JP2009136389A - Dial-type token entry mechanism and token game machine using the token entry mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a token game machine having a dial type token entry mechanism with unprecedented game properties, having a token slot serving also as a control part, allowing a player to more directly participate in games, leading to the player's intuitive enjoyment of the token loading performance. <P>SOLUTION: The player rotates a control dial 10 while looking at arrangement of balls in various colors displayed in the periphery within a screen of a liquid crystal display 2, and stops a token entry part 11 at a position to shoot a ball onto a game screen. When a token is loaded into the token entry part, a puzzle game to connect a prescribed number of balls in the same color is started. When the prescribed number of balls in the same color are connected, the balls are vanished, and a slot game is started. Then, when the same numbers or the like are arranged, a reward is given to the player and the player can receive payment of a number of tokens. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a medal entry mechanism that uses a dial shape for a medal entry part to derive highly novel game characteristics that have a deeper relevance to the game than before, and a medal game machine that uses this mechanism.

Traditionally, the goal is to launch a medal and hit the target, pass it, or switch to medal insertion and move to an action in the video game, so that the game progresses and you get rewards The game machine that has been used is in practical use.
A device for providing a medal slot as a means at that time and firing a medal toward a target or achieving a target action in a game is a general prior art.

  Conventional medal game machines are mainly those with a fixed medal entry part or a guide that determines the direction in which medals roll, and are not deeply related to the game content. Moreover, there was no development system from them, and the present condition was that the novel game was not found.

Patent Document 1 has been proposed as a game machine that fires a medal and hits a target. In this proposal, the medal is launched from the medal launcher, and when the medal hits, the target is moved from the standing position to the backward position. The medal launcher manually controls the direction of the medal that the player launches toward the target. It is composed of a launcher grip to be changed and a medal launching mechanism. By inserting a medal into the medal slot on the launcher grip and pressing an operation button, the medal is aimed and fired. Even if the player can adjust the medal firing direction each time, this mechanism does not change the position where the medal is fired. Further, the mechanism is not a mechanism in which the content that acts on the game differs depending on the launch position by selecting any one from a number of launch positions.
JP 2002-113256 A

  Conventionally, the player's action of inserting a medal is not directly involved in the game, and the advancing direction of the inserted medal is physically determined or the medal is inserted. It is of a type that affects the game as a switch through a sensor or the like.

  The object of the present invention is to make the medal insertion action deeply involved in the game and enjoy the medal insertion action intuitively while the medal insertion slot also serves as the game control unit and is a simple operation of turning the dial. The present invention is to provide a dial-type medal entry mechanism having unprecedented game characteristics and a medal game machine having the medal entry mechanism.

In order to achieve the object, claim 1 of the present invention provides an operation dial which is provided around a game display screen and is rotatable along the periphery of the game display screen, and a dial for obtaining a rotation angle of the operation dial. An angle recognition mechanism, an opening provided in a part of the operation dial for inserting a medal, and a sensor for detecting the medal in a passage connected to the opening are provided, and the player rotates the operation dial. When the opening is stopped at an arbitrary angle position and a medal is inserted at the stop position, the sensor detects the medal by the sensor and recognizes the stopped angular position of the opening, and the game display screen, And a processing unit that fires the moving body displayed at the recognized angular position of the operation dial toward the center of the game display screen.
A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that in the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided means for displaying a shuttle interlocked with the opening on the game display screen.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the shuttle display is generated in a game executed on a game screen while displaying a moving body to be fired at a position where the opening of the operation dial is stopped. The expected value is displayed.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the first, second, or third aspect, the operation dial has a click mechanism that receives a click action at every predetermined angle.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first, second, third or fourth aspect, the moving body is a sphere or a coin-shaped body.
A sixth aspect of the present invention comprises the configuration of the first aspect, wherein there is one or more moving objects near the center of the game display screen, and the fired moving object is one or more movements near the center. When a predetermined action is exerted on the body, a game execution means for starting and executing a game based on the action exerted, and a medal accumulated in the medal hopper when a medal is obtained by the game execution by the game execution means And a medal payout driving means for driving out the payout.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the sixth aspect, the fired moving body is a sphere or a coin-shaped body, and the one or more moving bodies near the center are poles provided at the center of the game display screen. A sphere or a coin-shaped body connected to the sphere, and that the fired moving body exerts a predetermined action on the one or more moving bodies near the center means that the one or more spheres connected to the pole Further, the fired sphere is connected, or the fired coin-shaped body is connected to one or more coin-shaped bodies connected to the pole.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the seventh aspect of the invention, the game executing means starts a slot game when the connected spheres or coin-shaped bodies have the same color or the same type and have a predetermined number, It has a means for giving a reward for paying out a predetermined number of medals when a predetermined condition occurs in the game.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide a novel device that turns the operation dial and inserts medals into the medal insertion slot formed in the operation dial, and does not require a complicated mechanism.
It has an unprecedented game characteristic that the angle of the dial at the time of inserting a medal is involved in the game. Therefore, it is possible to enjoy the game more strategically from the work of simply inserting the conventional medal, and to increase the taste of the game and expect repeatability.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a game machine to which a dial-type medal entry mechanism according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a side view.
A dial-type entry mechanism 3 is arranged in front of the game machine 1, and a liquid crystal display 2 is provided inside the mechanism. Speakers 1 a are arranged on the upper left and right sides of the dial-type entry mechanism 3. On the panel of the game machine 1, a medal holder 5 and a medal payout port 4 are installed. The player sits on the chair 6 and rotates the operation dial 10 of the dial-type entry mechanism 3 to insert a medal into the medal entry unit 11 and play a game. If there is a reward as a result of the game, a medal is paid out to the medal payout slot 4. The medals accumulated in the medal payout slot 4 are transferred to the medal holder 5 and the player can continue the game.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the function of the cup holder installed in the medal payout slot. The medal payout port 4 has a trapezoidal housing portion 4a that becomes a hollow portion having a cup vertical cross-sectional shape, and a medal discharge port 4b is provided on the bottom surface of the trapezoidal housing portion 4a.
The cup holder 9 can be received by the cup holder 9 by inserting the cup holder 9 into the trapezoidal accommodating portion 4a and paying out the medal from the medal discharge port 4b. The medal collection is performed by taking out the cup holder 9 from the trapezoidal accommodating portion 4a.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining each function of the operation dial.
A ring-shaped operation dial 10 is rotatably installed around the screen of the liquid crystal display 2. A protrusion 10a for generating a catch on the hand (finger) 12 is carved on the entire ring surface on the upper surface of the operation dial 10. In addition, a medal entry portion 11 for inserting medals is provided on a part of the upper surface of the operation dial 10. The medal entry unit 11 is configured by a through hole 11a, and a medal sensor 13 including a light emitting element 13a and a light receiving element 13b is arranged behind the hole 11a to detect a medal. The medal sensor 13 detects passage of the medal 20a. be able to. A medal inserted into the medal entry unit 11 is guided to a medal hopper (not shown).

The operation dial 10 includes a click mechanism that rotates by clicking at a predetermined angle.
A click hole 8 a is provided at a predetermined angle in a dial receiving plate (see FIG. 5A), and a click spring 7 is attached to the lower surface of the operation dial 10. When the operation dial 10 rotates, the convex portion of the click spring 7 falls into the click hole 8a, and each stop position of the medal entry portion 11 of the operation dial 10 and an operational feeling during rotation are created.
The number of click holes is, for example, the number of balls on the periphery of the game screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 2 (this display does not move), and if it can be stopped at each position, it is about 12.85 degrees. Are installed at angular intervals of.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view and a plan view of a dial-type medal entry mechanism according to the present invention.
A cylindrical dial receiving plate 25 having a flange 25 a is attached to the center of the circular opening 26 a of the housing 26, and the operation dial 10 is rotatably attached to the dial receiving plate 25. The plurality of click holes 8 a are provided on the upper surface of the flange 25 a of the dial receiving plate 25. A transparent plate 24 made of acrylic or glass is fixed on the upper surface of the dial receiving plate 25, and the liquid crystal display 2 is installed on the bottom surface. The player can view the screen of the liquid crystal display 2 through the transparent plate 24.

A rotating roller 27 is brought into contact with the side surface of the operation dial 10. The rotating roller 27 is attached to the shaft 29 of the rotary encoder 28. When the operation dial 10 rotates, the rotation roller 27 rotates according to the rotation amount of the operation dial 10, and a pulse signal corresponding to the rotation amount is output from the rotary encoder 28. By counting the pulse signals, the game machine can know the rotation angle of the operation dial 10.
When the medal entry unit 11 stops at the above-described angular position of 360 degrees and a medal is inserted at that position, the operation dial 10 is used so that the inserted medal passes through the medal sensor 13 and then is smoothly guided to the medal hopper. A sufficient distance is secured between the lower surface of the dial and the flange surface of the dial receiving plate 25.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of a game screen displayed on the display in the operation dial. This embodiment assumes a one-player mass medal game, and is an example of a medal game in which a puzzle game and a slot are combined. As an example of the screen, a total of 28 red balls 16a, green balls 16b, and blue balls 16c are arranged in a ring shape around the display. This arrangement does not move during the game, but can be configured to move. The shuttle 17 is displayed so as to overlap the ball arranged in an annular shape, and the shuttle 17 moves on the annular ball in synchronization with the position of the medal entry portion 11.
The game machine obtains the rotation angle information based on the pulse from the rotary encoder 28 and performs processing, and displays the shuttle 17 so as to match the rotation position of the medal entry unit 11.

A pole 15 is displayed at the center of the screen, and balls of each color are displayed on the pole 15 in a state of being coupled in each direction. At the start of the game, no ball is connected to the pole 15. The shuttle 17 includes a fire ball display 17b indicating a fire ball and a probability display (expected value) 17a for displaying a probability that the same numbers are arranged in a slot game to be described later. In this example, the blue ball 16c is a firing ball, and the probability is “120”. When the probabilities are displayed as “0” to “240”, it can be seen that the same numbers are arranged with a probability of about 50%. The probability display 17a changes every time the ball is fired once.
In the game, the player rotates the operation dial 10, stops at a desired angle, and determines whether or not to insert a medal at that position with reference to the color and probability of the ball to be fired. When a medal is inserted, the medal is detected by the medal sensor 13, and the information is passed to the game machine. The game machine uses medal detection information and dial angle information to perform a process of launching and displaying medals from the position where the shuttle 17 is stopped toward the center.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining examples of puzzles and slot games.
When a medal is inserted into the medal entry part 11, a ball is fired from the shuttle 17, and when it hits and joins a portion where two balls of the same color are connected in the center, three balls are connected, and a slot game is displayed on the screen. Window 21 opens and the slot game starts. Numbers arranged in three columns scroll for each column and stop one column at a time. When the same numbers are aligned in any direction, a predetermined number of medals as a reward are paid out for winning the slot game.
If the connection of the balls of the same color is not formed, the slot game window is not opened, and the player rotates the operation dial, inserts a medal at the next stopped position, and continues the slot game. When such operations are repeated and the balls connected to the full screen are accumulated, the game is over.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a circuit of a game machine to which the dial-type medal entry mechanism according to the present invention is applied.
The game machine includes circuits of a CPU 30, a ROM 31, an I / O control system 32, and a memory unit 33. The CPU 30 is connected to a video output device 35 via a video output interface 34 and a sound output device via a sound output interface 36. 37 respectively. In FIG. 1, the video output device 35 is the liquid crystal display 2, and the sound output device 37 is the speaker 1a.
The ROM 31 stores a game machine control program, a game program, an external interface (sound output interface, video output interface) program, and related data.

The CPU 30 reads the game machine control program to obtain a dial angle recognition unit for obtaining a dial position (angle position) from the dial angle recognition mechanism 38, a medal detection unit for obtaining a detection signal from the medal sensor 13, and the medal hopper 39. Each function of the medal hopper driving unit for driving so as to pay out the number of medals by reward is realized.
Further, by reading out the external interface program, the sound output interface 36 and the video output interface 34 are driven to realize the function of the external output unit that controls the output of sound and video. Furthermore, it has the function of the game processing part which performs each process for performing a puzzle and a slot game by reading a game program.
The memory unit 33 is used as a work area for use when the CPU 30 performs calculations and the like, and has a function of temporarily holding data necessary for the game.
The dial angle recognition mechanism 38 includes a rotating roller 27, a shaft 29, and a rotary encoder 28. The medal sensor 13 includes a light emitting element (LED) 13a and a light receiving element 13b.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of the game processing of the game machine to which the dial-type medal entry mechanism according to the present invention is applied.
After the player inserts a coin (omitted in this embodiment), the CPU 30 determines whether or not the game is over (step (hereinafter referred to as “S”) 001). In this case, since the game is started, a puzzle screen as shown in FIG. 4A is displayed on the liquid crystal display 2. At the start of the game, balls of each color are randomly arranged around the periphery of the screen, and only the pole 15 is displayed at the center. The player rotates the operation dial 10 while obtaining a feeling of click operation, determines a position to be stopped with reference to the probability display of the shuttle 17, and stops at a desired position (S002, S003). The rotation roller 27 of the rotary encoder 28 is rotated by the rotation operation of the operation dial 10 by the player, and the rotary encoder 28 outputs the number of pulses corresponding to the rotation amount. The CPU 30 obtains the number of pulses from the rotary encoder 28, and obtains information on the dial angle position of the operation dial 10 continuously by processing the number of pulses.

The CPU 30 monitors whether or not information on medal insertion is input (S004). When the medal 20 is inserted into the medal entry unit 11, the medal passage is detected by the medal sensor 13, and the detection information is sent to the CPU 30 via the I / O control system 32.
The CPU 30 recognizes the rotational position information of the operation dial 10 when the medal is detected, and performs a process of firing the ball of the color at the angular position toward the center (S005). An image of the ball to be fired is displayed on the liquid crystal display 2, and a sound associated therewith is output from the speaker 1a. Then, the next process is performed depending on whether or not the condition for the ball disappearing is satisfied (S007).
The ball is connected to the pole if it is fired from the side of the pole, even if it is only the pole at the center of the game screen at the beginning, or even if one or several are connected to the pole. If a large number of balls of each color are already connected from each direction and three balls of the same color are connected, the connected three are erased, a slot game window is opened, and a slot game is started (S008). If the number of balls of the same color is less than 2 or if the balls of different colors are connected even if three are connected, the fired ball and the connected balls are not erased, and the process proceeds to the determination of whether the game is over. (S001).

When the ball is connected to the full screen and there is no room to fire the ball, the game is over and the game ends. The game is also ended when the player performs an operation for ending the game. If the game is not finished, the state of the screen continues to be displayed, and the player further stops the rotation of the operation dial, inserts the next medal, and continues the game.
On the other hand, when the slot game is started, the slots in each row are rotated, and the slots in each row are sequentially stopped. Here, it is determined whether or not the reward is acquired (S009). If the same number is aligned in any direction, you can get a reward. If the same numbers are not found in any direction, the slot game window is closed and the process proceeds to the determination of whether the game is over (S001).

When it is determined that the reward has been acquired, the CPU 30 performs a process of paying out a predetermined number of medals from the types of numbers that have been prepared. The medal hopper 39 is driven via the I / O control system 32 to pay out the reward-corresponding medal obtained at the medal payout port 4. After paying out medals, the game shifts to game over determination (S001). If the game is not over, the flow shifts to S002 and S003, and the player continues the medal game.
Through the above flow, a medal game including a puzzle game and a slot game can be performed.

In the above embodiment, an example in which three balls of the same color are connected has been described. However, a similar game can be realized when other numbers of balls are connected. Further, balls having the same display content may be used. Further, the displayed shape may be a coin-shaped body or a sliding display object that is not a ball shape.
Although an example in which a liquid crystal display is used as a monitor has been described, the present invention can be similarly implemented by using other types of displays such as a CRT, SED, FED, organic EL, and plasma display.
Although the example using the rotary encoder is shown as the dial angle recognition mechanism, other methods and members may be used as long as they detect the rotation angle of the operation dial. Further, in this embodiment, a case has been shown in which a rotating roller in contact with the peripheral edge of the operation dial is arranged and this rotation is detected by a rotary encoder. However, the present invention can be implemented at other positions as well.

  It is a medal game machine equipped with a dial-type medal entry mechanism installed in an event opening or game center.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the game machine to which the dial type medal entry mechanism by this invention is applied. It is a side view of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the function of the cup holder installed in a medal payout port. It is a figure for demonstrating each function of an operation dial. It is sectional drawing and the top view of the dial type medal entry mechanism by this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the example of a game screen displayed on the display in an operation dial. It is a figure for demonstrating the example of a puzzle and a slot game. It is a block diagram which shows embodiment of the circuit of the game machine to which the dial type medal entry mechanism by this invention is applied. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the flow of the game processing of the game machine to which the dial type medal entry mechanism by this invention is applied.

Explanation of symbols

1 Game console
2 display
3 Dial-type medal entry mechanism
4 medal outlet
5 Medal holder
6 Chair 7 Click spring 8 Entry mechanism support 9 Cup holder 10 Operation dial 11 Medal entry (opening)
12 hands (finger)
13 Medal sensor 15 Pole 16a Red ball
16b green ball
16c blue ball
17 Shuttle 21 Slot display window 24 Transparent plate
25 Dial receiving plate 26 Housing 27 Rotating roller 28 Rotary encoder 29 Axis

Claims (8)

An operation dial provided around the game display screen and rotatable along the periphery of the game display screen;
A dial angle recognition mechanism for obtaining a rotation angle of the operation dial;
Provided in a part of the operation dial, and an opening for inserting a medal;
A sensor for detecting the medal in a passage connected to the opening;
Provided,
When the player rotates the operation dial to stop the opening at an arbitrary angle position and inserts a medal at the stop position, the sensor detects the medal and recognizes the stopped angular position of the opening. When,
A processing unit that fires the moving body displayed at the recognized angular position of the operation dial on the game display screen toward the vicinity of the center of the game display screen;
A dial-type medal entry mechanism characterized by comprising   The dial-type medal entry mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising means for displaying a shuttle linked to the opening on the game display screen.   The said shuttle display displays the expected value which generate | occur | produces in the game performed on a game screen while displaying the mobile body which should be discharged at the position where the opening part of the operation dial stopped. Dial medal entry mechanism.   4. The dial-type medal entry mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the operation dial has a click mechanism that receives a click action at every predetermined angle.   5. The dial-type medal entry mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the moving body is a sphere or a coin-shaped body. Comprising the configuration of claim 1;
Further, when there is one or more moving objects near the center of the game display screen and the fired moving object exerts a predetermined action on the one or more moving objects near the center, it is based on the acting action. Game execution means for starting and executing the game;
Medal payout driving means for paying out and driving medal stored in the medal hopper when a medal is obtained by executing the game by the game executing means;
A medal game machine characterized by comprising: The fired moving body is a sphere or a coin-shaped body,
The one or more mobile objects near the center are a sphere or a coin-shaped body connected to a pole provided in the center of the game display screen,
The fired moving body exerts a predetermined action on one or more moving bodies near the center.
The fired sphere is connected to one or more spheres connected to the pole, or the fired coin-shaped body is connected to one or more coin-shaped bodies connected to the pole. The medal game machine according to claim 6.   The game execution means starts a slot game when the connected spheres or coin shaped bodies have the same color or the same type and the predetermined number, and when a predetermined condition occurs in the slot game, 8. The medal game machine according to claim 7, further comprising means for giving a reward to be paid out.

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