped. The stop switches 72, 73, and 74 constitute stop operation means that are operated to stop the change display based on the rotation of the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R. Each of the stop switches 72, 73, 74 can be stopped when a predetermined time elapses after the left reel 42L starts rotating, and is stopped by lighting a lamp (not shown) during such a state. It is notified that the operation is possible, and is turned off when the rotation stops.

  A balance indicator 190 is provided on the right side of the stop switch 74. The balance indicator 190 is a device that performs processing related to rented balls (lending medals) lent out from the card unit 230, and is connected to both the slot machine 10 and the card unit 230 via a card unit connection terminal plate 250 described later. ing. The balance display 190 includes a frequency display LED 205, a return button 200, a ball lending button 210, and a ball lending LED 220.

  The frequency display LED 205 includes three 7-segment LEDs that display the balance amount of a magnetic card read by a card unit 230 described later. In the present embodiment, since ball lending (lending medal) is executed in units of 100 yen, the frequency display LED 205 displays the balance amount in hundreds or more. In the front view of FIG. 1, the rightmost 7-segment LED displays the value of the hundreds of the balance amount, the middle 7-segment LED displays the value of the thousands, and the leftmost 7-segment LED displays Is displayed in the tens place. In the present embodiment, the frequency display LED 205 displays the amount of money, but instead of the amount of money, the number of remaining degrees and the number of remaining balls (number of remaining medals) corresponding to the balance amount may be displayed. good.

  A return button 200 for taking out the magnetic card from the card unit 230 is disposed on the right side of the frequency display LED 205. The return button 200 is formed so as to be capable of being pressed to the back of the slot machine 10 (to the back of the paper surface in FIG. 1), and is normally urged to the front side of the slot machine 10 by a built-in spring. The return button 200 incorporates a push button type switch that is turned on when the return button 200 is pressed and turned off when released from the pressed stress. When the return button 200 is pressed (switched on), a return switch signal RES (see FIG. 5) is output from the slot machine 10 to the card unit 230 regardless of the game execution state, and the card is returned to the card unit 230. Is required. As a result, the magnetic card being inserted into the card unit 230 is forcibly ejected from the card insertion slot 224 by an actuator (not shown). In this embodiment, the return switch signal RES is output from the slot machine 10 to the card unit 230 via the card unit connection terminal plate 250. However, the slot machine 10 does not pass through the card unit connection terminal plate 250. To the card unit 230.

  On the other hand, on the left side of the balance indicator 190, a ball lending button 210 for requesting the lending of a ball (ball lending) is arranged. The ball lending button 210 is formed so as to be able to be pressed to the back of the slot machine 10 (to the back side of the paper in FIG. 1), and is normally urged to the front side of the slot machine 10 by a built-in spring. The ball lending button 210 is turned on when the ball lending button 210 is pressed (ball lending button signal SG1 is on (see FIG. 5)), and is off when released from the pressed stress (ball lending button signal SG1 is off). Built-in push button type switch. In the present embodiment, when the game is in a non-execution state, that is, when the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are not waiting for rotation after the start lever 71 is operated, all the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are stopped and When there is no medal payout or when the medal payout has been completed, the ball lending is executed when the ball lending button 210 is pressed (FIG. 10). Of S510). When the start lever 71 is operated with the medals bet, the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R start to rotate, but the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R immediately start to rotate by the operation of the start lever 71, and rotate. It will be in a waiting state. In such a case, the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are stopped and no medals are paid out, but the game is recognized as being executed. If the medal is not betted, the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R will not rotate even if the start lever 71 is operated, so that the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are waiting for rotation after the start lever 71 is operated. Don't be.

  In addition, a ball lending LED 220 that displays whether or not ball lending is possible is disposed above the left side of the ball lending button 210. The ball lending LED 220 is configured to be turned on when the ball lending is possible, and is turned off when the ball lending is impossible. In the present embodiment, the game is not executed in the slot machine 10 (all reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are stopped except when the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are waiting for rotation after the start lever 71 is operated). And a medal has not been paid out or has been completed) and a magnetic card is inserted in the card unit 230 (the magnetic card has a balance amount that can be used to pay out (settlement) a rental ball). The ball lending LED 220 is turned on (see FIG. 12).

  On the lower right side of the display windows 31L, 31M, 31R, as shown in FIG. 1, there is provided a medal slot 75 for inserting medals as game media for playing games. The medal slot 75 constitutes a receiving port that can receive game media. Further, if attention is paid to the point that the medal insertion slot 75 involves an operation of directly inserting medals by the player, it can be said that the medal insertion slot 75 constitutes a direct input means for directly inputting game media.

  As shown in FIG. 2, medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 75 are guided to either the storage passage 81 or the discharge passage 82 by a selector 83 provided on the back surface of the front door 12. Inside the selector 83, a guide passage is formed for guiding medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 75 to the storage passage 81 so that the medals can pass in one row. Also, a medal passage switching member 84 (see FIG. 4) is provided, and the medal passage direction is switched between the discharge passage 82 side and the storage passage 81 side according to the state of the medal passage switching member 84. It has become.

  The medal passage switching member 84 includes a passage switching piece that is provided upstream of the guide passage and can be moved in and out of the guide passage, and a selector solenoid for operating the passage switching piece. When the selector solenoid is not energized, the passage switching piece protrudes into the guide passage, and the flow of medals to the storage passage 81 is obstructed. Thereby, the medal falls downward from the middle of the guide passage and is guided to the discharge passage 82. The medal guided to the discharge passage 82 is guided to the medal tray 18 from the medal discharge port 17 provided in the lower front portion of the front door 12 and returned to the player. Further, when the selector solenoid is excited, the passage switching piece is submerged outside the guide passage. Thereby, the medal flows along the guide passage and is guided to the storage passage 81. The medal guided to the storage passage 81 is guided to the hopper device 91 housed in the housing 11.

  A first inserted medal detection sensor 86 (see FIG. 4) and a second inserted medal detection sensor 87 (see FIG. 4) for detecting the passage of medals are located upstream of the guide passage on the downstream side of the passage switching piece in the guide passage. They are arranged in close proximity so as to be arranged in the downstream (the proximity state is such that a state where the same medal is simultaneously detected at least at one time is generated). When the selector solenoid of the medal path switching member 84 is not energized, the medal falls downward from the middle of the guide path, so that the inserted medal detection sensors 86 and 87 do not detect the passing of the medal. On the other hand, when the selector solenoid of the medal path switching member 84 is excited, the inserted medal detection sensors 86 and 87 sequentially detect the passage of medals.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the hopper device 91 serving as a payout means for giving a medal to a player (or paying out as a rented lent medal) pays out a medal to a storage tank 92 and a medal to the player. It comprises a dispensing device 93 that dispenses. The payout device 93 rotates a medal payout rotating plate (not shown) to discharge the medal to the opening 94 provided in the central right part of the discharge passage 82 and to the medal tray 18 through the discharge passage 82. To come out. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a reserve tank 95 is provided on the right side of the hopper device 91 in order to avoid storing a predetermined amount or more of medals in the storage tank 92. A guide plate 96 for discharging medals from the storage tank 92 to the reserve tank 95 is provided inside the storage tank 92 of the hopper device 91. Therefore, when medals are stored more than the height at which the guide plate 96 is provided, the medals are stored in the reserve tank 95.

  A button-like return switch 76 is provided below the medal slot 75 as shown in FIG. The return switch 76 is a switch that is pressed when a medal inserted into the medal insertion slot 75 is jammed in the selector 83. When the return switch 76 is pressed, the selector 83 is mechanically operated, The medals jammed in the selector 83 are returned from the medal discharge port 17.

  On the lower left side of the display windows 31L, 31M, 31R, as shown in FIG. 1, a button-like first credit insertion switch 77 for inserting three virtual medals (credit medals) credited as game media at a time. Is provided. Further, on the left side of the first credit insertion switch 77, a second credit insertion switch 78 and a third credit insertion switch 79 formed in a button shape smaller than the switch 77 are provided. The second credit insertion switch 78 is for inserting two credited virtual medals (credit medals) at a time, and the third credit insertion switch 79 is for inserting one virtual medal.

  Each of the credit insertion switches 77 to 79, together with the medal insertion slot 75, constitutes an input means for inputting a game medium. Further, if the medal insertion slot 75 is accompanied by an operation of directly inserting a medal by the player, each credit insertion switch 77 to 79 is only accompanied by an operation of inserting a virtual medal based on the storage memory. It can also be said that it constitutes an indirect input means for indirectly inputting the investment value.

  The first credit insertion switch 77 has a built-in lamp as a light emitting member (not shown) to urge that the maximum number of medals that can be inserted per game (three) has not been reached. The lamp is lit when the switch operation of the first credit insertion switch 77 is valid and prompts the operation of the switch 77. However, when there is no credited virtual medal (credit medal) or there are already three It is turned off when a medal is inserted. Here, instead of the above-described lighting, the player may make it easier to understand the prompt for medal insertion by blinking.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a button-shaped changeover switch 80 is provided on the left side of the start lever 71. The change-over switch 80 is configured to be a toggle type that is turned on when pressed once, turned off when pressed again, and turned on / off every time the pressing operation is performed. The changeover switch 80 is operated to change the handling format of inserted medals inserted into the medal slot 75 more than necessary, or acquired medals returned to the player as a result of a predetermined game.

  When the change-over switch 80 is in the ON state, the “credit mode” is set so that surplus inserted medals up to a predetermined maximum value (for example, 50 medals) and winning medals are stored and stored as credit medals. " When the changeover switch 80 is in the OFF state, the “direct mode” is set so that surplus inserted medals and winning medals are paid out as actual medals. If there is a credit medal when the credit mode is switched to the direct mode, the corresponding credit medal is paid out as an actual medal. Thus, the player can execute the game in a format according to his / her preference by switching between the credit mode and the direct mode. The changeover switch 80 constitutes a changeover operation means for changing over the input value and game value handling formats. Further, if paying attention to the function of paying out a credited virtual medal as an actual medal, it can be said that the changeover switch 80 constitutes a settlement operation means for actually paying out the stored game value. In addition to being configured to switch between the “credit mode” and the “direct mode” by operating the changeover switch 80, the virtual medal stored and stored is paid out when the changeover switch 80 is operated by always setting the “credit mode”. It may be made to function as only a settlement switch.

  The credit mode switching process for switching between the “credit mode” and the “direct mode” based on the on / off state of the changeover switch 80 is performed under the control of the main controller 131. Here, the credit mode switching process is performed only during a period during which the insertion of medals is permitted (for example, when waiting for a start operation for the start lever 71), and during a period during which the insertion of medals is prohibited (for example, The credit mode switching process is not executed after the start operation on the start lever 71 or the like. When the slot machine 10 waits for the operation of the reset switch 123, the control of all the actuators is stopped and the insertion of medals is prohibited. Therefore, the credited medals are not paid out and the illegal act is executed. If detected, further damage is prevented by paying out medals. The details of the process of switching between the “credit mode” and the “direct mode” are known techniques, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  Below the display windows 31L, 31M, and 31R of the game panel 30, a remaining number display unit 35 that displays the number of medals that are activated and stored in the credit mode, and a special game state such as a big bonus or a regular bonus are displayed. At this time, for example, a game number display unit 36 for displaying the number of remaining games and an acquired number display unit 37 for displaying the number of acquired medals are provided. Although these display parts 35-37 are comprised by the 7 segment display, it is naturally possible to substitute by a liquid crystal display etc. FIG.

  Here, a procedure for betting medals will be described. In both the direct mode and the credit mode, a bet is placed when a medal is inserted from the medal slot 75 at the start of the game.

  That is, when the first medal is inserted into the medal insertion slot 75, the first effective line display section 32 is turned on, and the corresponding center line becomes the effective line, and the second medal is the medal insertion slot. When the number 75 is inserted, the second effective line display section 33 is turned on, and a total of three combination lines including the upper line and the lower line corresponding to the second effective line display section 33 become effective lines, respectively, and the third medal is a medal. When it is inserted into the insertion port 75, the third effective line display unit 34 is further turned on, and a total of five combination lines including a pair of diagonal lines corresponding thereto become effective lines.

  When four or more medals are inserted into the medal slot 75, the surplus medals exceeding three are switched to the discharge passage 82 by the selector 83 if the current mode is the direct mode. It is returned from the outlet 17 to the medal tray 18. On the other hand, in the credit mode, the number is stored in the slot machine and the remaining number is displayed on the remaining number display unit 35. An upper limit is set for the number of credit medals stored (for example, 50), and when more medals are inserted, they are returned to the medal tray 18 from the medal outlet 17.

  Further, when a game is performed in the credit mode and the number of credit medals stored is displayed on the remaining number display unit 35, when any of the first to third credit insertion switches 77 to 79 is pressed. In addition, a virtual medal is inserted and a bet is placed.

  When the third credit insertion switch 79 is pressed, the numerical value displayed on the remaining number display section 35 is decremented by one as a virtual medal is inserted, and the first effective line display section 32 is displayed. Illuminates and the center line becomes the active line. When the second credit insertion switch 78 is pressed, two numerical values displayed on the remaining number display unit 35 are decremented as two virtual medals are inserted, and the first valid line display unit 32 and The second effective line display section 33 is lit and a total of three combination lines become effective lines. When the first credit insertion switch 77 is pressed, three numerical values displayed on the remaining number display unit 35 are decremented as three virtual medals are inserted, and all the effective line display units 32 to 32 are decremented. 34 lights up and a total of five combination lines become effective lines.

  In addition, when the virtual medal to be inserted when any of the first to third credit insertion switches 77 to 79 is pressed is not stored, for example, when the display of the remaining number display unit 35 is 2, the first For example, when the credit insertion switch 77 is pressed, all the values in the remaining number display section 35 are decremented to 0, and a bet is made for the amount of virtual medals that can be inserted.

  On the upper part of the front door 12, there are an upper lamp 13 that lights up or flashes as the game progresses, and a pair of left and right sounds that make various sound effects as the game progresses and inform the player of the game state Speaker 14 and an auxiliary display unit 15 for giving various information to the player. In the present embodiment, the auxiliary display unit 15 is configured by a liquid crystal display for the purpose of diversifying display contents and increasing the display effect. However, other displays such as a dot matrix display may be used. Good. The auxiliary display unit 15 is for executing various display effects as the game progresses, and it can be considered that the game by the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R is caused by the main display unit. This is referred to as an auxiliary display unit 15. On the back surface of the auxiliary display unit 15, an upper lamp 13, a speaker 14, and a display control device 111 for driving the auxiliary display unit 15 are provided. The shapes, positions, numbers, etc. of the upper lamp 13 and the speakers 14 are not limited to those described above.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a lower plate 16 on which a model name, a character related to a game, and the like are displayed is mounted above the medal tray 18. In addition, an ashtray 19 that can be reversed to the lower side on the front side is provided on the left side of the medal tray 18.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a power supply box 121 is provided on the left side of the hopper device 91 inside the housing 11. The power supply box 121 includes a power switch 122, a reset switch 123, a setting key insertion hole 124, and the like. The power switch 122 is a start switch for supplying power to each unit including the main controller 131.

  The reset switch 123 is a switch for resetting various states of the slot machine 10. This slot machine 10 has a backup function for various data, and even if a power failure occurs, it retains the state at the time of the power failure and returns to the state at the time of the power failure at the time of recovery from power failure (power recovery). It can be done. Therefore, for example, when the power supply is shut down by a normal procedure, such as when the game hall is closed, the state before the power shut-off is stored, but if the power switch 122 is turned on while pressing the reset switch 123, the backup data is reset. It has become so. If the reset switch 123 is pressed while the power switch 122 is on, the error state is reset.

  The setting key insertion hole 124 is used by a hole manager or the like to adjust the appearance of medals. That is, when the hall manager or the like inserts a setting key into the setting key insertion hole 124 and operates it (rotation operation), the setting state (winning probability setting process) of the slot machine 10 is changed from “Setting 1” to “Setting 6”. Can be changed.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the main control device 131 is attached to the back plate 11 c of the housing 11 above the reel unit 41. The main control device 131 is an MPU that controls the main control, a ROM that stores a game program, a RAM that temporarily stores necessary data according to the progress of the game, a port that communicates with various devices, time counting and synchronization. A main board including a clock circuit and the like used in the case of planning is provided, and the main board is accommodated in a board box as an encapsulating means made of a transparent resin material or the like. The board box includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped box base and a box cover that covers an opening of the box base. The box base and the box cover are connected to each other so as not to be opened by a sealing unit as a sealing means, whereby the substrate box is sealed. In addition, it is good also as a structure which connects a box base and a box cover so that opening is impossible using a key member.

  Further, a card unit connection terminal plate 250 is attached to the left side plate 11d inside the housing 11. The card unit connection terminal board 250 is a relay board for connecting the slot machine 10, the balance display 190, and the card unit 230 to each other. The card unit connection terminal board 250 is connected to the slot machine 10 by the cable 105 and is connected to the balance indicator 190 by the cable 195 (see FIG. 5). Further, the card unit connection terminal plate 250 is connected to the card unit 230 by a cable 260 (see FIG. 5). By connecting the slot machine 10, the balance indicator 190, and the card unit 230 to each other via the card unit connection terminal plate 250, it is possible to easily connect and separate each independently manufactured device. it can.

  A cable port for leading a cable 260 having one end connected to the connection terminal plate 250 to the outside of the housing 11 at a position below the card unit connection terminal plate 250 and on the left side of the back plate 11c when viewed from the front. 261 is formed through. The other end of the cable 260 led out from the cable port 261 is connected to the card unit 230 on the back side of the card unit 230. Since the card unit 230 is provided on the left side of the slot machine 10, the card unit connection terminal plate 250 is provided on the left side plate 11d, and the cable port 261 is provided on the left side of the back plate 11c as viewed from the front. The cable 260 is easy to handle.

  On the left side of the slot machine 10 configured as described above, a vertically long rectangular card unit 230 is arranged in parallel. The card unit 230 is a device that reads and rewrites the balance amount (magnetic information) recorded on the magnetic card, and pays out (pays out) a ball (lending medal) with the balance amount stored in the magnetic card. )

  A card insertion slot 224 for inserting a magnetic card having a valuable value equivalent to money is disposed at a substantially central portion in the vertical direction of the card unit 230. Above the card insertion slot 224 and above the card unit 230, a card availability lamp 225 made up of LEDs is disposed. For example, the card usable lamp 225 is turned on when a magnetic card can be inserted into the card insertion slot 224, and is turned off when a magnetic card cannot be inserted into the card insertion slot 224.

A pair of upper and lower connection table direction indicator lamps 226 formed in a substantially triangular shape is disposed at a position above the card unit 230 between the card insertion slot 224 and the card usable lamp 225. The pair of connecting table direction indicator lamps 226 is for indicating the arrangement (parallel arrangement) direction of the slot machines 10 to which the card unit 230 is connected. Thus, for example, the lower side of the LED is lit when the card unit 230 is connected to the slot machine 10 which is arranged on the right side, not the slot machine 10 (shown by the card unit 230 is arranged on the left ), The upper LED is turned on. A card insertion lamp 227 is disposed below the connection table direction indicator lamp 226. This card insertion lamp 227 is turned on when a magnetic card is inserted into the card insertion slot 224, and is turned off when a magnetic card is not inserted into the card insertion slot 224.

  If the player inserts a magnetic card purchased in advance into the card unit 230, the player can receive a ball rental within the range of the balance amount stored in the magnetic card. Therefore, the game can be executed without handling cash during the game, and the inconvenience of handling cash can be eliminated.

  Next, the electrical configuration of the slot machine 10 will be described based on the block diagram of FIG. The main controller 131 is equipped with a microcomputer centering on the MPU 151 which is arithmetic processing means. In addition to the power supply device 161 provided in the power supply box 121, the MPU 151 is connected to a clock circuit 154 that outputs a rectangular wave having a predetermined frequency, an input / output port 155, and the like via an internal bus. The main control device 131 functions as a main board built in the slot machine 10.

  On the input side of the main controller 131, there are a start detection sensor 71a for detecting the operation of the start lever 71, stop detection sensors 72a, 73a, 74a for individually detecting the operations of the stop switches 72, 73, 74, and a medal slot. A first inserted medal detection sensor 86 and a second inserted medal detection sensor 87 for detecting medals inserted from 75 (hereinafter, these sensors are collectively referred to as inserted medal detection sensors 86 and 87), and each credit insertion switch. Credit insertion detection sensors 77a, 78a, 79a for individually detecting the operations of 77, 78, 79, a switch detection sensor 80a for detecting the operation of the selector switch 80, and the rotational position (origin position) of each reel 42 are individually detected. Payout for detecting medals paid out from reel index sensor 55 and hopper device 91 Various sensors such as a detection sensor 91a, a reset detection sensor 123a that detects the operation of the reset switch 123, and a setting key detection sensor 124a that detects that the setting key is inserted into the setting key insertion hole 124 and the setting key is rotated. The signals from these various sensors are output to the MPU 151 via the input / output port 155.

  Further, a power failure monitoring circuit 161 b provided in the power supply device 161 is connected to the input side of the main control device 131 via the input / output port 155. The power supply device 161 includes a power supply unit 161 a that supplies driving power to the electronic devices of the slot machine 10 including the main control device 131, the power failure monitoring circuit 161 b described above, and the like. The power failure monitoring circuit 161b may be provided in the main controller 131.

  The power failure monitoring circuit 161b is for monitoring the power-off state and generating a power failure signal not only at the time of power failure but also at the time of power-off by the power switch 122. For this reason, the power failure monitoring circuit 161b monitors the stabilized drive voltage of 12 VDC in this example output from the power supply unit 161a, and determines that the power supply is shut off when the drive voltage drops below, for example, 10 volts. Power outage signal is output. The power failure signal is supplied to each of the MPU 151 and the input / output port 155, and the MPU 151 recognizes this power failure signal and executes a power failure process described later.

  The power supply unit 161a is configured to output a stabilized voltage of 5 volts used as a drive voltage in a control system such as the main controller 131 even when the output voltage is reduced to less than 10 volts. As the time during which the stabilization voltage is output, sufficient time is secured to execute the power failure process by the main controller 131.

  On the output side of the main control device 131, each active line display section 32, 33, 34, remaining number display section 35, game number display section 36, acquired number display section 37, and each reel 42L, 42M, 42R are rotated. Stepping motors 61 (61L, 61M, 61R), a medal path switching member 84 provided in the selector 83, a hopper device 91, a display control device 111, an external concentration terminal plate 171 capable of transmitting information to a hall management device (not shown), etc. Are connected via the input / output port 155.

  The display control device 111 is a control device for driving the upper lamp 13, the speaker 14, and the auxiliary display unit 15, and includes a substrate in which a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like for driving these are integrated. Then, after receiving a signal from the main control device 131, the display control device 111 independently drives and controls the upper lamp 13, the speaker 14, and the auxiliary display unit 15. Therefore, the display control device 111 is a sub-board that performs auxiliary control in relation to the main control device 131 that is a main board that manages and manages games. In other words, a sub-board is provided for voice, lamp, and display related to indirect games, thereby reducing the burden on the main board. In addition, it is good also as a structure which the display control apparatus 111 controls the various display parts 32-37.

  Further, the card unit connection terminal plate 250 is connected to both the input side and the output side of the main controller 131 via the input / output port 155. Since the balance display 190 and the card unit 230 are connected to the card unit connection terminal plate 250, the slot machine 10 can execute information communication with the balance display 190 and the card unit 230. it can.

  The MPU 151 described above stores various control programs executed by the MPU 151 and a ROM 152 storing fixed value data, and temporarily stores various data when executing the control program stored in the ROM 152. In addition to the RAM 153 for securing the area, although not shown, various processing circuits necessary for the slot machine 10 such as an interrupt circuit, a timer circuit, a data transmission / reception circuit, etc., as well known, Various counters such as a credit counter are built in. The ROM 152 and the RAM 153 constitute a main memory as storage means, and a program for executing the processes shown in the various flowcharts of FIGS. 6 to 11 is stored in the ROM 152 described above as a part of the control program.

  The RAM 153 has a configuration in which a backup voltage is supplied from the power supply device 161 provided in the power supply box 121 and data can be held (backed up) even after the power of the slot machine 10 is cut off. In addition to a memory and an area for temporarily storing various data and the like, a backup area is provided.

  In the backup area, when the power is shut down due to the occurrence of a power failure or the like, the values of the stack pointer, each register, I / O, etc. when the power is shut down (including power shut down by operating the power switch 122; the same applies hereinafter) When the power failure is resolved (including power-on by operating the power switch 122. The same applies hereinafter), the slot machine 10 is in the state before power-off based on the backup area information. It is possible to return to the state. Writing to the backup area is executed when the power is shut off by the power failure process (see FIG. 8), and the restoration of each value written in the backup area is executed in the main process (see FIG. 9) when the power is turned on. Note that the power failure signal from the power failure monitoring circuit 161b is input to the NMI terminal (non-maskable interrupt terminal) of the MPU 151 when the power is shut down due to the occurrence of a power failure or the like. NMI interrupt processing (see FIG. 6) as flag generation processing is immediately executed.

  FIG. 5 is a block circuit diagram showing the electrical configuration of the balance indicator 190, the card unit 230, and the card unit connection terminal board 250, and the connection state between these devices 190, 230, 250 and the slot machine 10. First, the electrical configuration of the card unit 230 will be described. The card unit 230 includes a power supply board 236 to which a 24 volt DC voltage (or 24 volt AC voltage) may be supplied from the slot machine 10. The power supply board 236 generates a direct current voltage of 18 volts from the supplied direct current voltage of 24 volts and outputs it to the slot machine 10 via the card unit connection terminal plate 250. The DC voltage of 18 volts output from the card unit 230 is used as a driving voltage for the ball lending LED 220 and the frequency display LED 205 in the slot machine 10 and is a signal for the slot machine 10 to recognize the connection of the card unit 230. ing. Furthermore, the power supply board 236 generates each voltage necessary for the operation of each part of the card unit 230 in addition to the DC voltage of 18 volts, and supplies it to each part of the card unit 230.

  Further, the card unit 230 is equipped with an MPU 231 as a one-chip microcomputer that is an arithmetic unit. The MPU 231 temporarily stores a ROM 232 which is a nonvolatile memory storing various control programs executed by the MPU 231 and fixed value data, and various data when the control program stored in the ROM 232 is executed. In addition, a RAM 233, which is a memory for storing data, and various other circuits such as an interrupt circuit, a timer circuit, and a data transmission / reception circuit are incorporated. The programs of the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 are stored in the ROM 232 described above as a part of the control program.

  A bus line 234 including an address bus and a data bus is connected to the MPU 231, and the bus line 234 is connected to the input / output port 235. In addition to the bus line 234, the input / output port 235 is connected to the card unit connection terminal plate 250 at one end of the card usable lamp 225, the connecting table direction indicator lamp 226, the card insertion lamp 227, the card reader / writer 228. The other end of the cable 260 is connected.

  The card reader / writer 228 is a magnetic head having a reader function for reading the balance amount of the magnetic card inserted into the card insertion slot 224 and a writer function for writing the balance amount after use to the magnetic card. It is configured. When the balance amount of the magnetic card is read by the card reader / writer 228, it is determined that the magnetic card is being inserted. When the balance amount newly written to the magnetic card by the card reader / writer 228 becomes “0”, the magnetic card is forcibly ejected from the card insertion slot 224 by an actuator (not shown). .

  The card unit connection terminal board 250 includes a first connector 251 to which the slot machine 10 is connected, a second connector 252 to which the balance indicator 190 is connected, a third connector 253 to which the card unit 230 is connected, and the first connector 251. And an AND circuit AND1 connected to the first to third connectors 251 to 253.

  The first connector 251 is a connector connected to the slot machine 10 via the cable 105, an input terminal to which a DC voltage of 24 volts is input from the slot machine 10 as a terminal connected to the power supply line, and the slot machine 10 And an output terminal for outputting a DC voltage of 18 volts. Further, the first connector 251 is provided with input terminals to which the connection confirmation signal PSI, the gaming machine ready signal PRDY, the ball lending switch signal TDS, the lending completion signal EXS, and the ball lending permission signal SG2 are respectively input. ing. Further, the first connector 251 is provided with output terminals for outputting the card unit ready signal BRDY, the ball lending request completion confirmation signal BRQ, and the ball lending button signal SG1 to the slot machine 10, respectively. The other input / output terminals other than the output terminal for the ball lending button signal SG1 and the input terminal for the ball lending permission signal SG2 of the first connector 251 are connected to corresponding terminals of the third connector 253, respectively.

  The second connector 252 is a connector connected to the balance indicator 190 via the cable 195. The second connector 252 includes an input terminal to which the ball lending button signal SG1 from the ball lending button 210 is input and an input terminal to which the return switch signal RES from the return button 200 is input. The second connector 252 includes an output terminal that outputs a signal for lighting the ball lending LED 220 to the balance indicator 190 and an output terminal that outputs a frequency display signal SG3 to the balance indicator 190.

  The input terminal of the ball lending button signal SG1 of the second connector 252 is connected to the output terminal of the ball lending button signal SG1 of the first connector 251 described above. The input terminal of the return switch signal RES and the output terminal of the frequency display signal SG3 are connected to corresponding terminals of the third connector 253, respectively. The signal output terminals for lighting the ball lending LED 220 are an input terminal for a ball lending permission signal SG2 of the first connector 251 and an input terminal for a ball lending LED signal TDLO of the third connector 253 via an AND circuit AND1 described later. It is connected to the.

  The third connector 253 is a connector connected to the card unit 230 via the cable 260, an output terminal for outputting a DC voltage of 24 volts to the card unit 230 as a terminal connected to the power supply line, and the card unit 230. And an input terminal to which a DC voltage of 18 volts is input. Further, the third connector 253 includes output terminals for outputting the connection confirmation signal PSI, the gaming machine ready signal PRDY, the ball lending switch signal TDS, the lending completion signal EXS, and the return switch signal RES to the card unit 230, respectively. Yes. Further, the third connector 253 has input terminals to which the card unit ready signal BRDY, the ball lending request completion confirmation signal BRQ, the ball lending LED signal TDLO, and the frequency display signal SG3 are respectively input.

  A ball lending LED signal TDLO output from the card unit 230 is input to one input terminal of the AND circuit AND1 via the third connector 253 of the card unit connection terminal board 250. A ball lending permission signal SG2 output from the slot machine 10 is input to the other input end of the AND circuit AND1 via the first connector 251 of the card unit connection terminal board 250. The output terminal of the AND circuit AND1 is connected to the ball lending LED 220 via the second connector 252 of the card unit connection terminal board 250.

  Here, each signal transmitted / received among the slot machine 10, the balance display 190, and the card unit 230 will be described.

  The ball lending button signal SG1 is turned on when the ball lending button 210 of the balance indicator 190 is pressed, that is, when a ball lending (lending medal) is requested by the player, and the card unit connection is made from the balance indicator 190. This signal is output to the slot machine 10 via the terminal board 250.

  The return switch signal RES is turned on when the return button 200 of the balance indicator 190 is pressed, that is, when a return of the magnetic card is requested by the player, and the card unit connection terminal board 250 is sent from the balance indicator 190. This is a signal output to the card unit 230 via. The return switch signal RES is output from the slot machine 10 to the card unit 230 when the return button 200 is pressed regardless of the game execution state of the slot machine 10. When receiving the return switch signal RES, the card unit 230 forcibly ejects the magnetic card from the card insertion slot 224 by an actuator (not shown). As a result, the return of the magnetic card is possible at any time, unlike the medal lending.

  The connection confirmation signal PSI is a signal output from the slot machine 10 to the card unit 230 via the card unit connection terminal plate 250 in order to make the card unit 230 confirm the connection state of the slot machine 10.

  The gaming machine ready signal PRDY is a signal that is output from the slot machine 10 to the card unit 230 via the card unit connection terminal plate 250 in order to indicate to the card unit 230 that the slot machine 10 is in a lendable state. It is. This gaming machine ready signal PRDY continues to be turned on when the slot machine 10 is in a lendable state, while it is turned off when an error that makes it impossible to lend the ball to the slot machine 10 occurs. Note that the on / off state of the gaming machine ready signal PRDY is not linked to the on / off state of the ball lending permission signal SG2 described later.

  The ball lending switch signal TDS is received from the slot machine 10 via the card unit connection terminal plate 250 when the on (input) of the ball lending button signal SG1 is recognized during a period in which the game is not executed in the slot machine 10. This signal is output to the card unit 230 and is a signal for requesting the card unit 230 to execute ball lending (permission of lending of a ball). That is, it is a signal that triggers the execution of ball lending.

  The card unit ready signal BRDY is a signal output from the card unit 230 to the slot machine 10 via the card unit connection terminal plate 250 in order to indicate to the slot machine 10 that the card unit 230 is in a ball lending state. . The card unit 230 receives the ball lending switch signal TDS, enters the ball lending state, turns on the card unit ready signal BRDY, and turns off the card unit ready signal BRDY when a series of ball lending operations ends. That is, when the card unit ready signal BRDY is on, the ball lending state is indicated, and when it is off, the card unit 230 is in the ball lending standby state.

  The ball lending request completion confirmation signal BRQ is a signal indicating a ball lending execution request and a ball lending execution instruction from the card unit 230 to the slot machine 10, and the slot machine 10 via the card unit connection terminal plate 250 from the card unit 230. Is a signal output to The balance amount stored in the magnetic card inserted in the card unit 230 is subtracted and updated at the timing when the ball rental request completion confirmation signal BRQ is normally turned off.

  The lending completion signal EXS indicates a response to the ball lending execution request of the ball lending request completion confirmation signal BRQ output from the card unit 230 and the ball lending operation performed in response to the ball lending execution instruction of the ball lending request completion confirmation signal BRQ. This signal is output from the slot machine 10 to the card unit 230 via the card unit connection terminal plate 250 in order to indicate the end (end of lending ball lending).

  The ball lending permission signal SG2 is a signal output from the slot machine 10 to the AND circuit AND1 of the card unit connection terminal board 250 in order to indicate that the slot machine 10 is in a ball lending enabled state. In the slot machine 10 according to the present embodiment, when the game is in a non-execution state (all reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are stopped, except when the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are on standby after the start lever 71 is operated) The ball lending permission signal SG2 indicates that the start lever 71 has been operated because the ball lending is performed in a state where the medal has not been paid out or the medal has been paid out. When detected by the start detection sensor 71a (recognized by the MPU 151, see FIG. 10), it is turned off. On the other hand, when all the reels 42L, 42M, 42R started by the operation of the start lever 71 are stopped and the medals are paid out, it is turned on when the payout is completed. Accordingly, the ball lending permission signal SG2 is turned off when the game of the slot machine 10 is in an execution state, and is turned on when the game is in a non-execution state.

  The ball lending LED signal TDLO is a signal output from the card unit 230 to the AND circuit AND1 of the card unit connection terminal board 250 in order to indicate that the card unit 230 is in a state where lending is possible. This ball lending LED signal TDLO is turned on when the magnetic card is inserted in the card unit 230, that is, when the ball can be settled by the balance amount, in other words, when the balance amount of the magnetic card is not “0”. When the magnetic card is not inserted into the card unit 230, it is turned off (see FIG. 12). As described above, since the magnetic card is forcibly ejected from the card unit 230 by an actuator (not shown) when the balance amount becomes “0”, the magnetic card with the balance amount “0” is inserted into the card unit 230. It is never in the state that was done.

  The frequency display signal SG3 is connected from the card unit 230 to the card unit in order to light each LED provided in the three 7-segment LEDs of the frequency display LED 205 in accordance with a numerical value to be displayed (balance amount of magnetic card). This signal is output to the balance indicator 190 via the terminal board 250.

  The 18-volt DC voltage output from the card unit 230 is used as a driving voltage for the ball lending LED 220 and the frequency display LED 205, and the slot machine 10 recognizes the connection of the card unit 230. .

  Next, the transmission path and signal operation of each signal will be described. When the slot machine 10 detects the 18-volt DC voltage output from the card unit 230, the slot machine 10 outputs a connection confirmation signal PSI to the card unit 230 to indicate that the slot machine 10 is connected to the card unit 230 ( Turn on). The card unit 230 recognizes the connection of the slot machine 10 when the connection confirmation signal PSI is turned on, and recognizes the disconnection of the slot machine 10 when the connection confirmation signal PSI is turned off. Further, when the slot machine 10 is in a state where the medal can be paid out (a state where the ball can be lent), the slot machine 10 outputs a gaming machine ready signal PRDY to the card unit 230 (in this case, “ball rental” “A possible state” refers to a state in which the slot machine 10 can execute the payout of medals regardless of whether the game is executed or not.) As a result, the card unit 230 recognizes that the slot machine 10 is in a lent state.

  When the ball lending button 210 is pressed, a ball lending button signal SG1 is output from the balance display 190 and input to the slot machine 10. Here, when the game is not executed in the slot machine 10 and the ball lending button signal SG1 is input, the ball lending switch signal TDS is output from the slot machine 10 to the card unit 230. The card unit 230 having received the ball lending switch signal TDS recognizes that the execution of ball lending has been requested from the slot machine 10, turns on the card unit ready signal BRDY, and transitions to the ball lending state. The card unit ready signal BRDY is output to the slot machine 10.

  Subsequent to the card unit ready signal BRDY, a ball lending request completion confirmation signal BRQ is output from the card unit 230 to the slot machine 10 and a request for executing ball lending is made to the slot machine 10. When the slot machine 10 receives the ball lending execution request, it outputs a lending completion signal EXS and responds thereto. Then, a ball lending execution instruction is issued from the card unit 230 by the ball lending request completion confirmation signal BRQ, and in response to this, the slot machine 10 starts paying out a lending medal. When the payout of the rental medals is completed, the end of the ball rental is instructed from the slot machine 10 to the card unit 230 by the loan completion signal EXS. When the card unit 230 confirms the end signal of the ball lending, the card unit ready signal BRDY is turned off and the ball lending standby state is entered.

  On the other hand, when the return button 200 is pressed, a return switch signal RES is output from the balance display 190 to the card unit 230. When the card unit 230 receives the return switch signal RES, the card unit 230 drives an actuator (not shown) to eject the magnetic card being inserted from the card insertion slot 224.

  The ball lending LED signal TDLO output from the card unit 230 is input to one input terminal of the AND circuit AND1 via the third connector 253 of the card unit connection terminal board 250. Further, the ball lending permission signal SG2 output from the slot machine 10 is input to the other input terminal of the AND circuit AND1 via the first connector 251 of the card unit connection terminal board 250. When the ball lending LED signal TDLO and the ball lending permission signal SG2 are respectively input to the input terminals of the AND circuit AND1, a high signal (a signal for lighting the ball lending LED 220) is output from the output terminal of the AND circuit AND1. The ball lending LED 220 is turned on. Thus, the player is notified that the ball can be lent. When at least one of the ball lending LED signal TDLO and the ball lending permission signal SG2 is turned off, the high signal output from the output terminal of the AND circuit AND1 is turned off (low signal is output), and the ball lending LED 220 is turned off. . As a result, the player is notified that ball lending is not possible.

  Further, the frequency display signal SG3 output from the card unit 230 is input to the frequency display LED 205 of the balance indicator 190, whereby each LED of the frequency display LED 205 is turned on according to the input frequency display signal SG3. Or turned off and display the balance amount of the magnetic card.

  Next, each control process executed by the MPU 151 in the main controller 131 in the slot machine 10 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. The processing of the MPU 151 is roughly divided into main processing that is started when the power is turned on, timer interrupt processing that is started periodically (in a cycle of 1.49 msec in the present embodiment), and an NMI terminal (non-maskable terminal). For convenience of explanation, the NMI interrupt process and the timer interrupt process will be described first, and then the main process will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the NMI interrupt process. When the power is shut off due to the occurrence of a power failure or the like, the power failure monitoring circuit 161b of the power supply device 161 generates a power failure signal and outputs it to the main controller 131. In the main controller 131 that has received the power failure signal via the NMI terminal, NMI interrupt processing is executed.

  In the NMI interrupt processing, first, in step S101 (hereinafter, step S101 is simply abbreviated as “S101”, and the other steps are also abbreviated in the same manner), the data of the register used in the MPU 151 is stored in the RAM 153. Retreat to the provided backup area (S101). Subsequently, the power failure flag is set in the power failure flag storage area provided in the RAM 153 (S102). Thereafter, the data saved in the backup area of the RAM 153 is restored again to the use register of the MPU 151 (S103). The return process of S103 is executed, and the NMI interrupt process ends. If the power failure flag can be set without destroying the data in the used register of the MPU 151, the save and restore processing (S101, S103) to the backup area can be omitted.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart of timer interrupt processing periodically executed by the main control device 131. A timer interrupt is generated, for example, every 1.49 msec by the MPU 151 of the main control device 131.

  First, in the register saving process shown in S201, the values of all registers in the MPU 151 used in the normal process described later are saved in the backup area of the RAM 153 (S201). Thereafter, it is confirmed whether or not the power failure flag is set (S202), and the power failure process is executed only when the power failure flag is set (S203), and then the process proceeds to S204.

  Here, the power failure process (S203) will be described with reference to FIG. Since the power failure process (S203) is performed immediately after the register saving process in the timer interrupt process, the other interrupt processes can be executed without interruption. Therefore, for example, during the process of transmitting various commands, during the process of reading the switch state (on / off), the process at the time of power failure is not executed by interrupting each process. It is no longer necessary to create a power failure processing program that also takes into account This simplifies the processing program for power failure processing and reduces the program capacity. This also applies to a processing program for power recovery processing described later.

  In the power failure process (S203), it is first determined whether or not the command transmission has ended (S301). If the transmission is not completed (S301: No), the power failure process (S203) is terminated, the process returns to the timer interrupt process of FIG. 7, and the command transmission is terminated. In this way, it is determined whether or not the command transmission is completed at the initial stage of the power failure process. When the transmission is not completed, the transmission process is given priority. After the unit command transmission process is completed, the power failure process (S203) is performed. By adopting the configuration to execute, it is not necessary to construct a power failure processing program that takes into account that power failure processing is executed during command transmission. As a result, the power failure processing program can be simplified and the capacity of the ROM 152 can be reduced.

  When the command transmission is completed in the processing of S301 (S301: Yes), the value of the stack pointer of the MPU 151 is stored in the backup area in the RAM 153 (S302). Thereafter, a RAM determination value, which will be described later, is cleared as a stop process, and the output state of the output port in the input / output port 155 is cleared, and all actuators (not shown) are turned off (S303). Further, the RAM determination value is calculated and stored in the backup area (S304). The RAM determination value is specifically a 2's complement of the checksum at the work area address of the RAM 153. By storing the RAM determination value in the backup area, the checksum of the RAM 153 becomes zero. By setting the checksum of the RAM 153 to 0, subsequent RAM access is prohibited (S305). After that, an infinite loop is entered in preparation for the case where the power supply is completely shut down and processing cannot be executed.

  In consideration of, for example, a case where the power failure flag is erroneously set due to noise or the like, it is confirmed whether or not a power failure signal is output until the infinite loop is entered. If the power failure signal is not output, the power failure state is recovered, so that writing to the RAM 153 is permitted, the power failure flag is reset, and the process returns to the timer interrupt process of FIG. If the power outage signal is continuously output, the infinite loop is entered.

  The power supply unit 161a of the power supply device 161 holds the output of the stabilization voltage (5 volts) used as the drive voltage for the control system for a time sufficient to execute the above-described NMI interrupt processing and power failure processing. It is comprised so that. In the present embodiment, the drive voltage is continuously output for 30 msec.

  Returning to FIG. 7, the timer interrupt process will be described. When the power failure flag is not set in the processing of S202, or after the power failure processing (S203) ends, various processing after S204 is performed.

In S204, a watchdog timer clearing process for initializing the value of the watchdog timer for monitoring the occurrence of malfunction is performed (S204). In S205, an interrupt end declaration process for giving an interrupt permission to the MPU 151 itself is performed (S205). In step S206, in order to rotate the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R, a stepping motor control process for driving the stepping motors 61L to 61R, which are the respective rotary drive motors, is performed (S206). In S207, sensor monitoring processing for monitoring the state of various sensors (see FIG. 4) connected to the input / output port 155 is performed (S207). In S208, performs timer decrease calculation processing for subtracting the value of each counter and timer (S208). In S209, a counter process for outputting the result of counting the number of medals bet and the number of payouts to the external concentration terminal board 171 is performed (S209).

  In S210, command output processing for transmitting a command or the like to the display control device 111 is performed (S210). In S211, a segment data setting process for setting segment data displayed on the remaining number display unit 35, the game number display unit 36, and the acquired number display unit 37 is performed (S211). In S212, the segment data set by the segment data setting process is supplied to the display units 35 to 37, and the segment data display process for displaying the corresponding numbers, symbols, etc. is performed (S212). In S213, port output processing for outputting data corresponding to the I / O device from the input / output port 155 is performed (S213). In S214, the value of each register saved in the backup area in the previous S201 is restored to the corresponding register in the MPU 151 (S214). Thereafter, an interrupt permission process for permitting the next timer interrupt is performed (S215), and this series of timer interrupt processes is terminated.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a main process in the main controller 131 that is executed after the power is turned on. The main process is executed when the power is turned on by recovery from a power failure or by turning on the power switch 122.

  First, as an initialization process, the stack pointer value is set in the MPU 151 and an interrupt mode that permits interrupt processing is set. Thereafter, various settings for register groups in the MPU 151, I / O devices, and the like are performed. It performs (S401).

  When these initialization processes (S401) are completed, it is next determined whether or not the reset switch 123 is turned on (S402). When the reset switch 123 is turned on (S402: Yes), all the data stored in the RAM 153 is cleared as a RAM clear process (S403).

  After confirming that the reset switch is not operated in S402 (S402: No) or after performing the RAM clear process (S403), it is determined whether or not the setting key is inserted into the setting key insertion hole 124. Determine (S404). When the setting key is inserted (S404: Yes), a setting change process (S405) is performed. In the setting change process (S405), all the data stored in the RAM 153 is first cleared, and then, which setting state is selected from among six preset setting states (“Setting 1” to “Setting 6”). The internal processing corresponding to the selected setting state is executed.

  After confirming that the setting key is not inserted in S404 (S404: No), or after performing the setting change process (S405), it is confirmed whether the power failure flag is set (S406). . When the power failure flag is not set, that is, when the data in the RAM 153 is cleared in the previous S403 or S405 (S406: No), a normal process (S407) described later is executed.

  When the power failure flag is set in S406 (S406: Yes), the process proceeds to the power recovery process shown in S408 and thereafter. Here, when the power failure flag is set, the subroutine processing such as RAM clear processing in S403 and setting change processing in S405 is not executed at all. Therefore, the data in the RAM 153 is not rewritten at all, and the power recovery process requires confirmation processing such as whether or not the data in the RAM 153 is normal.

  For this purpose, first, it is confirmed whether or not the RAM determination value is normal (S408). Specifically, the checksum value of the RAM 153 is checked to check whether the value is normal, that is, whether the checksum value including the RAM determination value is 0 (S408). When the checksum value including the RAM determination value is 0 (S408: Yes), it is determined that the data in the RAM 153 is normal.

  If the RAM determination value is abnormal in S408, that is, if the checksum value is not 0 (S408: No), there is a high possibility that the data in the RAM 153 has been destroyed, so that the process proceeds to S403. All data stored in the RAM 153 is cleared. Thereby, the power failure flag is not set, and the subsequent process can be shifted to the normal process (S407) by executing the process of next S406.

  When it is determined in S408 that the RAM determination value is normal (S408: Yes), the value of the stack pointer stored in the backup area is written to the stack pointer of the MPU 151, and the stack state before the power is shut off is written. The state is restored (S410). Next, a power recovery command that tells execution of power recovery processing is transmitted to the display control device 111 (S411). Thereafter, the game state is stopped and automatic settlement setting storage processing is performed (S412), and various sensors such as the start detection sensor 71a are initialized (S413).

  After the above processing is completed, the power failure flag is reset (S414), and the processing returns to the address before the power is shut off. Specifically, the process returns to the timer interrupt process described above, and the watchdog timer clear process (S204) is executed.

  Next, normal processing (S407) for performing main control related to the game will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

  In the normal process (S407), it is first determined whether or not a medal is bet (S500). That is, it is determined whether or not a virtual medal (credit medal) is bet by operating the first to third credit insertion switches 77 to 79 or a medal is inserted from the medal insertion slot 75.

  The medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 75 are guided through the selector 83 to be guided to the storage passage 81 when betting. Before the medal is inserted, since the medal has not passed the detection units of the first inserted medal detection sensor 86 and the second inserted medal detection sensor 87, these sensors 86 and 87 are in the off state. When a medal is inserted from the medal insertion slot 75, the medal first detects the detection unit of the first insertion medal detection sensor 86 provided on the upstream side in the medal guide path from the medal insertion slot 75 to the storage passage 81. The first insertion medal detection sensor 86 is turned on at such timing.

  Subsequently, the medal starts to pass through the detection unit of the second inserted medal detection sensor 87, and the second inserted medal detection sensor 87 is turned on at this timing. Since the interval between the detection unit of the first inserted medal detection sensor 86 and the detection unit of the second inserted medal detection sensor 87 is arranged in a proximity state such that a state in which the same medal is simultaneously detected at least at one time occurs. At this timing, the first inserted medal detection sensor 86 is also in the on state. Next, when the medal finishes passing through the detection unit of the first inserted medal detection sensor 86, the first inserted medal detection sensor 86 is turned off and only the second inserted medal detection sensor 87 is turned on. Thereafter, when the inserted medal has passed through the detection unit of the second inserted medal detection sensor 87, both the first inserted medal detection sensor 86 and the second inserted medal detection sensor 87 are turned off.

  The main controller 131 constantly monitors the order in which these sensors 86 and 87 are turned on / off in the process of S500, both the first and second inserted medal detection sensors 86 and 87 are off, and only the first inserted medal detection sensor 86 is detected. When the first and second inserted medal detection sensors 86 and 87 are both on, only the second inserted medal detection sensor 87 is on, and the first and second inserted medal detection sensors 86 and 87 are both off. In addition, it is determined that the medal has been normally taken into the storage passage 81 only when the time for switching to each on / off switching is within a predetermined time, and otherwise, an error is determined. If it is determined that an error has occurred, interrupt processing is first prohibited as error display processing, and all output ports in the input / output port 155 are cleared to turn off all actuators connected to the input / output port 155. To control. Thereafter, an error display for notifying the occurrence of an error to the hall manager or the like is performed, and this state is maintained until the reset switch 123 is turned on.

  The reason for this is to prevent an illegal act in which a medal is reciprocated in the vicinity of the inserted medal detection sensors 86 and 87 and misidentified as a medal inserted. Further, after the error is determined, the operation of the changeover switch 80 for switching between the credit mode and the direct mode is invalidated, and the credited medal is not paid out. Specifically, the process of confirming the state of the changeover switch 80 and paying out the credited medal when the pressing operation of the changeover switch 80 is detected during the credit mode is performed after the reset switch is determined as an error. It is not executed until 123 is turned on. Note that the error display process performed when confirming whether or not a medal has been inserted is a well-known technique and is not shown. As for the configuration for detecting insertion of medals, various known techniques such as detection of insertion of medals using three or more sensors can be used.

  If it is determined in the process of S500 that a medal is bet (S500: Yes), it is next determined whether or not the start lever 71 has been operated (S501). If it is determined in step S501 that the start lever 71 has been operated (S501: Yes), it is determined that the game has started (the game has shifted from the non-execution state to the execution state), and the ball lending permission signal SG2 is turned off. (S502). Since the ball lending LED 220 is turned off by turning off the ball lending permission signal SG2, the player is notified that the ball lending is impossible. Then, the selector solenoid is turned off and de-energized (S503), and even if a medal is inserted from the medal insertion slot 75, the medal is returned to the player via the discharge passage 82 (inhibition of medal insertion). ).

  Thereafter, a lottery process is executed (S504). In the lottery process (S504), the start lever 71 is operated on the random number table for determining success / failure, which is selected based on the current setting state of the slot machine 10, the number of medals bet, the level of small part probability, and the like. The lottery of the combination is performed in light of the value of the random number counter acquired at the timing, and the winning line (bonus combination, small combination, replay combination) and the judgment of the winning combination and the effective line that should match the pattern corresponding to the selected combination In order to stop the symbol to be stopped on the predetermined effective line when the symbol existing at the timing when the stop switches 72 to 74 are pressed on the determined effective line is different from the symbol of the winning combination And a table that determines how much the reel is to be slid.

  After the lottery process (S504) is executed, a reel control process for controlling the rotation and stop of each reel 42L, 42M, 42R is executed (S505). In this reel control process (S505), the rotation of the corresponding reel is stopped due to the operation of the stop switches 72 to 74, and the role determined in the lottery process (S504) by each of the stopped reels 42L, 42M, 42R. And the stop of each reel 42L, 42M, 42R is controlled based on the table determined in the lottery process (S504) so that the symbol appears. When the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are stopped, the reel control process (S505) is terminated.

  After the end of the reel control process (S505), a medal payout process for paying out medals according to the combination of symbols on the activated lines of the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R stopped is executed (S506). In the medal payout process (S506), when the symbols are stopped in a predetermined combination on the active line (when winning the winning combination), the number of medals corresponding to the winning combination is paid out. Also, when paying out medals, the mode set in the slot machine 10 is confirmed. If the mode is the “direct mode”, the medals are paid out from the hopper device 91 to the medal tray 18 through the medal discharge port 17. On the other hand, in the “credit mode”, the medal payout is virtually executed by updating (adding) the credit value (the number of stored credit medals). When the credit value reaches the upper limit, the medal is paid out to the medal tray 18 as in the “direct mode”. Then, the display of the remaining number display unit 35 and the acquired number display unit 37 is updated according to the number of medals paid out, and the medal payout process (S506) is ended. The display on the acquired number display section 37 is reset (updated) when the start lever 71 is operated next time.

  After completion of the medal payout process (S506), a special game state process for executing a bonus game, which is a special game that is more advantageous than usual when a bonus combination is won, is executed (S507), and then the selector solenoid is turned on. Then, the excited state is set (S508), the medal path is switched to the storage path 81 (permission of medal insertion), and the process proceeds to S500.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S500 that no medal is bet (S500: No), or if it is determined in S501 that the start lever 71 is not operated (S501: No), the slot In the machine 10, the game is in a non-execution state (all reels 42L, 42M, 42R are stopped and there is no payout of medals other than waiting for the rotation of the reels 42L, 42M, 42R after the start lever 71 is operated) Or, even if medals are paid out, the payout has ended). Therefore, the ball lending permission signal SG2 is turned on (S509). If the card unit 230 is in a ball lending enabled state, the ball lending LED 220 is turned on when the ball lending permission signal SG2 is turned on, and the player is notified that the ball lending is possible.

  Thereafter, it is confirmed whether or not the ball lending button signal SG1 is on (whether or not the ball lending button 210 is turned on) (S510). If the ball lending button signal SG1 is on (S510: Yes), the ball lending button signal SG1 is turned on. The medal lending process for lending is executed (S511), and then the process proceeds to S500. If the ball lending button signal SG1 is not on (S510: No), the medal lending process (S511) is skipped and the process proceeds to S500.

  Thus, according to the normal process (S407), when the game is in the running state in the slot machine 10, the step (S510) of detecting the state of the ball lending button signal SG1 is avoided (MPU 151 The state of the button signal SG1 is not detected). That is, when the game is in an execution state, pressing the ball lending button 210 (turning on the ball lending button signal SG1) is invalid, and the medal lending process (S511) is not executed. Since the ball lending switch signal TDS that triggers the execution of ball lending is output (turned on) to the card unit 230 in the medal lending process (S511), when the game is in the running state, the ball lending switch signal The TDS is not output, so the ball lending can be disabled. As a result, it is possible to switch between permitting and prohibiting ball lending in the slot machine 10 without manipulating signals output to the card unit 230 such as the gaming machine ready signal PRDY.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the medal lending process (S511) executed in the normal process (S407) of FIG. The medal lending process (S511) of the present embodiment pays out 5 medals from the hopper device 91 to the medal tray 18. Note that the number of medals paid out by one ball lending by the medal lending process (S511) is not limited to “5”, and may be “5” or more or “5” or less. good.

  In the medal lending process, first, the selector solenoid of the medal passage switching member 84 is turned off to be non-excited (S521). As a result, even if a player inserts a medal from the medal insertion slot 75 while the medal is lent out, the medal is discharged to the medal tray 18 through the discharge passage 82 and returned to the player. (Prohibition of medal insertion).

  After the selector solenoid is turned off to prevent the player from inserting medals, the slot machine 10 outputs the ball lending switch signal TDS to the card unit 230 and starts the communication process with the card unit 230 described above (S522). . The occurrence of a communication error is monitored (S523). If the occurrence of an error is detected (S523: Yes), the corresponding error processing or the like is executed (S527). Thereafter, the selector solenoid is turned on to be in an excited state (S530), the medal path is switched to the storage path 81 (medal insertion permission), and this medal lending process (S511) is ended.

  If no communication error occurs in the processing of S523 (S523: No), the presence / absence of a ball lending execution instruction by the ball lending request completion confirmation signal BRQ is confirmed (S524). If there is a ball lending execution instruction (S524: Yes), the payout device 93 is driven to pay out five medals from the hopper device 91 to the medal tray 18 through the medal discharge port 17 (S525). On the other hand, if there is no ball lending execution instruction by the ball lending request completion confirmation signal BRQ (S524: No), the process of S525 is skipped and the process proceeds to S526.

  In the process of S526, the completion of the communication with the card unit 230 is monitored (S526). If the communication is not yet completed (S526: No), the process proceeds to S523, and each process from S523 to S526 described above is performed. repeat. On the other hand, when the communication with the card unit 230 is completed (S526: Yes), the selector solenoid is turned on to be in an excited state (S530), the medal path is switched to the storage path 81 (medal insertion permission), and this medal is set. The lending process (S511) is terminated.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a ball lending LED signal switching process executed by the MPU 231 of the card unit 230. The ball lending LED signal switching process is a process of switching the ball lending LED signal TDLO between on and off according to whether or not a magnetic card is inserted, and is periodically read out from the ROM 232 every predetermined time and executed. The In this ball lending LED signal switching process, first, based on the output value from the card reader / writer 228, it is confirmed whether or not a magnetic card is inserted in the card unit 230 (S601). If the balance amount of the magnetic card is read by the card reader / writer 228, it can be determined that the magnetic card is being inserted. If a magnetic card has been inserted (S601: Yes), the ball lending LED signal TDLO is turned on (S602), and the ball lending LED signal switching process is terminated. On the other hand, if the balance amount of the magnetic card is not read by the card reader / writer 228 in the process of S601 and it is determined that the magnetic card is not inserted (S601: No), the ball lending LED signal TDLO is turned off. Then, this ball lending LED signal switching process is terminated.

  In the present embodiment, one medal is converted into 20 yen, and the slot machine 10 and the card unit 230 are configured to execute ball lending in units of 100 yen (that is, in units of 5 medals). . When the ball lending is executed, the card unit 230 receives the balance amount stored in the magnetic card inserted by the card reader / writer 228 when the ball lending request completion confirmation signal BRQ is normally turned off. Is subtracted 100 yen and the balance of the magnetic card is updated. When the card balance amount is “0”, the magnetic card is forcibly ejected by an actuator (not shown). In other words, the magnetic card inserted in the card unit 230 has a balance amount that can be used to settle a lent out ball for at least one lent out. Therefore, the ball lending LED signal TDLO is a signal indicating that the magnetic card is inserted into the card unit 230, that is, indicating that the card unit 230 is in a lending state.

  As described above, the ball lending LED 220 is lit when both the ball lending permission signal SG2 and the ball lending LED signal TDLO are input (turned on) to the input terminal of the AND circuit AND1. Accordingly, when the ball lending LED signal TDLO is turned on by the ball lending LED signal switching process (if the ball lending permission signal SG2 is on), the ball lending LED 220 is turned on and the ball lending LED signal TDLO is turned off. Then, the ball lending LED 220 is turned off.

  Here, the ball lending LED signal TDLO is continuously output while the magnetic card is inserted by the ball lending LED signal switching processing. Therefore, if the AND circuit AND1 of the card unit connection terminal board 250 is used, the ball lending signal SG2 output from the slot machine 10 directly (regardless of the execution timing of the ball lending LED signal switching process) It is possible to control the turning on / off of the lending LED 220, and the ball lending LED 220 can be switched on (turned on) and off (turned off) in conjunction with the turning on / off of the ball lending permission signal SG2. In other words, the game execution state of the slot machine 10 can be immediately reflected in the lighting state of the ball lending LED 220.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart of the magnetic card ejection process executed by the MPU 231 of the card unit 230. The magnetic card ejection process is a process for ejecting the magnetic card inserted into the card insertion slot 224, and is periodically read from the ROM 232 at a predetermined time and executed. In this magnetic card ejection process, first, based on the output value from the card reader / writer 228, it is confirmed whether or not a magnetic card is inserted in the card unit 230 (S606). If the balance amount of the magnetic card is read by the card reader / writer 228, it can be determined that the magnetic card is being inserted.

  Here, if a magnetic card is inserted (S606: Yes), it is confirmed whether the return switch signal RES is on (S607). If the return switch signal RES is on (S607: Yes), The magnetic card is forcibly ejected by an actuator (not shown) (S608), and the magnetic card ejection processing is terminated. As described above, when the return button 200 is pressed, the return switch signal RES is output to the card unit 230 regardless of the game execution state of the slot machine 10.

  On the other hand, if the balance amount of the magnetic card is not read by the card reader / writer 228 in the processing of S606 and it is determined that the magnetic card is not inserted (S606: No), or even if the magnetic card is being inserted. If it is determined that the return switch signal RES is off (S607: No) (S607: No), the magnetic card discharge process is terminated without discharging the magnetic card.

  According to the slot machine 10 of the present embodiment, since ball lending can be executed with medals stored in the hopper device 91, a dedicated device (medal lending machine) that lends medals separately from the slot machine 10. This eliminates the need to supply medals to such a dedicated device (medal lending machine), thereby reducing the work effort of employees on the amusement hall. Further, the slot machine 10 rents medals stored in the hopper device 91. Since the hopper device 91 stores medals inserted by a player or the like, medals are replenished intermittently during the game. Accordingly, a decrease in the medal storage level in the hopper device 91 occurs slowly, and the interval until the medal empty, that is, the medal replenishment interval can be increased.

  In addition, in the slot machine 10, all the reels 42L, 42M, 42R are stopped and the medals are not paid out except when the game is in a non-execution state (after the start lever 71 is operated, the reels 42L, 42M, 42R are not waiting for rotation). Or, even if there is a medal payout, the ball lending is executed only during a period in which the payout has been completed. Therefore, during the rotation control of the reels 42L, 42M, 42R, which has a high control burden on the MPU 151, Furthermore, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the driving of the hopper device 91 is controlled by the MPU 151, and it is possible to avoid the control burden of the MPU 151 being concentrated on a specific period. Therefore, even when lending a ball under the control of the MPU 151, an error such as step-out of the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R is not induced by an excessive control burden. Further, it is not necessary to newly provide a dedicated arithmetic device (device) for controlling ball lending (driving control of the hopper device 91) for the purpose of reducing the control burden on the MPU 151 and eliminating errors.

  Further, in the slot machine 10 of the present embodiment, when the start lever 71 is operated, the medal lending is prohibited (impossible) until the game is completed. On the other hand, instead of operating the start lever 71, it is also possible to prohibit medal lending when a player bets medals. However, the bet medals are credited, for example, when the changeover switch (checkout button) 80 is pressed, or paid out to the medal tray 18 to be canceled. Even if the medal lending is once prohibited, it can be returned to a lendable state without the game being executed. For this reason, the state where the medals can be lent and the state where the medals can be rented are alternated by pressing the changeover switch (settlement button) 80 and bets on the medals, which is unfavorable, resulting in confusion for the player. In the slot machine 10 according to the present embodiment, since the lending of medals is prohibited in response to the operation of the start lever 71, which is a game start condition, once banned medals are not permitted until the game is completed. . Therefore, it is possible to realize the slot machine 10 in which the medal rentable state and the impossible state are clearly separated.

  In addition, while ball lending is performed only in the non-execution state of the game, the return of the magnetic card can be performed regardless of the execution state of the game. That is, the return switch signal RES output by pressing the return button 200 is configured to be output to the card unit 230 without going through the slot machine 10, and the card unit 230 to which the return switch signal RES is input is magnetically operated. Since the card is returned, the control load is not imposed on the slot machine 10 for returning the magnetic card. Therefore, even if the magnetic card is returned in the game execution state, the control of the slot machine 10 is not hindered.

  With this configuration, the player can receive the magnetic card at a desired timing. Therefore, the player can receive the return of the magnetic card even when some of the reels 42L, 42M, 42R are stopped and the other reels are still rotating, or even during the medal payout control. For example, out of the three reels 42L, 42M, and 42R that have started rotating by the operation of the start lever 71, the player can establish a big bonus, a regular bonus, or the like (bonus combination) by the stop pattern of one or two reels. Can be recognized. When the bonus combination is established, a special gaming state occurs and a state in which many medals can be paid out, so that it is not necessary to lend new medals by the card unit 230. In such a case, the slot machine 10 of the present embodiment can immediately return the magnetic card from the card unit 230 without waiting for the game being executed to end, so that the player forgets to return the magnetic card. It can be avoided as much as possible. In addition, according to this structure, even when leaving a seat by a toilet break etc. in the state which rotated all the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R, a magnetic card can be returned.

  In the present embodiment, the slot machine 10 is configured with a credit function. Alternatively, the slot machine 10 may be configured with a slot machine having no credit function. In the present embodiment, since the actual medal is paid out as a rental ball, the ball rental can be executed similarly for a slot machine having no credit function.

  Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment, the slot machine 10 is configured to drive the hopper device 91 and pay out an actual medal as a rental ball. Instead, the second embodiment is configured to virtually pay out a rented ball using a credit medal. In the first embodiment, the slot machine 10 has a magnetic card (having a balance amount that can be used for paying a rental ball) inserted in the card unit 230 and the slot machine 10 does not execute a game. The ball lending was executed on condition that it was in a state. In other words, ball lending was permitted during the entire period when the game was not executed. Instead, in the slot machine 10 of the second embodiment, even if the game is in a non-execution state, ball lending is prohibited depending on the number of credit medals stored. Since the other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the medal lending process (S511) in the second embodiment executed in the normal process of FIG. In the medal lending process (S511) of the second embodiment, first, it is confirmed whether or not the number of credited medals stored (the number of credit medals stored) is 45 or less (S520). As a result, if the number of stored credit medals exceeds 45 (S520: No), each process from S521 to S530 is skipped to end the medal lending process (S511) in order to prohibit medal lending. In such a case, if the medal lending is executed, the number of credit medals stored exceeds the upper limit “50”, and the actual medal is paid out.

  There is an upper limit on the number of credit medals stored. This is because, if the credit medal can be stored indefinitely, for example, when an illegal act of paying out an illegally credited medal is performed, the amount of damage becomes enormous. Since the slot machine 10 generally sets the upper limit of the number of credit medals to be stored as “50”, it cannot store any more credit medals. Accordingly, when the number of credit medals stored exceeds “50” due to the execution of the ball lending, the ball lending is not executed (prohibited).

  On the other hand, if the number of stored credit medals is 45 or less (S520: Yes), the selector solenoid of the medal path switching member 84 is turned off and de-energized (S521). As a result, even if a player inserts a medal from the medal insertion slot 75 while the medal is lent out, the medal is discharged to the medal tray 18 through the discharge passage 82 and returned to the player. (Prohibition of medal insertion).

  After the selector solenoid is turned off to prevent the player from inserting medals, the slot machine 10 outputs the ball lending switch signal TDS to the card unit 230 and starts the communication process with the card unit 230 described above (S522). . The occurrence of a communication error is monitored (S523). If the occurrence of an error is detected (S523: Yes), the corresponding error processing or the like is executed (S527). Thereafter, the selector solenoid is turned on to be in an excited state (S530), the medal path is switched to the storage path 81 (medal insertion permission), and this medal lending process (S511) is ended.

  If no communication error occurs in the processing of S523 (S523: No), the presence / absence of a ball lending execution instruction by the ball lending request completion confirmation signal BRQ is confirmed (S524). If there is a ball lending execution instruction (S524: Yes), “5” is added to the value of the counter for counting the number of credit medals stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 232 (S611), and the credit medals after the addition are added. The value of the remaining number display part 35 is updated by the number of storage (S612). As a result, the remaining number display unit 35 displays a value obtained by adding “5” to the previous value, and adds “5” to the number of stored credit medals. On the other hand, if there is no ball lending execution instruction by the ball lending request completion confirmation signal BRQ (S524: No), each process of S611 and S612 is skipped, and the process proceeds to S526.

  In the process of S526, the completion of the communication with the card unit 230 is monitored (S526). If the communication is not yet completed (S526: No), the process proceeds to S523, and each process from S523 to S526 described above is performed. repeat. On the other hand, when the communication with the card unit 230 is completed (S526: Yes), the selector solenoid is turned on to be in an excited state (S530), the medal path is switched to the storage path 81 (medal insertion permission), and this medal is set. The lending process (S511) is terminated.

  Thus, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to pay out a rented ball with a credit medal that is a virtual medal. When “direct mode” is set, medals are paid out from the hopper device 51 as a result of winning a prize. However, when the rented balls are paid out with real medals, the medal storage level decreases rapidly, and the medal empty status is increased. The arrival will be accelerated. However, in the second embodiment, the rented ball is paid out by credit medal, so that the arrival of medal empty can be delayed and the replenishment interval of medals to the slot machine 10 can be lengthened.

  In the slot machine 10 of the second embodiment, the ball lending permission signal SG2 may be turned off even when the number of stored credit medals exceeds “45”. According to this, when the number of stored credit medals exceeds “45”, the ball lending LED 220 can be turned off, and the player can recognize that the ball lending is impossible.

  In addition, in the medal lending process (S511) of the second embodiment, all the lent out balls are credit medals, but instead of this, “direct mode” or “credit mode” is set. A step of determining whether or not the token has been issued may be provided in the medal lending process (S511), and when the “direct mode” is set, an actual medal may be paid out.

  In the medal lending process (S511) of the second embodiment, when the number of credit medals stored exceeds the upper limit “50” due to ball lending (S520: No), ball lending is not executed. Alternatively, if the number of credit medals stored by ball lending exceeds the upper limit “50”, the balls are paid out by credit medal up to the upper limit “50”, and the amount exceeding the upper limit “50” You may comprise so that it may pay out with an actual medal. According to this, it is possible to execute ball lending without being limited to the upper limit of the number of stored credit medals while holding the credit medal up to the upper limit of the stored number.

  Further, the medal lending process (S511) of the second embodiment is in a state where at least one (5) balls can be paid out, that is, when the number of stored credit medals is “45” or less. In this configuration, ball lending is executed (permitted). In other words, the threshold for the number of credit medals that allow or prohibit ball lending is set to “45”. However, the number of credit medals stored as a threshold is not limited to “45” and is smaller than “45”. It may be set as a number. For example, if the threshold is “0”, ball lending is permitted when the number of stored credit medals is “0”, and ball lending is permitted when the number of stored credit medals is “1” or more. Is forbidden.

  Further, in the second embodiment, the ball lending is performed by requesting the ball lending by pressing the ball lending button 210. Instead, the number of credit medals stored is a predetermined number (for example, “0”). The ball lending may be executed in response to the decrease. According to this, since the player need not operate the ball lending button 210, it is possible to release the player from the complexity of operating the ball lending button 210 to request ball lending. When ball lending is executed in response to a decrease in the number of stored credit medals to a predetermined number (for example, “0”), switching between execution and non-execution of the process is performed by the player's operation. A means may be provided, and when non-execution is designated by the switching means, the ball lending is not executed even when the number of stored credit medals is reduced to a predetermined number. In this case, the ball lending may be performed by pressing the ball lending button 210.

  Further, the slot machine 10 is configured to bet any medals from “1” to “3” and execute the game. Instead, the slot machine 10 is configured to receive the maximum number “3” medals. The game may be executed only when a bet is placed. In such a slot machine, when a configuration for executing ball lending when the number of credit medals stored is “0” (without pressing the ball lending button 210), the number of credit medals stored is “2” or less. Then, after betting the stored credit medal “2” or less automatically (without the player's operation), the ball lending is executed automatically (without pressing the ball lending button 210). It may be configured.

  Furthermore, the number of credit medals to be paid out by one ball lending is not limited to “5”, and may be “5” or more or “5” or less. When executed, the slot machine 10 may be configured so that credit medals are paid out to the upper limit. According to this, compared with the case where ball lending is performed in small increments such as 5 sheets, the player can reduce the number of operations for requesting ball lending, and can reduce the effort.

  Further, in the second embodiment, the display of the number of stored credit medals in the remaining number display unit 35 is switched to the number of stored balls after lending at the same time as the ball lending is executed. Then, the display of the remaining number display unit 35 may be sequentially updated with a value obtained by adding one by one from the number of stored credit medals before lending to the number of accumulated medals after lending. When switching the number of credit medals stored before ball lending to the number stored after ball lending at once, the display control can be simplified while the display switching ends instantaneously. It is easy for the player to overlook the site where the switch was made. If the player overlooks such display switching, the player will be unsure whether or not the number of stored credit medals has been updated. If the number of credit medals stored in the remaining number display unit 35 is sequentially updated, the update period of the credit medal stored number display in the remaining number display unit 35 becomes longer, so that the player can pay out the credit medals. It is easy to recognize what has been done, and it is possible to eliminate a situation in which the player is concerned about whether or not the rental ball has been properly paid out.

  In the first and second embodiments, the number of balls to be paid out by one ball lending is a predetermined fixed value. Instead, the number of balls to be paid out is paid by one ball lending. The slot machine has an input means for inputting the number of rented balls by the player's operation so that the number of rented balls may be variable and the number of rented balls can be changed according to the number desired by the player. 10 may be provided.

  As described above, the present invention has been described based on each embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be easily made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Can be inferred.

  For example, in the first and second embodiments described above, the number of balls to be paid out by one ball lending is a predetermined fixed value, but instead of this, the number of balls to be paid out is paid out by one ball lending. The number of balls to be rented may be variable, and an input means for inputting the number of balls lent by the player's operation may be provided so that the number of balls lent can be changed according to the player's desired number of balls. .

  In the non-execution state of the game, all reels are stopped and no medals are paid out, or medals are paid out, except when the reels 42L, 42M and 42R are on standby after the start lever 71 is operated. Also made it finished. However, the non-execution state of the game is not necessarily limited to this, and even before the medal payout by the winning combination is completed, the state in which all reels are stopped is regarded as the non-execution state of the game. The invention may be handled. Since the medal lending (payout) is performed by the payout device 93 that pays out medals, when both controls are overlapped, the payout device 93 sequentially processes them.

  As the lending device, the card unit 230 that handles a prepaid magnetic card has been described as an example, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and it is configured to be able to insert banknotes or coins in place of the magnetic card. A cash unit that lends a ball based on the amount of the balance can be exemplified.

  The ball lending LED 220 is turned on or off by the output of the AND circuit AND1 that takes the AND logic of the ball lending permission signal SG2 output from the slot machine 10 and the ball lending LED signal TDLO output from the card unit 230. It was. However, instead of this, for example, the AND circuit AND1 is removed from the card unit connection terminal board 250, the ball lending LED signal TDLO output from the card unit 230 is input to the ball lending LED 220, and the ball lending LED signal TDLO is input. Thus, the ball lending LED 220 may be turned on or off. Further, the ball lending LED signal TDLO output from the card unit 230 is input to the slot machine 10, and the ball lending permission signal SG2 from the slot machine 10 is input to the ball lending LED 220 without passing through the AND circuit AND1. To do. If the ball lending LED signal TDLO is turned on at the output timing of the ball lending permission signal SG2 in the slot machine 10, the ball lending permission signal SG2 is output to the ball lending LED 220, and the ball lending LED 220 is turned on. You may make it light.

  Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, the structure is such that the medal is guided to the storage passage 81 or the discharge passage 82 by switching the selector solenoid of the medal passage switching member 84 between excitation and non-excitation. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. For example, a motor may be used instead of the selector solenoid, or a rotary solenoid may be used.

  Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, a slot machine having three reels arranged in parallel and having five lines as effective lines has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and for example, five reels are arranged in parallel. It may be a slot machine provided or a slot machine having seven effective lines. Further, the present invention is not limited to the so-called A type slot machine, but can be applied to any slot machine such as B type, C type, A type and C type composite type, and B type and C type composite type. In any case, it is obvious that the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

  Further, the symbols of the reels 42L, 42M, and 42R are not limited to pictures, numbers, characters, and the like, but may be geometric lines or figures. In addition, the design can be configured by light, color, or the like, the design can be configured by a three-dimensional shape or the like, and the design can be configured by combining these. That is, it is sufficient that the symbol has a function as identification information (identification information).

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the slot machine 10 is embodied is shown, but the present invention may be applied to a gaming machine of a type in which a slot machine and a pachinko machine are fused. That is, in the slot machine, instead of the medal insertion and medal payout functions, a gaming machine having a ball insertion and ball payout function such as a pachinko machine may be used. If such a gaming machine is used in place of a slot machine, only a ball can be handled as a gaming value in the gaming hall. Therefore, the gaming value seen in the current gaming hall in which pachinko machines and slot machines are mixed is used. Problems such as the burden on equipment due to the separate handling of medals and balls and restrictions on the location of the gaming machine can be solved.

  In the slot machine, for example, a symbol is changed by operating a control lever in a state where a symbol effective line is determined by inserting coins, and a symbol is stopped and confirmed by operating a stop button. Is. Accordingly, the basic concept of the slot machine is that it is provided with a display device for confirming and displaying the identification information after variably displaying the identification information string composed of a plurality of identification information, and resulting from the operation of the starting operation means (for example, the operation lever). The variation display of the identification information is started, and the variation display of the identification information is stopped and fixedly displayed due to the operation of the operation means for stop (for example, the stop button) or when a predetermined time elapses. It is a slot machine that generates a special game that gives a player a predetermined game value on the condition that the combination of identification information at the time is a specific condition. In this case, the game medium is typically a coin, medal, etc. Take as an example.

  In addition, as a specific example of a gaming machine in which a pachinko machine and a slot machine are fused, a display device is provided that displays a symbol after a symbol string composed of a plurality of symbols is variably displayed, and has a handle for launching a ball. What is not. In this case, after throwing a predetermined amount of spheres based on a predetermined operation (button operation), for example, the change of the symbol is started due to the operation of the operation lever, for example, due to the operation of the stop button, or With the passage of time, the variation of the symbol is stopped, and a special game that gives a predetermined game value to the player is generated on the condition that the determined symbol at the time of stoppage is a so-called jackpot symbol. In this case, a large amount of balls are paid out to the lower tray.

  The gaming machine and modified examples of the present invention are shown below. It has main control means for performing the main control of the game and actually or virtually paying out the game medium to the player under a predetermined condition, and accepts the rental medium with added value and stores it in the rental medium. Connected to a lending device that requests lending of game media within the range, and when a lending request is input from the lending device, the main control means pays out the game media actually or virtually, thereby playing a game to the player A gaming machine that lends media has a lending instruction means that is operated by a player and instructs lending of game media, and a lending instruction by the lending instruction means is output to the main control means. A gaming machine 1 characterized by the following.

  According to the gaming machine 1, the game medium lending instruction is output to the lending device via the main control means for performing the main control of the game, so the execution timing of the game medium lending control is controlled by the main control means. be able to. That is, the game medium lending control can be executed while avoiding the timing at which the game control is concentrated and executed. Therefore, there is an effect that each control of the gaming machine can be normally executed without separately providing a new control device for paying out (renting out) the game media. That is, a gaming machine connected to the lending device can be realized without increasing the device cost of the gaming machine.

  It has main control means for performing the main control of the game and actually or virtually paying out the game medium to the player under a predetermined condition, and accepts the rental medium with added value and stores it in the rental medium. Connected to a lending device that requests lending of game media within the range, and when a lending request is input from the lending device, the main control means pays out the game media actually or virtually, thereby playing a game to the player In a gaming machine that lends a medium, a lending instruction unit that is operated by a player to instruct lending of the game medium, and a return instructing unit that is operated by the player and instructs the return of the lending medium received by the lending device. The lending instruction by the lending instruction means is output to the main control means, while the return instruction by the return instructing means does not go through the main control means. Game machine 2, characterized in that it is configured to be output to.

  According to the gaming machine 2, the game medium lending instruction is output to the lending device via the main control means for performing the main control of the game, so the execution timing of the game medium lending control is controlled by the main control means. be able to. That is, the game medium lending control can be executed while avoiding the timing at which the game control is concentrated and executed. Therefore, there is an effect that each control of the gaming machine can be normally executed without separately providing a new control device for paying out (renting out) the game media. That is, a gaming machine connected to the lending device can be realized without increasing the device cost of the gaming machine. On the other hand, the return instruction of the rental medium accepted by the lending device is output to the lending device without going through the main control means. When the lending device inputs a return instruction, the lending medium received is returned, so that the lending medium can be returned regardless of the state of execution of the game by the main control means. Note that since the rental medium is returned by the lending device, the control load of the main control means is not increased. Therefore, regardless of the game execution state, each control of the gaming machine can be normally executed even if the rental medium is returned.

  The gaming machine 1 or 2 includes operation means operated by a player to start a game, and the main control means inputs a lending instruction output from the lending instruction means to the lending device. A lending instruction output means for outputting that there has been a lending instruction, and a lending instruction input from the lending instruction means is invalidated while a game started by the operation is executed when an operation of the operating means is detected. A gaming machine 3 comprising: a lending instruction invalidating means for converting to a gaming machine. According to the gaming machine 3, when a game is started by operating the operation means, the lending instruction input while the game is being executed is invalidated and is not output to the lending device. Accordingly, during the execution of the game, a game medium lending request is not input from the lending device, so that the game medium is not rented, and therefore the concentration of control in the gaming machine can be avoided.

  As the lending instruction invalidating means, the lending instruction input from the lending instruction means is canceled, the lending instruction output from the lending instruction means is not accepted, or whether the lending instruction is output from the lending instruction means What is not confirmed can be exemplified. The lending instruction invalidating means corresponds to a control configuration (program configuration) in which the processing of S510 is not executed in the processing from S501: Yes to S508 end. Since the writing regarding the lending instruction invalidating means is the same in the following modified examples (especially gaming machines 4 to 8), the following duplicate description is omitted.

  In any one of the gaming machines 1 to 3, the game machine includes an annular rotator configured to be rotatable with a plurality of identification information displayed thereon, and a drive unit that rotationally drives the annular rotator, wherein the main control unit includes the drive The main control means inputs a lending instruction output from the lending instruction means, and issues a lending instruction for game media to the lending device. A lending instruction output means for outputting the fact that there has been, and a lending instruction invalidating that invalidates a lending instruction input from the lending instruction means while controlling the driving means to control the rotational drive of the annular rotating body A gaming machine 4 comprising: means. According to the gaming machine 4, the lending instruction input during the control of the rotational drive of the annular rotating body is invalidated and is not output to the lending device. Therefore, while the control is being executed, a game medium lending request is not input from the lending device, so that the game medium is not rented, and therefore the concentration of control in the gaming machine can be avoided.

  Any one of the gaming machines 1 to 4 includes a payout device that actually pays out game media, wherein the main control means controls the payout device to actually pay out game media, and further The control means, when the lending instruction output from the lending instruction means is input, the lending instruction output means for outputting that the lending device has been lending instruction to the lending device, and the gaming device by actually controlling the lending device A gaming machine 5 comprising: lending instruction invalidating means for invalidating the lending instruction input from the lending instruction means while paying out. According to the gaming machine 5, the lending instruction input while the game medium is actually paid out is invalidated and is not output to the lending device. Therefore, while the control is being executed, a game medium lending request is not input from the lending device, so that the game medium is not rented, and therefore the concentration of control in the gaming machine can be avoided.

  In any of the gaming machines 1 to 5, when the main control means inputs a payout means for virtually paying out the game medium and a lending instruction output from the lending instruction means, a lending instruction for the game medium to the lending device A lending instruction output means for outputting that there has been, a lending instruction invalidating means for invalidating a lending instruction input from the lending instruction means while controlling the paying means and virtually paying out game media; A gaming machine 6 comprising: According to the gaming machine 6, the lending instruction input while virtually paying out the game medium is invalidated and is not output to the lending device. Therefore, while the control is being executed, a game medium lending request is not input from the lending device, so that the game medium is not rented, and therefore the concentration of control in the gaming machine can be avoided. It should be noted that virtually paying out game media means paying out the game media by crediting it (as a credit medal).

  In any one of the gaming machines 1 to 6, the game machine includes an operation unit operated by a player to start a game, the main control unit generating a random number value within a predetermined range, and the random number An acquisition means for acquiring a random number value generated by the generation means in response to an operation of the operation means, a lottery means for drawing a game result based on the random value acquired by the acquisition means, and an output from the lending instruction means When the lending instruction is input, the lending instruction output means for outputting the lending instruction for the game medium to the lending device and the lending input from the lending instruction means while controlling the acquisition means or the lottery means A gaming machine 7 comprising lending instruction invalidating means for invalidating an instruction. According to the gaming machine 7, the lending instruction input during the control of the acquisition means or the lottery means is invalidated and is not output to the lending device. Therefore, while the control is being executed, a game medium lending request is not input from the lending device, so that the game medium is not rented, and therefore the concentration of control in the gaming machine can be avoided.

  In any of the gaming machines 1 to 7, when the main control means inputs an execution state recognition means for recognizing the execution state of the game and a lending instruction output from the lending instruction means, lending game media to the lending device Lending instruction output means for outputting that there has been an instruction, and lending instruction invalidating means for invalidating the lending instruction input from the lending instruction means while the execution state of the game is recognized by the execution state recognizing means; A gaming machine 8 comprising: According to the gaming machine 8, the lending instruction input during the game execution state is invalidated and is not output to the lending device. Accordingly, during the execution of the game, a game medium lending request is not input from the lending device, so that the game medium is not rented, and therefore the concentration of control in the gaming machine can be avoided.

  When the game is in the running state, after the operation means (start lever) is operated, all the annular rotating bodies (rotor, reel, belt, drum, etc.) started by the operation means stop. (When the annular rotating body is replaced by an image display such as a liquid crystal display or a CRT, including the case where the variable display of the symbol is stopped by the image display), if the game medium is not paid out as a result of the stop, On the other hand, if the game medium is paid out as a result of the stop of all the annular rotating bodies, it means the period until the payout is completed. In other words, the case where the game is not in the non-execution state is called the case where the game is in the execution state. Note that the payout of the game medium refers to paying out the game medium itself and paying out the game medium credited (as a credit medal).

  In any one of the gaming machines 1 to 8, the gaming machine 9 is provided with notifying means for notifying when the rental medium can be rented out by the lending device. According to the gaming machine 9, the notifying means enables the player to grasp the state in which the gaming medium can be lent out, so that convenience is improved. Here, examples of the informing means include lamps and LEDs for informing the lending available state by lighting, a liquid crystal display informing by the display content, a display using a part of the CRT display, and the like. Note that the ball lending LED 220 corresponds to the notification means.

  In the gaming machine 9, the notifying means satisfies a condition for renting game media by the lending device, and is not invalidated by the lending instruction invalidating means, and is sent to the lending device by the lending instruction output means. The gaming machine 10 is characterized by notifying that the gaming medium can be rented by the lending device when it is in a state where it can be output that there has been a lending instruction. According to the gaming machine 10, the notifying means notifies that the gaming medium can be rented by the lending device in consideration of not only the state of the lending device but also the state of the gaming machine. Can be done.

  In the gaming machine 10, a first input for inputting a game medium lending condition establishment signal by the lending device, and a lending instruction output unit that is not invalidated by the lending instruction invalidating unit is transferred to the lending device by the lending instruction output unit. A second input for inputting a signal to be output when the lending instruction is in a state where it can be output, and the notification when the respective signals are input to the first and second inputs A gaming machine 11 comprising operating means for operating the means. According to the gaming machine 11, the state of the lending device and the state of the gaming machine are separately input, and the notification means is operated based on those inputs. Therefore, the control burden of the lending device and the gaming machine accompanying the operation of the notification means Can be reduced. Note that one input terminal of the AND circuit AND1 corresponds to the first input, the other input terminal of the AND circuit AND1 corresponds to the second input, and the AND circuit AND1 corresponds to the operation means. Further, the “lending condition for game medium lending condition by lending device” corresponds to the ball lending LED signal TDLO, and “the lending instruction is not invalidated by the lending instruction invalidating means, and the lending instruction output means performs the lending apparatus. As a signal that is output when it is in a state in which it can be output that there has been a game media rental instruction, the ball lending permission signal SG2 is applicable.

  In any one of the gaming machines 1 to 11, an annular rotator configured to be rotatable with a plurality of identification information displayed thereon, drive means for rotationally driving the annular rotator, and a payout device for actually paying out game media The main control means further includes payout means for virtually paying out the game medium, and controls the payout means, the payout device, and the drive means with one device. Game machine 12. According to the gaming machine 12, the rotation control of the annular rotator by the drive means, the actual payout drive control of the game medium by the payout device, and the virtual payout control of the game medium by the payout means are the main control. Since the device is controlled by one device (for example, “MPU”, the same applies in this specification) by means, the apparatus cost is reduced as compared with the case where a separate device is provided for each control. be able to. In addition, since the rental (payout) of game media is performed during non-execution of these controls, even if these controls are executed by one device, concentration of control time is avoided and each control is reliably performed. Can be executed.

  The gaming machine 12 includes operation means operated by a player to start a game, and the main control means is generated by a random number generation means for generating a random value within a predetermined range, and the random number generation means. An acquisition means for acquiring the random number value according to an operation of the operation means, and a lottery means for lottery of game results based on the random value acquired by the acquisition means, the random number generation means and the acquisition means, A gaming machine 13 characterized in that the lottery means is controlled by one device. According to the gaming machine 13, in addition to the drive control of the gaming machine 12, even if the main control means further controls the random number generation means, the acquisition means, and the lottery means with one device, the concentration of the control time is avoided. Thus, these controls can be executed reliably. Further, since the same device detects the operation of the operation means for starting the game and the operation of the lending instruction means for lending the game medium, the control status can be grasped by a single device. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently eliminate a control error such as redundantly executing a game start and a game medium lending.

  In any of the gaming machines 1 to 11, operation means operated by a player to start a game, random number generation means for generating a random value within a predetermined range, and randomness generated by the random number generation means An acquisition means for acquiring a numerical value in accordance with an operation of the operation means, a lottery means for drawing a game result based on a random value acquired by the acquisition means, and a plurality of identification information are displayed and configured to be rotatable. An annular rotator, drive means for rotationally driving the annular rotator by operation of the operating means, and stop instructing means for instructing stop of the annular rotator operated by the player and rotated by the drive means; A stop means for stopping the rotational drive of the annular rotating body instructed to stop by the stop instruction means based on the timing of the stop instruction and the lottery result of the lottery means, Serial main control unit, a gaming machine 14, characterized in that the actual or virtually paying out game media based on the stop mode of the annular rotary body that is stopped by the stopping means.

According to the gaming machine 14, a random number value is acquired and a lottery is performed based on an operation by the operation means, and the annular rotator is driven to rotate. Thereafter, when the rotational drive of the annular rotator is stopped based on the stop instruction by the stop instruction means, the game medium is actually or virtually paid out based on the stop mode of the annular rotator. According to the gaming machine 14, it is possible to realize an ordered game in this way. Incidentally, the start lever 71 as an operation means, a random number counter and the random number generation means, the processing of S504 is the acquisition means and the drawing means, the reel 42L~42R The cyclic rotary body, a stepping motor as a driving means 61L to 61R correspond to the processing of S505 in which the stop switches 72 to 74 serve as stop instruction means and the stop control of the stepping motors 61L to 61R corresponds to the stop means, respectively.

  In any one of the gaming machines 1 to 14, an insertion port for inputting game media, a discharge path for discharging game media input from the input port to the outside, and the game media input from the input port A take-in path to be taken in, a switching means for switching the passage so that the game medium thrown from the slot is passed to the take-in path or the discharge path, and a game medium thrown from the slot by the switching means When the lending instruction means is operated and the lending instruction output means outputs a gaming medium lending instruction to the lending device in a state where the lending device is passed through the take-in path, A gaming machine 15 comprising switching instruction means for switching the switching means so as to pass the played game medium through the discharge path. According to the gaming machine 15, during the rental of gaming media, the gaming media thrown from the slot can be discharged outside the gaming machine without being taken into the gaming machine. Accordingly, the game medium lending control and the game medium take-in control can be performed in a distributed manner, so that it is possible to avoid concentration of control execution timing.

  In the gaming machine 15, the switching instruction means outputs that the gaming medium has been rented to the lending device by the lending instruction output means, so that the gaming medium thrown from the slot is passed through the discharge path. In such a case, when the payout of the game medium by the main control means based on the loan request output from the lending device is completed, the game medium thrown in from the slot is passed through the take-in path. A gaming machine 16 characterized by being switched. According to the gaming machine 16, after the game medium lending control is executed, the switching means can be returned to the original state so that the input of a new game medium can be accepted.

  A gaming machine 17 according to any one of the gaming machines 1 to 16, wherein the gaming machine is a slot machine. In particular, the basic configuration of the slot machine is as follows: “Identification information string after variably displaying (specifically, a reel with a pattern) an identification information string (specifically a reel with a symbol) composed of a plurality of identification information. And a display device (specifically, a reel unit) for confirming and stopping the display, the variation of the identification information is started due to the operation of the start operation means (for example, the operation lever), and the stop operation means (stop button) Due to the operation or when a predetermined time has elapsed, the fluctuation of the identification information is stopped, and a special advantage that is advantageous to the player on the condition that the combination of identification information at the time of the stop is a combination of specific identification information A gaming machine that gives a privilege such as occurrence of a gaming state (bonus game or the like). In this case, examples of the game media include coins and medals.

  The gaming machine 18 according to any one of the gaming machines 1 to 16, wherein the gaming machine is a combination of a pachinko gaming machine and a slot machine. Above all, as a basic configuration of the merged gaming machine, “after a variable display (specifically, rotation of the reel) of an identification information string (specifically, a reel with a symbol) composed of a plurality of identification information” A display device (specifically a reel unit) for confirming and stopping display of the identification information string is provided, and the variation of the identification information is started due to the operation of the start operation means (for example, the operation lever). Button) or after a predetermined time has passed, the fluctuation of the identification information is stopped, and the player is required to have the combination of identification information at the time of the stop as a combination of specific identification information. A throwing device for giving a privilege such as the occurrence of an advantageous special gaming state (bonus game or the like), a ball tray (top plate or the like), and performing a loading process for taking a game ball from the ball tray, and the ball tray To play And a dispensing apparatus which performs dispensing of game ball is the starting game machine operation of the operating means is configured to be effective. "By being turned on by the dosing device.

It is a front view of the slot machine and card unit in one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the slot machine with the front door opened with the card unit of FIG. 1 as it is. FIG. 2 is a front view of the housing with the card unit of FIG. 1 as it is, with the front door of the slot machine removed. It is a block circuit diagram showing an electrical configuration of the slot machine. It is a block circuit diagram showing an electrical configuration of a balance indicator, a card unit, a card unit connection terminal board, and a connection state between these devices and a slot machine. 10 is a flowchart showing NMI interrupt processing executed in the main controller of the slot machine. 4 is a flowchart showing a timer interrupt process executed in the main controller of the slot machine. It is a flowchart which shows the process at the time of a power failure performed in the main control apparatus of a slot machine. It is a flowchart which shows the main process performed in the main control apparatus of a slot machine. 10 is a flowchart showing normal processing executed in the main processing of FIG. 9. 11 is a flowchart showing a medal lending process executed in the normal process of FIG. 10. It is a flowchart which shows the ball lending LED signal switching process performed in a card unit. It is a flowchart which shows the magnetic card discharge process performed in a card unit. It is a flowchart which shows the medal rental process in 2nd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10 Slot machines (gaming machines)
71 Start lever (operating means)
93 Dispensing device 200 Return button (return instruction means)
210 Ball rental button (lending instruction means)
230 Card unit (rental device)
42L to 42R reel (annular rotating body)
61L-61R Stepping motor (driving means)
151 MPU (main control means)
BRQ ball lending request completion confirmation signal (lending request)
RES return switch signal (return instruction)
SG1 ball rental button signal (lending instruction)
S501: Yes to S508 Lending instruction invalidating means S511 Lending instruction output means TDS Ball lending switch signal (there was a lending instruction)

Claims (4)

Having main control means for performing the main control of the game and actually or virtually paying out the game medium to the player under a predetermined condition;
The main control means receives a lending medium to which a valuable value is added and is connected to a lending device that requests lending of game media within a range stored in the lending medium, and inputs a lending request from the lending device. In a gaming machine that pays out game media actually or virtually, thereby lending the game media to the player,
Lending instruction means operated by a player and instructing lending of game media;
Return instruction means operated by a player and instructing the return of the rental medium accepted by the lending device;
The lending instruction by the lending instruction unit is output to the main control unit, while the return instruction by the return instruction unit is output to the lending device without passing through the main control unit. A featured gaming machine. Comprising operating means operated by the player to start the game;
The main control means includes
A lending instruction output means for outputting a lending instruction for a game medium to the lending device when a lending instruction output from the lending instruction means is input;
And a lending instruction invalidating means for invalidating a lending instruction input from the lending instruction means while a game started by the operation is executed when an operation of the operating means is detected. The gaming machine according to claim 1. An annular rotating body configured to be rotatable with a plurality of identification information displayed thereon,
Drive means for rotationally driving the annular rotator,
The main control means controls the rotational driving of the annular rotating body by controlling the driving means,
The lending instruction invalidating means invalidates a lending instruction input from the lending instruction means while controlling the driving means to control the rotational driving of the annular rotating body. The gaming machine according to claim 1 or 2. It has a payout device that actually pays out game media,
The main control means is for actually paying out the game medium by controlling the payout device,
The lending instruction invalidating means invalidates a lending instruction input from the lending instruction means while actually paying out a game medium by controlling the paying device. 4. The gaming machine according to any one of 3.