JP2006116286A - Auto play adapter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an auto play adapter easily connected to a slot machine and a tokenless game apparatus, when introducing the tokenless game apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The tokenless game apparatus is provided with a hopper token discharge signal issuing means connected to a slot machine and emitting a hopper token discharge signal when detecting a hopper driving voltage, and a token feed signal issuing means. The tokenless game apparatus is further provided with an output mechanism of outputting an external synchronous signal enabling the connection of this auto play adapter to be connected as a separate body, so that a player can attain the function of the auto play as necessary even after introducing the tokenless game apparatus by adding this auto play adapter of a separate body from the tokenless game apparatus. The connector used by connecting a stop button signal from a centralized terminal board becomes a general-purpose type to facilitate the connection of the auto play adapter to a slot body. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to an auto play adapter used for a coin-free device.

When a coin-free device is introduced, there is only a method of selecting either a medal-free device without an auto play function or a medal-free device having an auto play function from the beginning. In addition, the means of connecting to a stop switch, etc., to realize the auto play operation that was used to realize the auto play function is complicated, and in order to install the auto play device, very troublesome work is required. there were.

A coin-free device having both a coin-free device function and an auto-play function used in a slot machine has been conventionally used, but the auto-play function is not necessarily required by all players. In addition, when a player who does not require an auto play function introduces a coin-free device with an auto play function, the cost of parts and the like added to realize the unnecessary auto play function is increased, resulting in unnecessary expenses. It was. A player who has previously determined that the auto play function is not necessary has introduced a coin-free device without an auto play function, and has to replace the coin-free device when the auto play function is required due to subsequent circumstances. In addition, when attaching a medal-free device having an auto play function, it is troublesome because a plurality of connectors must be attached to the switch of the slot machine.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention comprises a means for outputting a start signal, a means for detecting a stop switch, and a means for outputting a stop switch signal. In the auto play adapter
An auto play adapter is provided that includes an external synchronization signal input for starting an auto play operation.

Further, the present invention inputs an external synchronization signal output from the coin unnecessary device and starts an auto play operation after coin insertion is performed by the auto bet function of the coin unnecessary device and when replaying is determined. Features.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that as a means for detecting a stop switch and a means for outputting a stop switch signal, input / output is performed from a concentrated terminal board using a relay harness.

The present invention is characterized in that it can be electrically connected separately from the coin unnecessary device.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, after the player introduces a coin-free device that is not initially equipped with an auto-play function, the player can connect a separate auto-play adapter to the coin-free device if necessary. You can now choose to add a play function. It is possible to easily cope with a change in the purpose of use of the player's coin unnecessary device.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the auto play operation can be started either after the coin insertion signal is output as the auto play operation start signal or at the time of replay winning.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the stop switch control signal of the auto play adapter is connected to the stop switch of the slot machine, if the control signal is directly connected to the stop switch portion, it differs depending on the manufacturer of the slot machine. The auto-play adapter is also complicated to manufacture due to the different connector shape and electrical characteristics of the switch. The specifications are standardized by connecting the stop switch control signal by connecting the connection connector of the board called the centralized terminal board for slot machine testing, which is a common specification by the slot machine manufacturing organization, with a relay harness. The connector for the centralized terminal board is connected to each slot machine manufacturer, so there is no difference in connectors for relay harnesses and the electrical characteristics are unified, so it is only necessary to manufacture a common unit, simplifying the manufacture of auto play adapters. Therefore, the cost can be reduced compared with the cost of manufacturing the auto play adapter corresponding to each slot machine. In order to realize the auto play function, it is necessary to control three stop switches. Depending on the type of slot machine, it is troublesome to connect each stop switch with a connector, etc. Since the signal of the stop switch can be electrically connected with one connector, the connection of the auto play adapter can be facilitated.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the connection between the coin unnecessary device and the auto play device is one external synchronization signal, the electrical connection between the auto play device and the coin unnecessary device is simplified and can be easily detached. It becomes like this.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the overall configuration of a control circuit for a coin unnecessary device, a control circuit for a slot machine, and a control circuit for an auto play adapter.

The slot machine 300 outputs power for operating the coin blocker 311 from the main control board 301 to the coin blocker 311 when the coin insertion as a bet medium can be accepted, and operates the coin blocker 311. The coin blocker 311 guides the inserted coins to the coin selector when in the operating state, and returns the inserted coins from the coin discharge port in the non-operating state.
The inserted coin passes through the coin selector 312 when the coin blocker is in operation, and outputs a coin insertion signal to the main control board 301 to notify that the coin has been inserted.

When the bet switch 104 is pressed, the bet switch 104 determines from the coin blocker driving input 105 whether or not the coin blocker is in an operating state. A coin insertion signal is output from 106, and a bet is made by performing the same operation as when a coin is inserted into the coin selector.

When the auto play adapter 200 is not connected, the signal level and signal logic of the signal of the stop 1 switch 321 are corrected by the switch circuit 324 and connected from the common 1 connector 330 to the common 2 connector 331 and connected to the concentrated terminal plate 332. The common 2 connector 331 is connected to the common 1 connector 330 via the buffer circuit of the concentrated terminal board 332 and is connected to the main control board 301. The stop 2 switch 322 and the stop 3 switch 323 are also connected to the main control board 301 through the same path.

The concentrated terminal board 332 is a board of common specifications defined by the slot manufacturing organization, and is a terminal board used mainly for inspection of slot machines. Electrical connection to the concentrated terminal plate 332 is made from the common two connector 331.

The auto play adapter 200 uses the relay harness 340 to connect the connector connected from the common 1 connector 330 to the common 2 connector 331, and outputs the stop 1 switch 321, stop 2 switch 322, and stop 3 switch 323. Only the switch pressing signal is electrically connected to the auto play adapter 200 and the signal after signal processing is connected to the concentrated terminal board 332.

Although the relay harness 340 is not shown, signals other than the stop switch are directly connected from the harness 1 connector 341 to the harness 2 connector 342.

The shape of the common two connector 331 connected to the concentrated terminal plate 332 is not different depending on the manufacturer and model of the slot machine since the specification of the concentrated terminal plate 332 is determined by the slot machine manufacturing organization. Therefore, the harness 1 connector 341 and the harness 2 connector 342 used for the relay harness 340 connected to the common 2 connector 331 and the common 1 connector 330 can use connectors having the same specifications. This is useful for reducing manufacturing costs by using connectors with common specifications to support different types of slot machines.

The signal of the stop 1 switch 321 is corrected in signal level and logic by the switch circuit 324, connected to the common 1 connector 330, connected to the harness 1 connector 341, and connected to the stop switch 1 signal input 205 of the auto play adapter.

The signal connected to the stop switch 1 signal input 205 automatically outputs the same signal from the stop switch 1 signal output 210 when the stop 1 switch 321 is pressed during the auto play operation according to the program of the CPU 201, and the auto play is not activated. When the stop 1 switch 321 is pressed, the pressed state is output from the stop switch 1 signal output 210.
By this operation, switching between auto play and manual play can be realized.

The signal output from the stop switch 1 signal output 210 is connected to the harness 2 connector 342, connected to the common 2 connector 331, and electrically connected to the concentrated terminal plate 332. The signal paths of the stop 2 switch 322 and the stop 3 switch 323 are also connected in the same manner as the stop 1 switch 321.

The slot machine 300 waits for a signal to press the start lever 320 when a coin is inserted and bet, and controls the reel control 310 when the start lever 320 is pressed to control the left reel 1 and the middle reel 2 of the slot machine 300. Then, the rotation of the right reel 3 is started.

Although not shown, the left reel 1 is provided with a motor and a rotating reel fixed to the output shaft of the motor, and the motor can be controlled by the reel control 310 to rotate and stop. The middle reel 2 and the right reel 3 have the same structure.

Each reel started by pressing the start lever 320 waits for a predetermined time, and then receives a pressing signal from the stop 1 switch 321, the stop 2 switch 322, and the stop 3 switch 323. The stop 1 switch 321 receives the left reel 1, The stop 2 switch 322 is controlled from the main control board 301 so that the middle reel 2 and the stop 3 switch 323 stop the right reel 3 by pressing the respective switches.

The stop 1 switch 321 is connected to the main control board 301 and notifies that the stop switch has been pressed. When the left reel 1 is rotating, pressing the stop 1 switch 321 stops the rotation of the left reel 1.

The stop 2 switch 322 is connected to the main control board 301 and notifies that the stop switch has been pressed. When the middle reel 2 is rotating, the rotation of the middle reel 2 is stopped by pressing the stop 2 switch 322.

The stop 3 switch 323 is connected to the main control board 301 and notifies that the stop switch has been pressed. When the right reel 3 is rotating, pressing the stop 3 switch 323 stops the rotation of the right reel 3.

Each reel that is rotating does not stop the stop 1 switch 321, stop 2 switch 322, and stop 3 switch 323, but performs a stop operation by a program of the main control board 301 when a predetermined time elapses.

When it is determined that the main control board 301 has won a prize after all the reels have stopped, a predetermined number of coins are paid out as a player's profit.

There are cases where coins that have been won and won are counted and reserved in the slot machine 300 up to a predetermined number. In a slot machine to which no coin unnecessary device is connected, when a coin that has benefited the player due to the winning is paid out, first, hopper driving power is supplied from the main control board 301 to the hopper device, and the motor power of the hopper device 313 is used. One coin is paid out. When one coin is paid out, a coin discharge pulse is output from the payout coin sensor of the hopper device 313 and notified to the main control board 301.

The main control board 301 supplies hopper driving power to the hopper device 313 until the number of payouts reaches a predetermined number, and stops hopper driving power when detecting coin discharge pulses for the expected payout number.

In the slot machine to which the coin unnecessary device 100 is connected, the hopper driving power connected to the hopper device 313 is detected by the hopper driving input 108, and when the hopper driving power is detected, the hopper device is detected from the coin discharge pulse output 107. A coin discharge signal equivalent to 313 is output to the main control board 301. This operation is repeated until the hopper driving power is cut off by the hopper driving input 108. Even if the hopper device 313 is not provided, the slot machine 300 performs the same processing as when the hopper device 313 is connected.

When the auto bet switch 103 is in the ON state, the auto bet mode is entered, and the coin blocker drive input 105 is periodically searched within the processing loop. Output to the control board 301 to perform a betting operation. Further, a pulse signal of about 100 msec is output to the external synchronization signal output 109 to notify the auto play adapter 200 that a bet has been placed in the auto bet mode.

In the auto bet mode, a pulse signal of about 100 msec, which is equivalent to that after coin insertion, is output from the external synchronization signal output 109 after detecting a continuous OFF state for 5 sec at the time of coin blocker driving state search assuming a re-game winning. This is because when the coin blocker is not driven for more than 5 seconds, it can be assumed that the game is in replay. The pulse signal output from the external synchronization signal output 109 is not limited to 100 msec, as long as it has a pulse width that can be acquired by the auto play adapter 200.
If the auto play adapter 200 is in the OFF state while the auto bet switch 103 is ON, it functions only as an auto bet.

The auto play adapter 200 starts the auto play operation when the auto play flag defined as the auto play operation is ON is 1. When it is detected that a pulse is input from the external synchronization signal input 203, a pulse of about 500 msec, which is equivalent to when the start lever switch 320 is pressed from the start signal output 204 after a lapse of 0 msec to 200 msec WAIT time selected by a predetermined time + random number. Is output to the main control board 301 in the same manner as when the start lever switch 320 is pressed.
Here, the WAIT time based on random numbers is added because the start signal output 204 is output at a time interval having a certain periodicity, and a start signal is output in order to prevent the occurrence of bias in the winning lottery of the slot machine 300 This is to give fluctuations to the timing to perform.

In the slot machine 300, a process of starting all rotations of the left reel 1, the middle reel 2, and the right reel 3 by the reel control 310 in response to a start lever switch signal is performed.

After a signal is output from the start signal output 204 as a continuation of the auto play operation, a signal is output from the stop switch 1 signal output 210 to the main control board 301 after a predetermined time has elapsed. By this signal, the main board 301 stops the left reel 1. After a signal is output from the stop switch 1 signal output 210, a signal is output from the stop switch 2 signal output 209 to the main control board 301 after a predetermined time has elapsed. By this signal, the main board 301 stops the middle reel 2. After a signal is output from the stop switch 2 signal output 209, after a predetermined time has elapsed, a signal is output from the stop switch 3 signal output 208 to the main control board 301. By this signal, the main board 301 stops the right reel 3.

In the auto play adapter 200, the stop switch 1 signal input 205, the stop switch 2 signal input 206, and the stop switch 3 signal input 207 correspond to the pressed states of the stop 1 switch 321, the stop 2 switch 322, and the stop 3 switch 323, respectively. The switch for turning on or off the operation of the auto play adapter 200 can be performed according to a pattern in which a plurality of switches are pressed.

An auto play flag is defined in the CPU 201 in order to determine whether the auto play operation is ON by the control program. When the auto play flag 1 is set, the auto play operation is ON. When the auto play flag 0 is set, the auto play operation is OFF.

When the stop switch 1 and the stop switch 2 are pressed simultaneously, the auto play flag is set to 1. When the stop switch 2 and the stop switch 3 are pressed simultaneously, the auto play flag is set to 0. For this reason, the stop 1 switch 321, the stop 2 switch 322, and the stop 3 switch 323 can execute two functions, that is, a function of stopping the reel of the slot machine 300 and an ON / OFF of the auto play operation. it can.

Next, the main operation of the coin unnecessary apparatus 100 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, if the hopper drive input 108 is ON in step 500, the coin hopper device 313 is requested to perform a coin output operation, and the process proceeds to step 510 of the coin payout process. If it is OFF, the process proceeds to step 501.

In step 510, a coin discharge pulse is output from the coin discharge pulse output 107 to the main control board 301 to make the operation the same as the operation in which the hopper device 313 paid out coins, and then the hopper device 313 pays out one coin. After waiting for about 100 msec, which is about the time, return to (1).

In step 501, the state of the auto bet switch 103 is detected. If it is OFF, the process proceeds to step 502, and the depression of the bet switch 104 is detected. If the bet switch 104 has not been pressed, the process returns to (1). If the bet switch 104 has been pressed, the process proceeds to step 503.

In step 503, the state of the coin blocker driving input 105 is detected. If no driving voltage is input, the process returns to (1). When a driving voltage is input, a coin insertion pulse is output from the coin insertion pulse output 106 to the main control board 301, and after that, the coin selector waits for about 100 msec corresponding to the time for processing one coin, and then, ▲ 1 Return to ▼.

Step 520 is the start of the procedure of the auto bet operation. The state of the coin blocker driving input 105 is detected to determine whether or not a coin can be inserted. If a driving voltage is input, the coin can be inserted and the process proceeds to step 525 of the coin inserting operation. After a coin insertion signal is output to the control board 301 and the coin selector waits for about 100 msec corresponding to the time for processing one coin, the process proceeds to step 523.

In step 521, the elapsed time of the timer 1 for determining whether or not the coin blocker driving input 105 is continuously OFF for a predetermined time for replaying is confirmed. If the timer 1 has elapsed for 5 seconds or more, that is, if the coil blocker drive input 105 is OFF for 5 seconds or more, it is assumed that the game is in a re-game and the process proceeds to step 523. If timer 1 is within 5 seconds, return to (1).

In step 523, the time of the external synchronization pulse width, which is the start operation timing of the auto play adapter 200, is a waiting time for the auto play adapter 200 to receive and may not be strictly 100 msec. After outputting the external synchronization signal, the timer 1 is cleared to 0 (step 524). After clearing timer 1, proceed to (1).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an outline of processing of the auto play adapter 200 connected to the coin unnecessary device 100 of the present invention.
First, an auto play flag, which is a flag for controlling ON and OFF of the auto play operation, is set to 0. When the auto play flag = 0, the auto play operation is OFF (step 600).

In step 601, the input of the synchronization signal is determined from the external synchronization signal input 203. If there is a synchronization input, the process proceeds to step 602. If there is no synchronization input, the process proceeds to step 620 for determining the state of the stop switch and changing the auto play flag.

It is checked whether the auto play is currently in the operation ON state or the auto play flag is 1. When the auto play flag is 0, the auto play operation is not executed and the process returns to (1) (step 602). If the auto play flag is 1, the process proceeds to step 603 to execute the auto play operation.

After confirming the input of the synchronization signal from the external synchronization signal input 203, first WAIT is performed (step 603), and a WAIT time of 0 to 200 msec is determined by a random number and WAIT is performed (step 604). This WAIT based on random numbers is for giving fluctuations to the operation time so that the timing of the next start signal output has some periodicity and bias does not occur in the winning lottery of the slot machine 300.

In step 605, a 100 msec pulse signal is output from the start signal output 204 to the main control board 301. When a signal is output from the start signal output 204, the main control board 301 is controlled to start the rotation of the left reel 1, the middle reel 2, and the right reel 3 to the reel control 310. WAIT for 2 seconds until the rotation of all reels is stabilized (step 606).

Next, a 100 msec pulse signal is output from the stop switch 1 signal output 210 to stop the left reel 1 (step 607). WAIT for 1 sec before the next operation is performed (step 608).

Next, a 100 msec pulse signal is output from the stop switch 2 signal output 209 to stop the middle reel 2 (step 609). WAIT for 1 sec before the next operation is performed (step 610).

Next, a 100 msec pulse signal is output from the stop switch 3 signal output 208 to stop the right reel 3 (step 611). Thus, all the reels have been stopped, and one round of auto play is completed. Return to ▲ 1 ▼

Step 620 is a process for changing the auto play flag and turning on the auto play operation by detecting a state where the stop switch 1 and the stop switch 2 of the slot machine 300 are pressed simultaneously.
If the stop switch 1 input signal is ON and at the same time the stop switch 2 signal is ON, the process proceeds to step 621. Otherwise, go to step 622.

In step 621, since it is detected that the stop switch 1 and the stop switch 2 that are instructions for turning on the auto play operation are simultaneously pressed, the auto play flag is set to 1 and the process returns to (1).

Step 622 is a process for changing the auto play flag and turning off the auto play operation according to the state in which the stop switch 2 and the stop switch 3 of the slot machine 300 are simultaneously pressed.
If the stop switch 2 input signal is ON and the signal of the stop switch 3 is ON at the same time, the process proceeds to step 623. Otherwise, go to step 624.

Since step 623 is a state in which the stop switch 2 and the stop switch 3 which are instructions for turning off the auto play operation are being pressed at the same time, the auto play flag is set to 0 and the process returns to (1).

Since the start lever 320, the stop 1 switch 321, the stop 2 switch 322, and the stop 3 switch 323 of the slot machine 300 are connected to the main control board 301, even when the auto play adapter 200 is connected, Can operate as a function.

Step 624 and subsequent steps are processing for operating the stop switch as a manual operation when auto play is not in operation. If the stop switch 1 input signal is ON, the process proceeds to step 625. If it is OFF, the process proceeds to step 626.

In step 625, since the stop 1 switch is ON, the stop switch 1 signal output is turned ON. In step 626, since the stop 1 switch is OFF, the stop switch 1 signal output is turned OFF. By this processing, the state of the stop 1 switch 321 is transmitted to the concentrated terminal board 332 as it is.

The step 627 proceeds to step 628 when the stop switch 2 input signal is ON. If it is OFF, the process proceeds to step 629.

In step 628, since the stop 2 switch is ON, the stop switch 2 signal output is turned ON. In step 629, since the stop 2 switch is OFF, the stop switch 2 signal output is turned OFF. By this processing, the state of the stop 2 switch 322 is transmitted to the concentrated terminal board 332 as it is.

Step 630 proceeds to Step 631 when the input signal of the stop switch 3 is ON. If it is OFF, the process proceeds to step 632.

In step 631, since the stop 3 switch 323 is ON, the stop switch 3 signal output 208 is turned ON. In step 632, since the stop 3 switch 323 is OFF, the stop switch 3 signal output 208 is turned OFF. By this processing, the state of the stop 3 switch 323 is transmitted to the concentrated terminal board 332 as it is.

The external synchronization signal output 109 and the external synchronization signal input 203 are connected using a cable for electrical connection or a connector that can be easily detached.

It is a block diagram which shows the schematic structure of the coin unnecessary apparatus, auto play adapter, and slot machine by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process outline of the coin unnecessary apparatus by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process outline of the auto play adapter by one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Left reel 2 ... Middle reel 3 ... Right reel 100 ... Coin unnecessary apparatus 101 ... CPU (coin unnecessary apparatus)
102 ... I / O port (coin-free device)
103 ... Auto bet switch 104 ... Bet switch 105 ... Coin blocker drive input 106 ... Coin insertion pulse output 107 ... Coin discharge pulse output 108 ... Hopper drive input 109 ... External synchronization Signal output 200... Auto play adapter 201... CPU (auto play adapter)
202 ... I / O port (auto play adapter)
203 ... External synchronization signal input 204 ... Start signal output 205 ... Stop switch 1 signal input 206 ... Stop switch 2 signal input 207 ... Stop switch 3 signal input 208 ... Stop switch 3 signal Output 209 ... Stop switch 2 signal output 210 ... Stop switch 1 signal output 300 ... Slot machine 310 ... Reel 1, 2, 3 control 311 ... Coin blocker 312 ... Coin selector 313 .... Hopper device 320 ... Start lever switch 321 ... Stop 1 switch 322 ... Stop 2 switch 323 ... Stop 3 switch 330 ... Common 1 connector 331 ... Common 2 connector 332 ... Concentrated terminal board 340 ... Relay harness 341 ... Harne 1 connector 342 ... harness 2 connector

Claims (4)

In an auto play adapter configured to include a means for outputting a start signal, a means for detecting a stop switch, and a means for outputting a stop switch signal.
An auto play adapter comprising an external synchronization signal input for starting auto play operation. The external synchronization signal is input after an external synchronization signal output from the coin unnecessary device is input after coin insertion is performed by the auto bet function of the coin unnecessary device and when replaying is determined, and an auto play operation is started. The auto play adapter according to claim 1. 2. The auto play adapter according to claim 1, wherein the stop switch is detected and the stop switch signal is output by inputting and outputting from a central terminal board using a relay harness. The auto play adapter according to claim 1, wherein the auto play adapter can be electrically connected separately from the coin unnecessary device.

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