JP2006101968A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a game machine capable of surely preventing the action of fraudulently confirming or changing the set value of a winning probability. <P>SOLUTION: In the game machine 1 provided with a setting key switch 55 connected through connectors 52 and 63 to an arithmetic unit 61 loaded on a control board 60 and capable of switching the arithmetic unit 61 from a normal game mode of controlling a normal game operation to a setting change mode in which the setting of the winning probability of a game is changeable by the operation of the setting key switch 55, the setting key switch 55 is provided with a first contact 55a connected to a power source and a second contact 55b connected to the ground, the first contact 55a is connected when the normal game mode is selected and the second contact 55b is connected when the setting change mode is selected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine, and more particularly to a gaming machine such as a slot machine capable of changing the setting of the winning probability of gaming.

  For example, in a slot machine, after inserting a medal as a game medium, a plurality of reels are rotated by operating a start lever or a start button, and each reel is stopped by operating a stop button or elapse of a predetermined time. A predetermined medal is paid out by a combination of symbols on the effective line when the reel is stopped.

  In such a slot machine, in recent years, a microcomputer (MPU) which is an arithmetic unit is used to draw a prize in advance at the timing when the start lever or the start button is operated, and the lottery results are placed on the effective line as much as possible. The stop of the reel is controlled so as to stop, and the number of payout medals with respect to the number of inserted medals is controlled to be a preset winning probability.

  Here, the winning probability is set by selecting one of, for example, six setting values 1 to 6 from a low probability to a high probability stored in advance in the MPU. Normally, the set value 1 has the lowest probability and the set value 6 has the highest probability.

  In addition, in the lottery for winning, a random number value is acquired from a random number counter at the timing when the start lever or the start button is operated, and the acquired random number value and the numerical value of the winning table corresponding to the set value stored in the MPU. Based on the comparison, for example, in the lottery means, if the acquired random value is within a predetermined numerical range, a big bonus is won, if it is in another predetermined numerical range, a regular bonus is won, and another predetermined In the numerical value range, the winning of a small role in which the number of medals to be paid out is 2 or 5 is made, and in other numerical values range, it is lost (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  By the way, the set value of the winning probability is an important factor that determines whether or not the slot machine is likely to win a big bonus or the like, and it affects the entrance of the customer and the balance of the playground. Alternatively, a specific person (setting staff) at the amusement hall performs the setting operation outside the business hours after the previous day's business ends.

  This setting value setting operation is performed, for example, as follows. First, unlock the slot machine, open the front door from the main unit, insert the setting key into the setting key insertion hole of the setting key switch provided in the internal power box, rotate it in the specified direction, and set Switch to the change mode position. Then, turn on the power switch provided in the power box, start up the gaming machine, set the MPU to the setting change mode, and is currently set in the display unit such as the credit number display unit provided on the front door of the main unit. Display the set value.

  Then, under this setting change mode state, the reset switch provided in the power supply box is operated to repeatedly display the setting values 1 to 6 in order on the display unit, and when the desired setting value is displayed, Operate the start lever or start button to select the desired set value. After selection, turn the setting key in the reverse direction to switch to normal game mode, remove it from the setting key insertion hole, turn off the power switch to turn off the power, end the setting change mode, and set the setting value to the selected value change. Then, the front door is closed and locked to finish a series of setting operations. When the power switch is turned on in this state and the gaming machine is started up, the MPU enters the normal game mode, and normal games can be performed.

  FIG. 5 shows a circuit configuration of a main part including a setting key switch in a conventional slot machine, and has a power supply board 50 and a control board 60. The power supply board 50 is housed in the above-described power supply box, in which a power supply circuit 51 for supplying driving power to each electronic device of the slot machine, a connector 52 for connecting a control board, and the like are mounted. A power switch (not shown), a reset switch (not shown), a setting key switch 55 operated by a setting key, and the like are connected.

  The control board 60 controls the gaming operation of the slot machine and is housed in a board storage box inside the slot machine. Here, the MPU 61 as a one-chip microcomputer, which is an arithmetic unit, sensors and switches. An input / output interface 62 connected to various input / output means such as a connector 63 for connecting a power supply board is mounted.

  The MPU 61 stores various control programs such as a winning lottery program executed by the MPU 61, a ROM 64 storing a winning table corresponding to each setting value described above, and various data for executing the control program stored in the ROM 64. Various circuits such as a RAM 65, a random number counter 66, and a lottery means 67 are temporarily stored. Note that the random number counter 66 may be provided outside the MPU 61.

  In the power supply board 50 and the control board 60, the connector 52 mounted on the power supply board 50 and the connector 63 mounted on the control board 60 are connected via the power supply harness 70. The necessary power is supplied to 60, and the state of the setting key switch 55 and the reset switch connected to the power supply board 50 is monitored by the MPU 61.

  Here, the setting key switch 55 has been a normally open switch. It is common knowledge that in the design of an electric circuit, it is common practice to adopt a configuration that makes it difficult to short-circuit as much as possible. As one of the methods, normally, a high (H) level is output with off and a low ( This is because it is common to use a normally open switch that is L) level.

  The input port of the MPU 61 connected to the setting key switch 55 via the connection pins (the 9th pin in the figure) of the connectors 52 and 63 is connected to the power supply board via the pull-up resistor 68 provided in the input / output interface 62. A power supply voltage (+5 V in the figure) fed from 50 is applied and is normally at a high (H) level, and the MPU 61 is set to the normal game mode.

  When changing the set value of the winning probability, the setting key switch 55 is turned on and connected to the ground (GND) by operating the setting key, so that the corresponding input port of the MPU 61 is set to the low (L) level. The MPU 61 is set to a setting change mode.

JP 2001-120724 A

  However, in the conventional slot machine described above, the setting key switch 55 is a normally open switch, which is turned on by the operation of the setting key and connected to the GND so that the MPU 61 enters the setting change mode. A comb-like metal body 75 as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 5 is inserted from the gap of the slot machine and inserted into, for example, the connector 52, whereby the 9th pin to which the setting key switch 55 of the connector 52 is connected, and GND The connection pin (No. 8 in the figure) connected to is short-circuited by the metal body 75, changed from the normal game mode to the setting change mode, and the set value of the winning probability of the slot machine is displayed and confirmed. Or even insert a wire etc. and operate the reset switch to change the set value to the set value 6 with the highest probability. There is concern that fraud is carried out, such as.

  The above-mentioned problem occurs not only in the slot machine but also in other gaming machines in which the winning probability can be set, for example, pachinko gaming machines.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention made in view of such circumstances is to provide a gaming machine that can reliably prevent an act of illegally confirming or changing the set value of the winning probability.

  The invention according to claim 1, which achieves the above object, has a setting key switch connected to an arithmetic device mounted on a control board via a connector, and the arithmetic device is operated as a normal game by operating the setting key switch. In the gaming machine that can be switched from the normal gaming mode for controlling the game to the setting change mode that can change the setting of the winning probability of the game, the setting key switch has a first contact connected to the power source and a first contact connected to the ground. It has two contacts, and is configured to connect to the first contact when the normal game mode is selected, and to connect to the second contact when the setting change mode is selected. To do.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the gaming machine of the first aspect, an overcurrent detection circuit is provided in connection with the setting key switch.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the setting key switch selects the normal game mode, it is connected to the first contact connected to the power source, so that the comb-like metal body is inserted into the connector. When the pin connected to the setting key switch and the pin connected to the ground are connected via a metal body, the power supply is short-circuited, and the arithmetic device changes from the normal game mode to the setting change mode as in the past. There is no switching. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent an act of illegally confirming or changing the set value of the winning probability.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the setting key switch is short-circuited due to an improper act, an overcurrent is detected by the overcurrent detection circuit. Depending on the function of the circuit, it is possible to reduce the power supply voltage by detecting overcurrent, and then automatically return to continue the game or shut off the power supply, so that the power supply circuit can be properly protected .

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a gaming machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, a slot machine is taken as an example of a gaming machine.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the front door 3 of the slot machine 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is closed, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the front door 3 of the slot machine 1 is opened. It is.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the slot machine 1 according to the present embodiment includes a housing 4 having a main body 2 and a front door 3 that is substantially rectangular in a front view.

  The main body 2 is a member that forms the skeleton of the slot machine 1 and has a box shape with the front side opened as shown in FIG. Inside the main body 2 are mounted a plurality of rotating drums 11 on which various symbols are displayed, a substrate storage box 12 that stores a circuit board that controls the slot machine 1, a power switch 13a, a reset switch 13b, and the like. The power supply box 13 having the setting key insertion hole 13c, the auxiliary tank 14a for storing medals as game media, and the medals in the auxiliary tank 14a are paid out from the payout passage 7 to the medal payout exit 41. The hopper 14 provided with the payment apparatus 14b etc. are accommodated.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the front door 3 is attached so that the upper and lower two portions of the left side are connected to the main body 2 by hinges 5 so that the front open portion of the main body 2 can be easily closed and opened. Has been. The front door 3 is provided with a locking device 9, and the main body 2 and the front door 3 can be locked in the state shown in FIG. 1 by the locking device 9.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the front door 3 includes three parts, a display unit 3 </ b> A, an operation unit 3 </ b> B, and a storage unit 3 </ b> C in order from the top to the bottom. The display unit 3A is provided along the upper side of the front door 3 and lights up and blinks as the game progresses. The display unit 3A is disposed on each of the left and right sides of the upper lamp 28 at various positions. And a liquid crystal display 22 (hereinafter abbreviated as “LCD”) disposed between the pair of speakers 21 and displaying various information such as images and videos.

  Further, a viewing window 23 for visually recognizing the plurality of rotating drums 11 rotating in the housing 4 is provided at a substantially central height position of the display unit 3A. A bet lamp 24 that is turned on according to the number of bets (number of beds) is provided. At the bottom of the display unit 3A, a credit number display unit 25, a game number display unit 26, and a payout number display unit 27 are provided in order from the left side to the right side.

  The operation section 3B is bent at the lower end of the display section 3A and extends toward the front side (front side), and is bent at the end on the front side of the plane section 31 and faces downward. A vertical wall portion 32 that hangs down is provided, and the plane portion 31 is provided with one and two bet buttons 33 and 34 at the left side position, and 3 at the right side position. A so-called max bet button 35 for a sheet is provided. A medal slot 36 is disposed on the right side of the plane portion 31.

  In the substantially central portion of the upper portion of the vertical wall portion 32, in order from the left side to the right side, a start lever 37 for instructing rotation start of the rotary drum 11 and a stop button 38 for instructing rotation stop of the rotating rotary drum 11 Is provided. The start lever 37 protrudes from the vertical wall portion 32 toward the front side, and is operated by pushing down or pushing up. The stop button 38 is disposed at a position corresponding to each rotary drum 11 and is operated by a pushing operation. In addition, a display plate 39 on which a model name of the slot machine 1 and characters related to the game are displayed is provided below the operation unit 3B.

  The storage unit 3C is arranged and formed so as to extend in the left-right direction at a position below the operation unit 3B. The storage unit 3C receives and stores medals paid out from the medal payout port 41, and the like. Is provided.

  Next, the control board stored in the board storage box 12 and the power supply board stored in the power supply box 13 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the power supply board 50 accommodated in the power supply box 13 has a power supply circuit 51 for supplying driving power to each electronic device of the slot machine 1 and a control board connection, as described in FIG. Are connected to the power switch 13a, the reset switch 13b, and the setting key switch 55 operated by a setting key.

  In addition, the control board 60 accommodated in the board storage box 12 includes an MPU 61 as a one-chip microcomputer, which is an arithmetic unit for controlling the gaming operation of the slot machine 1, sensors and switches, as described in FIG. An input / output interface 62 connected to various input / output means such as a power source, a connector 63 for connecting a power supply board, and the like are mounted.

  The MPU 61 stores various control programs such as a winning lottery program executed by the MPU 61, a ROM 64 storing a winning table corresponding to each setting value of the winning probability described above, and various kinds of control programs stored in the ROM 64. Various circuits such as a RAM 65, a random number counter 66, and a lottery means 67 for temporarily storing the data are incorporated. Note that the random number counter 66 may be provided outside the MPU 61.

  In the power supply board 50 and the control board 60, the connector 52 mounted on the power supply board 50 and the connector 63 mounted on the control board 60 are connected via the power supply harness 70, whereby the power supply board 50 and the control board 60 are connected. While the required power is supplied, the state of the setting key switch 55 and the reset switch 13b connected to the power supply board 50 by the MPU 61 is monitored.

  In the present embodiment, the setting key switch 55 has a first contact 55a connected to a power source (+ 5V in the figure) and a second contact 55b connected to GND, and these first contacts 55a and the second contact 55b can be switched and connected, and is normally connected to the first contact 55a. Accordingly, the input port of the MPU 61 connected to the setting key switch 55 via the connection pins (the 9th pin in the figure) of the connectors 52 and 63 is normally at the H level when the power supply voltage is applied. The MPU 61 is in a normal game mode for controlling a normal game operation.

  When changing the set value of the winning probability, the setting key switch 55 is connected to the second contact 55b, so that the corresponding input port of the MPU 61 is connected to the GND and becomes L level. It switches to the setting change mode that can change the setting value of the winning probability.

  Therefore, the setting value setting operation of the slot machine 1 according to the present embodiment is performed as follows, for example. First, the locking device 9 is released, the front door 3 is opened from the main body 2, and a setting key (not shown) is inserted into a setting key insertion hole 13c provided in the power supply box 13 to rotate in a predetermined direction. Then, the setting key switch 55 is switched from the first contact 55a to the second contact 55b, and then the power switch 13a provided in the power supply box 13 is turned on.

  Then, the MPU 61 is started as a setting change mode, and the currently set value is displayed on the credit number display unit 25. Then, in this setting change mode state, the reset switch 13b provided in the power supply box 13 is operated to repeatedly display the setting values 1 to 6 in order on the credit number display unit 25, and the desired setting value is displayed. During operation, the start lever 37 is operated to select a desired set value.

  After the selection, the setting key is rotated in the reverse direction to the normal game mode position, the setting key switch 55 is switched from the second contact 55b to the first contact 55a, and the setting key is inserted from the setting key insertion hole 13c. The power switch 13a is turned off, the power is turned off, the setting change mode is terminated, the setting value is fixed to the selected value, a series of setting operations is terminated, and the front door 3 is closed and locked.

  According to the present embodiment, when the normal key mode 55 is selected, the setting key switch 55 is connected to the first contact 55a connected to the power source and the corresponding input port of the MPU 61 is set to the H level to change the setting. When the mode is selected, the setting key switch 55 is connected to the second contact 55b connected to the GND so that the corresponding input port of the MPU 61 is set to the L level. For example, a comb-like metal body 75 as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 5 is inserted from the gap between the main body 2 and the front door 3 and inserted into the connector 52 or 63, and the setting key switch 55 is connected. When the 9th pin and the connection pin (8th pin in the figure) connected to GND are connected via the metal body 75, the power supply is short-circuited. Therefore, the MPU 61 does not switch from the normal game mode to the setting change mode as in the conventional case, so that it is possible to reliably prevent an act of illegally checking or changing the winning probability setting value. .

In FIG. 3, the input port of the MPU 61 to which the setting key switch 55 is connected is connected to the power supply via the pull-up resistor 68 in the input / output interface 62. Since the power supply voltage is applied to the corresponding input port of the MPU 61 via the setting key switch 55, the power supply connection by the pull-up resistor 68 can be omitted.
(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 4 is a view showing a circuit configuration of the main part including the setting key switch of the slot machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In the present embodiment, in the first embodiment, an overcurrent detection circuit 56 is mounted on the power supply board 50 and connected to the setting key switch 55, thereby detecting a short circuit of the setting key switch 55. The other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment.

  The overcurrent detection circuit 56 includes means for outputting an alarm signal to a hall computer or the like when an overcurrent is detected. Therefore, fraudulent acts can be easily found on the store side.

  The overcurrent detection circuit 56 includes means for reducing the power supply voltage when an overcurrent is detected, or shutting off the power supply and automatically recovering after the overcurrent disappears to restore the power supply voltage.

  Therefore, a person who intends to cheat inserts the metal body 75 into the connector 52 or 63 and connects the 9th pin to which the setting key switch 55 is connected to the 8th pin connected to the GND to turn on the power. When a short circuit occurs, the overcurrent detection circuit 56 automatically cuts off the power supply voltage. Therefore, the power supply substrate 50 can be prevented from being damaged and appropriately protected.

  Then, when the metal body 75 is removed and the short circuit is released, the power supply is automatically restored, and a game is possible. Therefore, the store side can prevent the power supply board 50 from being destroyed by an unauthorized act, and can save the trouble of repairing and replacing the power supply board 50. In addition, it is possible to avoid a decrease in sales due to the inability to play during repair.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the second embodiment, instead of the overcurrent detection circuit 56, a fuse that cuts off the power supply due to overcurrent can be mounted. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described slot machine, and can be effectively applied to other gaming machines in which a winning probability can be set, for example, a pachinko gaming machine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the front door of the slot machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention is closed. Similarly, it is a perspective view which shows the state which opened the front door of the slot machine. Similarly, it is a figure which shows the circuit structure of the principal part containing the setting key switch of a slot machine. It is a diagram showing a circuit configuration of a main part including a setting key switch of the slot machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the circuit structure of the principal part containing the setting key switch of the conventional slot machine.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Slot machine 2 Main body 3 Front door 11 Rotating drum 12 Board storage box 13 Power supply box 13a Power switch 13b Reset switch 13c Setting key insertion hole 37 Start lever 50 Power supply board 51 Power supply circuit 52 Connector 55 Setting key switch 55a First contact 55b Second contact 56 Overcurrent detection circuit 60 Control board 61 MPU
62 I / O interface 63 Connector 64 ROM
65 RAM
66 Random number counter 67 Lottery means 68 Pull-up resistor 70 Power harness

Claims (2)

Probability of game play from normal game mode having a setting key switch connected via a connector to the arithmetic device mounted on the control board, and controlling the arithmetic device by controlling the setting key switch. In a gaming machine that can be switched to a setting change mode that can change the setting of
The setting key switch has a first contact connected to a power source and a second contact connected to the ground, and is connected to the first contact when the normal game mode is selected. The gaming machine is configured to be connected to the second contact when the setting change mode is selected. 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising an overcurrent detection circuit connected to the setting key switch.

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