JP2013107021A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a fraudulent action of erroneously operating a token detection sensor by inserting a fraudulent instrument into a token slot.SOLUTION: In a slot machine, whether or not a token is inserted is determined on the basis of signals from a token detection part. When it is determined that the token is inserted, the token is bet or the number of credits is increased. By operating a settlement button, settlement processing of putting out the bet token and the credited token is performed. When the insertion of the token is detected from the token detection part during the settlement processing, it is determined that the fraudulent action using a fraudulent instrument or the like is conducted, and it is reported that the fraudulent action is conducted.

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a slot machine used in a game hall such as a pachinko parlor.

  In this specification, as a gaming machine, a slot machine called a pachislot machine will be described as an example, and a description will be given using a medal as a gaming medium for playing a game. It includes equipment, and game media includes other media such as pachinko balls. Further, “injection of medals” is used in the sense of actually inserting medals into the medal insertion slot, and in particular, a case where the inserted medals or credited medals are used for actual games will be described as “bet”. .

  Slot machines that play games by inserting medals into the medal slot are widely known. In such a slot machine, a medal detection sensor is provided in a medal passage communicating with a medal slot. In general, a medal detection sensor includes a photo interrupter type infrared sensor that includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit that are provided to face each other across a medal passage. The medal detection sensor detects that a medal has been inserted into the medal insertion slot by blocking the infrared light irradiated from the light emitting unit and entering the light receiving unit by the medal flowing down the medal passage.

  In addition, in the slot machine, a medal can be inserted and a bet can be made in order to start a game. However, when the insertion of a medal is detected exceeding a predetermined number determined for one game, the specified number is set. The surplus medals are credited (stored). Credits can usually be up to 50. The credited medal can be bet by a betting operation, and can be paid out by operating a payout button after the game ends.

  By the way, there are some people who increase the credit without inserting medals by inserting an unauthorized device into the medal passage and causing the medal detection sensor to malfunction, and then pay back. It was sought after. For example, when an unauthorized device is inserted into a medal passage, a light emitting part is provided at the tip of a celluloid plate or the like so as to face the light receiving part of the medal detection sensor, and the red light from the light emitting part toward the light receiving part of the medal detection sensor is provided. The medal detection sensor malfunctions by intermittently outputting external light. In order to prevent fraud using such a fraudulent instrument, Patent Document 1 discloses that when infrared light from a light emitting unit is modulated and the light receiving unit receives infrared light that does not correspond to this modulation. An example of determining that fraud has been performed is described.

JP 2006-0551181 A

  However, in recent years, however, a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit are provided at the tip of the unauthorized device as described above, receiving infrared light from the medal detection sensor, and emitting infrared light synchronized with the received infrared light. Therefore, an illegal instrument that malfunctions the medal detection sensor has been developed. There has been a problem that the device described in Patent Document 1 is neutralized against such an illegal act using such an illegal instrument.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine that can prevent an illegal act such as causing a medal detection sensor to malfunction by an unauthorized device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the gaming machine of the present invention detects a game medium inserted from an insertion slot and outputs a detection signal, and credits based on the input of the detection signal from the detection sensor. In a gaming machine comprising a credit means for increasing the number and a clearing means for performing a clearing process for paying out a credited game medium in response to an operation of a clearing button, the game medium is allowed to reach the detection sensor. And a blocking member that is controlled to move between a blocking position that prevents the game medium from reaching the detection sensor and is held at the blocking position during the settlement process, and the blocking member Is a fraud that determines that an illegal act has been performed by detecting a detection signal from the detection sensor in spite of being controlled to move to the blocking position. Those having a constant section.

  According to the present invention, the blocking controlled to move between an allowable position that allows the game medium to reach the detection sensor and a blocking position that prevents the game medium from reaching the detection sensor. When a detection signal indicating that a game medium has been inserted from the insertion port is output even though the member is provided and controlled so that the blocking member is moved to the blocking position. Since it was determined to be an act, it is possible to prevent an illegal act such as causing the detection sensor to malfunction by an unauthorized instrument.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of a slot machine. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the slot machine in the state which opened the lower door. It is a perspective view which shows a medal passage. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of a slot machine. It is a flowchart which shows the process for determining a fraud.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the slot machine (game machine) 10 includes a slot machine main body 12 and a front door 14 rotatably attached to the front surface of the slot machine main body 12. The front door 14 includes an upper door 14a and a lower door 14b, which can be opened individually.

  A display window 16 is provided on the upper door 14a. In the back of the display window 16, first to third reels 18a to 18c are arranged. A plurality of types of symbols are arranged on the outer peripheral surfaces of the first to third reels 18a to 18c. When the reels 18a to 18c are stopped, three symbols per reel are displayed from the display window 16. In the slot machine 10, the winning combination lottery result is notified by the combination of symbols displayed from the display window 16, and when the winning combination is won when the symbols are aligned, the number of medals corresponding to the winning combination is paid out.

  The upper door 14a is provided with a liquid crystal display 20, a speaker 22, and a credit display unit 23. The liquid crystal display 20 displays various effect images to produce a game, and displays a notification message to be described later. The speaker 22 outputs various effect sounds to produce a game, and outputs a notification sound to be described later. The credit display unit 23 displays the number of credits, which is the number of medals credited (stored) in the slot machine 10.

  The lower door 14b is provided with a medal slot 24, a bet button 25, a max bet button 26, a start lever 27, first to third stop buttons 28a to 28c, a checkout button 29, and the like. When a medal is inserted into the medal slot 24, the medal is bet or credited. In this slot machine 10, the maximum number of medals that can be bet per game, that is, the prescribed number is 3, and the maximum number of credits is “50”. Therefore, when medals are sequentially inserted into the medal insertion slot 24, up to three medals are bet simultaneously with the insertion, and up to 50 medals inserted thereafter are credited.

  The bet button 25 and the maximum bet button 26 are for betting a credited medal. When the bet button 25 is pressed, one medal is bet from the credit, and when the max bet button 26 is pressed, a medal is bet from the credit so that the bet number becomes a prescribed number.

  The start lever 27 is an operation member for starting a game, and the reels 18a to 18c are started to rotate by operating the medals in a bet state. The first to third stop buttons 28a to 28c are provided corresponding to the first to third reels 18a to 18c, and the corresponding reels are stopped by pressing them. When the reels 18a to 18c are stopped, one game is finished, and when the winning combination is won as described above, the number of medals corresponding to the winning combination is paid out.

  The settlement button 29 is used to instruct a settlement process. When the settlement process is executed by pressing the settlement button 29, medals are paid out for the number of credits. When the clearing button is pressed in a state where the player has bet but the game has not started, the bet is canceled by the clearing process, and medals corresponding to the bet amount are paid out together with medals corresponding to the credit amount.

  At the lower part of the lower door 14b, a payout port 31 through which medals are paid out and a tray 32 for storing medals paid out from the payout port 31 are provided. As medals to be paid out from the payout port 31, there are medals to be paid out as a winning dividend and medals to be paid out by a settlement process.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a hopper device 36 is arranged at the bottom of the slot machine main body 12. Further, on the inner surface of the lower door 14 b, a medal passage 38 for guiding medals inserted from the medal insertion port 24 to the hopper device 36, and a payout chute 39 disposed below the medal passage 38 and connected to the payout port 31. And are provided. The hopper device 36 stores a medal prepared in advance for a payout and a medal guided by the medal passage 38 and a medal stored in the storage box 36a. And a payout unit 36b.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the medal passage 38 includes a substantially vertical vertical passage 38a and a substantially horizontal horizontal passage 38b. A selector 40 and a medal detector (detection sensor) 41 are arranged in the horizontal passage 38b. The selector 40 is provided so as to be swingable between a hold position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 3 and a drop position indicated by a one-dot chain line. The horizontal passage 38b is inclined such that the upper end is positioned on the near side of the lower end. Thereby, when the selector 40 is in the restraining position, the upper edge of the medal passing through the horizontal passage 38b is restrained, and the medal passes through the horizontal passage 38b without falling. On the other hand, when the selector 40 is in the dropping position, the upper edge of the medal cannot be suppressed, so that the medal falls from the horizontal passage 38 b and is returned to the tray 32 via the payout chute 39.

  The selector 40 is normally held in a restrained position by an actuator (not shown), and when an error occurs, the reel is rotating (during a game), the number of bets and the number of credits reach the maximum number, or during settlement It is considered as a fall position. When the diameter of the medal is smaller than the normal one, the upper edge of the medal is not suppressed even by the selector 40 at the suppression position, so that the medal is dropped from the horizontal passage 38b and returned to the tray 32.

  The medal detection unit 41 is for detecting that a medal has been inserted from the medal insertion slot 24. The medal detection unit 41 includes an upstream sensor 42, a downstream sensor 43, and a common reflector 44. The upstream sensor 42 includes a light emitting part 42a and a light receiving part 42b arranged on the opposite side of the reflecting plate 44 across the horizontal passage 38b. The infrared light output from the light emitting part 42a is reflected by the reflecting plate 44. The light is incident on the light receiving portion 42b.

  When the medal passes between the upstream sensor 42 and the reflection plate 44, the upstream sensor 42 detects the passage of the medal by blocking the infrared light toward the light receiving unit 42b. The upstream sensor 42 outputs the first detection signal while the infrared light reception by the light receiving unit 42b is blocked.

  The downstream sensor 43 has the same configuration as that of the upstream sensor 42, and a light emitting portion 43a and a light receiving portion 43b are arranged on the opposite side of the reflecting plate 44 across the horizontal passage 38b, and the infrared light of the light receiving portion 43b is arranged. A second detection signal is output while light reception is blocked. Further, the downstream sensor 43 is disposed downstream of the upstream passage 42 in the horizontal passage 38b, and detects the passage of medals with a time difference from the upstream sensor 42.

  The time difference between the start of output of the first and second detection signals is within a predetermined time difference range determined in consideration of the interval between the sensors 42 and 43, the flow rate of medals, etc., and the output time of the first detection signal. When the output time of the second detection signal is within a predetermined range, it is assumed that a medal is inserted from the medal insertion slot 24. The first and second detection signals generated by the time difference within the predetermined time difference range are the medal. It becomes a detection signal that detects the input of. In the following description, the first and second detection signals output with a time difference within a predetermined time difference range will be described as detection signals.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a control unit 50 is provided inside the slot machine 10. The control unit 50 is constituted by a CPU, a program memory, a work memory, and the like, and comprehensively controls the operation of each unit of the slot machine 10 to manage and control the progress of the game. The control unit 50 functions as a betting means 51, credit means 52, clearing means 53, and fraud determination means 54.

  The operation unit 56 includes a bet button 25, a maximum bet button 26, a start lever 27, first to third stop buttons 28 a to 28 c, and a settlement button 29, and sends an operation signal corresponding to the operation to the control unit 50.

  The bet means 51 bets medals in response to a detection signal from the medal detection unit 41 and an operation signal of the bet button 25 or the maximum bet button 26. This betting means 51 counts the number of medals bet inside, and each time a detection signal is input and every time the bet button 25 is pressed when the number of credits is “1” or more, the prescribed number Increase the number of bets by “1” to the limit. In addition, when the max bet button 26 is pressed, the betting means 51 increases the number of bets so that the number of bets becomes the specified number within the limit of the number of credits. The bet number is set to “0” when the game ends. The bet number is also set to “0” when the clearing process is performed before the game starts.

  The credit means 52 credits inserted medals, and counts the number of credits inside. The credit means 52 increases the credit number by “1” when the bet number is the prescribed number and the detection signal from the medal detection unit 41 is input. Further, as described above, when the bet is made with the bet buttons 25 and 26 as described above, the increment of the bet number is subtracted, and the credit number is set to “0” when the settlement process is performed as described later. The number of credits counted by the credit means 52 is displayed on the credit display unit 23.

  The settlement means 53 performs a settlement process in response to the settlement button 29 being pressed. In the checkout process, the hopper device 36 is operated to pay out medals for the number of credits counted by the credit means 52. In the clearing process, when the bet number is “1” or more and the game has not started, medals corresponding to the bet number are paid out.

  The fraud determination means 54 determines that an illegal act has been performed when a detection signal is output from the medal detection unit 41 while the above-described clearing means 53 is performing the clearing process. The fraud determination unit 54 performs fraud handling processing when it is determined that an illegal act has been performed. In the fraud handling process, a notification message indicating that an illegal act has been performed is displayed on the liquid crystal display 20, and a notification sound is output from the speaker 22 to notify the fact. In the fraud handling process, the clearing process by the clearing means 53 is stopped, and the payout of medals by the hopper device 36 is stopped.

  The operation of the present invention having the above configuration will be described below with reference to FIG. When a regular medal is inserted into the medal slot 24, this is detected by the medal detector 41 and a detection signal is output. When the detection signal is output, the fraud determination unit 54 checks whether the settlement process by the settlement unit 53 is being performed.

  If the number of bets has not reached the specified number when the clearing process has not been performed, the bet number is increased and the inserted medal is betted. If the bet number has reached the specified number, the number of credits is increased. The inserted medals are credited. Note that when the bet number reaches the specified number and the credit number has reached the maximum credit number, the selector 40 is placed in the drop position, so that the inserted medal is not detected by the medal detection unit 41 and the horizontal path It falls from 38b and is returned to the tray 32.

  When the clearing button 29 is pressed in a state where a medal is bet or credited as described above, the clearing means 53 performs a clearing process. In this checkout process, the hopper device 36 is operated and medals corresponding to the number of credits are paid out to the tray 32. Furthermore, when medals are bet in a state where the game has not started, medals for the number of bets counted by the betting unit 51 at that time are paid out from the hopper device 36 to the tray 32.

  On the other hand, when the detection signal is output from the medal detection unit 41, if the clearing process is performed as described above, the fraud determination unit 54 determines that the fraudulent act has been performed. If it is determined that an illegal act has been performed in this manner, an illegal response process is performed, a notification message indicating that the illegal activity has been performed is displayed on the liquid crystal display 20, and a notification sound is output from the speaker 22. To do. Further, the settlement process is stopped and the hopper device 36 is stopped. Thereby, the payout of medals is stopped.

  As described above, when a detection signal that detects the insertion of a medal is output during the clearing process, that is, a case in which a normal player does not expect the insertion of a medal while clearing credits, etc. It is determined to be an act. Accordingly, it is impossible to pay out medals for the credit while increasing the number of credits in a state where the illegal instrument is inserted and the medal detection unit 41 is erroneously operated, thereby preventing an illegal act. Of course, since a case that is not assumed by a normal player is detected and determined as an illegal act, the normal player is not bothered.

  Moreover, in order to avoid being determined to be fraudulent, it is necessary to stop the operation of the fraudulent instrument or to pull out the fraudulent instrument from the medal passage every time the clearing process is started. At the same time, fraudulent acts are likely to be detected, so that fraudulent acts can be suppressed.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A structure can be changed suitably. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the example in which the detection sensor is configured by two sensors has been described. However, the detection sensor may be configured by one sensor. Moreover, although the example which uses an infrared sensor as a detection sensor was demonstrated, the various sensors which detect insertion of a medal, such as an optical sensor and a mechanical sensor, can be used.

  In the above-described embodiment, every time a detection signal is output from the medal detection unit, it is determined whether the clearing process is performed, and fraud is determined. However, the present invention detects a medal during the clearing process. For example, the detection of a detection signal from the medal detection unit during the checkout process is performed and a fraudulent activity is detected when the detection signal is generated. It may be determined that the above has been performed.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as fraud countermeasure processing performed when an illegal act is performed, display of a notification message on a liquid crystal display, output of a notification sound from a speaker, and cancellation of a settlement process including stoppage of operation of a hopper device are performed. However, these are only examples, and other content fraud countermeasure processing may be performed, for example, the operation stop of the gaming machine, notification to the hall computer, or the like. In addition, a shutter plate (blocker) is provided that can be moved between an open position where the payout port is opened and a closed position where the payout port is opened. It is good to prevent it from being released.

10 Slot machines (gaming machines)
24 medal insertion port 29 checkout button 38 medal passage 41 medal detection part (detection sensor)
54 Fraud judging means

Claims (1)

Responds to a detection sensor that detects a game medium inserted from the insertion slot and outputs a detection signal, a credit means that increases the number of credits based on the input of the detection signal from the detection sensor, and a clearing button operation In a gaming machine having a clearing means for performing a clearing process for paying out a credited game medium,
The game medium is controlled to move between an allowable position that allows the game medium to reach the detection sensor and a blocking position that prevents the game medium from reaching the detection sensor, and the blocking is performed during the checkout process. A blocking member held in position;
It is provided with fraud determination means for determining that an illegal act has been performed by detecting a detection signal from the detection sensor even though the blocking member is controlled to move to the blocking position. A gaming machine.

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