JP2007037880A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To securely watch put-out control for game balls from a hopper. <P>SOLUTION: A disc rotation detecting sensor 216 for detecting rotations of a disc 206 is attached by a simple improvement of the hopper 138, and combination with an existing token-detecting sensor 140 increases a function (effect) for preventing fraud. In the constitution, a control load in a main control part 100 is not increased and the game progress is not obstructed because an assistant control part 150 judges the fraud. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a slot machine that uses medals, coins and the like as gaming media.

  Conventionally, in gaming machines, particularly pachislot machines, a predetermined number of medals are inserted and a start lever is operated to execute a lottery, and a plurality of rows (usually three rows) in which a plurality of symbols are displayed on the circumferential surface. The symbol variation reel (symbol row display means) is rotated.

  The symbol variable reels that have started to rotate by the start lever can be basically stopped at the time that the player intends by operating the corresponding stop buttons.

  Here, when the start lever is operated, the internal lottery is executed and the winning / losing is determined, and the player performs the stop operation of each symbol variable reel by the stop button and wins the internal lottery. The rights will be exercised when the symbols corresponding to the winning are available.

  There are various ways of exercising the right, such as simply paying out a predetermined number of medals or shifting to a special game. Ultimately, even in a special game, the medals will be paid out.

  For this reason, it is necessary to store a large number of medals and pay them out quickly according to the exercise of the rights (the number of medals paid out).

  The pachislot machine has a built-in hopper in order to realize a quick medal payout as described above.

  The hopper is provided with a tray for storing medals randomly (irregularly) at the upper part, and a large amount of medals are stored in advance in the tray. In this tray, medals that are inserted (including credits) when the player progresses the game are also stored.

  The lower part of the tray is a hopper drive unit, and a disk for receiving medals flowing out from the opening at the bottom of the tray is disposed at the upper end (that is, the end surface facing the tray). The disc has a so-called revolver shape, and accommodation holes that can accommodate medals one by one are arranged uniformly around the rotation axis (generally, about 6 to 8 pieces).

  When the disc rotates with the driving force of the drive unit, the medals are received in the receiving holes and regularly circulate along the rotation of the disc.

  A discharge mechanism portion is provided at a part of the outer periphery of the disc, and medals stored in the storage holes are taken out one by one by the discharge mechanism portion and discharged from the hopper. Thereby, the payout of medals to the player is realized.

  By the way, in the hopper configured as described above, the opportunity for paying out medals starts when a payout instruction signal is received (input) from the main control board that controls the progress of the game (patent) Reference 1).

When the rotation of the disk is started based on the payout instruction signal, the medal switch provided in the ejecting unit detects the medal to be ejected, and feeds back the detection signal to the main control board, thereby a predetermined number of medals. Is paying out. Thereby, the number of medals set on the main control board can be paid out reliably.
JP 2004-213199 A

  However, only when there is an output of the payout instruction signal, the main control board monitors only the number of payouts of the detection signal of the medal switch, and since the control is relatively simple, the disk does not rotate. However, the medal can be forcibly ejected manually by the ejecting unit. At this time, if the function of the medal switch is interrupted, the main control board cannot be monitored.

  In particular, the main control board controls the progress of the game, and the payout state is also monitored only during a part of the time-divided period. Has become difficult.

  An object of the present invention is to obtain a gaming machine capable of reliably monitoring the payout control of gaming media from the hopper in consideration of the above facts.

  In addition to the above object, another object is to obtain a gaming machine that can realize reliable monitoring of the payout control of the game medium, which is the main object, without increasing the burden on the main control board.

  The invention according to claim 1 is a gaming machine that allows a game to be triggered by a start start operation upon receipt of a game medium, and pays out the game medium according to the state of the game. A plurality of game media including the stored game media are stored in an irregular state, and the stored game media are regularly arranged and moved along a preset circulation trajectory, and provided in a part of the circulation trajectory. A hopper mechanism for discharging from the discharged unit to the outside, a circular movement amount detecting means for detecting the circular movement amount, a game medium detecting means for detecting a game medium passing through the discharge unit, and the game medium as predetermined A first control means for outputting a payout instruction signal for several payouts, and the orbiting movement amount detected by the orbiting movement amount detection means in a state in which the first control means is outputting a payout instruction signal. And the game medium Based on the passing state of the discharge portion of the game media to be detected by the detecting means is characterized by having a second control means including monitoring means for monitoring the presence or absence of payout abnormality of the game medium.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the game medium is discharged from a discharge portion provided at a part of a predetermined circulation path, which is detected by the game medium detection means, and the first control means is a game medium. Until the hopper mechanism part pays out a predetermined number of times.

  Here, in the second control means, in a state where the first control means has issued the payout instruction signal, the circulation movement amount detected by the circulation movement amount detection means and the game medium detection means detect the discharge portion. The passing situation of the passing game medium is compared, and it is monitored that the game medium is discharged from the discharge while the hopper mechanism portion is reliably driven by the payout instruction signal. Accordingly, it is possible to reliably recognize that the game medium is paid out on the assumption that the hopper mechanism portion is driven.

  In other words, since it is possible to detect that the game medium is paid out without driving the hopper mechanism, it is possible to reliably detect, for example, the discharge of the game medium due to fraud.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the first control means and the second control means are constituted by a plurality of physically separated control boards, The control board having the function of the first control means sends out the payout instruction signal, and the control board having the function of the second control means determines whether or not the payout number and the actual payout number match. It is characterized by monitoring.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the first control means instructs the payout when the number of detected game media from the game media ejecting means reaches the predetermined number. It is characterized by stopping the signal.

  Since the payout instruction signal is stopped mainly by the detection signal of the game medium discharge means, the monitoring accuracy is improved by monitoring that the hopper mechanism is driven.

  A third aspect of the present invention is the control board according to the first or second aspect, wherein the first control means and the second control means are physically separated from each other. The control board configured and having the function of the first control means sends out the payout instruction signal, and the control board having the function of the second control means It is characterized in that it is monitored whether or not the number of game media payouts that have passed through the discharge unit coincides.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the first control means and the second control means are physically separated, and the payout number is monitored separately from the control board which is the first control means. By executing with the control board of the body, the control burden by the first control means can be reduced.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first control means controls the progress of the game based on a predetermined game specification program. The second control means is a sub-control means for controlling an operation related to an effect related to control of the progress of the game by the main control means.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, the first control means has a role as the main control means for managing the progress of the game, and by reducing the control burden of the main control board for monitoring, Therefore, it can be used for control related to the progress of the game.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the circulating mechanism for arranging and moving the game media along the circular trajectory is arranged around a disk. And a drive means for rotating the disk. The circular movement amount detection means is partially formed with a notch. A translucent part and a light-receiving part are arranged so as to sandwich the front and back of the peripheral edge of the disc, and include a photoelectric conversion sensor that detects the rotational state of the disc in a non-contact manner.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the photoelectric conversion sensor that detects the rotation of the disk in a non-contact manner is used as the circular movement amount detection means, so that the disk drive is not affected at all.

  The invention described in claim 6 is characterized in that, in the invention described in claim 5, the number of the notch portions is the same as the number of the accommodating portions and is arranged equally.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, when the detection by the photoelectric conversion sensor is performed, the number of notches on the disk is the same as the number of accommodating portions, so that the detection count matches (synchronizes) with the number of payouts for monitoring. It becomes easy to analyze.

  As described above, the present invention has an excellent effect that the payout control of game media from the hopper can be reliably monitored.

  Further, in addition to the above effects, there is an effect that it is possible to realize reliable monitoring of the payout control of the game medium as the main purpose without increasing the burden on the main control board.

(Schematic configuration of pachislot machine)
As shown in FIG. 1, the pachi-slot machine 300 includes a main body 302 and an operation / decoration portion 303 as an opening / closing cover provided on the front surface of the main body 302.

  The operation / decoration unit 303 can be classified into a decoration unit 304, an operation unit 306, and a payout unit 310 from the top.

  The decoration unit 304 has a display panel unit 312 on which a printed picture or character is transmitted and illuminated by turning on a backlight unit (not shown). In addition, as a part of the decoration part 304, a three-dimensional decoration lamp 304A is also provided in the left-right direction above the decoration part 304. In addition, speakers 305R and 305L are provided in the vicinity of the decorative lamp 304 for reproducing production sound and the like.

  The display panel unit 312 of the decoration unit 304 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) 313 for displaying a moving image for presentation, and a display window 314 for displaying a rotating display symbol. The display window 314 includes a transparent region that is integrally formed with the display panel unit 312.

  Inside the display window 314, there is disposed a symbol variation portion 316 configured with three spinning reels 350A, 350B, and 350C as main portions.

  Also, at the bottom of the display window 314, a 7-segment display 315A for displaying the number of paid-out medals as game media of the pachislot machine 300, a display for setting the remaining number of jack games and the game state (six levels), etc. A section 315B and a 7 segment display section 315C for displaying the number of credits are provided.

  The operation unit 306 has an upper portion protruding forward, and a medal insertion unit 320 is provided at the right end of the upper surface of the protruding portion. Further, the operation unit 306 is pressed down when credits are sequentially paid out from the left end of the upper surface. A settlement button 103, a single bet (insertion) button 352A, and a maximum bet (maximum input) button 352B. Further, a start lever 354, stop buttons 356A, 356B, 356C, and the like are provided in this order from the front left end of the protruding portion.

  The payout unit 310 includes a medal discharge port 326 and a tray 328 that receives a medal discharged from the medal discharge port 326.

  The three reels 350 </ b> A, 350 </ b> B, and 350 </ b> C are rotated so that symbols can be seen sequentially from the display window 314. The direction of rotation appears to move from top to bottom in FIG.

  Here, among the symbols that can be seen from the display window 314 when the rotation is stopped, a line connecting the centers of the symbols arranged in the middle row, a line connecting the centers of the symbols arranged in the upper row, and a line connecting the centers of the symbols arranged in the lower row The combination of the symbols stopped on the five active lines of the two lines respectively connecting the centers of the symbols arranged on the two diagonal lines indicates the result of the game.

  Of the five lines, which line is the effective line is determined by the number of medals inserted, and when one medal is bet, the line connecting the centers of the symbols arranged in the middle row is the effective line. If three medals are bet, all lines are valid lines.

  The stop buttons 356A, 356B, and 356C are provided below the symbol changing unit 316 and correspond to the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C. That is, the rotation of the corresponding reels 350A, 350B, and 350C can be stopped by operating the stop buttons 356A, 356B, and 356C by the player.

  Further, by operating (tilting) the start lever 354 provided on the left side of the stop buttons 356A, 356B, 356C, the reels 350A, 350B, 350C start to rotate. This rotation is normally such that the three reels 350A, 350B, 350C start rotating simultaneously.

  Further, the operation timing by the start lever 354 is an internal lottery timing which will be described later, and the winning (winning) / off is determined by the operation of the start lever 354.

  Of the lines, a line aligned in a horizontal line in the upper row is used as a reference line for stop control (including slip control) to be described later. That is, stop control is performed based on the positional relationship between the reference line and the center line of the symbol located on the reference line.

  The reels 350A, 350B, and 350C do not stop between symbols, and are always controlled to stop at the symbol pitch.

  More specifically, if there is a stop operation when the center line of the first symbol on the reference line exceeds the reference line, the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C cannot be reversed. The control for stopping the second symbol (less than the maximum symbol pitch) is a so-called bitter stop criterion immediately after the second symbol until the center line of the next second symbol coincides with the reference line.

(Control system)
FIG. 2 schematically shows a control block diagram for controlling the operation of the pachislot machine 300.

  The control system of the pachislot machine 300 is configured with the main control unit 100 as the center, and the main control unit 100 identifies medals inserted from the medal insertion unit 320, and the number and types of medals inserted (incorrect or And a stop button 356A, 356B, 356C, a MAX bet button 352B, and a single bet button 352A corresponding to the start lever 354 and the above-described reels 350A, 350B, and 350C, respectively. In addition, a settlement button 103 for returning a medal stored (credited) inside the gaming machine when the game is stopped is connected via a sensor (not shown) that detects an operation state.

  The main control unit 100 also includes a main control circuit 110 including a CPU. The main control circuit 110 mainly includes a RAM 128 that temporarily stores game progress and the like, and various programs. A stored ROM 130 is connected, and a clock pulse generation circuit 124 that generates a clock pulse that is a reference for the operation of the main control circuit 110 is connected via a frequency divider 126.

  Further, a random number generator 120 and a random number latch circuit 122 are connected to the main control circuit 110. The main control circuit 110 controls the random number generator 120 in synchronization with the clock pulse input through the frequency divider 126 to sequentially generate random numbers, and the random number latch circuit 122 generates the random number. Latch and get the random number.

  In the pachislot machine 300, an internal lottery is performed by the main control unit 100 to determine whether a major role or a small role is won at the operation timing of the start lever 354. In the main control circuit 110, the start lever 354 is operated. Then, the random number value generated by the random number generator 120 is acquired by the random number latch circuit 122 (random number). Then, a lottery result is derived according to the random number.

  If the internal lottery is a win (combination), the player can win the number of medals according to each symbol when the winning symbols are obtained by the stop operation by the subsequent stop buttons 356A, 356B, 356C. The gaming state is advantageous to the player according to the symbol.

  Here, there are small roles and big roles as roles. Among these, the major players include CT games, big bonuses (hereinafter referred to as “BB” as appropriate) and regular bonuses (hereinafter referred to as “RB” as appropriate), and the degree of advantage over the player in the corresponding games Is different. A game corresponding to RB (hereinafter referred to as “RB game” as appropriate) is composed of a plurality of small role games, and a game corresponding to BB (hereinafter referred to as “BB game” as appropriate) It is configured to include an RB game that can be won a plurality of times within a range where the number of acquired medals does not exceed the upper limit. Therefore, as a matter of course, the RB game is more advantageous to the player than the small role game, and the BB game is more advantageous to the player than the RB game.

  In addition, a motor drive circuit 132 is connected to the main control unit 100, and the motor drive circuit 132 includes left (L), middle (C), and right (R) reel motors 106A, 106B, Each of the left, middle, and right reels 350A, 350B, and 350C is connected via 106C.

  Further, the main control unit 100 is connected to a reel position detection circuit 134 for detecting the rotational positions of the three reels 350A, 350B, and 350C. The positions of 350A, 350B, and 350C can be always grasped.

  Further, in the pachislot machine 300, the symbol variation by the symbol variation unit 316 is started at the operation timing by the start lever 354. When the start lever 354 is operated, the main control unit 100 operates the motor drive circuit 132. The reel motors 106A, 106B, and 106C are respectively started to rotate, and the three reels 350A, 350B, and 350C are rotated, and the three stop buttons 356A, 356B, and 356C are operated on the basis of the subsequent operations. The rotation of the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C is stopped.

  Here, in the main control unit 100, when the rotation of the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C is stopped based on the stop operation by the stop buttons 356A, 356B, and 356C, the slip control of a predetermined number of frames is performed according to the result of the internal lottery. Is supposed to run.

  In other words, when the internal lottery is off and the stop button 356A, 356B, 356C is operated at the timing of the stop operation in which the symbol that stops only on the winning line is stopped on the active line, the stop in this symbol is intentionally stopped. In order to avoid this, the stop position is shifted (kicked off), and control is performed so that the stop position is stopped by the off symbol arrangement.

  In addition, when the internal lottery is won, even if the winning symbol does not stop at the timing of the stop operation operated by the player, if the winning symbol is within the predetermined time or the predetermined number of symbols, the winning symbol is intentionally placed on the active line. The stop position is shifted (retracted) so as to stop together.

  By kicking and pulling in the above, it is possible to make the internal lottery result and the game result uniform, and even if the stop operation timing is slightly shifted, it is possible to align the winning symbols, It prevents people from being lost.

  The main control unit 100 is connected to a hopper drive circuit 136 for operating a hopper 138 (detailed structure will be described later) provided inside the pachislot machine 300. The hopper 138 stores medals, and the main control unit 100 sends a payout instruction signal to the hopper drive circuit 136 in accordance with the stop symbol specified by the output from the reel position detection circuit 134. The payout of medals from the hopper 138 is executed by the signal.

  The hopper 138 is further provided with a medal switch detection sensor (medal switch) 140 that detects medals paid out from the hopper 138, and is connected to the main control unit 100. The main control unit 100 determines whether or not the payout is completed based on the detection signal from the medal detection sensor 140, and stops outputting the payout instruction signal when it is determined that the payout is completed.

  Further, a display lamp drive circuit 144 is connected to the main control unit 100, and the 7-segment display unit 315A, the display unit 315B, the 7-segment display unit 315C, and the activation line described above are connected via the display lamp drive circuit 144. The display lamp 146 is controlled to be turned on and off.

  On the other hand, a sub-control unit 150 is connected to the main control unit 100, and the main control unit 100 inputs a command signal indicating a control state at any time to the sub-control unit 150. In the present embodiment, as communication between the main control unit 100 and the sub control unit 150, only one-way communication from the main control unit 100 to the sub control unit 150 is executed, and the sub control unit 150 performs main communication. Communication with the control unit 100 cannot be performed at all.

  A liquid crystal control circuit 152 is connected to the sub-control unit 150, and the liquid crystal control circuit 152 controls a display state of a liquid crystal display device (LCD) 313 provided for production.

  Further, a lamp driving circuit 156 is connected to the sub-control unit 150, and is provided inside the lamp 112 incorporated in the decorative lamp 304A and the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C via the lamp driving circuit 156. The light emission of the backlight 158 and the like that emit light toward the positions facing the symbols on the peripheral surfaces of the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C displayed on the display window 314 is controlled.

  Further, a speaker drive circuit 154 is connected to the sub-control unit 150, and controls the sound (sound effect) output from the speakers 305L and 305R.

  The sub-control unit 150 executes notification effects by the LCD 313, the speakers 305L and 305R, the backlight 158, the lamp 112 built in the decoration lamp 304A, and the like according to the control state of the pachislot machine 300 of the main control unit 100.

  In particular, the LCD 313 may execute a notice effect related to the game in accordance with the result of the role lottery executed when the start lever 354 is operated, and the player sees the notice effect for the game. You can have a sense of expectation for winning in the role lottery.

(Structure of hopper 138)
3 to 5 show a schematic configuration of the hopper 138.

  As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the hopper 138 includes a hopper body 200 and a tray 202, and the tray 202 is detachable from the hopper body 200.

  The tray 202 can store medals randomly (irregularly). The upper end opening of the tray 202 has a rectangular shape, and the cross section of the accommodation volume portion is gradually narrowed toward the bottom in a taber shape. Further, the bottom of the tray 202 is opened.

  A large amount of medals are stored in advance in the tray 202 configured as described above. The tray 202 is also configured to store medals that are inserted (including credits) when the player progresses the game.

  A hopper body 200 is disposed at the bottom of the tray. The upper surface of the hopper body 200 is an inclined surface, and serves as a support surface that supports the tray 202.

  The hopper body 200 incorporates a hopper drive circuit 136 (see FIG. 2), and the hopper drive circuit 136 rotates the rotating shaft 204 (see FIG. 4B) protruding from the upper surface. Yes.

  A disk 206 is attached to the rotating shaft 204 by a disk fixing spring 208 and a disk fixing screw 210, and the disk 206 is configured to rotate on the upper surface of the hopper body 200. The disk 206 faces the bottom opening when the tray 202 is attached to the hopper body 200.

  The disc 206 is provided with seven medal receiving holes 206A equally around the rotating shaft 204. The medal receiving hole 206A can receive medals flowing out from the tray 202 one by one. When the disk 206 rotates, the medals are received in the medal receiving hole 206A and are regularly aligned along the rotation of the disk 206. Lap in the state.

  A discharge mechanism 212 is provided on a part of the outer periphery of the disk 206 in the hopper body 200. The medals accommodated in the medal accommodating hole 206A are taken out one by one by the ejecting mechanism 212 and ejected from the hopper 138.

  The discharge mechanism 212 is provided with the medal detection sensor 140, and the number of medals discharged by the discharge mechanism 212 can be counted.

  In the present embodiment, the same number of notches 214 as the number of the medal receiving holes 206 </ b> A are equally provided on the periphery of the disk 206. A disk rotation detection sensor 216 is disposed on the movement locus of the notch 214.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the disk rotation detection sensor 216 is disposed such that a substantially U-shaped detection unit sandwiches the front and back of the disk 206. The detection unit is separated into a light transmitting unit and a light receiving unit, and is normally blocked by the disk 206, so that light from the light transmitting unit does not reach the light receiving unit. However, when the notch 214 reaches the mounting position of the disk rotation detection sensor 216, the light from the translucent section reaches the light receiving section, and the output signal (disk rotation signal) of the disk rotation detection sensor 216 is inverted (for example, low level). Inversion from level signal to high level signal).

  The disk rotation detection sensor 216 is connected to both the main control unit 100 and the sub control unit 150 (see FIG. 2), and a detection signal is sent out.

  On the other hand, the sub-control unit 150 has a signal indicating that one medal has been paid out from the main control unit 100 (equivalent to a medal payout instruction signal), and a rise (low level signal → high level signal) and a fall of the payout instruction signal. A signal corresponding to (high level signal → low level signal) is input (see FIG. 6).

  The sub-control unit 150 determines whether or not the medal payout operation by the hopper 138 is normally performed based on the input detection signal from the disk rotation detection sensor 216, the medal payout instruction signal, and the payout instruction signal. It has come to be.

  That is, while the number of payouts has been monitored only with the medal payout signal in the past, in this embodiment, the hopper during the medal payout operation is based on the disk rotation signal and the payout instruction signal in addition to the payout signal. The driving state (rotation state of the disk 206) is also monitored.

  The operation of this embodiment will be described below.

  First, the flow of normal games will be described.

  In the state where the medal is credited (or in the state where the medal is inserted from the medal insertion unit 320), the betting of the medal is completed by the operation of the single bet button 352A or the maximum bet button 352B, or the medal insertion unit When a bet is completed by inserting a medal from 320, the start lever 354 can be operated.

  When the start lever 354 is operated, an internal lottery is performed by the lottery unit 180 simultaneously with this operation, and the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C start rotating under the control of the reel drive control unit 194.

  The result of the internal lottery is transmitted from the winning combination / symbol determination unit 184 to the gaming state control unit 186. The gaming state control unit 186 updates and stores the flag state of the flag memory 192 according to the result of the internal lottery via the flag management control unit 190.

  Thereafter, when the player operates the stop buttons 356A, 356B, and 356C, the stop operation stops the rotation of the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C. However, according to the flag stored in the flag memory 192, the slip control is taken into consideration. Then, stop control of the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C is executed so that the corresponding symbol is pulled into the predetermined position or kicked off from the predetermined position. That is, the reel drive control unit 194 selects the stop control table according to the state of the flag stored in the flag memory 192 and the gaming state by the gaming state control unit 186, and the flag is established. In this case, the winning symbol can be stopped by an accurate pressing timing. Further, a slight shift in the stop operation timing is corrected by slip control. On the other hand, when the flag is not established, the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C are caused to slip even if they are pushed, so that they do not stop at the winning symbol.

  Next, when all the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C are stopped, a winning determination is made as to whether or not a winning is made based on the stopped symbols. When winning, the winning combination is also determined.

  If it is determined by this determination that the major player has won a prize, the bonus game control of the big bonus (BB), regular bonus (RB) or CT game is executed (exercise of rights) in accordance with the stop symbol, When it is determined, predetermined payout control preset for the small combination is executed.

  In the above determination, if it is determined that the CT game combination is won, the CT game is executed from the next game. The CT game is a player intervention game specification, and prohibits the above-described slip control of at least one reel or reduces the width of the slip control from the normal game state, thereby stopping the player's stop buttons 356A, 356B, In this game, the driving of the reels 350A350B and 350C is stopped faithfully to the stop operation of 356C, and the small role symbols are arranged. Therefore, even if the start lever 354 is operated, regardless of whether the lottery is executed, it is possible to arrange the small role symbols purely by the player's operation technique.

  As the game progresses, the hopper 138 operates in accordance with a request for paying out medals, payment, and the like.

  That is, when a payout instruction signal is input to the hopper driving circuit 136 of the hopper 138, the rotating shaft 204 is rotated by the driving force of the hopper driving circuit 136, and the disk 206 attached to the rotating shaft 204 is rotated.

  Due to the rotation of the disk 206, the medals irregularly stored in the tray 202 are sequentially received one by one from the bottom opening of the tray 202 into the medal receiving hole 206A of the disk 206, and regularly aligned along the rotation trajectory of the disk 206. Move.

  In this state, the medals accommodated in the medal accommodating hole 206A are ejected one by one by the ejecting mechanism unit 212 and paid out to the player through a predetermined route.

  The discharge mechanism 212 is provided with a medal detection sensor 140. The medal detection sensor 140 detects medals one by one and sends the detection signal to the main control unit 100. When the predetermined number of payouts is counted, the output of the payout instruction signal is stopped.

  By the way, in the payout control as described above, the main control unit 100 counts according to the output of the medal detection sensor 140 only when the payout instruction signal is output. If it is rotated (for example, manually), the medal discharge due to this rotation cannot be detected.

  For this reason, in this embodiment, the rotation state of the disk 206 is detected as a photoelectric conversion sensor provided with a photoelectric conversion element so that the front and back of the periphery of the disk 206 are sandwiched between the light transmitting part and the light receiving part. Therefore, the same number of notches 214 as the medal receiving holes 206A are formed uniformly at positions facing the light from the translucent part.

  Thereby, the rotation state of the disk 206 can be detected by the disk rotation detection sensor 216, and the passage of one notch 214 can be converted into one medal.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the disk rotation detection sensor 216 is connected to the main control unit 100 and the sub control unit 150. Further, the sub control unit 150 receives the payout instruction signal and the output of the medal detection sensor 140. A signal is being input.

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, when the payout instruction signal is input, the sub-control unit 150 correctly determines the medal based on the output results of both the medal detection sensor 140 and the disk rotation detection sensor 216. It can be determined whether or not the payout has been made.

  If there is no payout instruction signal, that is, when the signal from the medal detection sensor 140 does not reach the main control unit 100, the disk rotation detection sensor 216 detects that the disk 206 rotates, so that some fraud (manually It can be determined that the disk 206 is rotated and the medals are being discharged).

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the disk rotation detection sensor 216 for detecting the rotation of the disk 206 is attached by improving the simple hopper 138, and the anti-fraud function (effect) is combined with the existing medal detection sensor 140. Can be increased. Further, since the sub-control unit 150 is configured to discriminate this illegal act, the control burden on the main control unit 100 is not increased, and the progress of the game is not hindered.

  In the present embodiment, the disk rotation detection sensor 216 is positioned away from the ejection mechanism 212 (as shown in FIG. 5) on the premise that improvement is minimized at the mounting position of the disk rotation detection sensor 216. However, it is preferable that the disk rotation detection sensor 216 is the closest position on the upstream side of the disk 206 in the rotation direction of the disk 206 if possible in terms of structure.

It is a perspective view of the pachi-slot machine concerning this embodiment. It is the schematic of the control system of a pachislot machine. It is a perspective view of the hopper which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a disassembled perspective view of the hopper which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a perspective view of the hopper main body which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a timing chart for the hopper monitoring to which the medal detection sensor and the disk rotation detection sensor according to the present embodiment are applied.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Main control part 136 Hopper drive circuit 138 Hopper 140 Medal detection sensor 150 Sub control part 152 Liquid crystal control circuit 186 Game state control part 194 Reel drive control part 200 Hopper main body 202 Sampling board 204 Rotating shaft 206 Disc 206A Medal receiving hole 208 Disc fixed spring 210 Disc fixing screw 212 Ejecting mechanism 214 Notch 216 Disc rotation detection sensor (circulation movement detection means, photoelectric conversion sensor)
300 pachislot machines (game machines)
313 LCD
314 Display window 354 Start lever 350A, 350B, 350C Reel 356A, 356B, 356C Stop button

Claims (6)

A game machine that receives a game medium and that can be triggered by a start start operation, and pays out the game medium according to the state of the game,
A plurality of game media including the inserted game media are stored in an irregular state, and the stored game media are regularly arranged and moved along a preset round trajectory, and a part of the round trajectory A hopper mechanism for discharging to the outside from a discharge section provided in the
A circular movement amount detecting means for detecting the circular movement amount;
A game medium detecting means for detecting a game medium passing through the discharge section;
First control means for outputting a payout instruction signal for paying out a predetermined number of the game media;
In a state where the first control means is outputting a payout instruction signal, the circulation movement amount detected by the circulation movement amount detection means and the discharge portion of the game medium detected by the game medium detection means A second control means comprising a monitoring means for monitoring the presence / absence of a gaming medium payout abnormality based on the passing situation;
A gaming machine characterized by comprising:   2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the first control means stops the payout instruction signal when the number of detected game media from the game media ejecting means reaches the predetermined number.   The first control means and the second control means are each composed of a physically separated control board, and the control board having the function of the first control means sends out the dispensing instruction signal. The control board having the function of the second control means monitors whether or not the number of game media paid out based on the amount of circular movement matches the number of game media paid out after passing through the discharge section. The gaming machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is characterized by the following. The first control means is a main control means for controlling the progress of the game based on a predetermined game specification program, and the second control means is related to the control of the progress of the game by the main control means. The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gaming machine is a sub-control unit that controls an operation related to an effect to be performed. A circular mechanism for arranging and moving the game media along the circular trajectory includes a disk on which a plurality of storage portions capable of storing game media are evenly provided around a disk, and a driving means for rotating the disk And comprising
The circular movement amount detecting means has a light transmitting portion and a light receiving portion arranged so as to sandwich the front and back of the peripheral edge of the disc in which a notch portion is formed in part, and detects the rotational state of the disc in a non-contact manner. The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a photoelectric conversion sensor.   The gaming machine according to claim 5, wherein the number of the cutout portions is the same as that of the housing portions and is arranged evenly.

Images