JP2018175149A - Debugging system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a debugging system capable of efficiently performing a debugging operation of removing bug included in a program or data used to make a game machine control microcomputer perform game machine control.SOLUTION: In a debugging control PC 20 of a debugging system 1, renewed program and data for game machine control are made and stored in a storage part of a relay device 30 connected via a network 40 so that a CPU part of a game machine control microcomputer 110 loaded on a main control board 100 of a game machine 10 can read and execute the program and data for game machine control, stored in the storage part of the relay device 30 connected via a cable 200 with a connector. With this, the hitting testing by the renewed program for game machine control can be performed without exchanging the game machine control microcomputer 110 itself.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a debugging system capable of efficiently performing a debugging operation for removing a bug included in a program or data used by a gaming machine control microcomputer to perform gaming machine control.

  In the development of gaming machines, live shot testing with prototypes is an indispensable and important step. The purpose of the actual shooting test is to confirm that there is no defect that has been overlooked in the development process until then, and the characteristics of the ball have met the requirements specified by the law and as planned as a product It is to confirm that it has the performance of

  Since the operation of the gaming machine is dependent on chance, the shooting test needs to be performed for a relatively long time. In practice, when there are a plurality of gaming machines, the operation of the gaming machines can be considered to be stochastically independent, so in order to secure the total time for the test, a plurality of machines are operated at the same time It is common to aggregate the results.

  Therefore, in order to efficiently collect data from the gaming machine, the game control is performed only when the debugging device is installed in the effect control device that performs effect control and display control based on the control command from the game control device. A gaming machine has been proposed in which it is possible to include an inspection command in a control command from a device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to such a gaming machine, at the time of inspection performed by mounting the debugging device in the effect control device, inspection data using the inspection command can be collected, but the game is distributed to the market without mounting the debugging device. Since no inspection command is used in the machine, the shooting test can be efficiently performed with a program for game machine control that includes the inspection command.

JP, 2013-063129, A

  However, in the actual gaming machine development work, although it is necessary to correct the gaming machine control program every time a problem is found or a specification is changed, it is necessary to perform a shooting test with the updated gaming machine control program. In the debugging operation by the gaming machine described in Patent Document 1, updating of the gaming machine control program can not be performed efficiently. That is, in order to update the gaming machine control program, the control ROM (microcomputer for gaming machine control) is removed from a large number of prototypes which have been subjected to the shooting test as before, and the control ROM in which the program is rewritten is again Must be attached to the prototype. This is inefficient because of the time-consuming task. In addition, in the case where a live shot test of a plurality of models is being conducted simultaneously, there is a risk that the game machine may cause an abnormal operation and damage the prototype by making a mistake in the model to which the updated control ROM is attached. As described above, the work of updating the game machine control program and data used by the game machine control microcomputer for the game machine control is a time-consuming and labor-intensive work, and by improving this, the efficiency of debugging work is improved Can play.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a debugging system capable of efficiently performing a debugging operation for removing a bug included in a program or data used by a gaming machine control microcomputer to perform gaming machine control. I assume.

  In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 is a microcomputer for controlling a gaming machine provided on a main control board that performs main control of a gaming machine, and a microcomputer for controlling a gaming machine to perform gaming machine control. A debugging system comprising: a debugging device used for debugging work for removing a bug included in a program or data used for the first time; and a relay device connected between the gaming machine control microcomputer and the debugging device, The relay device includes at least storage means for storing a program or data for controlling a gaming machine supplied from the debugging device, and an external bus interface corresponding to an external bus interface of the microcomputer for gaming machine control. At least the gaming machine control microcomputer is A CPU unit for reading out and executing a program or data for controlling a technical machine, and an external bus interface in which an address at which the CPU unit can access the storage unit of the relay device is defined; The program and data for gaming machine control can be updated by reading and executing the gaming machine control program and data stored in the storage means by the CPU unit of the gaming machine control microcomputer.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the debug system according to claim 1, wherein the CPU unit of the microcomputer for controlling a game machine is a program for controlling a game machine stored in the storage means in response to a reset signal. And data are read out.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the debug system according to claim 1, wherein the CPU unit of the microcomputer for controlling a game machine is stored in the storage means in response to an interrupt signal from the relay device. It is characterized in that a program or data for controlling a gaming machine is read out.

  In the invention according to claim 4, in the debug system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the relay device is one-on-one with a microcomputer for controlling a game machine in one game machine. The debug device is connectable to a plurality of relay devices, and the program or data for gaming machine control is written from the debug device to the plurality of relay devices to connect each of the game devices connected to the corresponding relay device. A program and data for game machine control to be executed by the game machine control microcomputer are collectively updated.

  The invention according to claim 5 is that, in the debugging system according to claim 4, the relay device is provided with identification number setting means capable of setting an identification number of the own device, and the debugging device includes each relay. The gaming machine to which the relay device is connected is identified by the identification number set in the identification number setting means of the device.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the debugging system according to the fifth aspect, the debugging device sets group identification information by bundling one or more gaming machines, and sets each group to gaming machines. The relay apparatus which has transmitted the group identification information to the corresponding relay apparatus and has received the group identification information from the debug apparatus stores the received group identification information in the group identification information storage means.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the debug system according to claim 6, wherein the relay device performs display of group identification display according to group identification information stored in a group identification information storage unit. It is characterized by having.

  According to the debugging system according to the present invention, the CPU unit of the microcomputer for controlling the gaming machine is stored in the storage means of the relay device by storing the program or data for controlling the gaming machine (program for controlling the gaming machine etc.) Since the game machine control program and data stored in the storage unit of the relay device can be read out and executed, the actual shooting test by the updated game machine control program etc. is performed without replacing the game machine control microcomputer itself. It becomes possible to do efficiently.

It is a schematic block diagram which applied a debugging system concerning the present invention to development of a pachinko type game machine. It is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of a microcomputer for game machine control and a relay device.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a debugging system according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the attached drawings.

  The debugging system 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 uses a large number of gaming machines 10 (for example, the first gaming machine 10A, the second gaming machine 10B, the third gaming machine 10C,...) Used for the shooting test and debugging operations. A debugging control PC 20 as a debugging device, relay devices 30 (for example, first relay device 30A, second relay device 30B, third relay device 30C,...) Provided corresponding to each game machine 10, and the like The network 40 which connects the relay apparatus 30 and PC 20 for debugging control is included. The communication protocol used in the network 40 may be arbitrary. Further, the connection between each relay device 30 and the debug control PC 20 may be wired or wireless.

  The gaming machine 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a pachinko type gaming machine that can perform ballistic ball games using gaming balls. A microcomputer 110 for controlling a gaming machine is mounted on a main control board 100 responsible for control of main game progression and the like in the gaming machine 10, and controls various gaming function devices. The gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is connected to the relay device 30 via, for example, a cable 200 with a connector, and the data obtained in the live shot test of the gaming machine 10 (for example, the number of shots, The number of payouts, the number of payouts, the extracted random number value, etc. are acquired and transmitted to the debug control PC 20, or a command based on a command from the debug control PC 20 is transmitted to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110.

  A game machine control program and data to be referred to by the game machine control program (hereinafter referred to as a game machine control program etc.) are fixedly stored inside the game machine control microcomputer 110, and the game machine control program etc. An example of the gaming operation performed by the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 based on the following is as follows.

  The input signal from the game ball sensor provided on the game board surface of the gaming machine 10 is monitored, and when the game ball is detected to be paid, the game balls for the number of payouts predetermined according to the type of the winning opening are paid out . When the winning opening on which the game ball has won is the starting opening, the effect such as symbol variation in the special symbol device is presented, and it is judged whether or not it is a big hit. The determination of the jackpot is performed based on whether or not the random number value acquired at the timing when it is detected that the gaming ball has won the start opening, matches a predetermined specific value. That is, when the random number value acquired at the time of winning in the starting opening matches the specific value, it is determined that this is a big hit. In addition, this process is called an internal lottery of a pachinko type gaming machine.

  The probability of the internal lottery is determined by the range of possible values of the random number and the number of random values determined to be the jackpot. For example, if the range of possible values of the random number is 0 to 199, and only one value of 7 is defined as the big hit random number value, the big hit probability is 1/200.

  When it is determined as a big hit as described above, the solenoid of the character apparatus is driven to open the big winning opening, and a big hit gaming operation in which the gaming ball can win to the big winning opening is performed. Then, when the game ball sensor detects the winning of the game ball to the special winning opening, the game balls for the predetermined number of payouts are paid out each time a prize is made. When it is detected that a predetermined number or more of game balls have won in the special winning opening, the special winning opening is closed once, but if the opening of the special winning opening does not reach a predetermined number of times, the special winning opening is opened again. In addition, how many times the big winning opening is opened at the time of the big hit is appropriately determined as the specification of the gaming machine, together with the probability of the big hit.

  On the other hand, in the case of the roll-to-roll type gaming machine, an example of the gaming operation by the gaming machine control program or the like written in the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is as follows.

  When a game medal is inserted from the medal insertion slot, this is detected by the game medal insertion sensor. When more game medals are inserted than the maximum number that can be inserted in one game, the excess game medals are stored internally, and the stored number is updated. If the game medal is not inserted but the insertion button is operated, it is regarded that the stored game medal is inserted, the storage number is reduced, and the insertion number is added.

  When it is detected that the start lever of the rotating drum rotation device is operated, a random number is acquired at the timing when the operation of the start lever is detected, and any pattern may be aligned when the rotating drum is stopped by the value of the random number. Decide. This process is called an internal lottery of the roll-type game machine. Here, when it is determined that alignment may be made for a certain symbol, it is expressed as "setting a flag" for that symbol. Then, by controlling the stepping motor pulse, the rotating drum rotation device is controlled.

  Then, when it is detected that the stop button has been operated, the rotating drum which has been rotated is stopped by the rotating drum rotating device, and at this time, the design near the stop position of the rotating rotating drum is the flag If it is a standing symbol, control the spinning machine so that the symbol is aligned with the stop position and stop. If the symbolized flag is not near the stop position, the specific symbol does not align with the stop position. To control the torso rotator. That is, the symbols are aligned on the revolving type game machine because the flag is set for a specific symbol by the internal lottery of the revolving type game machine, and the player operates the stop button at the timing when the symbol reaches the stop position. It is limited to

  When the symbols are aligned at the stop position, game medals of the number corresponding to the aligned symbols are paid out from the payout device, or the number of storages is increased accordingly.

  As described above, in both the pachinko-type gaming machine and the drum-type gaming machine, the control of the transition of the gaming state and the respective gaming states by the gaming machine control program etc. written in the gaming machine control microcomputer 110. It controls all the insertion and payout of game medals and the like. Therefore, at the development stage of a gaming machine, debugging work such as a game machine control program is important, and a debugging system 1 capable of efficiently performing debugging work is desired.

  Also, in the debugging work, there are cases where multiple models are simultaneously shot-tested and data are collected, and even if the same model is tested using different programs, the prototypes are divided into groups. If managed, work efficiency can be improved. In FIG. 1, with the first gaming machine 10A and the second gaming machine 10B as the group number 01 (group ID: 01), the third gaming machine 10C as the group number 02 (group ID: 02),. Is in control.

  Next, the detailed functions of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 and the relay device 30 in the debugging system 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 and the relay device 30. As shown in FIG.

  The gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is a custom chip having a structure suitable for debugging work and is not a mass-produced chip mounted on a shipping product, but like the mass-produced chip, at least the CPU section 111 and the ROM section are internally provided. 112, a RAM unit 113, an internal bus 114, an external bus interface 115, a communication control unit 116, and a chip ID storage unit 117. In the ordinary gaming machine control microcomputer 110, which is a mass-produced chip, the CPU unit 111 controls the progression of the pachinko game based on the gaming machine control program stored in the ROM unit 112 and reference data. In addition, the RAM unit 113 is used as a work memory for writing temporary storage information such as a random number value extracted by the CPU unit 111 as the game progresses.

  The external bus interface 115 is an interface for communicating with the outside of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, and enables transmission and reception with each circuit mounted on the main control board 100 and other control boards and the like. Therefore, the external bus interface 115 used in the gaming machine control microcomputer 100 defines an address at which the CPU unit 111 can access the outside (detailed later), and at least the CPU unit 111 accesses the ROM unit 112. Similarly to the above, the CPU unit 111 can read out a game machine control program or the like from the corresponding address outside the chip.

  The communication control unit 116 is responsible for security management of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, and the gaming machine control microcomputer stored in the chip ID storage unit 117 only for an external device that satisfies appropriate authentication conditions. The chip ID attached to 110, the game machine control program stored in the ROM unit 112, etc. can be read out.

  On the other hand, the relay device 30 includes at least a CPU unit 31, a memory unit 32, an internal bus 33, an external bus interface 34, a communication control unit 35, an identification number setting unit 36, a group ID storage unit 37, and a display unit 38. . The communication control unit 35 of the relay device 30 is connected to the debug control PC 20 via the network 40, receives an instruction from the debug control PC 20, a game machine control program, etc., and collects collected data obtained from the debug control PC 20. (Data collected in the shooting test of the gaming machine 10) is acquired from the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 and transmitted to the debugging control PC 20. Further, a game machine control program or the like supplied from the debug control PC 20 is stored in the memory unit 32 as a storage unit.

  The external bus interface 34 of the relay device 30 includes an interface corresponding to the external bus interface 115 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, and is connected to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 via the connector-equipped cable 200. Thus, the address defined in the external bus interface 115 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 corresponds to the address of the memory section 32 of the relay device 30. Therefore, the CPU unit 111 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is for gaming machine control stored in the memory unit 32 in the path of the internal bus 114, the external bus interface 115, the external bus interface 34 of the relay device 30, and the internal bus 33. It becomes possible to read a program etc.

  That is, if the game machine control program and the like updated by removing bugs etc. are stored in the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30, the CPU unit 111 of the game machine control microcomputer 110 is updated from the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30. Since the gaming machine control program and the like are read out and executed, it is possible to conduct a live shot test by the gaming machine 10 having the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 execute the updated gaming machine control program and the like. Therefore, every time the program or the like is updated, there is no need to remove the game machine control microcomputer 110 from the main control board 100 and attach another game machine control microcomputer 110 to which the update program has been written. Can do debugging work.

  In addition, the CPU unit 31 of the relay device 30 stops the external bus interface 34 from outputting data to the external bus interface 115 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 as necessary (the external bus interface 34 is played Machine control microcomputer 110). Thus, in the relay device 30, when the external bus interface 34 is closed with respect to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, the CPU unit 111 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 starts the game machine control program from the memory portion 32 of the relay device 30. Etc. can not be read. Therefore, the relay device 30 controls whether the CPU unit 111 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 permits the reading of the gaming machine control program or the like stored in the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30 or permits the reading. can do.

  The address of the memory unit 32 in the relay device 30 seen from the CPU unit 111 is the address of the ROM unit 112 and the RAM unit 113 so as not to be confused with the ROM unit 112 and the RAM unit 113 in the gaming machine control microcomputer 110. It is necessary to define in the external bus interface 115 as an address different from that in FIG. In addition, the ROM area and the RAM area are divided in the memory section 32 to define addresses, and the ROM area of the memory section 32 is stored in a storage area such as a game machine control program corresponding to the ROM section 112. May be allocated to work memory areas corresponding to the RAM unit 113, respectively. In this way, the CPU unit 111 of the microcomputer 110 for gaming machine control writes temporary storage information such as a random number value extracted along with the progress of the game in the memory unit 32. There is no need to read from the RAM unit 113 of the microcomputer 110 for gaming machine control, and it is possible to directly read it from the memory unit 32 of itself and transmit it to the debugging control PC 20.

  In the debugging system 1 described above, the timing at which the updated game machine control program or the like is read by the CPU unit 111 of the game machine control microcomputer 110 is not particularly limited. For example, the game control program or the like may be transmitted from the debug control PC 20 to the relay device 30 and read by the CPU unit 111 of the game machine control microcomputer 110 at the timing when the program is stored in the memory unit 32. It may be performed at a timing when data collection of the live shot test achieves a predetermined condition (for example, timing when the relay device 30 transmits collected data to the debug control PC 20).

  Further, the method for causing the CPU unit 111 of the microcomputer 110 for game machine control to read the updated game machine control program or the like is not particularly limited. For example, when resetting the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, a program for jumping to the address of the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30 is stored in the ROM unit 112, and the CPU unit 111 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is reset. Otherwise, the updated game machine control program or the like can be read into the CPU section 111 of the game machine control microcomputer 110. Further, a program for jumping to the address of the memory unit 32 is stored in the ROM unit 112 as interrupt processing, and an interrupt signal is sent from the external bus interface 34 of the relay device 30 to the CPU unit 111 of the microcomputer 110 for gaming machine control. By doing this, the updated game machine control program or the like can be read into the CPU section 111 of the game machine control microcomputer 110.

  Here, a specific method of causing the CPU unit 111 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 to read the gaming machine control program and the like stored in the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30 by resetting the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 and starting execution. explain.

  The ROM unit 112 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 has an address set for the CPU unit 111 to read the program from the ROM unit 112 at the time of reset. The corresponding address of the ROM unit 112 is the start address of the memory unit 32 ( Write an instruction to jump to the start line of the game machine control program etc.). That is, the CPU unit 111 does not read the gaming machine control program or the like from the ROM unit 112 at the time of reset, and always reads the gaming machine control program or the like from the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30. Therefore, if the relay device 30 is not connected to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 or the external bus interface 34 of the relay device 30 is closed to the external bus interface 115 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, the CPU The unit 111 can not properly read the start line of the game machine control program or the like from the memory unit 32 and reads an incorrect instruction due to disconnection of the relay device 30, and a reset due to the incorrect instruction reception is applied. By this reset, the CPU section 111 tries to read the memory section 32 of the relay device 30 again, but the reset is repeated without being read, and the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is not normally activated.

  In the gaming machine 10 provided with the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 of the above-described structure, the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 executes a game shooting control program or the like stored in the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30 to perform a shooting test. When the relay device 30 receives the download start command from the debug control PC 20, first, the CPU section 31 of the relay device 30 closes the external bus interface 34 to the external bus interface 115 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, Data output from the external bus interface 34 to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is stopped.

  As a result, the CPU unit 111 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 can not read the gaming machine control program or the like from the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30, and the reset due to the reception of the illegal instruction is repeated. At the same time, the access from the CPU unit 111 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 to the memory unit 32 is lost, and the contents of the memory unit 32 are ready to be rewritten.

  Then, while the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is repeating the loop of resetting the illegal instruction, the relay device 30 downloads a new gaming machine control program or the like from the debugging control PC 20 and stores it in the memory unit 32. When the download is completed, the external bus interface 34 of the relay device 30 is opened to the external bus interface 115 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110. As a result, the CPU unit 111 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 can read a new gaming machine control program or the like from the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30, so that a new gaming machine control program is executed at the next reset timing. The actual shooting test using E etc. will be resumed promptly. A signal for resetting the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is prepared from the relay device 30, and the main control circuit board of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is reset when the download of a new gaming machine control program or the like is completed. You may use

  Next, the gaming machine control program etc stored in the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30 is read by the CPU unit 111 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 by interrupting the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 and the execution is started specifically Strategic approach will be explained.

  A game machine control program or the like is written in the ROM unit 112 of the game machine control microcomputer 110. Normally, the CPU unit 111 reads a program from the ROM unit 112 to perform game machine control. However, the gaming machine control program or the like written in the ROM unit 112 is an old program created at the start of the shooting test. In addition, an instruction to jump to the start address (the start line of the game machine control program or the like) of the memory unit 32 is written in the ROM unit 112 as interrupt processing when an interrupt signal is received. That is, when the CPU unit 111 receives an interrupt signal, it always reads the game machine control program or the like from the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30 as the interrupt processing.

  In the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 having the above-described structure, when the CPU unit 111 executes the game control program etc. stored in the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30 to perform the shooting test, the relay device 30 performs debug control Upon receiving the download start command from the PC 20, the external bus interface 34 of the relay device 30 first stops outputting data to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110.

  As a result, the CPU unit 111 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 can not read the gaming machine control program or the like from the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30, and a reset occurs upon receipt of a fraudulent instruction. The program is read out to perform gaming machine control. At the same time, the access from the CPU unit 111 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 to the memory unit 32 is eliminated, and the contents of the memory unit 32 are ready to be rewritten.

  Then, while the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 executes the gaming control with the old program, the relay device 30 downloads a new gaming machine control program or the like from the debug control PC 20 and stores it in the memory unit 32. When the download is completed, the external bus interface 34 of the relay device 30 is opened to the external bus interface 115 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110. Then, when an interrupt signal is output from relay device 30 to microcomputer 110 for game machine control, CPU unit 111 reads a new program for game machine control etc. from memory unit 32 of relay device 30 and starts execution, so a new program for game machine control The actual shooting test using E etc. will be resumed promptly.

  It should be noted that when an unexpected reset occurs while the game machine control microcomputer 110 is executing the latest game machine control program or the like stored in the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30 to perform an actual shooting test, Since the CPU unit 111 of the machine control microcomputer 110 reads out the old program from the ROM unit 112 and restarts it, the live shot test is interrupted. Therefore, if a signal (reset monitor signal) indicating a reset state is output from the CPU unit 111 and the reset monitor signal is input to the relay device 30 through the external bus interface 115, the CPU unit 111 can The relay device 30 that has detected the reset state promptly outputs an interrupt signal to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, so that the latest game machine control program etc stored in the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30 is used for gaming machine control. It can be adjusted to be executed by the microcomputer 110.

  As described above, the relay device 30 having a function to cause the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 of the gaming machine 10 to execute a new gaming machine control program etc. is connected to each gaming machine 10 on a one-to-one basis, and debug control is performed. It is connected with the PC 20 for Therefore, the debugging control PC 20 simultaneously instructs the plurality of relay devices 30 to rewrite the game machine control program etc., thereby causing the game machine control microcomputer 110 of each gaming machine 10 connected to the corresponding relay device 30 to execute. It becomes possible to collectively update the game machine control program etc., and the efficiency of further debugging work can be expected.

  Further, each relay device 30 is provided with an identification number setting unit 36, and the identification number setting unit 36 can set an identification number of the own device. The identification number setting unit 36 can set an arbitrary number by an artificial operation. The identification number set for each relay device 30 is transmitted to the debug control PC 20. In the debug control PC 20, the identification number of the relay device 30 and the unique information of the gaming machine 10 to which the relay device 30 is connected By linking and managing (the number and model of the prototype, etc.), it is possible to appropriately determine the game machine control program etc. to be transmitted to each relay device 30. If there is an overlapping identification number among the relay devices 30 managed by one debug control PC 20, a warning is displayed, and the identification number setting unit of the corresponding relay device 30 is displayed. The operator may be prompted to reset the identification number 36.

  However, the identification number set in the relay device 30 needs to be able to be continuously used as the same set value even after the relay device 30 is powered off or reset. In order to do this, for example, the identification number setting unit 37 provided in the relay device 30 is configured by a rotary switch or dip switch capable of holding the setting content, and reads the setting content of the identification number setting unit 37 when the relay device 30 is activated. Thus, the identification number of the own machine may be specified, or the input identification number may be stored in a non-volatile memory or a memory backed up by a battery, a storage capacitor or the like.

  As described above, the debugging control PC 20 can perform debugging work efficiently by managing the plurality of gaming machines 10 as a group. Therefore, it is assumed that group management by the debug control PC 20 is performed using the identification number set in the relay device 30 connected to each gaming machine 10 on a one-to-one basis.

  For example, identification numbers of relay devices 30 corresponding to a plurality of gaming machines 10 which are prototypes of the same model are selected to form one group. If group management can be performed, it becomes possible to designate a group and simultaneously transmit a gaming machine control program or the like without designating the relay devices 30 targeted for program update one by one. In the actual shooting test, not only when all the gaming machines are of the same model, but also a plurality of different models may be tested at the same time, or even the same model may be tested with different versions of jackpot probability simultaneously. Therefore, by grouping the gaming machine groups to which the same gaming machine control program can be applied as a group, and performing the updating operation of the gaming machine control program, etc., the updating operation of the gaming machine control program etc. is performed by targeting the corresponding group. It is possible to simplify and reduce operation errors.

  To enable group management, the debug control PC 20 sets a group ID as group identification information to each group, and transmits the group ID of the group to which the own machine belongs to each relay device 30 of the corresponding group. Do. The group ID may be a numerical value or a combination of a numerical value and a symbol. Then, the relay device 30 that has received the group ID from the debug control PC 20 stores the group ID in the group ID storage unit 37 as a group identification information storage unit, and displays a display corresponding to the stored group ID to the display unit 38. Do. The function of the group ID storage unit 37 may be realized by the memory unit 32.

  The display unit 38 may have any display function as long as the display corresponding to the group ID can be performed. For example, in the case of displaying a group ID consisting of a numerical value of several digits as it is, a segment display of several digits may be used, or a liquid crystal display of low pixel may be used. When the group ID is made to correspond to a specific color, a multicolor light emitting panel or a color liquid crystal display panel capable of performing color display can be used as the display unit 38. In addition, when making group ID respond | correspond to a color, it is necessary to be careful that the color made to respond | correspond to each group ID does not become a similar color which is hard to visually recognize.

  As described above, if the group ID can be confirmed by the display unit 38 provided in each relay device 30, the display unit 38 of the relay device 30 connected to each gaming machine 10 is assigned to the group assignment set by the debug control PC 20. Since it can be confirmed in practice, there is an advantage that it is possible to efficiently avoid work mistakes in which different models are included in the same group. In particular, for the appearance of each gaming machine 10 and debugging control, the gaming machine 10 and the debugging control PC 20 to be provided for the live shooting test are in different rooms or are slightly separated from each other even in the same room. When the group setting screen of the PC 20 can not be viewed at the same time, the merit of being able to confirm the appropriateness of the grouping from the appearance of each gaming machine 10 and the group display of the display unit 38 in each relay device 30 is very large.

  As mentioned above, although the embodiment of the debugging system concerning the present invention was described based on an accompanying drawing, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, In the range which does not change the composition as described in a claim, You may implement by diverting the well-known existing equivalent technical means.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 debug system 10 game machine 100 main control board 110 microcomputer for game machine control 111 CPU unit 112 ROM unit 113 RAM unit 115 external bus interface 200 cable with connector 20 PC for debug control
30 relay device 32 memory unit 34 external bus interface 35 communication control unit 40 network

Claims (7)

A microcomputer for gaming machine control provided on a main control board for main control of a gaming machine, and a debugging operation for removing a bug included in a program or data used for the gaming machine control microcomputer to perform gaming machine control A debugging system comprising: a debugging device; and a relay device connected between the gaming machine control microcomputer and the debugging device,
The relay device comprises at least storage means for storing a program or data for controlling a gaming machine supplied from the debugging device, and an external bus interface corresponding to an external bus interface of the microcomputer for controlling a gaming machine.
The gaming machine control microcomputer has at least a CPU unit that reads and executes a program or data for gaming machine control, and an external bus interface in which an address at which the CPU unit can access the storage unit of the relay device is defined. Equipped with
The program and data for controlling the gaming machine can be updated by the CPU unit of the microcomputer for controlling the gaming machine reading and executing the program and data for controlling the gaming machine stored in the storage means of the relay device from the debugging device. A debugging system characterized by having done.   2. The debugging system according to claim 1, wherein the CPU unit of the microcomputer for controlling a gaming machine reads out a program or data for controlling a gaming machine stored in the storage means in response to a reset signal.   The CPU unit of the microcomputer for controlling a gaming machine reads out a program or data for controlling a gaming machine stored in the storage means, triggered by an interrupt signal from the relay device. Described debugging system. The relay device is connected to the gaming machine control microcomputer in one gaming machine on a one-to-one basis.
The debugging device can be connected to a plurality of relay devices,
The program and data for game machine control to be executed on the game machine control microcomputer of each game machine connected to the corresponding relay device are put together by writing the program and data for game machine control from the debugging device to a plurality of relay devices. The debugging system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the system is updated. The relay device is provided with identification number setting means capable of setting the identification number of the own device.
5. The debugging according to claim 4, wherein the debugging device identifies the gaming machine to which the relay device is connected by the identification number set in the identification number setting means of each relay device. system. The debugging device sets group identification information by bundling one or more gaming machines, and transmits the group identification information to a relay device corresponding to each gaming machine of the group.
6. The debugging system according to claim 5, wherein the relay device receiving the group identification information from the debugging device stores the received group identification information in the group identification information storage means.   7. The debugging system according to claim 6, wherein the relay device comprises display means for performing group identification display according to the group identification information stored in the group identification information storage unit.

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