JP2016077673A - Game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly perform a performance lottery based on a setting value.SOLUTION: The game machine includes first control means for performing progress control of a game operation including displacement/stop control of a pattern, first storage means for enabling information reading/writing by the first control means, and second control means for performing control about a performance related to a game. The first control means includes disabling means for stopping the progress of a game operation to disable the game progress in the case of detecting abnormality of the first storage means during starting due to the application of power supply to the game machine. The second control means includes initialization starting means for making second storage means store a prescribed initial value to perform starting in the case of detecting abnormality of the second storage means during starting due to the application of power supply. The second storage means can store a setting value representing a step about a probability as to whether to win a game state advantageous to a player, and stores a prescribed value predetermined as a setting value in the second storage means when the initialization starting means stores the initial value during starting.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 21

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine including variable display means capable of displaying a symbol to be displaced, and in particular, the probability of whether or not to win a gaming state advantageous to a player is selectively selected from a plurality of stages. The present invention relates to the technical field of gaming machines that can be set.

Japanese Patent No. 4114938

For example, for a gaming machine equipped with a spinning cylinder with multiple symbols displayed along the direction of rotation, such as a slot machine, the probability of whether or not to win a gaming state advantageous to the player is selectively set from multiple stages. There is something that was made possible.
In Patent Document 1, game control means for controlling a game (hereinafter referred to as “main control means”) as a countermeasure against unauthorized rewriting of a setting value indicating the stage of the probability is described in the main control means. It is disclosed that when the set value held in the holding means (storage means) is not appropriate, the progress of the game is disabled and the disabled state is not canceled until the setting value is changed.

Here, the set values as described above may be used for lottery related to effects by, for example, effect control means for controlling effects using a display image, sound, or an accessory. At this time, the effect control means performs a lottery related to the effect based on the set value received from the main control means side.
In order for such a lottery related to the performance to be properly performed, it is necessary that the set value held in the data holding means of the performance control means is appropriate. However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, the main control means If the setting value held in the holding means is illegally rewritten, the progress of the game is disabled, but even if the setting value held in the holding means of the production control means is illegally rewritten, the game There is a possibility that the performance lottery will be performed based on an incorrect setting value.

  Therefore, the present invention has an object to overcome the above-described problems so that an effect lottery based on a set value is appropriately performed.

  The gaming machine according to the present invention includes variable display means capable of displaying a symbol to be displaced, start operation means for instructing start of displacement of the symbol, and stop operation means for instructing stop of displacement of the symbol. The game operation proceeds with a series of flows from the occurrence of an opportunity to accept the operation of the start operation means to the stop of the symbol being displaced according to the operation of the stop operation means as one game A first control means for controlling the progress of the game operation, including displacement / stop control of the symbol based on the start operation means and the stop operation means, and information of the information by the first control means. A first storage means capable of reading / writing, and a second control means for controlling an effect related to a game, wherein the first control means is configured to activate the game machine when the power is turned on. First In the case where an abnormality of the storage means is detected, the second control means has a disabling means for stopping the progress of the game operation and disabling the game progress, and the second control means When an abnormality of the means is detected, the second storage means has an initialization start means for starting by storing a predetermined initial value, and the second storage means wins a gaming state advantageous to the player. A setting value representing a stage regarding the probability of whether or not to perform the setting is stored, and the initialization activation unit stores the predetermined initial value in the second storage unit at the time of the activation, A predetermined value set in advance as the set value in the storage means is stored.

  As a result, even if the setting value in the second storage means is illegally rewritten, an abnormality is detected at the time of startup associated with power-on, and the rewritten setting value is rewritten to a predetermined value. It is done.

In the above gaming machine according to the present invention, it is desirable that the first control means has a disabling canceling means for canceling the disabling state of the game progress on condition that a predetermined operation is performed.
Thereby, even if a gaming machine falls into a game progress disabled state, the disabled state is canceled by a staff member or the like performing a predetermined operation.

In the above gaming machine according to the present invention, it is desirable that the predetermined operation, which is a condition for releasing the disabled state, is an operation for changing the set value.
As a result, the disabled state is canceled on condition that the set value is set to a value within the appropriate range.

In the gaming machine according to the present invention described above, the set value corresponding processing means determines that the set value stored in the second storage means is the most probable when the set value is not within a proper range. It is desirable to rewrite the value to represent the low level.
Thereby, even if the setting value in the second storage means is illegally rewritten, the rewritten setting value is rewritten to a value representing the stage with the lowest probability.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately perform the effect lottery based on the set value.

It is a front view of a gaming machine. FIG. 2 is a plan view (FIG. 2A) and a right side view (FIG. 2B) of the gaming machine. It is a rear view of the front panel with which a gaming machine is provided. It is a front view of the main body case with which the gaming machine is provided. It is a schematic block diagram of a control configuration inside the gaming machine. It is the figure which showed the circuit structure of the main control board with which a game machine is provided. It is explanatory drawing about the structure which concerns on an origin detection. It is explanatory drawing about a part of reel sheet | seat and a backlight part. It is explanatory drawing about the pattern formed in the rotation reel (rotating drum). It is a flowchart of the main control side starting process. It is a flowchart of an operation stop error process. It is a flowchart of a setting change process. It is a flowchart of a main loop process. It is a flowchart of timer interrupt processing on the main control side. It is a flowchart of a game medal insertion process. It is a flowchart of a medal insertion detection process. It is a flowchart of a credit insertion detection process. It is a flowchart of a re-game automatic medal insertion process. It is a flowchart of a setting process at the time of medal insertion. It is a flowchart of production control side main processing. It is a flowchart of a backup restoration process. It is a flowchart of a command reception interrupt process. It is a flowchart of a timer interruption process (second period). It is a flowchart of the process performed corresponding to the main state command. It is a flowchart of the process performed corresponding to an input command. It is a flowchart of the process performed corresponding to a game start command. It is a flowchart of the process performed corresponding to an expectation feeling production command. It is the figure which showed the example of the transition stage probability information used by the production stage transition lottery based on a setting value. It is the figure which showed the example of the probability information used by the effect lottery process based on a setting value.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the gaming machine according to the present invention will be described in the following order. In the embodiment, a pachinko gaming machine is taken as an example.

<1. Structure of the spinning machine>
<2. Control configuration of spinning machine>
<3. Revolving motor and rotating reel>
<4. Main control side startup processing>
<5. Setting change processing>
<6. Main loop processing>
<7. Timer interrupt processing>
<8. Game medal insertion processing (notification of set values for each game to the production control board)>
<9. Production control side main processing and interrupt processing>
<10. Processing according to command>
[10-1. Main status command]
[10-2. Submit command]
[10-3. Game start command, expectation direction command]
<11. Summary and Modification>

<1. Structure of the spinning machine>

First, the external configuration of the slot machine according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
1 is a front view of the slot machine, FIG. 2A is a plan view, FIG. 2B is a right side view, FIG. 3 is a rear view of the front panel 2, and FIG.

  In the slot machine of the present embodiment, as can be seen from FIG. 2, a rectangular box-shaped main body case 1 and a front panel 2 equipped with various game members are connected via a hinge mechanism (not shown). 2 is configured to be openable and closable with respect to the main body case 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, a symbol rotating unit 3 including three rotating reels (rotating drums) 4 a, 4 b, 4 c is arranged in the approximate center of the main body case 1. In addition, a medal payout device 5 is disposed on the lower side.
On each rotating reel 4a, 4b, 4c, various symbols described later, for example, symbols for BB (big bonus) and RB (regular bonus), various fruit symbols, replay symbols, and the like are drawn.
The medal payout device 5 has a medal tank 5a for storing medals. Further, a payout motor 75, a payout connection board 73, a hopper board 74, a medal payout sensor 76 and the like which will be described later with reference to FIG. 5 are housed in the payout case 5b.
The medals stored in the medal tank 5a are led out from the payout opening 5c toward the front of the drawing based on the rotation of the payout motor 75. The medals stored exceeding the limit amount are configured to fall into the auxiliary tank 6 through the excess medal deriving unit 5d.

A power supply board 41 is disposed adjacent to the medal payout device 5. A main control board 40 is disposed above the symbol rotation unit 3, and a rotating drum setting board 71 is disposed adjacent to the main control board 40.
Further, a rotating LED (Light Emitting Diode) relay board 56 and a rotating relay board 53 shown in FIG. 5 are provided inside the symbol rotating unit 3, and an external concentration terminal board 70 is adjacent to the symbol rotating unit 3. Is arranged.

  Further, the main body case 1 is provided with a door opening sensor 35 for detecting the opening of the front panel 2 (opening of the door) on the side of the symbol rotating unit 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) unit 7 is disposed on the front panel 2. Various characters are displayed on the LCD unit 7 in order to excite game operations.
A display window 8 for exposing the rotary reels 4a, 4b, 4c is formed below the LCD unit 7. Through the display window 8, about three symbols can be visually recognized for each of the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c. In this case, there are 3 × 3 = 9 symbol stop positions as positions where the symbols stop in the display window 8 when the respective rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c are stopped. And, a total of five lines of three lines connecting three symbol stop positions arranged in the horizontal direction and two lines connecting three symbol stop positions arranged in the diagonal direction out of a total of nine symbol stop positions are virtual. It becomes a simple symbol stop line.
Of the symbol stop lines, the symbol stop line used for determining whether or not the winning symbol (winning combination) is complete is a valid line, and the other symbol stop lines are invalid. The valid line and the invalid line are appropriately changed according to various game states such as BB, RB, AT (assist time), and ART (assist replay time). That is, for example, one line in the middle stage is set as an active line during a normal game, but two lines in the upper stage and the middle stage are changed to an active line during a bonus game.

  In addition, inside the symbol rotating unit 3, the spinning LED is arranged at a position where each of the nine symbols visually recognized when the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c are stopped can be irradiated from the inside (see FIG. 1 (not shown). Each of the spinning cylinder LEDs is turned on / off according to the rotation state, stop state, or various effects of the respective rotation reels 4a, 4b, 4c.

Below the display window 8, an LED group 9 indicating a gaming state, a payout display unit 10 for displaying the number of medals to be paid out as a game result, and a stored number display unit 11 are provided.
The LED group 9 includes, for example, an LED indicating the number of medals inserted into the game (a bet number display LED), an LED indicating a replaying state, and an LED indicating that preparation for rotating the spinning cylinder is complete (the game An LED indicating that the insertion of a predetermined number of medals required for the game has been completed: a game start display LED), an LED indicating a medal insertion acceptance state, and the like.
The payout display unit 10 is configured by connecting two 7-segment LEDs. The payout display unit 10 specifies the number of payout medals, and also functions as an error indicator that displays abnormal contents when an abnormal situation occurs.
The stored number display unit 11 displays the number of medals stored in the credit state.

LED effect units 15a, 15b, and 15c are provided above, left, and right of the display window 8, respectively. The LED effect units 15a, 15b, and 15c are configured such that a predetermined pattern and design are applied, and an effect by light is executed by the LEDs arranged on the inner side. The effects executed by the LED effect units 15a, 15b, 15c are, for example, effects indicating that BB or RB has been won, effects indicating the status of AT, ART, etc., assist effects during AT or ART, etc. .
In addition, although individual description is abbreviate | omitted, on the front panel 2, various LED is arrange | positioned as LED for showing an effect and an operation state.

A medal insertion slot 12 for inserting medals is provided on the right side of the center of the front panel 2, and a return button 13 for returning medals filled in the medal insertion slot 12 is provided in the vicinity thereof. A key hole for inserting a dedicated key is provided on the right side of the return button 13. When the front panel 2 is closed with respect to the main body case 1, the front panel 2 is unlocked by turning the key inserted into the keyhole clockwise (hereinafter referred to as “unlocking operation”). The case 1 can be opened and closed. Further, by turning the key inserted into the keyhole counterclockwise, the game stop state due to the stop or error is canceled (hereinafter referred to as “stop cancel operation”).
Further, on the left side of the center of the front panel 2, there are provided a credit check button 14 for paying out credit medals and bet medals, and a max insert button 16 for artificially inserting three credit medals. Yes.

The front panel 2 has a start lever 17 for starting rotation of the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c and stop buttons 18a, 18b, 18c for stopping the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c. Is provided.
When the player operates the start lever 17, normally, the three rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c start to rotate in the forward direction. However, there is a case where a reel effect (so-called freeze effect) with a game interruption state is performed in order to notify the internal winning state. The reel effect can be described as “rotation effect” in the sense of an effect due to the rotation of the rotating reel 4. In the reel effect, for example, an effect in which all or a part of the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c rotates irregularly (so-called “effect rotation”) and starts to rotate in the forward direction is executed.
As a concrete example of reel production, for example,
・ Slow production that rotates extremely slowly in the forward direction (forward rotation) and stops still ・ After repeated forward and reverse rotation, reverse rotation that rotates backward for a predetermined time and stops still ・ For normal rotation for the first predetermined time The first swing effect that stops after repeating the reverse rotation ・ The second swing effect that stops still after repeating the normal rotation and reverse rotation for the second predetermined time ・ The normal rotation and reverse rotation for the second predetermined time Slow oscillating effect that stops still after repeating forward, and then stops still after very slowly rotating forward ・ Stops after repeating forward and reverse rotations for the second time, and then stops after rotating backwards for a predetermined time An oscillating reverse rotation effect, an effect in which the image rotates in a forward or reverse direction at a predetermined speed and then stands still in a predetermined pattern, and an effect that maintains the current rotation state (or stopped state) are prepared. At the time of such a reel effect, all or a part of the character effect on the LCD unit 7, the lamp effect that blinks the LED lamp, and the sound effect that drives the speaker is appropriately selected and executed.

Below the front panel 2, there are provided a horizontally long tray 19 for storing medals and a medal outlet 20 communicating with the payout port 5 c of the payout device 5.
Speakers 30a, 30b, 30c and 30d are arranged on the upper left and right sides and the lower left and right sides of the front panel 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, the back side of the front panel 2 has a medal sorting device 21 for sorting medals inserted into the medal slot 12 shown in FIG. And a return passage 22 that guides the token to the medal outlet 20.
A substrate case 23 is disposed on the upper back side of the front panel 2. The board case 23 accommodates an effect control board 42, an effect interface board 43, a liquid crystal control board 44, a liquid crystal interface board 45, and the like described in FIG.
A game relay board 60 (described later in FIG. 5) for relaying signals between the various game members shown in FIG. 1 and the main control board 40 is provided on the side of the medal sorting device 21.

<2. Control configuration of spinning machine>

Next, the configuration of the control system of the slot machine of the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of the internal control configuration of the slot machine. The slot machine of the present embodiment has a control configuration centered on the main control board 40.
The main control board 40 is equipped with a microcomputer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), etc., a circuit for an interface, etc. Perform such overall control. For example, the main control board 40 controls the operation of various game members including the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c, and grasps the operation status. In addition, an effect is executed according to the game operation.
The main control board 40 has various signals (commands) between the power supply board 41, the production interface board 43, the rotary relay board 53, the game relay board 60, the external concentration terminal board 70, the rotary setting board 71, and the payout connection board 73. And detection signals).

The power supply board 41 receives AC24V and rectifies and smoothes it to obtain a DC voltage. The power supply board 41 includes a converter circuit and generates a power supply voltage necessary for each part. In the figure, a main control power supply voltage V1 given to each part via the main control board 40 and an effect control power supply voltage V2 given to each part via the effect interface board 43 are shown.
The power supply board 41 is also provided with a power supply monitoring circuit for detecting a power cut-off state, a backup power supply circuit for supplying a backup power supply voltage to the main control board 40, and the like. Furthermore, the power supply board 41 generates a power supply abnormality signal Ev according to a drop in the power supply voltage and outputs it to the main control board 40 and the effect interface board 43 (not shown).

The effect control board 42 is equipped with a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. and a circuit for an interface, and controls the effect operation of the slot machine.
In addition, a counter circuit and a timer circuit are mounted on the effect control board 42, and various times are measured using them.
The effect control board 42 receives a command from the main control board 40 via the effect interface board 43. For example, the main control board 40 has a sound effect by the speaker 30 (30a to 30d), a lamp effect by the LED lamp or the cold cathode ray tube discharge tube, a pattern effect by the LCD unit 7, and an accessory by an accessory with respect to the effect control board 42. A control command for realizing an effect is output, and the effect control board 42 performs an effect control process corresponding to the control command.
In addition, when the production control board 42 receives a control command (game start command) for specifying the internal lottery result from the main control board 40, it executes AT lottery to determine whether or not to enter the assist time winning state corresponding to the internal lottery result. .
The production control board 42 has three rotating reels 4a, so that in a predetermined number of games (during AT) after winning the AT lottery, the symbols can be aligned with a predetermined symbol stop line in the small role winning state. Control for notifying the player of the stop order of 4b and 4c is performed.
In addition, when the effect control board 42 receives a control command indicating execution of the reel effect from the main control board 40, the effect control board 42 starts an effect operation corresponding to the reel effect executed on the main control board 40.
For such an effect control operation, the effect control board 42 performs necessary communication with each unit through the effect interface board 43.

  Hereinafter, the CPU included in the effect control board 42 is referred to as “CPU 42a”, the ROM as “ROM 42b”, and the RAM as “RAM 42c”. Note that a nonvolatile memory is used as the RAM 42c.

The effect control board 42 is connected to the liquid crystal control board 44 via the effect interface board 43 and the liquid crystal interface board 45.
The liquid crystal control board 44 controls effects by displaying images on the LCD unit 7. On the liquid crystal control board 44, a VDP (Video Display Processor), an image ROM, a VRAM (Video RAM), a liquid crystal control CPU, a liquid crystal control ROM, a liquid crystal control RAM, and the like are mounted.
The VDP performs overall control of video output processing such as image development processing and image drawing.
The image ROM stores image data (effect image data) on which the VDP performs image expansion processing.
The VRAM is an image memory area that temporarily stores image data developed by the VDP.
The liquid crystal control CPU outputs control data necessary for the VDP to perform display control.
The liquid crystal control ROM stores a program describing the display control operation procedure of the liquid crystal control CPU and various data necessary for the display control.
The liquid crystal control RAM functions as a work area and a buffer memory.
Such a liquid crystal control board 44 receives a command related to a display effect from the effect control board 42 and generates a display drive signal accordingly. Then, a display drive signal is supplied to the LCD unit 7 via the liquid crystal interface board 45 to execute image display.

In addition, the effect control board 42 controls the speaker relay board 47 via the effect interface board 43 to execute sound effects using the speakers 30a to 30d.
The effect control board 42 realizes lamp effects by various LEDs via the effect interface board 43 and the LED board 48 and the spinning LED relay board 56.
On the LED board 48, for example, LEDs as the LED effect units 15a, 15b, and 15c shown in FIG. 1 are arranged.
The spinning LED relay board 56 relays the LED drive signal from the effect control board 42 for the first spinning LED board 50a, the second spinning LED board 50b, and the third spinning LED board 50c.
On the first spinning LED substrate 50a, the spinning LED for irradiating the design of the rotating reel 4a from the inside is arranged. On the second spinning LED substrate 50b, the spinning LED for irradiating the design of the rotating reel 4b from the inside is arranged. Further, on the third spinning LED substrate 50c, a spinning LED for irradiating the design of the rotating reel 4c from the inside is arranged.

The main control board 40 is connected to various game members of the slot machine through the game relay board 60 as shown in FIG.
The game display board 61 is equipped with an LED group 9 indicating a gaming state, a payout display unit 10 having a 7-segment LED, and a storage number display unit 11 having a 7-segment LED. The main control board 40 controls the game display board 61 to transmit a control command via the game relay board 60 to execute display according to the game state.

A start switch by the start lever 17 is mounted on the start switch board 62.
On the stop switch board 63, stop switches based on stop buttons 18a, 18b, 18c are mounted.
The storage medal insertion switch board 64 is equipped with an insertion switch for the maximum insertion button 16.
A settlement switch for the settlement button 14 is mounted on the settlement switch board 65.
The main control board 40 receives, via the game relay board 60, detection signals of player operations by the switches of these boards (61, 62, 63, 64, 65).

The door sensor 66 is a sensor provided for the aforementioned key hole of the front panel 2. The door sensor 66 is capable of recognizing the above-described game cancellation cancellation operation.
The medal passage sensor 67 and the lever detection sensor 68 are provided in the medal sorting device 21. The medal passage sensor 67 includes a first sensor and a second sensor, which are arranged along the medal passage route, each of which is configured by a photo interrupter, for example, and detects the passage of the selected regular medal. The lever detection sensor 68 is configured by, for example, a photomicrosensor, and is a sensor that is shielded by a sensor lever that operates according to the passage of a medal inserted from the medal insertion slot 12. In other words, medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 12 pass through the lever detection sensor 68, and only legitimate medals are selected.
The main control board 40 receives the detection signals of these sensors (66, 67, 68) via the game relay board 60. Further, the main control board 40 detects the insertion time and passing direction of the medal inserted by the detection signal of the received sensor, and accepts it as an inserted medal only when it meets a predetermined rule, otherwise it is inserted Treat as a medal error.
The blocker solenoid 69 drives a blocker that prevents passage of illegal medals to ON / OFF. The main control board 40 controls the blocker solenoid via the game relay board 60. In this example, the inserted medal is discharged by turning off the blocker solenoid 69.

Further, the main control board 40 has three stepping motors 54 (a first cylinder stepping motor 54a, a second cylinder stepping motor 54b, The third cylinder stepping motor 54c) is connected.
Further, the main control board 40 is connected to the three index sensors 55 (first cylinder index) for detecting the origin position (origin position 101 to be described later) of the rotary reels 4a, 4b, and 4c via the revolution relay board 53. Sensor 55a, second cylinder index sensor 55b, and third cylinder index sensor 55c).
The main control board 40 drives or stops the stepping motors 54a, 54b, 54c, thereby realizing the rotating operation of the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c and the stopping operation at the target position. The main control board 40 can detect the origin positions of the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c based on the detection signals of the index sensors 55a, 55b, and 55c.

The main control board 40 is also connected to a device unit for paying out medals via a payout connection board 73. A hopper board 74 for performing medal payout control, a payout motor 75, and a medal payout sensor 76 are provided as an apparatus unit for paying out medals.
The hopper board 74 rotates a payout motor 75 based on a payout control signal from the main control board 40 and pays out a predetermined amount of medals.
The medal payout sensor 76 detects the passage of the payout medal. The detection signal from the medal payout sensor 76 is used to detect an abnormal payout state such as a shortage of payout medals or no payout operation.

  The main control board 40 is connected to the external concentration terminal board 70. The external concentration terminal board 70 is connected to, for example, a hall computer, and the main control board 40 outputs the number of inserted medals and the number of paid out medals to the hall computer through the external concentration terminal board 70.

The main control board 40 is also connected to the rotating drum setting board 71. A setting key switch 72a that is turned on / off in response to an operation of a setting key and a reset switch 72b that is turned on / off in response to an operation of a reset button are provided for the rotating drum setting board 71. The rotating drum setting board 71 outputs a signal indicating the setting value vd set by the staff using the setting key and the reset button.
Here, the set value vd is a value representing a stage regarding the winning probability of the lottery process executed in the slot machine, in other words, the probability of whether or not to win the gaming state advantageous to the player. It is set as appropriate based on the sales strategy of the game hall. In this example, the winning probability has six stages, and the set value vd can be set to a value representing an arbitrary stage among the six stages from setting “1” to setting “6”. At this time, “0” to “5” are assigned as the value of the setting value vd itself.
In this example, the winning probability is increased in the order of setting “1” to setting “6”.

A hall attendant or the like can change the set value vd by a predetermined operation. Specifically, when changing the setting value vd, first, the front panel 2 is opened, and the power is turned on with the setting key switch 72a turned on (in this example, the setting key is turned to the right). To do. Then, a setting value (any one of “1” to “6”) indicating the currently set stage is displayed on the indicator provided for the rotating drum setting board 71, and the reset button is pressed in this state. Each time the reset switch 72b is turned ON, the display value is incremented by 1 (the display value “6” is followed by “1”). Further, after the value is selected with the reset button, the start lever 17 is operated to determine the set value vd according to the selected value, and then the setting key switch 72a is turned OFF (in this example, The setting value vd is changed by turning the setting key counterclockwise.
Note that setting change processing performed by the main control board 40 (a CPU 80a described later) in order to enable such a change of the setting value vd will be described later with reference to FIG.

Next, the circuit configuration of the main control board 40 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in the figure, the main control board 40 includes a controller 80 by a one-chip microcomputer, an I / O port circuit 83 for inputting / outputting 8-bit parallel data, a counter circuit 81, and an interface unit with each unit. ing.

In addition to the CPU 80a, ROM 80b, and RAM 80c, the controller 80 includes an interrupt controller 80d, a CTC (Counter / Timer Circuit) 80e, and the like. Note that a nonvolatile memory is used as the RAM 80c.
The CTC 80e is a circuit in which an 8-bit counter and a timer are integrated, and adds a periodic interrupt, a fixed-period pulse output generation function (bit rate generator), and a time measurement function in the processing of the CPU 80a. In this example, a timer interrupt (FIG. 11 described later) is applied to the CPU 80a at a time interval of 1.49 ms using the CTC 80e.

  The counter circuit 81 is a circuit that generates a random value in hardware. The controller 80 (CPU 80a) performs a lottery process using the random value generated by the counter circuit 81.

The main control board 40 is provided with an interface between the controller 80 and each board shown in FIG.
The power interface 82 is an interface with the power circuit of the power board 41.
The game interface 84 is an interface with the game relay board 60. The controller 80 inputs various switches and sensor detection signals, and transmits commands for LED control and blocker solenoid control via the game interface 84.
The rotating motor driving unit 85 is an interface with the rotating relay substrate 53. The controller 80 outputs motor drive signals to the stepping motors 54a, 54b, and 54c by the rotary motor driving unit 85, and from the index sensors 55a, 55b, and 55c input via the rotary motor driving unit 85. Obtain the detection signal.
The effect control interface 86 is an interface for the controller 80 to transmit a command to the effect control board 42 via the effect interface board 43. Specifically, for example, an 8-bit parallel port.
The payout connection interface 87 is an interface with the payout connection board 73.

The external interface 88 is an interface with the hall computer via the external concentration terminal board 70.
The rotating drum setting interface 89 is an interface with the rotating drum setting board 71.

<3. Rotating reel and rotating cylinder motor>

Subsequently, the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c will be described.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration relating to origin detection for the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c. The origin detection is detection of a specific position provided on each of the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c, that is, an origin.
Since the configuration relating to the origin detection is the same for each of the rotating reels 4 a to 4 c, one rotating reel is representatively illustrated as the rotating reel 4 here. 7A is a perspective view showing a configuration relating to origin detection, and FIG. 7B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the detected portion 93d formed on the rotating reel 4 and the origin position 101.

  In FIG. 7A, the rotation axis Ra, which is the central axis of the rotor 54r included in the stepping motor 54, is indicated by a dashed line. The rotary reel 4 includes a reel drum 90 that is driven to rotate about the rotation axis Ra, a backlight unit 91 disposed inside the reel drum 90, and a base body that directly or indirectly supports the reel drum 90. 92.

The base body 92 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin, and includes a base plate 92b formed in a substantially plate shape, and a protrusion 92t that protrudes from the base plate 92b in a direction along the rotation axis Ra. The base plate 92b is disposed along one side of the reel drum 90 in the left-right direction (here, the right side). The stepping motor 54 is fixed to one surface side (here, the left surface side) of the base body 92 with the rotor 54r (rotation axis Ra) directed to one side (here, the left side) in the left-right direction.
In this case, the protrusion 92t protrudes from the base plate 92b in the left direction.

The reel drum 90 includes two reel frames 93 and 94 and a belt-like reel sheet 95 that is mounted on the outer periphery of the reel frames 930 and 94 in a cylindrical shape. The reel frames 93 and 94 are made of, for example, black synthetic resin that does not have light transmittance or has extremely low light transmittance, and the outer peripheral portions thereof are formed as rim portions 93r and 94r, respectively. The rim portion 93r of the reel frame 93 and the rim portion 94r of the reel frame 94 are formed in an annular shape along the left and right edges of the reel sheet 95, respectively.
The reel frame 93 includes a hub portion 93h that is detachably fixed to the rotor 54r of the stepping motor 54, and a plurality of spoke portions 93s that connect the rim portion 93r and the hub portion 93h in the radial direction. .

  In this example, the reel frame 94 is not directly connected to the reel frame 94, and the rim portion 94 r of the reel frame 94 is connected to the rim portion 93 r of the reel frame 93 via the reel sheet 95. (Of course, the rim portion 94r and the rim portion 93r can be integrally connected, for example, at one or a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction).

The reel sheet 95 is formed in a belt shape having a constant width by using, for example, a colorless and transparent synthetic resin sheet, is wound around the rim portions 93r and 94r of the reel frames 93 and 94, and is adhered by, for example, an adhesive. Although not shown in the drawing, a plurality of symbols are formed on the reel sheet 95 by printing.
The symbol forming area in the reel sheet 95 has a relatively high light transmittance, and when the LED in the backlight unit 91 is turned on, the light emitting area emits light brightly. Details will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The index sensor 55 is composed of, for example, a transmissive photosensor, and is attached to the tip end portion of a projecting portion 92t that projects from the base plate 92b to the reel drum 90 as shown in the figure. The index sensor 55 includes a light emitting portion 551 and a light receiving portion 552 that are arranged such that the light emitting surface and the light receiving surface face each other in the radial direction of the reel frame 93.

  In the case of this example, a predetermined spoke portion 93 s of the reel drum 93 is formed with a detected portion 93 d that protrudes in a direction facing the index sensor 55. The detected portion 93 d is formed at a position that passes through the space between the light emitting portion 551 and the light receiving portion 552 of the index sensor 55 as the reel drum 90 rotates.

  With such a configuration, depending on the index sensor 55 serving as a transmission type photosensor, the detected portion 93d is interposed between the light emitting portion 551 and the light receiving portion 552 once per rotation of the reel drum 90 (the rotating reel 4). As a result, a detection signal in which an ON pulse appears as the signal passes is obtained.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 7B, the detected part 93 d has one edge of both edges (ends) in a direction parallel to the rotation direction R (forward rotation direction) positioned at the same rotation angle as the origin position 101. Positioned to do so. Specifically, the detected portion 93 d of this example is positioned so that the edge on the rotation traveling direction side in the positive rotation direction (R) is positioned at the same rotation angle as the origin position 101.

The configuration for detecting the origin should not be limited to the one described above. For example, instead of the protrusion-like detected portion 93d, a configuration in which a detected portion by a notch as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-33743 may be provided. In this case, if the light emitting unit 551 and the light receiving unit 552 of the index sensor 55 are arranged so that the light emitted from the light emitting unit 551 is received by the light receiving unit 552 when the cutout portion arrives as the rotating reel 4 rotates. Good.
The index sensor 55 is not limited to a transmissive photosensor, and a reflective photosensor can also be used.

FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing the backlight unit 91 and the reel sheet 95.
The backlight portion 91 includes side wall portions 91a and 91a, a top plate portion 91b, a bottom plate portion 91c, partition plates 91d and 91d, and an LED arrangement portion 91e.
The side wall portions 91a, 91a, the top plate portion 91b, and the bottom plate portion 91c are each formed in a substantially flat plate shape and assembled to form a substantially square shape.
The partition plates 91d and 91d are formed in a substantially flat plate shape, and are arranged in substantially the same distance between the top plate portion 91b and the bottom plate portion 91c so as to face substantially the same direction as the top plate portion 91b and the bottom plate portion 91c. Is done. As a result, the backlight unit 91 includes an upper irradiation chamber 96a and a middle irradiation chamber that are approximately the same size by the side walls 91a and 91a, the top plate 91b, the bottom plate 91c, and the partition plates 91d and 91d. 96b and lower irradiation chamber 96c are formed side by side.
The upper irradiation chamber 96a, the middle irradiation chamber 96b, and the lower irradiation chamber 96c are opened forward and rearward, respectively, and an LED arrangement portion 91e is attached so as to close all the rear openings.
A plurality of upper LEDs 97a, 97a,... Are spaced apart from each other on the front surface of a portion of the LED placement portion 91e that closes the upper irradiation chamber 96a.
Middle stage LED97b, 97b, ... is arrange | positioned on the front surface of the part which obstruct | occludes the middle stage irradiation chamber 96b in the LED arrangement | positioning part 91e spaced apart right and left.
Similarly, lower LEDs 97c, 97c,... Are arranged on the front surface of the portion that closes the lower irradiation chamber 96c in the LED arrangement portion 91e so as to be separated left and right.
In FIG. 8, the upper LED 97a, the middle LED 97b, and the lower LED 97c are arranged three by three apart from each other.

  The top plate portion 91b, the partition plates 91d and 91d, and the bottom plate portion 91c are arranged apart from each other by an interval of one symbol arranged on the reel sheet 95. Therefore, when the reel drum 90 stops after the game, the top plate portion 91b, the partition plates 91d and 91d, and the bottom plate portion 91c are positioned between the symbols arranged on the reel sheet 95. Therefore, in a state where the reel drum 90 is stopped, the light emitted from the upper LED 97a irradiates only the symbols stopped in front of the upper irradiation chamber 96a among the symbols arranged on the reel sheet 95. Similarly, the light irradiated from the middle LED 97b irradiates the pattern stopped in front of the middle irradiation chamber 96b, and the light irradiated from the lower LED 97c irradiates the pattern stopped in front of the lower irradiation chamber 96c.

  Since the light emitted from the LEDs arranged in the respective irradiation chambers is blocked by the side wall portion 91a and the partition plate 91d so as not to irradiate the symbols other than the symbols located in the front, each symbol can be arbitrarily selected for production. When it is desired to irradiate (for example, when irradiating only the upper symbol stop line), only the irradiated portion can be clearly irradiated. Thereby, the spinning machine suitable for various lighting effects using the spinning LED can be provided.

  The side wall portions 91a, 91a, the top plate portion 91b, the bottom plate portion 91c, and the partition plates 91d, 91d may be integrally formed with the same member. Furthermore, at least a part of the LED arrangement portion 91e may be integrally formed in the same manner.

Next, an example of the relationship between the driving method of each of the stepping motors 54a, 54b, 54c for rotating the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c and the symbols formed on the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c will be described.
In the present embodiment, the stepping motors 54a, 54b, 54c are unipolar driving stepping motors, each having two drive windings that are center-tapped. In the case of the present embodiment, the stepping motors 54a, 54b, 54c are driven by, for example, 1-2 phase excitation in which one-phase excitation and two-phase excitation are alternately repeated. The driving method using 1-2 phase excitation can realize smooth driving with a step angle halved compared with the driving method of one phase excitation or two phase excitation. The update period of the excitation pattern (excitation data) for 1-2 phase excitation is set to 1.49 ms, which is the timer interrupt processing period.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of symbols formed on the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c.
In this example, 21 frames of symbols are arranged on the surface of the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c along the rotating direction. In each of the rotating reels 4a, 4b and 4c, there are 10 types of symbols (red 7, white 7, bar, character, cherry, watermelon, bell, replay, outage 1 and outage 2), and they are in a predetermined order. Are arranged in In the figure, the symbols of 21 frames formed on the rotating reel 4a are represented as symbols 4a1, 4a2,..., 4a21, respectively. Similarly, the symbols of 21 frames formed on the rotating reel 4b are represented as symbols 4b1, 4b2,..., 4b21, and the symbols of 21 frames formed on the rotating reel 4c are denoted as symbols 4c1, 4c2,. ing. The number given to the end of the symbol of each symbol represents the symbol number.

  In the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c, the symbols are arranged at equal intervals, and in the drawings, the positions of the symbols are indicated by broken lines. In the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c, a predetermined symbol break position is set as the origin position 101. The origin position 101 in this example is set to the symbol break position between the symbols 4a1, 4b1, 4c1, which are the first symbols, and the symbols 4a21, 4b21, 4c21, which are the 21st symbols, respectively.

  An arrow R in the figure represents the rotation direction of the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c during steady rotation (during forward rotation). As understood from this, the numbers given to the symbols represent the order in which the symbols transition during the steady rotation starting from the origin position 101.

Here, in this example, the stepping motors 54a, 54b, 54c and the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c are respectively rotated so that the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c rotate 1/63 each time the stepping motors 54a, 54b, 54c rotate once. The rotation ratio between is set. In other words, it is necessary to rotate the stepping motors 54a, 54b, and 54c 63 times to rotate the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c once.
In this example, since the number of drive steps necessary to rotate the stepping motors 54a, 54b, 54c is eight, the stepping motors 54a, 54b required to rotate the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c once. , 54c is set to 8 × 63 = 504.

Since the symbols of 21 frames are formed at equal intervals on the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c in this example, the number of steps per symbol is 504 ÷ 21 = 24 steps.
Accordingly, a total of 24 positions can be detected as step positions for each symbol. Here, the step position in the symbol can be detected by decrementing the symbol step number (−1) for each timer interrupt process described later with reference to FIG. That is, the number of step positions detectable in each symbol is 24 (first step position) to 1 (last step position). When the number of symbol steps is further decremented from the state of reaching the final step position (No. 1) of the symbol, the symbol step number returns to No. 24 (= 0).

In addition, for each symbol, a predetermined step position among the 24 (0) to 1st step positions is defined as a position (stop permission step position) where the symbol should be allowed to stop. Specifically, the 8th step position is determined as the symbol stop permission step position. When the rotating reel 4 is stopped, a stop symbol is determined, and the rotating reel 4 is stopped at the stop symbol. At this time, the position at which the rotating reel 4 is stopped is not limited to any step position in the stop symbol. The stop is permitted in response to reaching the step position.

<4. Main control side startup processing>

With reference to the flowchart of FIG. 10, the main control side activation process executed by the CPU 80a in the main control board 40 (controller 80) will be described.
This main control side activation process is executed by the CPU 80a in response to a reset signal generated when the power is turned on and when the watchdog timer (WDT) in the controller 80 times out. That is, the main control side activation process is executed when the controller 80 is activated when the slot machine is powered on, and when the operation of the controller 80 is reactivated due to a stagnation of a predetermined time or more due to some trouble.

  In FIG. 10, the CPU 80a of the main control board 40 performs processing for setting the interrupt processing mode to the initial mode as the interrupt mode setting processing in step S101, and in step S102, sets the stack pointer head address of the RAM 80c to a predetermined address (for example, 8000) (initialization).

Next, the CPU 80a performs selection of a used random number circuit and a latch method and prohibition setting of a random number latch interrupt as random number setting processing in step S103. Specifically, one random number circuit (for example, 0) is selected from the four random number circuits (0 to 3), and a hard latch is selected as the latch direction, and an interrupt request when a random number is fetched is prohibited. Set up.
After that, the CPU 80a performs the interrupt prohibition setting in step S104, the access prohibition setting to the RAM 80c in the subsequent step S105, and the subboot timer setting (about 1 second in this example) in the subsequent step S106. In S107, it is determined whether there is a power supply abnormality. Whether or not the power supply is abnormal is determined by determining whether or not the power supply abnormality signal Ev is input from the power supply substrate 41 described above.
If the power supply is abnormal, the CPU 80a restarts the process from the previous step S101. If the power supply is not abnormal, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S108, clears the WDT, and checks the value of the subboot timer in step S109. If the value of the subboot timer is other than 0, the CPU 80a restarts the process from step S107. If the value of the subboot timer is 0, the process proceeds to step S110. That is, unless it is determined in step S107 that the power supply is abnormal, a loop is formed in which the WDT clear process in step S108 is repeated and waits until the time set in the subboot timer setting process in step S106 elapses.

  In step S110, the CPU 80a determines whether or not the clock input from the outside is abnormal as a determination process of whether or not the external clock is abnormal. When the external clock is abnormal, the CPU 80a executes an operation stop error process shown in FIG.

  If the external clock is not abnormal, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S111 to perform a RAM access permission setting (permits access to the RAM 80c), and then inputs signals from various sensors and switches in step S112. Specifically, the detection signal from the door opening sensor 35 and the signal from the setting key switch 72a are input.

In subsequent step S113, the CPU 80a determines whether or not the door (front panel 2) is in an open state based on a detection signal from the door open sensor 35.
If the door is not open, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S115.
If the door is open, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S114 to determine whether the setting key switch 72a is ON. If the setting key switch is not ON, that is, if the door is open but the setting key ON operation is not performed, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S115.
As can be understood from the above description, if the door is not open in step S113, the ON / OFF determination of the setting key switch 72a in step S114 is not performed. That is, the setting key operation in this case is treated as invalid. Thus, the setting key operation when the door is not opened is treated as invalid, thereby preventing an illegal act of falsifying the setting value vd.

  In step S115, the CPU 80a determines whether or not the set value vd is within a proper range. Here, in the RAM 80c, an area for storing the set value vd is set in advance. In step S115, the set value vd stored in the predetermined area of the RAM 80c is read, and the set value vd is within an appropriate range. (That is, in this example, whether it is within the range of “0” to “5” corresponding to the setting “1” to the setting “6”).

If the set value vd is a value within the appropriate range, the CPU 80a determines in step S116 whether the checksum is normal.
Here, when the power is shut off, the CPU 80a calculates a checksum for a predetermined target area of the RAM 80c and stores it in a predetermined area (an area different from the target area) in the RAM 80c. In the process of step S116, the checksum is similarly calculated for the target area in the RAM 80c, and it is determined whether or not the calculated checksum matches the checksum stored in the predetermined area when the power is turned off.
If both checksums match (the checksum is normal), the stored data in the target area is proved to be identical to that before the power is shut off. However, if the checksum calculation cannot be executed when the power is turned off, or if the data in the target area is damaged or tampered before the checksum calculation is executed in step S116 There is also. In such a case, the determination result in step S116 is inconsistent.

If it is determined in step S116 that both checksums match and are normal, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S117 to determine whether or not the stack pointer is normal. If it is determined to be normal, the CPU 80a executes a power interruption recovery process.
Although illustration explanation is omitted, in the power interruption recovery process, various settings for returning to the state before power shutdown (so-called hot start) are performed based on the information stored in the RAM 80c. The CPU 80a shifts to a main loop process (FIG. 13), which will be described later, in response to executing the power interruption recovery process.

  Here, if the CPU 80a determines that the external clock is abnormal in the previous step S110, or if it is determined in step S115 that the set value vd is not within the appropriate range, or if the checksum is not normal in step S116. If the stack pointer is not normal in step S117, the operation stop error process shown in FIG. 11 is executed.

In the operation stop error processing shown in FIG. 11, the CPU 80a performs interrupt prohibition setting in step S201, performs timer interrupt prohibition setting and INT interrupt permission setting in subsequent step S202, and prohibits access to the RAM 80c in step S203. Perform the settings to be performed.
In step S204, the CPU 80a performs interrupt permission setting, and thereafter repeatedly executes the error display process in step S205 (infinite loop). As the error display process, for example, a process for displaying a value representing a predetermined error code on the payout display unit 10 described above is performed.

As described above, when an abnormality of the external clock, the set value vd, the checksum, and the stack pointer is detected in the activation process of FIG. 10, an operation stop error process that repeats the error display process indefinitely is executed.
When such an operation stop error process is executed, the game in the slot machine is no longer possible. In this sense, the operation stop error process can be restated as a disabling process for disabling the progress of the game.

Here, by executing the main control side activation process described above, an inappropriate setting value vd is held (stored) in the RAM 82c at the time of activation, for example, due to illegal rewriting of the setting value vd. In such a case, the progress of the game is disabled by the operation stop error process.
However, when the setting change operation is detected by the determination process in steps S113 and S114 and the setting change process is executed, as will be understood from the following description, the CPU 80a does not execute the main process after the end of the setting change process. Since the process shifts to the loop process, the game can be progressed.
As understood from this, in the slot machine of this example, the disabled state of the game progress is canceled on condition that an operation for changing the set value vd is performed.

<5. Setting change processing>

When the CPU 80a determines in step S114 shown in FIG. 10 that the setting key switch 72a is ON (when the door is open and the setting key ON operation is performed), the setting change process shown in FIG. Execute.

In the setting change process shown in FIG. 12, the CPU 80a first executes a setting change RAM clear process in step S301. That is, a process of clearing an area (corresponding to the storage area for the setting value vd) determined corresponding to the setting change in the RAM 80c is performed.
In the next step S302, the CPU 80a sets an interrupt mode corresponding to the setting change process as the interrupt setting process.

  In subsequent step S303, the CPU 80a reads the set value vd stored in the RAM 80c, and clears it to 0 if the set value vd is equal to or greater than MAX (“5” corresponding to the setting “6” in this example) in step S304. Process. This is because when the setting value vd becomes “5” or more as the setting value vd is incremented by 1 in response to the reset button operation in step S311 described later, the setting value vd becomes “0” (setting “1”). This is for returning to the corresponding value.

  In subsequent step S305, the CPU 80a sets a set value command. The set value command is a command for notifying the CPU 42a of the effect control board 42 of the set value vd stored in the RAM 80c.

Here, in the case of this example, the setting value command is an aspect of the “main state command” that the main control board 40 (CPU 80a) transmits to the effect control board 42 (CPU 42a) in response to the power-on of the slot machine. As a command to send as. Specifically, the “main state command” is a command that allows the main control board 40 to variably set the following three modes according to its own state.
-When sending the main basic status-When sending the status when power is interrupted-When sending the status before accepting the game start CPU 80a is one of these three modes for a given bit position (first given bit position) in the "main status command" By storing a value corresponding to either one, the mode of the main state command can be designated.

In the main state command in the “main basic state transmission” mode, the following information can be designated by the value of a predetermined bit position (second predetermined bit position) different from the first predetermined bit position. .
・ Setting change information (Setting 1)
・ Setting change information (Setting 2)
・ Setting change information (Setting 3)
・ Setting change information (Setting 4)
・ Setting change information (Setting 5)
・ Setting change information (setting 6)
-Setting change end information: Information indicating that the setting change has ended-Demo status information: Notification information regarding the customer waiting demo state Note that the setting change information (setting 1) to setting change information (setting 6) are stored in the RAM 82c in step S303. Or a value obtained by performing an increment process in step S311 described later (0 when cleared to 0 in step S304).

In the main state command in the “transmission return state transmission” mode, depending on the value of the second predetermined bit position,
-ART mode notification information: For example, information for notifying one of ART modes 0 to 3.-Initialization information at power failure recovery: Information indicating that initialization has been performed by the power failure recovery processing described above can be specified. , In the main state command in the “when the game start acceptance state transmission” mode, the value of the second predetermined bit position,
・ ART mode notification information can be specified.

In step S305, the CPU 80a stores a value corresponding to the "main basic state transmission mode" in the first predetermined bit position as a "setting value command", and reads it from the RAM 82c in step S303 in the second predetermined bit position. Or the “main state command” storing the incremented value (or 0 when cleared in step S304) in the increment processing of step S311 described later in the transmission buffer of the effect control interface 86. set.
The command set in the transmission buffer in this way is transmitted to the effect control board 42 side in a command output process (S505) of a timer interrupt process (FIG. 14) described later.

In response to the execution of the command set process in step S305, the CPU 80a performs a value corresponding to the current set value vd on the display provided for the above-described cylinder setting board 71 as the set value display process in step S306. Perform processing to display. The current set value vd referred to here means the set value vd specified in the command set in step S305.
Then, the CPU 80a performs an update process on the random number that is zero-latched in the previous step S103 as a random number update process in the subsequent step S307, performs a standby process for one timer interrupt in the next step S308, and then performs a step S309. Proceed with the process.

In step S309, the CPU 80a confirms ON / OFF of the start lever 17 (start switch). This is equivalent to checking whether or not the setting value vd is confirmed.
If the start lever 17 is OFF, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S310 to check whether the reset button (reset switch 72b) is ON / OFF, that is, whether or not the set value vd is fed, and if the reset button is OFF, step S307. Return to the random number update process.
Thus, the random number update (S307) and the waiting process for one timer interruption (S308) are performed until either the setting value vd is confirmed by the start lever 17 or the setting value vd is sent by the reset button. Repeatedly.

  If the reset button is ON in step S310, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S311 to increment (+1) the set value vd and then returns to the previous step S304.

  If the start lever 17 is ON in step S311, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S312 and sets the current set value vd (that is, the set value vd displayed in the most recent step S306) in a predetermined area of the RAM 82c ( Remember).

  When the set value vd is set in the RAM 82c in step S312, the CPU 80a displays a display of the set value confirmation dot in step S313, that is, a display indicating that the set value vd is confirmed on the indicator provided on the cylinder setting board 71. (For example, the numerical information being displayed is blinked on the display, or the display brightness is increased).

  And CPU80a performs the process which waits for the change end operation of setting value vd by following step S314 and step S315. That is, after waiting for one timer interrupt in step S314, the setting key switch 72a is checked for ON / OFF in step S315. If it is ON, the process returns to step S314.

  If the setting key switch 72a is OFF, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S316, clears the numerical display on the display that has been confirmed in step S313, and sets a setting change end command in step S317. . This setting change end command is a command for notifying the effect control board 42 side that the setting value vd change processing has ended, and is set as one aspect of the above-described “main state command” in this example. Is done. Specifically, in the command set processing in step S317, a value indicating the “main basic state transmission” mode is stored in the first predetermined bit position described above, and the “setting change end information” described above is stored in the second predetermined bit position. A “main state command” storing a value representing “” is set in the transmission buffer in the effect control interface 86.

In response to the execution of the command set process in step S317, the setting change process shown in FIG.
In response to the end of the setting change process, the CPU 80a proceeds to the main loop process shown in FIG.

<6. Main loop processing>

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of main loop processing executed by the CPU 80a of the main control board 40.
The CPU 80a repeats a series of processes represented by steps S401 to S417 as the main loop process. The main loop process is repeatedly executed for each game.
During the period of one game, the rotation of the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c that are rotating in response to the operation of the stop buttons 18a, 18b, and 18c from the occurrence of the opportunity to accept the operation of the start lever 17 is stopped. Is the period. As will be understood from the following description, in the case of this example, when the operation of the start lever 17 can be accepted, the first medal is bet (the Max insertion button 16 or a bet by pseudo insertion at the time of replaying). Timing).

  In the main loop process, the CPU 80a first executes a RAM initialization process in step S401. That is, a predetermined area in the work area of the RAM 80c (an area determined to be cleared for each game) is cleared to zero.

  In subsequent step S402, the CPU 80a generates a game state flag in the current game. The game state flag is a flag that specifies the game state of the current game. The game state indicates various states of the game such as “during bonus game”, “during bonus internal winning”, and “during normal game”. Further, in step S402, a replay operation flag is generated that indicates whether or not a replay is won in the game immediately before the current game. The value of the replay operation flag is set to either “1” (ON) representing a replay win or “0” (OFF) representing a non-replay win.

Further, the CPU 80a executes a game medal insertion process in the next step S403. That is, a process for managing a medal that is actually inserted from the medal insertion slot 12 or a medal that is artificially inserted by depressing the maximum insertion button 16 or winning a replay, or managing credits (stored medals). is there.
Details of the game medal insertion process in step S403 will be described again with reference to FIGS.
The game medal insertion process includes a process for determining whether or not the start lever 17 has been turned on (step S613 in FIG. 15), and the process ends on condition that the start lever 17 has been turned on. .

  When the game medal insertion process in step S403 ends, the CPU 80a executes an internal lottery random number extraction process in step S404. Specifically, the counter value held in the counter circuit 81 is acquired. The acquired counter value is held as a random value at a predetermined address in the RAM 80c.

  In subsequent step S405, the CPU 80a determines whether or not the set value vd is within a proper range. Specifically, the setting value vd stored in the RAM 82c is a value corresponding to any of the settings “1” to “6”, that is, a value within the range of “0” to “5”. It is determined whether or not there is.

If the set value vd is not within the appropriate range, the CPU 80a executes the operation stop error process described with reference to FIG.
That is, the CPU 80a determines whether or not the set value vd stored in the RAM 82a for each game by the process in step S405 is within a proper range. The progress of the game is stopped and the game progress is disabled.

On the other hand, if the set value vd is a value within the appropriate range, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S406, and executes an internal lottery process (design lottery process) based on the stored random number value. In the symbol lottery process, whether or not the bonus symbol is won, whether or not the small role symbol is won, and whether or not the replay symbol indicating replay is won is determined, and a control command ( "Game start command") is set in the transmission buffer in the effect control interface 86, and is transmitted to the effect control board 42 side by the command output process (S505) of the timer interrupt process. In other words, whether or not each symbol is won is notified to the effect control board 42 side.
Examples of small role symbols include “cherry symbols” (4a10, 4b3, 4c9), “bell symbols” (4a4, 4b5, 4c3, etc.), “watermelon symbols” (4a9, 4b12, 4c1, etc.), etc. can do.
In the symbol lottery process, an “expectation effect command” is set in the transmission buffer based on the lottery result. The anticipation effect command is a command for instructing the content of the anticipation effect executed at a predetermined timing in one game, for example, at the start of a game.

  In response to the execution of the internal lottery process in step S406, the CPU 80a executes a reel effect lottery process for determining whether or not to execute a reel effect in step S407. The effects that can be selected in the reel effect lottery process are determined in accordance with the result of the internal lottery process. For example, if a predetermined symbol such as “watermelon symbol” is in an internal winning state, a predetermined reel effect such as “a slow effect that rotates in a positive direction and stops still” can be selected based on a predetermined winning probability. Has been.

  In response to the execution of the reel effect lottery process in step S407, the CPU 80a executes a stop symbol determination initialization process in step S408 to determine (calculate) a stop position for the rotating reel 4 on which the stop operation has been performed. After the initialization of various data used in the above, the rotation rotation start setting process is executed to start the rotation of the rotating reels 4a to 4c in the next step S409.

The contents of the spinning rotation start setting process in step S409 differ depending on whether or not the reel effect lottery is won.
Here, the reel effect is executed at various timings, for example, according to the operation of the start lever 17. When the reel effect executed at the timing of operation of the start lever 17 is won, the reel effect is executed in accordance with the operation of the start lever 17 and the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c are temporarily stopped. After that, the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c are activated (accelerated rotation) again to make a transition to a steady rotation state at a constant speed.
When the reel effect lottery is won, in the rotation rotation start setting process in step S409, various setting processes for starting the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c for the normal rotation state after effect rotation is performed. Is executed.
On the other hand, when the reel effect lottery is not won, various setting processes for starting the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c toward the steady rotation state are executed in the spinning rotation start setting process in step S409.

  By the way, when a certain reel effect is executed according to the operation of the start lever 17, it can be inferred that the player has won a predetermined symbol corresponding to the type of the reel effect. The player performs a stop operation so that the symbols targeted from such inference are aligned on the symbol stop line. Only when the inference is made and the stop timing is appropriate, the internal winning state is made effective and a predetermined medal is paid out.

In response to the execution of the spinning rotation start setting process in step S409, the CPU 80a executes the spinning cylinder stop process in step S410.
In the rotation stop processing, processing for determining the stop symbol of the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c according to the operation of the stop buttons 18a, 18b, 18c, and stopping the rotating reels 4a, 4b, 4c with the stop symbol. Various data setting processing is performed. Further, in the spinning stop process, a process of collating the symbols stopped on the symbol stop line is also performed.

  In the above-described spinning cylinder stop process, the corresponding rotary reel 4 among the rotary reels 4a, 4b, and 4c is controlled to stop according to the result of the internal lottery process (S406). That is, as a result of the internal lottery process, the symbols of the rotating reels 4a, 4b, and 4c are aligned so as to match the winning result on condition that the player is appropriately stopped. However, if the timing at which the player presses the stop button 18 or the order of the stop operations is inappropriate, the player is stopped in a lost state pattern. As a result, the small winning combination at the corner is wasted, but the bonus winning is carried over after the next game.

In step S411, the CPU 80a executes a winning determination process. That is, based on the result of the above-described collation processing in the turning stop processing in step S410, it is determined whether or not the winning symbol (winning combination) is aligned on the symbol stop line, and the number of medals to be paid out according to the determination result Is calculated.
In the winning determination process, a winning information command is sent to the effect control interface 86 in order to send a control command (winning information command) indicating whether or not the winning symbols are aligned on the symbol stop line to the effect control board 42. Processing to set in the transmission buffer is also performed.
In the winning determination process, a process of setting the payout amount corresponding to the winning information of the game in a predetermined area of the RAM 82c is also performed.

Further, in the subsequent step S412, the CPU 80a performs a process of counting the number of paid-out medals based on the detection signal of the medal payout sensor 76 and updating the value of the number of credits according to the medal paid-out as the medal payout number monitoring process. At this time, if the number of payouts is set in the RAM 82c, the value of the number of credits is incremented by one. If the credit overflows, the payout control signal is turned ON and the medal payout device 5 is paid out. Let When the payout is completed, the payout control signal is turned OFF and the medal payout number monitoring process is finished.
In the medal payout number monitoring process, a process of setting a payout command in the transmission buffer of the effect control interface 86 is also performed in order to transmit a control command (payout command) indicating medal payout or credit number increment to the effect control board 42. Is called. The payout command is set every time the value of the number of credits is incremented and every time a medal is paid out from the hopper.

  In step S413 following step S412, the CPU 80a executes re-game setting processing. In the regame setting process, it is determined whether or not the replay is in a winning state. If the replay is in a winning state, at least a regame action flag is set as a start process of the replay action, and the process proceeds to step S414. If it is not in the replay winning state, the re-game operation start process is not executed (that is, the re-game operation flag is not set), and the process proceeds to step S414. The re-game action flag is used for the determination process in step S602 in FIG.

  In step S414, the CPU 80a determines whether the current bonus game is in progress. If the bonus game is in progress, the CPU 80a executes a predetermined process corresponding to the case in which the bonus is being operated as the bonus operating process in step S416, and then returns to the previous step S401.

On the other hand, if the bonus game is not currently being played, the CPU 80a determines in step S415 whether or not the bonus symbol is ready. After executing various corresponding setting processes, the process returns to step S401.
If the bonus symbols are not prepared, the CPU 80a passes the bonus operation start process of step S417 and returns to step S401.

<7. Timer interrupt processing>

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of timer interrupt processing executed by the CPU 80a of the main control board 40. The timer interrupt process is started every 1.49 ms.
In FIG. 14, the CPU 80a first saves the value of the register in step S501 (register saving process), and acquires data of input ports that receive various switch signals and sensor signals in step S502. For example, a predetermined area of the RAM 80c (Port input processing). The sensor signal includes a medal passage sensor 67, a medal payout sensor 76, each index sensor 55 of the first cylinder index sensor 55a, the second cylinder index sensor 55b, and the third cylinder index sensor 55c, a door sensor 66, and the like. The detection signal from is included. In the port input process, a random number value is also fetched from the counter circuit 81.

  Next, the CPU 80a executes a rotating cylinder rotation control process in step S503. The rotating rotation control process is based on the setting data in the rotating rotation start setting process (S409) and the rotating cylinder stop process (S410) in the main loop process of FIG. In order to realize the above, the excitation data to be output to the stepping motors 54a, 54b, 54c is set in the output buffer.

  In subsequent step S504, the CPU 80a executes update processing for various target timers as regular update processing. In particular, in this example, in the regular update process, the credit insertion interval timer (S810) set in the credit insertion detection process (S605) described later with reference to FIG. 17 and the replay medal insertion process described with reference to FIG. The input interval timer (S904) and the like set in (S610) are updated.

  In response to the execution of the periodic update process in step S504, the CPU 80a executes a command output process in step S505. That is, the control command set in the transmission buffer in the effect control interface 86 is output to the effect control board 42 for each byte.

  In subsequent step S506, the CPU 80a updates the display operation of various lamps as display / motor output processing, and outputs the excitation data set in step S503 to the stepping motors 54a, 54b, 54c via the rotary motor driving unit 85. Let When excitation data is output to the stepping motor 54, each stepping motor enters a predetermined excitation state corresponding to the excitation data, and the rotation reel 4 is rotated or stopped by updating the excitation data.

  Further, the CPU 80a executes an abnormality monitoring process in the next step S507, and executes an external information signal output process in step S508. In the abnormality monitoring process of step S507, determination of presence / absence of abnormality based on the detection signals of the lever detection sensor 68, the medal payout sensor 76, and the door opening sensor 35 described above and processing according to the determination result are executed. The external information signal output process in step S508 is a process related to information output via the external concentration terminal board 70 described above. Specifically, a process of outputting information such as paid-out medals to the hall computer is executed. To do.

In subsequent step S509, the CPU 80a restores the value of the register saved in the process of the previous step S501. In response to the execution of the register restoration process in step S509, the CPU 80a finishes the timer interrupt process.

<8. Game medal insertion processing (notification of set values for each game to the production control board)>

Next, with reference to FIGS. 15 to 19, the game medal insertion process (S403) executed by the CPU 80a of the main control board 40 in the course of the main loop process will be described.
FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the overall flow of the game medal insertion process.
First, in step S601, the CPU 80a executes a reel LED extinguishing demo timer setting process. That is, a timer for shifting to a demo state in which a total of nine spinning LEDs provided for each of the reels 4a, 4b, and 4c are turned off is set to a predetermined value (60 sec in this example). .

In subsequent step S602, the CPU 80a confirms the re-game operation flag (generated in step S402). If the re-game operation flag is ON (“1”), the CPU 80a executes the re-game automatic medal insertion process in step S610. Then, the process proceeds to step S611.
Note that the replay automatic medal insertion process in step S610 is a pseudo medal insertion process in response to winning of the replay symbol in the immediately preceding game, and details will be described again with reference to FIG.

  When the re-game operation flag is OFF (“0”), the CPU 80a proceeds to step S603, and as a medal settlement process, a process for paying out a medal in a credit state according to the presence / absence of the operation of the credit settlement button 14 described above. After the execution, the medal insertion detection process in step S604, and then the credit insertion detection process in step S605 are executed.

  In the medal insertion detection process in step S604, a determination process as to whether or not the player has properly inserted a medal, an error process when the medal insertion is inappropriate, and the number of bets when the medal insertion is appropriate. Management processing or credit number management processing is performed.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the medal insertion detection process.
In the medal insertion detection process, the CPU 80a first determines in step S701 whether or not the current bet number is a specified number (three). The bet number is a value that is counted up / down by the CPU 80a by the processing in step S1001 in the medal insertion setting processing (S716, S812, S903: see FIG. 19) described later or the medal settlement processing in step S603 described above.
If the bet number is the specified number, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S702 to determine whether or not the credit number is the maximum (50). The number of credits is a value counted up / down by the CPU 80a by the process in step S717 described later in FIG. 16, the process in step S811 described later in FIG. 17, and the medal settlement process in step S603 described above.

If the number of credits is maximum, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S703 to execute a medal insertion prohibition process, and ends the medal insertion detection process shown in this figure. In the medal insertion prohibition process, the LED indicating the acceptance state of medal insertion in the LED group 9 (medal insertion display LED), the blocker solenoid 69, and the maximum insertion button 16 are provided to indicate the acceptance of the maximum insertion operation. A process for turning off the input buttons LED is executed.
As described above, the blocker solenoid 69 is turned off to enable the blocker, and even if a medal is inserted, the blocker solenoid 69 is discharged.

  If the bet number is not the prescribed number in step S701, or if the credit number is not the maximum in step S702, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S704, and the above-described medal insertion display LED as a process for permitting medal insertion, and Processing for turning on the blocker solenoid 69 is executed.

  In addition, the CPU 80a determines whether or not the player has properly inserted medals through the processing from step S705 onward (S705 to S714), and error processing when the medal insertion is inappropriate (S718). Then, a bet number management process (S716) or a credit number management process (S717) when the medal insertion is appropriate is executed.

First, in step S <b> 705, the CPU 80 a checks the detection signals of the first sensor and the second sensor described above as a check process of the medal passage sensor 67. Specifically, the ON / OFF states of these first sensor and second sensor are confirmed.
In step S706, the CPU 80a determines whether or not the previous sensor state matches, that is, whether or not the ON / OFF states of the first sensor and the second sensor match the previous time. This corresponds to determining whether there is no change of OFF → ON or ON → OFF in either the first sensor or the second sensor.

Here, the determination as to whether or not an appropriate medal has been inserted is made based on a determination condition that the medal has been inserted in an appropriate direction within an appropriate time. In the medal passing sensor 67, the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged in the same order from the insertion port side, and accordingly, the medal is appropriate in the proper direction by observing the transition of the detection signals of the first sensor and the second sensor. It can be determined whether or not it has been put in time.
Specifically, in this example, as a transition state at the time of medal insertion, before the insertion (first transition state), the first sensor starts passing through to the second sensor immediately before passing (second transition state), the second sensor From the first sensor to the end of the first sensor (third transition state), from the end of the first sensor to the end of the second sensor (just before the fourth transition state), and to the second sensor (end of the fifth transition state) ), And whether or not a proper medal is inserted is determined.
If the medal insertion is appropriate, the detection signal of the first sensor and the detection signal of the second sensor are in the order of the first transition state → the second transition state → the third transition state → the fourth transition state → the fifth transition state. The transition is as follows.
・ First sensor: OFF → ON → ON → OFF → OFF
・ Second sensor: OFF → OFF → ON → ON → OFF

  In this example, it is determined whether the transition of the ON / OFF state of the first sensor and the second sensor coincides with the above transition, and whether the time required for the transition state change is within a predetermined time, It is determined whether or not an appropriate medal has been inserted.

Specifically, when the CPU 80a determines in step S706 that it matches the previous sensor state, in other words, neither the first sensor nor the second sensor has changed from OFF to ON or from ON to OFF. In that case, the process proceeds to step S707 to determine whether or not both the first sensor and the second sensor are OFF. In step S707, the case where both the first sensor and the second sensor are OFF means that the current transition state is in the first transition state or the fifth transition state described above. In this case, the CPU 80a ends the medal insertion detection process.
Note that the medal insertion detection process is repeatedly executed until it is determined in step S715 that the bet number has reached the specified number, as can be seen with reference to FIG.

  On the other hand, if neither the first sensor nor the second sensor is OFF in step S707, the process proceeds to step S708. The processes after step S708 will be described later.

In step S706 described above, when it is determined that it does not match the previous sensor state, in other words, when either the first sensor or the second sensor is changed from OFF to ON or ON to OFF. Then, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S710, checks the change of the sensor detection signal, and determines whether or not it has changed normally in step S711. That is, based on the transition state identification value for identifying the current transition state, it is determined whether or not the change in the ON / OFF state of the first sensor and the second sensor is an appropriate change according to the current transition state. To do. Specifically, if the current state is the first transition state, it is determined whether the change of the first sensor is OFF → ON and the second sensor is unchanged. If the current state is the second transition state, the first sensor Determines whether there is no change and whether the change of the second sensor is OFF → ON. If the current state is the third transition state, the change of the first sensor is ON → OFF and the second sensor is not changed. If the current state is the fourth transition state, the first sensor is not changed and the second sensor is not changed. Whether or not ON → OFF is determined.
Here, the transition state identification value used in the determination in step S711 is a value whose initial value is 0 (represents the first transition state) and is sequentially updated (+1) in step S713 described later.

  If it is determined in step S711 that the sensor detection signal has not changed normally, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S718 and performs processing corresponding to a medal insertion error as error processing (for example, the 7-segment LED of the payout display unit 10 described above). In step S719, the state of the medal passing sensor 67 is cleared (clearing the ON / OFF state information of the first sensor and the second sensor for the previous time) and the like. The transition state identification value is cleared to 0), and the medal insertion detection process is terminated.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S711 that the sensor detection signal has changed normally, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S712 to set a passing time timer, and updates the medal passing sensor transition state in subsequent step S713. That is, the transition state identification value described above is incremented (+1).

Further, in the next step S714, the CPU 80a determines whether or not the transition upper limit is reached, that is, whether or not the transition state identification value has reached the upper limit “4” (that is, whether or not the transition is made to the fifth transition state).
When it is determined that the transition state identification value has not reached “4” and is not the transition upper limit, the CPU 80a repeats the process from the sensor detection signal check process in step S705 described above. In other words, until it is determined in step S714 that the transition upper limit has been reached, it is detected in step S706 that either the first sensor or the second sensor has changed from OFF to ON or ON to OFF. In addition, a loop for repeating the processes of steps S705 → S706 → S710 to S714 → S705 is formed.

  By such a loop process, every time there is a change of OFF → ON or ON → OFF in either the first sensor or the second sensor, that is, every time the transition state described above is switched to another transition state, It is sequentially determined whether the ON / OFF transition of the first sensor and the second sensor is appropriate. This corresponds to sequentially determining whether or not medals are inserted in an appropriate direction.

Whether or not the medal insertion is performed within a predetermined time is determined in the processing after step S707 described above.
In step S707, when both the first sensor and the second sensor are not OFF, the current transition state is one of the second, third, and fourth transition states. In this case, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S708 to check the value of the passage time timer, and in subsequent step S709, determines whether or not a timeout has occurred, that is, whether or not the value of the passage time timer is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. To do.
In the determination process in step S709, the timeout time may be variably set according to the current transition state identification value. That is, for example, when the current transition state is the second transition state, the third transition state, or the fourth transition state, the time-out time is variably set. You may set the time.

If it is determined in step S709 that a timeout has occurred, the CPU 80a proceeds to the error processing in step S718 described above.
On the other hand, if it is determined that the timeout has not occurred, the CPU 80a returns to step S705. That is, unless it is detected in step S706 that either the first sensor or the second sensor has changed from OFF → ON or ON → OFF and it is not determined in step S709 that a timeout has occurred, steps S705 to S709 are performed. → A loop for repeating the process of S705 is formed.
By such loop processing, from the start of the second transition state to the start of the third transition state, from the start of the third transition state to the start of the fourth transition state, and from the start of the fourth transition state to the second It is determined whether or not each time length until the start of the five transition states is a time-out, and a medal insertion error occurs when it is determined as a time-out, and the inserted medal is treated as invalid.

If the above loop processing has never been determined as time-out, and it has been determined that all changes in the ON / OFF state of the first sensor and the second sensor at the transition timing of each transition state are normal, as described above. In step S714, it is determined that the upper limit of transition is reached.
If it is determined in step S714 that the upper limit is the transition upper limit, the CPU 80a advances the process to step S715.
Although not shown, the CPU 80a executes a process of clearing the transition state identification value to 0 while determining that the transition upper limit is reached in step S714 and proceeding to step S715.

  In step S715, the CPU 80a determines whether or not the current bet number is the prescribed number (three). If the bet number is the prescribed number, the credit number is incremented (+1) in step S717 and the medal insertion detection process is performed. If the bet number is not the prescribed number, the process advances to step S716 to execute the medal insertion setting process, and the medal insertion detection process ends.

  FIG. 19 is a flowchart of the medal insertion time setting process. The medal insertion setting process is the same process as step S716, step S812 in the credit insertion detection process shown in FIG. 17, and step S903 in the re-game automatic medal insertion process shown in FIG.

In the medal insertion time setting process shown in FIG. 19, the CPU 80a increments (+1) the bet number in step S1001.
In step S1002, the CPU 80a executes the process for turning off the bet number display LED in the LED group 9 described above, and in step S1003, performs the process for turning on the bet number display LED corresponding to the bet number. Run.

Further, in the subsequent step S1004, the CPU 80a performs a process for setting the insertion command in the transmission buffer in the effect control interface 86, and then ends the medal insertion setting process shown in FIG.
The insertion command is a command for notifying the effect control board 42 that a medal has been bet. In this example, the CPU 80a stores the setting value vd information stored in the RAM 82c in the input command, and sets the information in the transmission buffer in the effect control interface 86.

Next, the credit insertion detection process in step S605, which is executed following the above-described medal insertion detection process in step S604, will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The credit insertion detection process is a process for artificially inserting a medal in a credit state mainly in response to an operation of the maximum insertion button 16.

  In FIG. 17, the CPU 80a confirms the number of credits in step S801. If the number of credits is other than 0 (that is, greater than 0), the CPU 80a proceeds to step S802 and determines whether or not the number of bets is a specified number (three). .

Here, when the number of credits is 0, and when the number of bets has reached the specified number even if the number of credits is other than 0, the insertion of medals by the maximum insertion button 16 is impossible.
For this reason, if it is determined in step S801 that the number of credits is 0, or if it is determined in step S802 that the number of bets is a specified number, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S803 and turns off the MAX insertion button LED. In step S804, the maximum insertion flag is set to OFF (“0”), and the credit insertion detection process shown in FIG.
Here, the maximum insertion flag is turned ON (“1”) in step S808 described later in response to the maximum insertion button 16 being turned ON, the number of credits is 0, or the number of credits is other than 0. This is also a flag that is turned OFF in step S804 when the bet number has reached the specified number. That is, the maximum insertion flag is a flag that is ON when the maximum insertion button 16 is turned on and the credit is being inserted, and is OFF in other states.

If it is determined in the previous step S802 that the bet number is not the prescribed number, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S805 to perform processing for turning on the maximum input button LED, and then confirms the maximum input flag in step S806. .
If the maximum insertion flag is OFF, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S807 and determines whether or not the maximum input button 16 is ON. If the max insertion button 16 is not ON, the CPU 80a ends the credit insertion detection process.
As will be understood from the following description, after the credit insertion detection process is completed, the process proceeds to step S602 until the bet number reaches the specified number by the processes of steps S606, S607, S609, and S611 shown in FIG. In response to this, the credit insertion detection process in step S605 is executed again.

  On the other hand, if the maximum input button 16 is ON in step S807, the CPU 80a sets the maximum input flag to ON in step S808, and proceeds to step S809.

  On the other hand, if the maximum insertion flag is ON in the previous step S806, the CPU 80a advances the process to step S809.

  In step S809, the CPU 80a determines whether or not the credit insertion interval timer has become zero. The credit insertion interval timer is a timer for defining the credit insertion interval at a predetermined time, and the CPU 80a sets a value in step S810 to be described later. The value of the credit insertion interval timer is decremented (counted down) every 1.49 ms in the periodic update process (S504) of the timer interrupt process (FIG. 14) described above.

In step S809, if the credit insertion interval timer is not 0, the CPU 80a ends the credit insertion detection process.
On the other hand, if the credit insertion interval timer is 0, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S810 to set the value of the credit insertion interval timer to a predetermined value (in this example, “40”: about 60 ms), and in step S811, the number of credits Is decremented (-1).
Furthermore, in the subsequent step S812, the CPU 80a executes the medal insertion setting process described above with reference to FIG. 19, and ends the credit insertion detection process. As described above, in the medal insertion setting process of FIG. 19, the bet number increment process, the bet number display LED display control process, and the insertion command setting process including the set value vd are executed.

After the credit insertion detection process is completed, the process returns to step S602 if the bet number is other than 0 and the maximum insertion flag is ON by the process from step S606 to S609 in FIG. 15 described below. The credit insertion detection process in step S605 is executed again.
Therefore, according to the credit insertion detection process described as a series of processes in steps S801 to S812 above, the number of credits becomes 0 after the maximum insertion flag is turned ON in response to pressing of the maximum insertion button 16 ( That is, until the credit is used up (S801) or until the bet number reaches the specified number (S802), pseudo insertion of medals is repeated at the time interval set by the credit insertion interval timer.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart of the replay automatic medal insertion process in step S610.
In FIG. 18, the CPU 80a confirms the number of replay medals in step S901. In this example, the number of replay medals is “3”, which is the same as the prescribed number of bets.
If the replay medal number is other than 0, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S902 to decrement the replay automatic medal number (−1), and executes the medal insertion setting process shown in FIG. 19 in the next step S903. Thereby, a pseudo insertion for one medal is performed, and the bet number is incremented.

  In response to the execution of the medal insertion setting process in step S903, the CPU 80a sets the insertion interval timer value to a predetermined value (40) in step S904, and waits until the insertion interval timer value becomes 0 in step S905. After that, the process returns to step S901.

In step S901, if the number of replay medals is other than 0, the CPU 80a executes the processes of steps S902 to S905 described above again.
On the other hand, if the number of replay medals is 0, the CPU 80a ends the replay automatic medal insertion process shown in FIG. That is, the process proceeds to step S611 in FIG. The fact that the number of replay medals is 0 is synonymous with the fact that the setting processing at the time of inserting medals in step S903 (FIG. 19) is executed by the same number as the prescribed number of bets (3). The predetermined number is determined, and the process proceeds to step S612 and the subsequent steps.

The description returns to the game medal insertion process of FIG.
The CPU 80a confirms the bet number in step S606 in response to the execution of the credit insertion detection process in step S605 described with reference to FIG.
If the bet number is 0, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S607 to check the value of the demo timer (the timer set in S601). If the demo timer is not 0, the process returns to step S602. After a demonstration command for instructing execution of the effect is set in the transmission buffer in the effect control interface 86, the process returns to step S602.
As a result, when the state where the number of bets is 0 has elapsed for a predetermined time or longer, that is, when the replay symbol is not won in the immediately preceding game, the medal is not inserted and the MAX insertion button 16 is not pressed for a predetermined time. When the time has elapsed, the slot machine transits to the customer waiting demonstration effect execution state. Under this state, the CPU 80a repeats the processing of steps S602 to S609, and waits for a new medal insertion or pressing of the max insertion button 16.

  On the other hand, if the bet number is not 0 in step S608, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S609 to check the maximum insertion flag, and returns to step S602 if the maximum insertion flag is ON. Thereby, after the depression of the max insertion button 16 is detected in the credit insertion detection process of FIG. 17 and the maximum insertion flag is turned ON, the credit number becomes 0 (S801), or the bet number becomes the specified number. Until it reaches (S802), the pseudo-insertion of medals is repeated at the time interval set by the credit insertion interval timer.

  If the maximum insertion flag is OFF in step S609, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S611 to determine whether or not the bet number is the specified number (three). If the bet number is not the specified number, the process proceeds to step S602. Return. By forming such a path from step S611 to S602, the bet number is set to the prescribed number in the medal insertion detection process (detection of medal insertion by the player) in step S604 and the re-game automatic medal insertion process in step S610. It is possible to execute repeatedly until it reaches.

If the bet number is the prescribed number in step S611, the CPU 80a proceeds to step S612 to execute the process for turning on the game start display LED in the LED group 9 described above, and then in step S613, the start lever 17 It is determined whether or not is ON.
If the start lever 17 is not ON, the CPU 80a returns to step S602. That is, as a result, the CPU 80a executes the lever ON determination in step S613 again.

  On the other hand, if the start lever 17 is ON, the CPU 80a executes a process for turning off the game start display LED, the medal insertion display LED, the blocker solenoid 69, and the max insertion button LED in step S614, and performs the game medal insertion process. finish.

Here, as can be understood from the above description, in the slot machine of this example, every time an automatic insertion according to a replay winning is performed, or an automatic insertion according to a medal insertion by the player or a press of the maximum insertion button 16 is performed. The medal insertion setting process shown in FIG. 19 is executed.
In the medal insertion setting process, as described above, the setting value vd stored in the RAM 82c is transmitted to the effect control board 42 side in accordance with the insertion command setting process in step S1004. As a result, in the slot machine of this example, every time a medal is bet, the set value vd stored in the RAM 82c of the main control board 40 is notified to the effect control board 42 side. In other words, the set value vd stored in the RAM 82c of the main control board 40 is notified to the effect control board 42 side for each game.

<9. Production control side main processing and interrupt processing>

Next, various processes executed by the CPU 42a of the effect control board 42 will be described.
First, the effect control side main process executed by the CPU 42a will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
In FIG. 20, when the power of the slot machine is turned on, the CPU 42a executes an effect initial setting process represented by a series of processes in steps S1101 to S1107. And after execution of the said effect initial setting process, CPU42a transfers to the periodic loop process (the main loop process by the side of an effect control) by a 1st period (this example is a period of 16 ms) shown as a process of step S1108-S1118. To do.

  First, in the effect initial setting process, the CPU 42a first performs interrupt prohibition setting in step S1101, and then sets its own setting as initial setting in step S1102, clears the value of WDT to 0 in subsequent step S1103, and further subsequent steps. In step S1104, initialization of various data such as sound, motor, input / output, and scenario data is performed. In the initialization process, a process for initializing the values stored in the RAM 42c in order to perform various effects such as a character effect on the LCD unit 7, a lamp effect that blinks the LED lamp, and a sound effect that drives the speaker. Run.

  Next, the CPU 42a executes backup restoration processing in step S1105, clears the value of WDT to 0 in subsequent step S1106, and sets interrupt permission in step S1107. Thereby, the effect initial setting process ends.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart of the backup restoration process in step S1105.
In the backup recovery process, the CPU 42a first converts the checksum generated based on the data contents in the predetermined target area of the RAM 42c and the data contents in the target area of the RAM 42c when the power is shut down as the checksum and power interruption flag confirmation processing in step S1201. Based on the checksum calculated and stored on the basis of the checksum, and the checksum on the power interruption flag indicating whether or not the checksum is calculated and stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 82c when the power is shut off.
Then, the CPU 80a determines whether or not the backup can be restored in the subsequent step S1202, based on the result of the confirmation process. Specifically, when the power interruption flag indicates that the checksum has been calculated and stored, and the checksum calculated for the target area in the RAM 42c matches the checksum calculated and stored when the power is turned off. It is determined that the backup can be restored. Otherwise, it is determined that the backup cannot be restored.

  If it is determined in step S1202 that the backup can be restored, the CPU 42a proceeds to step S1203, sets an effect scenario corresponding to the effect state before power interruption in the work area of the RAM 42a, and ends the backup recovery process shown in this figure. To do.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the backup cannot be restored, the CPU 42a proceeds to step S1204 and initializes the value of the RAM 42c.
In this initialization process, the CPU 42a stores a predetermined initial value vr stored in, for example, the ROM 42b in the RAM 42c, and the initial value vr includes an initial value of the set value vd. In this example, the initial value vr stored in the ROM 42b stores a setting “1” as the value of the setting value vd, that is, a value representing the stage with the lowest winning probability. That is, as the initialization process of step S1204 is executed, a value representing the setting “1” is stored as the setting value vd of the RAM 42c.

  As described above, the slot machine of the present example is activated by storing the predetermined initial value vr in the RAM 42c when the abnormality of the RAM 42c of the effect control board 42 is detected at the time of activation. As the initial value is stored in the RAM 42c at startup, a predetermined value (a value representing the setting “1” in this example) is stored as the setting value vd in the RAM 42c.

  In response to the execution of the initialization process in step S1204, the CPU 42a sets the demonstration scenario in the demonstration state in the work area of the RAM 42c in step S1205, and ends the backup restoration process.

The description returns to FIG.
In response to the end of the effect initial setting process in steps S1101 to S1107 described above, the CPU 42a shifts to a main loop process with a period of 16 ms shown as the process in steps S1108 to S1118.
First, in step S1108, the CPU 42a determines whether or not the value of the interrupt counter is greater than 15. The interrupt counter is reset to 0 in step S1109 described below, and is a value that is sequentially incremented (+1) in timer interrupt processing in a second cycle (around 1 ms in this example), which will be described later with reference to FIG.
If the value of the interrupt counter is not greater than 15, the CPU 42a proceeds to step S1118, updates the random number related to the effect lottery, and then returns to step S1108.

On the other hand, if the value of the interrupt counter is greater than 15, the CPU 42a proceeds to step S1109, resets the interrupt counter value to 0, executes the WDT clear process of step S1110, and then performs the effect control board in step S1111. The process which detects the various inputs with respect to 42 is performed.
Further, the CPU 42a executes predetermined processes as the error process in the subsequent step S1112 and the demo process in the subsequent step S1113, and then proceeds to step S1114.

In step S1114, the CPU 42a executes command analysis processing. In the command analysis process, the control command received from the CPU 80 of the main control board 40 is analyzed and a process corresponding to the content of the analyzed command is executed.
In the command analysis processing, processing to be executed for each command content will be described again with reference to FIGS.

Here, the CPU 42a executes a command reception interrupt process shown in FIG. 22 separately from the effect side main process shown in FIG.
In the command reception interrupt process shown in FIG. 22, the CPU 42a determines whether or not the command is normally received (step S1301), and stores the received command data in the command buffer only when the command is normally received ( Step S1302).

  The CPU 42a executes the command analysis process of the previous step S1114 with respect to the command data stored in the command buffer by such a command reception interrupt process.

In FIG. 20, the CPU 42a executes the effect scenario update process in step S1115 in response to executing the command analysis process in step S1114. In the effect scenario update process, the process contents (effect contents) to be executed by the CPU 42a are determined based on the contents of the command analyzed in the command analysis process in step S1114. Further, in the effect scenario update process, the effect scenario number is updated based on the processing content to be executed by the CPU 42a. The effect scenario number is a numerical value that can uniquely specify the effect executed by the CPU 42a.
When a series of effects is realized by connecting a plurality of effects specified from one effect scenario number, the effect duration time and elapsed time set for each effect in the effect scenario update process in step S1115. In comparison, a process of updating to the next effect scenario number at a predetermined timing is performed.

The slot machine may have a configuration in which the CPU 42a of the effect control board 42 performs a lottery to determine whether to shift to the AT mode or the ART mode.
In this case, the lottery process for determining whether to shift to the AT mode or the ART mode may be executed, for example, between the command analysis process in step S1114 and the scenario update process in step S1115. In this lottery process, the winning probability of the AT mode or the ART mode is determined by performing a lottery on whether to shift to the AT mode or the ART mode based on the set value vd received from the main control board 40 side and stored in the RAM 42c. Is a probability corresponding to the set value vd.

Subsequently, the CPU 42a executes sound / motor processing in step S1116 and liquid crystal / LED processing in step S1117. In these sound / motor processing and liquid crystal / LED processing, effects are respectively given to the speakers 30a to 30d, the accessory driving unit 102, the liquid crystal control board 44, the LED board 48, and the first cylinder LED board 50a to the third cylinder LED board 50c. A process of setting a control value for executing a predetermined operation according to the scenario number in the work area of the RAM 42c is executed.
In the present example, in the sound / motor process, a process of setting / outputting the value set in the work area to the output buffer for the speaker relay board 47 is executed as the control value related to the sound. In the liquid crystal / LED processing, the values set in the work area for the control values of the liquid crystal and the LED are output to the output buffer for the liquid crystal IF board 45, the output buffer corresponding to the LED board 48, and the rotating LED relay board 56, respectively. The process of setting and outputting is also executed.

For the control value of the accessory driving unit 102 set in the work area by the sound / motor processing of step S1116, the motor output data (motor excitation data) based on the control value is 1 ms cycle timer interrupt processing shown in FIG. Are output sequentially.
In the timer interruption process of FIG. 23, the CPU 42a creates motor output data based on the control value set in the work area of the RAM 42c in step S1401, and sends the created motor output data to the accessory driving unit 102 in step S1403. Output.

  In the timer interrupt process of FIG. 23, the CPU 42a executes the process of incrementing (+1) the value of the interrupt counter described above in step S1403 in response to the execution of the output process of step S1402.

  Returning to FIG. 20, in response to the execution of the liquid crystal / LED processing in step S1117, the CPU 42a executes the random number update processing in step S1118 described above and returns to step S1108.

By the processing of steps S1108 to S1118 described above, the processing of steps S1109 to S1117 is sequentially executed every time the value of the interrupt counter becomes greater than 15, that is, with a period of 16 ms.

<10. Processing according to command>
[10-1. Main status command]

FIG. 24 is a flowchart of processing executed by the CPU 42a when the received command is the above-described main state command (see S305 and S307 in FIG. 12).
In FIG. 24, in step S1501, the CPU 42a determines whether or not the main state command is a command for specifying the setting value vd (that is, whether or not it is the above-described “setting value command”). Specifically, the value of the first predetermined bit position in the main state command is a value corresponding to the “when transmitting main basic state” mode, and the value of the second predetermined bit position is the setting change information (setting 1 ) To setting change information (setting 6).

If the main state command is a command for specifying a setting value, the CPU 42a proceeds to step S1502, acquires the setting value vd from the command data, and stores it. That is, the corresponding set value vd is obtained from the value of the second predetermined bit position and stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 42c.
As can be understood from the description of FIG. 12, the setting value command is received as the main state command on the side of the effect control board 42 every time the reset button is operated (that is, the setting value vd feed operation). Is performed).

Subsequently, in step S1503, the CPU 42a clears the effect scenario being executed, sets the effect scenario corresponding to the setting change in the work area of the RAM 42c, and finishes the process shown in FIG.
In addition, as an effect corresponding to the setting change, for example, an effect of outputting a predetermined sound, an effect of displaying a predetermined image on the LCD unit 7 or the like can be considered.

  In step S1501, if the main state command is not a command specifying the setting value vd, the CPU 42a determines in step S1504 whether the main state command is a command for notifying the end of setting change. Specifically, the value of the first predetermined bit position of the main state command is a value corresponding to the “main basic state transmission” mode, and the value of the second predetermined bit position is the “setting change end information” described above. It is determined whether the value corresponds to.

  When the main state command is a command for notifying the end of the setting change, the CPU 42a proceeds to step S1505, and as a RAM clear at the time of the setting change, a process of clearing a predetermined area in the RAM 42c excluding at least the setting value vd storage area. After execution, in step S1506, a scenario (motor initialization operation scenario) for causing the accessory driving unit 102 to execute the motor initialization operation is set.

  Further, in the next step S1507, the CPU 42a executes a process for initializing the effect mode in accordance with the set value vd of the RAM 42c, and in the next step S1508, sets the demonstration scenario in the demo state and ends the process shown in FIG. .

  When the CPU 42a adopts a configuration for performing the lottery in the AT mode or the ART mode, in the initial setting process in step S1507, a process for initializing the AT lottery state or the ART lottery state according to the set value vd in the RAM 42c is executed. can do.

  If it is determined in step S1504 that the main state command is not a command for notifying the end of setting change, the CPU 42a proceeds to step S1509 and determines whether the main state command is a command at the time of power failure recovery. That is, it is determined whether or not the value of the first predetermined bit position in the main state command is a value corresponding to the above-described “power interruption return state transmission” mode.

If the main state command is a command at the time of power failure recovery, the CPU 42a proceeds to step S1510, sets a motor initialization operation scenario, and ends the processing shown in this figure.
On the other hand, if the main state command is not a command at the time of power failure recovery, the CPU 42a passes step S1510 and ends the processing shown in FIG.

24 is executed, the setting value vd notified from the main control board 40 side according to the setting change operation is sequentially received on the effect control board 42 side and held in the RAM 42c.

[10-2. Submit command]

FIG. 25 is a flowchart of processing executed by the CPU 42a in response to a case where the received command is the insertion command set in the above-described medal insertion setting process (FIG. 19).
In FIG. 25, the CPU 42a obtains the set value vd from the command data in step S1601, and determines whether or not the set value vd is within a proper range in subsequent step S1602. When the set value vd is a value within the appropriate range, the CPU 42a proceeds to step S1603 and stores the acquired set value vd, that is, the set value vd is stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 42c (area where the set value vd is to be stored). Is stored, and the process proceeds to step S1605.

  On the other hand, if the set value vd is not within the appropriate range, the CPU 42a proceeds to step S1604, and saves the set value vd as a save process of the set value vd corresponding to the setting “1” (that is, “0” in this example). A process of storing in the predetermined area of the RAM 42c is executed, and the process proceeds to step S1605.

  In step S1605, the CPU 42a executes an effect process at the time of medal insertion, and ends the process shown in FIG. In addition, as the effect process at the time of inserting a medal, a process of setting an effect scenario set in advance corresponding to at least the time of inserting a medal in the work area of the RAM 42c is executed.

  Through the process according to the input command as described above, the CPU 42a of the effect control board 42 determines whether or not the set value vd notified for each game from the main control board 40 side is a value within an appropriate range. If the value is within the range, the set value vd stored in the RAM 42c is overwritten with the notified set value vd. If the value is not within the proper range, the set value vd stored in the RAM 42c is overwritten with a predetermined value. The value has been rewritten.

In the above, the effect control board 42 side determines whether or not the set value vd is within a proper range at the timing when the notification of the set value vd is received from the main control board 40 side, and the setting according to the determination result. Although the case where the storage process of the value vd in the RAM 42c is illustrated, the determination and the storage process of the setting value vd according to the determination result are, for example, the timing when the game start command and the expectation effect command described below are received. It may be executed at a predetermined timing in one game, for example, in response to the occurrence of a lottery trigger for the production.

[10-3. Game start command, expectation direction command]

FIG. 26 and FIG. 27 show processes executed by the CPU 42a in response to the case where the received commands are the game start command and the expectation effect command set in the above-described internal lottery process (step S406 in FIG. 13). It is a flowchart.
If the received command is a game start command, the CPU 42a executes a process for storing the winning combination information included in the game start command (a process of storing the winning combination information in a predetermined area of the RAM 42c) as shown in FIG. 26 (S1701). To finish the process.

When the received command is an expectation effect command, the CPU 42a executes a series of processes shown in FIG.
In FIG. 27, the CPU 42a determines whether or not the reel effect is won in step S1801. Information indicating whether or not the reel effect has been won, and information (reel effect information) indicating the type of reel effect that has been won are received from the main control board 40 as a command that represents the result of the reel effect lottery process in the previous step S407. The notification is sent to the effect control board 42 side, and in step S1801, determination is performed using the information of the command.

If it is determined in step S1801 that the reel effect has not been won, the CPU 42a performs the effect stage transition lottery based on the set value vd and the effect determination of the game in step S1802 and the subsequent step S1803. .
Specifically, first, in step S1802, the CPU 42a performs a stage drawing lottery based on the winning combination information, the current stage, and the set value vd. At this time, for the winning combination information, the information stored in the RAM 42c in the process of FIG. 17 is used, and for the set value vd, the value stored in the RAM 42c is used. The effect stage represents a player's sense of expectation step by step depending on, for example, the background image displayed on the LCD unit 7, and in this example, three stages of “morning”, “daytime” and “night” effects. Stages are prepared, and the expectation is high in the same order.

  Here, in the RAM 42c of the production control board 42, as the information used in the production stage transition lottery in step S1802, the winning combination and “morning” “daytime” “night” for each of the settings “1” to “6” are displayed. Transition stage probability information indicating a correspondence relationship with the probability of transition to the production stage is held.

FIG. 28 shows transition stage probability information corresponding to the case where the current stage is “morning” as an example of such transition stage probability information.
In the transition stage probability information of this example, the winning probability of “Replay” and “Bell” is set so that the transition probability to “morning”, “noon”, and “night” does not change between the setting “1” to the setting “6”. The winning combinations of “watermelon”, “cherry”, and “bonus” are set such that the closer to the setting “6”, the higher the probability of transition to “night” with the highest expectation.

Although not shown, the RAM 42c also holds transition stage probability information corresponding to the case where the current stage is “daytime” and “night”, respectively.
Note that the transition stage probability information corresponding to “daytime” and “night” for the current production stage is the same for the winning role of “replay” and “bell”, and the probability of transition to “morning”, “daytime”, and “night”. Is a setting that does not change between the setting “1” to the setting “6”, and the winning combination of “watermelon”, “cherry”, and “bonus” is set so that the probability of transition to “night” increases as the setting “6” is approached. . Then, the transition stage probability information corresponding to the current stage = “noon” is, for example, “watermelon”, “cherry”, “bonus” rather than the transition stage probability information corresponding to the current stage = “morning”. As the transition stage probability information corresponding to the present stage = “night”, for example, the present stage = It is assumed that the transition probability to “night” for each of the settings “1” to “6” of “watermelon”, “cherry”, and “bonus” is higher than the transition stage probability information corresponding to “daytime”.
Thereby, it is possible to control the expectation according to the definition of the expectation of the production stages “morning”, “noon”, and “night” while producing the feeling of expectation regarding the set value vd.

  In step S1802, the CPU 42a obtains the transition probability to “morning”, “noon”, and “night” obtained from the transition stage probability information as described above according to the combination of the winning combination information, the current performance stage, and the set value vd. Based on the information, the stage to be transferred is determined by lottery.

  In step S1803, the CPU 42a performs a process of determining the effect of the game based on the winning combination information and the set value vd.

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing an example of probability information used in the effect determination process (effect lottery process) in step S1803.
This probability information exemplifies the probability information used to determine which of “cat”, “dog”, and “monkey” is displayed as an image effect using the LCD unit 7. In this example, it is assumed that the expectation is high in the order of “cat”, “dog”, “monkey”, and in the case of setting “6”, the winning probability for “dog” or “monkey” with high expectation It is set to be higher. Specifically, for “dog”, the winning probability is gradually increased in the order of setting “1” to setting “6”, and for “monkey”, winning in the case of setting “1” to setting “3”. The probability is the same, and the winning probability is gradually increased from setting “4” to setting “6”.

  In the slot machine of this example, such probability information is prepared for each winning combination, and the CPU 42a holds the probability information for each winning combination in the RAM 42c as information used in the processing of step S1803.

  Returning to FIG. 27, as the effect determination processing in step S1803, the CPU 42a obtains “cat”, “dog”, “monkey” acquired according to the combination of winning combination information and the set value vd from the probability information for each winning combination as described above. Based on the information on the winning probability for each “”, it is determined by lottery which effect is to be performed.

  In response to execution of the effect determination process in step S1803, the CPU 42a proceeds to step S1805, executes a process of setting the determined scenario of the effect in the work area of the RAM 42c, and ends the process shown in FIG.

If the CPU 42a determines that the reel effect has been won in step S1801, the CPU 42a performs a process of determining the effect of the game based on the reel effect information in step S1804, and then proceeds to step S1805. A process for setting the scenario determined in the above in the work area of the RAM 42c is executed, and the process shown in FIG.

<11. Summary and Modification>

As described above, the gaming machine (slot machine) according to the embodiment has variable display means (rotary reels 4a to 4c, first torso stepping motor 54a to third torso stepping motor 54c) capable of displaying symbols to be displaced. And start operation means (start lever 17) for instructing start of symbol displacement, and stop operation means (stop buttons 18a to 18c) for instructing stop of symbol displacement. The game operation proceeds with a series of flows from the occurrence of an opportunity for accepting (in this example, the first medal bet) until the symbol being displaced is stopped according to the operation of the stop operation means as one game. A first control means (a CPU 80 of the main control board 40) for controlling the progress of a game operation, including a symbol displacement / stop control based on a start operation means and a stop operation means. ) And, and a possible read / write of information by the been first storage means (RAM 80 c) first control means.
Also, second control means (CPU 42a of the effect control board 42) for controlling the effects related to the game, and second storage means (RAM 42c) capable of reading / writing information by the second control means are provided. ing.
Then, the first control means selects a setting value (vd) representing a stage regarding the probability of whether or not to win a gaming state advantageous to the player based on the operation and stores the setting value in the first storage means. And a setting value notification means for notifying the second control means of the setting value stored in the first storage means for each game, and a setting value stored in the first storage means for each game is appropriate. It is determined whether or not the value is within the range, and when the value is not within the appropriate range, the game operation is disabled, and the disabling means for disabling the progress of the game operation is provided.
Further, the second control means determines whether or not the set value notified by the set value notifying means is within a proper range, and if it is within the proper range, it is stored in the second storage means. A setting value corresponding processing means for overwriting the setting value with the notified setting value and rewriting the setting value stored in the second storage means to a predetermined value if the value is not within the appropriate range, and a predetermined lottery opportunity Production lottery means for performing a lottery related to the production based on the set value stored in the second storage means when the occurrence of the event (in this example, reception of an expectation effect command).

As a result, when the set value stored in the second storage means becomes an inappropriate value due to illegal rewriting or the like, the set value is rewritten to a predetermined value.
Therefore, the effect lottery based on the set value can be appropriately performed.

Further, in the gaming machine of the embodiment, the first control means has a disabling canceling means for canceling the disabling state of the game progress on condition that a predetermined operation is performed.
Thereby, even if a gaming machine falls into a game progress disabled state, the disabled state is canceled by a staff member or the like performing a predetermined operation.
For example, the disabling state can be canceled by inputting a disabling cancellation signal to the board. In this case, it is necessary to use a special device for inputting the signal to the board. The cancellation of the disabled state is troublesome. On the other hand, if the predetermined operation is a condition as described above, the disabled state can be released relatively easily without requiring a special device, and the burden on the attendant can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the gaming machine of the embodiment, a predetermined operation that is a condition for releasing the disabled state is an operation for changing the set value.
As a result, the disabled state is canceled on condition that the set value is set to a value within the appropriate range.
Therefore, the disabling state can be canceled while ensuring the appropriateness of the set value.

Furthermore, in the gaming machine of the embodiment, the set value corresponding processing means represents the setting value stored in the second storage means at the lowest probability stage when the set value is not within the appropriate range. The value has been rewritten.
Thereby, even if the setting value in the second storage means is illegally rewritten, the rewritten setting value is rewritten to a value representing the stage with the lowest probability.
Therefore, it is possible to obtain a deterrent effect against unauthorized rewriting of setting values in the second storage means.

Further, another game machine (slot machine) according to the embodiment has variable display means (rotating reels 4a to 4c, first torso stepping motor 54a to third torso stepping motor 54c) capable of displaying symbols to be displaced. And start operation means (start lever 17) for instructing start of symbol displacement, and stop operation means (stop buttons 18a to 18c) for instructing stop of symbol displacement. The game operation proceeds with a series of flows from the occurrence of an opportunity for accepting (in this example, the first medal bet) until the symbol being displaced is stopped according to the operation of the stop operation means as one game. A gaming machine, the first control means (CPU 80a of the main control board 40), the first storage means (RAM 80c), and the second control means (CPU 42 of the effect control board 42). ) And, and a second storage means (RAM 42c).
The first control means has a disabling means for stopping the progress of the game operation and disabling the progress of the game when an abnormality of the first storage means is detected at the time of startup associated with power-on of the gaming machine. doing.
In addition, the second control means has an initialization start means for starting by storing a predetermined initial value in the second storage means when an abnormality of the second storage means is detected at the start-up associated with power-on. Yes.
Further, the second storage means can store a set value (vd) indicating a stage regarding the probability of whether or not to win a gaming state advantageous to the player, and the initialization activation means stores the second value at the time of activation. Along with storing a predetermined initial value in the means, a predetermined value set in advance as a set value in the second storage means is stored.

As a result, even if the setting value in the second storage means is illegally rewritten, an abnormality is detected at the time of startup associated with power-on, and the rewritten setting value is rewritten to a predetermined value. It is done.
Therefore, the effect lottery based on the set value can be appropriately performed.

In the above other gaming machine, the first control means has a disabling canceling means for canceling the disabling state of the game progress on condition that a predetermined operation is performed.
As a result, even if the gaming machine falls into a game progress disabled state, the disabled state is released by an operator or the like performing a predetermined operation, and for example, a special signal for inputting a disabled release signal to the board, for example. The disabling state can be canceled relatively easily without requiring equipment, and the burden on the staff can be reduced.

Further, in the another gaming machine, the first control means has a setting change means for selecting the setting value based on the operation and storing it in the first storage means, and is a predetermined condition that is a condition for releasing the disabled state. The operation is an operation for changing the set value.
Accordingly, the disabled state is canceled on the condition that the set value is set to a value within the appropriate range, and the disabled state can be canceled while ensuring the appropriateness of the set value.

Furthermore, in the other gaming machine, the setting value stored in the second storage means by the initialization activation means is a setting value representing the stage with the lowest probability.
Thereby, even if the setting value in the second storage means is illegally rewritten, the rewritten setting value is rewritten to a value representing the stage with the lowest probability, and the setting value in the second storage means is invalid. A deterrent effect against rewriting can be obtained.

  By the processing of the CPU 80a and the CPU 42a described above, it is possible to efficiently realize the progress of the game operation and various effects while reducing the control load. In addition, the memory capacity required for the progress of the game operation and various effects can be reduced.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the examples given in the embodiment, and various modifications and application examples are conceivable.
For example, in the above, the example in which the present invention is applied to a slot machine has been shown, but the present invention can be widely and suitably applied to gaming machines including variable display means capable of displaying a symbol to be displaced.
The variable display means is not limited to the one provided with the rotating reel 4 described above, and may be configured to display an image as a pattern on a display screen such as a liquid crystal display so as to be displaceable.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Main body case 2 ... Front panel 3 ... Symbol rotation unit 4a-4c ... Rotary reel (rotating cylinder)
16 ... Max loading button 17 ... Start lever 18a-18c ... Stop button 40 ... Main control board 54a ... First cylinder stepping motor 54b ... Second cylinder stepping motor 54c ... Third cylinder stepping motor 55a ... First cylinder Index sensor 55b ... 2nd cylinder index sensor 55c ... 3rd cylinder index sensor 80 ... Controller 80a ... CPU
80c ... RAM
42 ... Production control board 42a ... CPU
42c ... RAM
72a ... Setting key switch 72b ... Reset switch

The gaming machine according to the present invention includes variable display means capable of displaying a symbol to be displaced, start operation means for instructing start of displacement of the symbol, and stop operation means for instructing stop of displacement of the symbol. The game operation proceeds with a series of flows from the occurrence of an opportunity to accept the operation of the start operation means to the stop of the symbol being displaced according to the operation of the stop operation means as one game A first control means for controlling the progress of the game operation, including displacement / stop control of the symbol based on the start operation means and the stop operation means, and information of the information by the first control means. second storage which is a first storage means which are can be read / write, and a second control means for controlling the effect related to the game, and can read / write of information by the second control means Includes a stage, the said first control means, when an abnormality of the first storage means upon activation caused by the power-on of the gaming machine is detected, disable the game progress by halting the progression of the game operation And the second control means reads the second storage means into the second storage means when an abnormality of the second storage means is detected at the start-up associated with power-on. It has an initialization starting means for setting and starting a predetermined initial value stored in the enabled third storage means, and the second storage means determines whether or not to win a gaming state advantageous to the player. Rukoto of the possible storing setting values representing the stages of the probabilities, set the predetermined initial value stored in said third memory means to said second storage means said initialization start means during the start-up Accordingly, the set value in the second storage means and Given a predetermined value Te is being stored.

Claims (4)

Variable start display means capable of displaying to displace the symbol, start operation means for instructing the start of displacement of the symbol, and stop operation means for instructing to stop displacement of the symbol, the start operation means A game machine in which a game operation proceeds with a series of flows from the occurrence of an opportunity to accept the operation to the stop of the symbol being displaced according to the operation of the stop operation means as one game,
First control means for performing progress control of the game operation, including displacement / stop control of the symbol based on the start operation means and the stop operation means;
First storage means capable of reading / writing information by the first control means;
Second control means for controlling the production related to the game,
The first control means includes
Having a disabling means for disabling the progress of the game operation by stopping the progress of the game operation when an abnormality of the first storage means is detected at the time of startup associated with the power-on of the gaming machine;
The second control means includes
When an abnormality of the second storage means is detected at the time of start-up associated with the power-on, the second storage means has an initialization start means for starting by storing a predetermined initial value,
The second storage means
It is possible to store a set value representing a stage regarding the probability of whether or not to win a gaming state advantageous to the player,
As the initialization activation means stores the predetermined initial value in the second storage means at the time of activation, a predetermined value predetermined as the set value in the second storage means is stored. Machine. The first control means includes
The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a disabling canceling unit that cancels the disabling state of the game progress on condition that a predetermined operation is performed. The first control means includes
Setting changing means for selecting the setting value based on an operation and storing it in the first storage means;
The gaming machine according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined operation which is a condition for canceling the disabled state is an operation for changing the set value. The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the setting value stored in the second storage unit by the initialization activation unit is a setting value representing the stage with the lowest probability.

Images