JP2018175150A - 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 the program and data for game machine control stored in the storage part of the relay device 30 are overwritten on an ROM part of a game machine control microcomputer 110 loaded on a main control board 100 of a game machine 10. With this, the hitting testing of the game machine 10 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 comprises at least a memory unit for storing a program or data for controlling a gaming machine supplied from the debugging device, and communication control means capable of communicating with a communication control unit of the microcomputer for controlling the gaming machine. The gaming machine control microcomputer is at least a program for gaming machine control. Communication is possible with the CPU unit that reads and executes data, the ROM unit that rewritably stores programs and data for gaming machine control, and the relay device, and the contents of the ROM unit can be received according to an instruction from the appropriate relay device. Rewriting the program or data for game machine control supplied from the debugging device and stored in the memory unit of the relay device in the ROM unit of the microcomputer for game machine control; The present invention is characterized in that the CPU unit reads out and executes the program or data for controlling the gaming machine.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the debugging system according to the first aspect, the ROM unit of the gaming machine control microcomputer stores program identification information uniquely indicating a type of a program or data for gaming machine control. A program identification information storage area is provided, and when a program or data for game machine control is written in the ROM portion, the program identification information is also written in the program identification information storage area.

  In the debugging system according to the third aspect of the present invention, the relay device can read out the program identification information from the program identification information storage area of the ROM section in the gaming machine control microcomputer. It is characterized by

  The invention according to claim 4 is the debugging system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gaming machine control microcomputer fixes a chip ID which is its own unique identification information. The relay device acquires the chip ID from the chip ID storage unit of the gaming machine control microcomputer currently connected, and transmits the chip ID to the debugging device; It is characterized in that the chip ID is managed in association with the gaming machine connected to the relay device that is the transmission source of the ID.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the debug system according to claim 4, wherein the relay device is connected when the connected gaming machine is activated and becomes communicable with the gaming machine control microcomputer. The chip ID is acquired from the chip ID storage unit of the microcomputer for controlling a gaming machine and transmitted to the debugging device, and the debugging device transmits the chip ID transmitted from the relay device and the game connected to the relay device. It is characterized in that the chip ID linked with the machine and managed is compared, and when the two do not match, the warning operation is performed.

  In the invention according to claim 6, in the debug system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the relay device is one to one with a microcomputer for controlling a game machine in one game machine. The debugging device can be connected to a plurality of relay devices, and the debugging device supplies a program or data for gaming machine control to the plurality of relay devices and stores the program or data in the memory unit with the corresponding relay device. A program and data for game machine control to be overwritten on the game machine control microcomputer of each connected game machine are collectively updated.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the debug system according to claim 6, wherein the relay device is provided with identification number setting means capable of setting an identification number of the own device, and the debug device 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 an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the debugging system according to the seventh 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 9 is the debug system according to claim 8, wherein the relay device displays the group identification display according to the group identification information stored in the group identification information storage unit. It is characterized by having.

  The invention according to claim 10 is the debug system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the microcomputer for controlling a game machine monitors an internal bus monitoring unit. And a bus condition storage unit for storing a bus condition defined as a state of the internal bus for stopping the operation of the CPU unit, and the state of the internal bus matches the bus condition stored in the bus condition storage unit. When the break condition is satisfied, the internal bus monitoring unit operates the CPU unit to put it into a pause state.

  The invention according to claim 11 is the debug system according to claim 10, wherein the bus condition set by the debug device is transmitted to the relay device, whereby the game is connected to the relay device. The bus condition is transmitted to the gaming machine control microcomputer of the machine, and the transmitted bus condition is stored in the bus condition storage unit.

  The invention according to claim 12 is the debug system according to claim 11, wherein the bus condition storage unit can store a plurality of bus conditions, and the internal bus monitoring unit is configured to store the bus condition storage unit. When any one of the stored bus conditions coincides with the bus state, it is determined that a break condition is satisfied, and the CPU unit is put into a sleep state.

  The invention according to claim 13 is the debug system according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the internal bus monitoring unit is configured to satisfy a predetermined bus monitoring condition. The present invention is characterized in that the CPU unit is paused based on the occurrence of the break condition.

  The invention according to claim 14 is characterized in that, in the debug system according to claim 13, the bus monitoring condition is a period in which a CPU state inquiry is periodically received from a relay apparatus.

  According to the debugging system according to the present invention, a program or data for game machine control (such as a program for game machine control) updated by removing a bug or the like is stored in the storage means of the relay device and overwritten in the ROM portion of the microcomputer for game machine control. By doing this, the CPU unit of the gaming machine control microcomputer can read out and execute the gaming machine control program and data overwritten in the ROM portion, so that the updated gaming can be performed without replacing the gaming machine control microcomputer itself. It becomes possible to efficiently carry out an actual shooting test using a machine control program or the like.

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. Furthermore, it is also possible to construct the debug system 1 by connecting the debug control PC 20 and the relay device 30 on a one-to-one basis. In that case, instead of the network 40, a cable of a general purpose interface standard such as USB may be used, and the debugging control PC 20 having a port corresponding to the interface standard may be connected to the relay device 30.

  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. Furthermore, in the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, an internal bus monitoring unit 118 and a bus condition storage unit 119 are provided as functions not described in the mass-produced chips (detailed later).

  The communication control unit 116 is responsible for security management of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, and operates when the connected external device satisfies the proper authentication condition, and accepts only a command from the external device that has cleared the security authentication. The chip ID stored in the chip ID storage unit 117, the chip ID attached to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, the game machine control program stored in the ROM unit 112, and the like are read and output to an external device.

  Thus, the ROM unit 112 included in the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 can overwrite the gaming machine control program or the like under the control of the communication control unit 116. That is, the ROM unit 112 uses an EEPROM or the like which is non-volatile and does not lose stored contents even when the power is turned off and which can electrically rewrite stored contents, and the communication control unit 116 has already been used. Even if a game machine control program or the like is written in the ROM unit 112, the game machine control program or the like has a function to overwrite the program.

  In this way, the ROM unit 112 is updated by inputting the write instruction to the ROM unit 112 and the content to be written (program for game machine control for overwriting, etc.) to the communication control unit 116 from the external device that has cleared the security authentication. It is possible to overwrite with the above-mentioned game machine control program and the like. Note that, when the communication control unit 116 overwrites the game machine control program or the like on the ROM unit 112, the communication control unit 116 first causes the CPU unit 111 to be in the sleep state. This is to prevent the CPU unit 111 from accessing the ROM unit 112 being rewritten.

  On the other hand, the relay device 30 includes at least a CPU unit 31, a memory unit 32, an internal bus 33, a first communication control unit 34, a second communication control unit 35, an identification number setting unit 36, a group ID storage unit 37, and a display unit 38. Is equipped. The first communication control unit 34 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 is obtained from the debug control PC 20. The collected data (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 second communication control unit 35 of the relay device 30 is communication control means capable of communicating with the communication control unit 116 of the microcomputer 110 for gaming machine control, and is connected to the microcomputer 110 for gaming machine control via the cable 200 with connector. . Thus, when the communication control unit 116 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 100 starts communication with the relay device 30 as the connected external device, it performs security authentication according to a predetermined procedure, and satisfies the authentication condition. Communication with the relay device 30 is started only when it is determined. If the relay device 30 used in the debugging system 1 is a proper device, mutual authentication with the communication control unit 116 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is possible by the function of the second communication control unit 35.

  When communication is established with the relay device 30 connected via the communication control unit 116 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, the communication control unit 116 receives an instruction from the relay device 30. For example, when the relay device 30 receives a download start command from the debug control PC 20, the relay device 30 downloads a new game machine control program or the like from the debug control PC 20 and stores it in the memory unit 32. Since the program rewrite instruction is issued to the communication control unit 116 of the computer 110, the communication control unit 116 performs an operation based on the program rewrite instruction.

  When the CPU unit 111 of the microcomputer 110 for gaming machine control reads the gaming machine control program stored in the ROM unit 112 and conducts a shooting test, the communication control unit 116 issues a program rewriting instruction from the relay device 30. When receiving it, the communication control unit 116 puts the CPU unit 111 in the sleep state. Next, the communication control unit 116 receives the gaming machine control program and the like stored in the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30, and overwrites the ROM unit 112 with the received gaming machine control program and the like. After the ROM unit 112 is overwritten with a game machine control program or the like received from the relay device 30, the communication control unit 116 sends a reset signal to the CPU unit 111 to cancel the hibernation state of the CPU unit 111. Thus, the CPU unit 111 reads and executes a new game machine control program and the like stored in the ROM unit 112 from the beginning.

  That is, if the gaming machine control program etc. updated by picking up bugs etc. are stored in the memory unit 32 of the relay device 30, the updated gaming machine control program etc. is overwritten on the ROM unit 112 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110. As a result, it is possible to carry out the shooting test with the updated program for controlling a gaming machine etc. thereafter. 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 the debugging system 1 described above, the timing at which the updated game machine control program or the like is overwritten on the ROM unit 112 of the game machine control microcomputer 110 is not particularly limited. For example, a game control program or the like is transmitted from the debug control PC 20 to the relay device 30, and a program rewrite instruction is issued to the communication control unit 116 of the game machine control microcomputer 110 at the timing when this is stored in the memory unit 32. You may make it carry out at the timing (for example, the relay apparatus 30 transmitted collection data to PC 20 for debugging control) which the data collection of a real shooting test achieved predetermined conditions.

  Further, when transmitting a game machine control program etc. from the debug control PC 20 to the relay device 30, specifically, it is performed by designating a file in which a binary code is recorded. At this time, the game machine control program Not only the binary code such as, but also its file name may be transmitted to the relay device 30. The file name includes a model name, a version number, and the like, and can be used as program identification information uniquely indicating the type of the game machine control program or the like. Therefore, when the communication control unit 116 writes the gaming machine control program or the like in the ROM unit 112, if the file name is also written in a specific position of the ROM unit 112, the ROM unit can be read by reading the file name. The type of game machine control program currently written in 112 can be specified.

  For this purpose, a program identification information storage area in which program identification information is written is set in advance at a specific location (specific address position) of the ROM unit 112, and the communication control unit 116 controls the ROM unit 112 When overwriting, the file name acquired from the relay device 30 is also written in the program identification information storage area of the ROM unit 112. When receiving the program identification information read command from the relay device 30, the communication control unit 116 reads the file name from the program identification information storage area of the ROM unit 112 and sends the file name to the relay device 30. As a result, the debugging control PC 20 can easily confirm the type of the game machine control program or the like written in the current ROM unit 112 via the relay device 30. The file name as program identification information is included in a predetermined location (predetermined address position) in a binary code such as a game machine control program, and the file name is read out from the binary code written in the ROM unit 112. You may

  Furthermore, the relay device 30 connected to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 as a proper external device can acquire the chip ID from the chip ID storage unit 117 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 being connected. Then, the chip ID acquired from the connected gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is transmitted to the debug control PC 20, and the debug control PC 20 having received this is connected to the relay device 30 which is the chip ID transmission source. The chip ID is managed in association with the existing gaming machine 10.

  After that, the gaming machine 10 is activated at the time of resumption of the shooting test, etc., and after the security authentication between the gaming machine microcomputer 110 and the relay device 30 is performed, the relay device 30 to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 Since the chip ID is inquired, the chip ID acquired from the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 is transmitted from the relay device 30 to the debug control PC 20. Therefore, the debug control PC 20 can compare the chip ID newly acquired from the relay device 30 (the chip ID at the current connection) with the chip ID already stored (chip ID at the previous connection). .

  If the chip ID at the time of the previous connection and the chip ID at the time of the current connection are different, the gaming machine 10 main body is between the time the relay device 30 was last connected to the gaming machine 10 and the current connection to the gaming machine 10. There is a possibility that the main control board 100 or the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 has been replaced, or the gaming machine 10 itself is identical. As described above, when the chip ID in the previous connection and the chip ID in the current connection are different, the warning control PC 20 performs a warning operation. The warning operation by the debug control PC 20 is not particularly limited. For example, the warning display is performed on the screen or the warning sound is output to confirm the gaming machine 10 connected to the relay device 30. It is good if you can urge

  For example, if it is time to start a new test after replacing the prototype with the end of the live shot test, it is natural that a mismatch between the chip ID at the previous connection and the chip ID at the current connection is detected. It is. However, the fact that a chip ID mismatch is detected during the live shooting test may mean that the gaming machine 10 main body and the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, which were not originally intended to be replaced, have been replaced. The debug control PC 20 supplies the relay device 30 with an update program and the like that conforms to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 of the gaming machine 10 connected to the relay device 30 until the previous time. If the relay device 30 supplies a game machine control program or the like to the game machine control microcomputer 110 and overwrites the ROM unit 112 while the control microcomputer 110 is changed to the control microcomputer 110, there is a risk that the trial machine may be damaged by abnormal operation. .

  Therefore, when the chip ID in the previous connection and the chip ID in the current connection are different, a warning operation is performed in the debug control PC 20, so the debug control PC 20 is operated to operate each game machine 10 with a game control program. The operator who sends etc. can detect the possibility that the improper replacement of the main body of the gaming machine 10 or the replacement of the main control board 100 or the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 has been performed. Therefore, it is possible to effectively suppress an operation error in which a game machine control program or the like not compatible with the game machine control microcomputer 110 of the game machine 10 connected to the relay device 30 is written. If it is known that the game machine 10 main unit, the main control board 100 or the game machine control microcomputer 110 connected to the relay device 30 has been replaced, such as when starting a new live shot test, The chip ID at the time of connection may be overwritten on the chip ID at the time of the previous connection so that it can be managed in association with the gaming machine 10 connected to the relay device 30 which is the transmission source of the chip ID at the current connection. .

  In the above-described debug system 1, the chip ID management at the previous connection, comparison with the chip ID at the current connection, and the warning operation at the time of detection of a chip ID mismatch are all performed by the debug control PC 20. The relay device 30 may have the function of For example, the relay device 30 is provided with an acquisition ID storage unit 39 (shown by a broken line in FIG. 2), and the chip ID acquired from the gaming machine control microcomputer 10 of the gaming machine 10 connected first is stored. Is used as the chip ID in the previous connection. The chip ID acquired from the gaming machine control microcomputer 10 of the gaming machine 10 connected next is the chip ID at the time of the current connection, and the chip ID at the previous connection (the chip ID stored in the acquired ID storage unit 39) It compares.

  As a comparison result by the relay device 30, the real shot test is started as it is if both chip IDs match, but if it is determined that the two chip IDs do not match, the relay device 30 performs a warning operation. As a warning operation, for example, the display unit 38 of the relay device 30 displays a warning, or the relay device 30 transmits a chip ID mismatch detection signal to the debug control PC 20 to display a warning on the screen of the debug control PC 20. Do. By performing such a warning operation, it is possible to urge a worker to confirm the gaming machine 10 to which the corresponding relay device 30 is connected. If the detected chip ID mismatch is associated with the start of a live shot test with another model, the relay device 30 is warned from the operation of the warning cancellation switch provided on the relay device 30 or from the PC 20 for debug control. By transmitting the release signal, the acquired ID storage unit 39 is overwritten with the chip ID at the time of the current connection.

  In addition, even if the relay apparatus 30 is powered off or reset, the acquired ID storage unit 39 is configured with a non-volatile memory so that the storage content of the acquired ID storage unit 39 is maintained, or a backup power supply It is necessary to be able to hold the power supply state to the acquired ID storage unit 39 by this. Also, when the relay device 30 is connected to another model with the end of the live shot test, a reset operation may be performed to delete the chip ID at the time of the previous connection stored in the acquired ID storage unit 39. . In this way, it is possible to eliminate the inconvenience that the relay device 30 performs a warning operation when starting a live shot test with another model.

  As described above, the relay device 30 having a function of causing the ROM unit 112 of the microcomputer 110 for gaming machine control in the gaming machine 10 to overwrite a new program for gaming machine control etc. is connected to each gaming machine 10 on a one-to-one basis. Together with the debugging control PC 20. Therefore, when the debugging control PC 20 simultaneously instructs the plurality of relay devices 30 to rewrite the game machine control program etc., the game machine control microcomputer 110 of each gaming machine 10 connected to the corresponding relay device 30 is overwritten. 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 36 provided in the relay device 30 is configured by a rotary switch, dip switch or the like that can hold the setting content, and reads the setting content of the identification number setting unit 36 when the relay device 30 starts 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.

  Next, the internal bus monitoring unit 118 and the bus condition storage unit 119 provided in the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 will be described.

  When the internal bus 114 satisfies the condition stored in the bus condition storage unit 119 (a condition determined as the state of the internal bus 114 for stopping the operation of the CPU unit 111), the internal bus monitoring unit 118 Put 111 in hibernation mode. A state in which the bus condition stored in the bus condition storage unit 119 is satisfied and the CPU unit 111 is in the pause state is referred to as a break state, and a state in which the CPU unit 111 sequentially executes a program is referred to as the RUN state. Also, a condition that causes a break state (a state in which the state of the internal bus 114 matches a bus condition stored in the bus condition storage unit 119) is called a break condition.

  The bus condition stored in the bus condition storage unit 119 is the state of the internal bus 114 accompanying the operation of the CPU unit 111, and is defined by combining the states of at least the address bus, data bus, read / write, and instruction fetch signals. . For example, in the case of the combination of address bus = 0100h, data bus = 12h, read / write = write, and instruction fetch = not specified, the bus condition is the condition "write data 12h at address 0100h". Further, in the case of the combination of address bus = 8000 h, data bus = not specified, read / write = read, instruction fetch = instruction fetch, the bus condition is the condition that “instruction of address 8000 h is fetched”. The instruction fetch is an operation of the CPU unit 111 to read data as a program to be executed next.

  The bus conditions for which break conditions can be arbitrarily set are set by the debug control PC 20 and transmitted to the relay device 30. At this time, the relay device 30 as a transmission destination can also specify an identification number and transmit, or can specify a group ID to transmit to a plurality of relay devices 30. Then, the relay device 30 that has received the bus condition from the debug control PC 20 transmits the bus condition to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110. The communication control unit 116 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 causes the bus condition storage unit 119 to store the bus conditions received from the relay device 30. Thus, the internal bus monitoring unit 118 can monitor the establishment of a break condition in which the state of the internal bus 114 matches the bus condition stored in the bus condition storage unit 119.

  As described above, while the establishment of the break condition is monitored by the internal bus monitoring unit 118 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110, the relay device 30 transmits the state of the CPU unit 111 to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 ( Inquires whether it is in the RUN state or the break state). The relay device 30 notifies the debug control PC 20 of the state of the CPU unit 111 obtained from the response thereto. The bus monitoring by the internal bus monitoring unit 118 and the bus condition storage unit 119 arbitrarily sets a break point that needs confirmation in debugging work such as a game machine control program, and brings the CPU unit 111 into a break state at the break point. Useful for

  Since it is not known when the break condition is satisfied, it is desirable that the CPU state inquiry from the relay device 30 to the gaming machine control microcomputer 110 be periodically performed at relatively short time intervals. The debug control PC 20 can monitor the state (the state of the CPU section 111) of all the gaming machines 10 connected through the relay device 30 if the break condition is established regularly. .

  Further, in consideration of the case where there are a plurality of breakpoints to be focused on, the bus condition storage unit 119 can store a plurality of bus conditions, and the internal bus monitoring unit 118 can store the bus conditions stored in the bus condition storage unit 119. If any one of them matches the bus state of the internal bus 114, it may be determined that the break condition is satisfied, and the CPU section 111 may be set to the break state. In this case, when transmitting the break condition determination bus condition from the debug control PC 20, it is sent together with the information identifying the break condition like "the second break condition" to identify each bus condition If it is stored in the bus condition storage unit 119 so that it can be performed, and the microcomputer 110 for gaming machine control responds that it is in the break state in response to the inquiry from the relay device 30, then As in the case of the break state, it may be returned together with information that can identify the break condition. In this way, by setting various bus conditions arbitrarily and performing bus monitoring under various break conditions, it is possible to obtain a clue for specifying the condition even for a bug whose occurrence frequency is very low.

  The monitoring of the state of the internal bus 114 by the internal bus monitoring unit 118 and the bus condition storage unit 119 described above is not limited to continuous monitoring as long as the bus condition is set in the bus condition storage unit 119, but predetermined bus monitoring It may be performed only while the condition is satisfied. For example, when a period in which CPU status inquiries from relay device 30 to gaming machine control microcomputer 110 are periodically received is set as the bus monitoring condition, when relay device 30 is not connected to game machine 10, Since the CPU status inquiry from the relay device 30 is not input even after the predetermined period, the bus monitoring condition is not satisfied, and even if the internal bus monitoring unit 118 detects that the break condition is met, the CPU unit 111 is in the break state. There is no need to That is, when the debugging control PC 20 and the relay device 30 are removed and the gaming machine 10 is operated in a stand-alone state, with the bus conditions stored in the bus condition storage unit 119 of the gaming machine control microcomputer 110. Since it is possible to prevent the CPU unit 111 from being in the resting state by the establishment of the break condition, the operation of the gaming machine 10 is not suddenly stopped to disturb the workers.

  Since the bus monitoring condition may be set arbitrarily, the bus monitoring condition applicable to the gaming machine 10 operated in a stand-alone mode (for example, a period from the start of the shooting test to the lapse of a predetermined time) If the relay device 30 receives a bus monitoring end command from the relay device 30, the internal bus monitoring unit 118 and the bus condition storage unit 119 can prevent the relay device 30 from being connected to the gaming machine 10. The state monitoring of the internal bus 114 is executed, and when the break condition is satisfied, the CPU unit 111 is put into a pause state. In addition, a bus monitoring mode switch or the like is provided on the main body side of the gaming machine 10, and a conditional monitoring mode in which execution / stop of state monitoring on the internal bus 114 switches based on the bus monitoring condition, regardless of the bus monitoring condition. The constant monitoring mode in which the bus monitoring is always performed and the monitoring stop mode in which the bus monitoring is not performed regardless of the bus monitoring condition may be switched.

  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 116 communication control unit 200 cable with connector 20 PC for debug control
30 relay device 32 memory unit 35 second communication control unit 36 identification number setting unit 40 network

Claims (14)

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 a memory unit for storing a program or data for controlling a gaming machine supplied from the debugging device, and communication control means capable of communicating with a communication control unit of the microcomputer for controlling the gaming machine.
The gaming machine control microcomputer communicates at least a CPU unit that reads and executes a program or data for gaming machine control, a ROM unit that rewritably stores a program or data for gaming machine control, and the relay device. A communication control unit capable of rewriting the contents of the ROM unit according to an instruction from the appropriate relay device;
The program or data for gaming machine control supplied from the debugging device and stored in the memory unit of the relay device is overwritten on the ROM portion of the gaming machine control microcomputer, and the overwritten program or data for gaming machine control is stored in the CPU. A debugging system characterized in that the unit reads out and executes.   The ROM portion of the gaming machine control microcomputer is provided with a program identification information storage area for storing program identification information uniquely indicating the type of a program or data for gaming machine control. 2. The debugging system according to claim 1, wherein when the data is written, the program identification information is also written to the program identification information storage area.   3. The debugging system according to claim 2, wherein the relay apparatus can read out program identification information from a program identification information storage area of a ROM section in a gaming machine control microcomputer. The gaming machine control microcomputer includes a chip ID storage unit which fixedly stores a chip ID which is unique identification information of the game machine control microcomputer.
The relay device acquires the chip ID from the chip ID storage unit of the connected gaming machine control microcomputer, and transmits the chip ID to the debugging device.
4. The chip debugging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the debugging apparatus manages the chip ID by associating it with a gaming machine connected to a relay apparatus that is a transmission source of the chip ID. The debugging system described in. The relay device acquires the chip ID from the chip ID storage unit of the connected microcomputer for controlling the gaming machine when the connected gaming machine is activated and becomes communicable with the microcomputer for controlling the gaming machine and debug device Send to
The debugging device compares the chip ID transmitted from the relay device with the chip ID managed in association with the gaming machine connected to the relay device, and performs a warning operation if they do not match. 5. The debugging system according to claim 4, characterized in that: 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,
By supplying programs and data for controlling the gaming machine from the debugging device to the plurality of relay devices and storing them in the memory unit, the gaming machine control is made to overwrite on the gaming machine control microcomputer of each gaming machine connected with the corresponding relay device. The debugging system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein programs and data for control are collectively updated. The relay device is provided with identification number setting means capable of setting the identification number of the own device.
7. The debugging according to claim 6, 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.
8. The debugging system according to claim 7, 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.   9. The debugging system according to claim 8, 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. The gaming machine control microcomputer includes an internal bus monitoring unit that monitors the state of the internal bus, and a bus condition storage unit that stores bus conditions defined as the state of the internal bus that stops the operation of the CPU unit. Set up
When a break condition is established in which the state of the internal bus matches the bus condition stored in the bus condition storage unit, the internal bus monitoring unit acts on the CPU unit to put it into a paused state. The debugging system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.   The bus condition set by the debugging device is transmitted to the relay device, so that the bus condition is transmitted to the gaming machine control microcomputer of the gaming machine connected to the relay device, and the transmitted bus condition is 11. The debugging system according to claim 10, wherein the debugging system is stored in a bus condition storage unit. The bus condition storage unit can store a plurality of bus conditions,
The internal bus monitoring unit determines that a break condition is satisfied, and puts the CPU unit into a paused state if any one of the bus conditions stored in the bus condition storage unit matches the bus state. The debugging system according to claim 11, characterized in that:   The internal bus monitoring unit pauses the CPU unit based on the establishment of a break condition only while a predetermined bus monitoring condition is satisfied. The debugging system according to any one of the above.   The debugging system according to claim 13, wherein the bus monitoring condition is a period in which a CPU state inquiry is periodically received from a relay apparatus.

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