JP2024049177A - Gaming Machines - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a gaming machine capable of external light emission and spotlight emission. [Solution] In the gaming machine 1, the performance means 60 includes a light emitting means 600 capable of emitting light under the control of a control means 20, a transmission means 63 capable of transmitting light emitted from the light emitting means 600, and an irradiation object 62 that is irradiated with the light transmitted by the transmission means 63, and the transmission means 63 includes a transmission area 63a that corresponds to the shape of the irradiation object 62 and is capable of transmitting the light emitted from the light emitting means 600, and a non-transmission area 63b that is not or has difficulty transmitting the light emitted from the light emitting means 600, and the irradiation object 62 is configured to be disposed in front of the transmission area 63a so as to correspond to the shape of the transmission area 63a. [Selected Figure] Fig. 17

Description

The present invention relates to gaming machines.

Conventionally, some gaming machines have used spotlight devices as a means of presentation, and these spotlight devices have been installed in specific locations on the gaming machine (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-173614

However, there was room for improvement in conventional gaming machines.

To solve the above problem, the gaming machine of the present invention is equipped with a presentation means capable of executing a predetermined light-emitting presentation and a control means capable of controlling the presentation means, and the presentation means includes a light-emitting means capable of emitting light under the control of the control means, a transmission means capable of transmitting light irradiated from the light-emitting means, and an irradiated object irradiated with the light transmitted by the transmission means, and the transmission means includes a transmission area corresponding to the shape of the irradiated object and capable of transmitting the light irradiated from the light-emitting means, and a non-transmission area that is not or has difficulty transmitting the light irradiated from the light-emitting means, and the irradiated object is configured to be positioned in front of the transmission area so as to correspond to the shape of the transmission area.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the appearance of the gaming machine. 1 is an oblique view showing the internal configuration of the gaming machine; 2 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the gaming machine. FIG. FIG. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between a partition member and an LED. FIG. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the light emission mode of a top lamp and the light emission color of each region. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the front and back surfaces of the LED substrate for the logo lamp. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a control configuration of an LED driver corresponding to an LED. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a connection configuration of an LED driver corresponding to an LED. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a logo lamp. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a front end portion of the light guiding lens. 11 is a perspective view showing a front end portion of a light guiding lens disposed in an opening portion of a base member. FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an optical path of light emitted from a light source. A diagram showing the winning lines in the display window of the gaming machine. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the reel arrangement of a gaming machine. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing winning combinations, symbol combinations corresponding to the winning combinations, and prizes. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a pattern combination corresponding to a reach pattern and whether or not a medal is awarded. 11 is a timing chart showing a notification control process when a normal reach symbol occurs. 13 is a timing chart showing the notification control process when cherries overlap. 13 is a timing chart showing a notification control process when a payout is made in a reach state. 13 is a timing chart showing the notification control process when premier cherries overlap. 13 is a flowchart showing a post-notification control process. 13 is a timing chart showing a modified example of the notification control process when a reach symbol is reached and a payout is made.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the gaming machine of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
Gaming machines are installed in places such as game arcades and come in various types. As an example of this embodiment, a slot machine 1 will be described.

[Slot Machine]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the slot machine 1 is a gaming machine that is composed of a cabinet 1b that is open on the front side and a front door 1a that covers the front side of the cabinet 1b so that it can be opened and closed.
The upper part of the front door 1a is equipped with a top lamp 50 that emits light in synchronization with the game, and a display L that is composed of, for example, an LCD display and displays effects and information according to the game.
Furthermore, below the display L, there is provided a logo lamp 60 which emits light in accordance with the outline of the logo 62 and emits spotlight light in the style of a theater spotlight, and on the left and right of this are built-in speakers 9 for outputting sound.

A display window 6 through which the rear can be seen is formed in the center of the front door 1a, and through this display window 6 the symbols displayed on the reels 41 which function as an example of a variable display means can be seen.
A plurality of pay lines are set for the combination of symbols on each of the reels 41a to 41c that can be viewed through the display window 6 (see FIG. 19).
There are five pay lines in total: three horizontally arranged middle, upper and lower pay lines 1, 2 and 3, and two diagonally crossing pay lines 4 and 5.

A notification lamp 8 is provided on the lower left side of the display window 6.
The notification lamp 8 notifies (specially notifies) the player that he or she has won a "bonus role" as a result of an internal lottery. When the "bonus role" is won, an LED (light-emitting element) provided inside lights up, and this light emission causes letters and pictures (such as GOO!) on the panel to be displayed through light.

Below the display window 6, a step is formed that protrudes forward, and this step is provided with a medal insertion port 2 for inserting medals (game value) and a number of operating means.
As operation means, for example, a bet button 2a for setting the bet amount, a start lever 3 that the player operates when starting the game, and a stop button 5 that the player presses to stop the reels 41 are provided.
The bet buttons 2a include a MAX bet button 2a1, which allows the player to bet the maximum number of medals (e.g., three medals) stored as credits on one game with one operation, and a 1 bet button 2a2, which allows the player to bet one medal with one operation.
Further, at the bottom of the front door 1a, there is provided a medal payout opening 7b through which medals are paid out.

The upper part of the cabinet 1b is provided with a main control unit 10 which performs overall control of the game, and a sub-control unit 20 which, under the control of the main control unit 10, controls aspects related to the presentation of the game, etc.
The main control unit 10 is equipped with a CPU that performs various types of arithmetic processing, a ROM in which control programs and control data are stored, and a storage means such as a RAM that has a storage area for temporarily storing various types of data and a working area for the CPU.
The main control unit 10 is connected to a bet button 2a, a medal selector 2b, a start lever 3, a stop button 5, a drum unit 4, a medal payout device 7, etc., and is configured to receive various signals from sensors built into each device.
In addition, the main control unit 10 functions as an example of a control means and a lottery means, thereby performing processes such as starting a game and sampling random numbers from a random number generator, and performing internal lottery processing for a winning combination based on the sampled random numbers.
In the following description, the operation means connected to the main control unit 10, such as the bet button 2a, the start lever 3, and the stop button 5, are collectively referred to as "main operation means".

The sub-controller 20 is connected to a top lamp 50, a display L, a logo lamp 60, a speaker 9, an announcement lamp 8, etc., and is configured to be able to transmit various signals to each device.
The sub-controller 20 controls these based on control information received from the main controller 10 .
A drum unit 4 that rotates a reel 41 is provided in the center of the housing 1b.
The drum unit 4 includes a reel 41a, a reel 41b, and a reel 41c arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction, and each of the reels 41a to 41c is rotatable by the drive of a stepping motor (not shown).
A plurality of symbols are displayed on the outer peripheral surface of each of the reels 41a to 41c, and when the reel 41 is stopped, a predetermined number of consecutive symbols (for example, three) can be seen through the display window 6 for each of the reels 41a to 41c.
The lower part of the cabinet 1b is provided with a medal payout device 7 that pays out medals and a hopper 7a that stores medals, and medals paid out from this medal payout device 7 are paid out to the player via a medal payout outlet 7b.
In addition to the above general configuration, the slot machine 1 further comprises the following configuration.
In the following explanation, the "up and down direction" of the slot machine 1 refers to the up and down direction when the installed slot machine 1 is viewed from the player's perspective, and the "left and right direction" of the slot machine 1 refers to the left and right direction when the installed slot machine 1 is viewed from the player's perspective.
Moreover, the "front-to-back (depth) direction" of the slot machine 1 refers to the front-to-back direction when the installed slot machine 1 is viewed by a player.

[Top lamp]
The top lamp 50 is an example of a presentation means provided at the topmost position of the front door 1a, and is a light-emitting device that performs light-emitting presentation according to the game status based on the control of the sub-control unit 20.
The top lamp 50 is formed in a shape in which the center of the front part is curved in a slightly convex shape, and is provided in a manner that protrudes forward from the front door 1a.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the top lamp 50, and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the top lamp 50. As shown in FIG.
The top lamp 50 is composed of multiple members such as a lamp cover 51 , a color sheet 52 , a partition member 53 , a top lamp LED board 54 , and a lid member 55 .
The top lamp 50 is arranged in the following order from the front to the rear: a lamp cover 51, a color sheet 52, a partition member 53, a top lamp LED board 54, and a lid member 55.
Hereinafter, each component constituting the top lamp 50 will be described.

The lamp cover 51 is illuminated by a plurality of LEDs 540 mounted on a top lamp LED board 54, and emits the illuminated light toward the front of the slot machine 1 due to its own translucency (see FIG. 7).
The lamp cover 51 (lens member) is a decorative member provided in front of the top lamp 50, and is composed of a side lamp cover 51a and a center lamp cover 51b.
The center portion of the side lamp cover 51a exposes the center lamp cover 51b.
For this reason, the side lamp cover 51a is formed with an opening 510 that is opened along the shape of the center lamp cover 51b.
The lamp cover 51 is also made of a translucent resin material. For example, the side lamp cover 51a is a translucent red translucent material, and the center lamp cover 51b is a translucent colorless translucent material.

In addition, the lamp cover 51 forms a light-guiding space inside, and the back surface (inner surface) of the center lamp cover 51b is formed with an uneven structure consisting of a horizontal line pattern extending in the horizontal direction, or an uneven structure consisting of a circular pattern.
By providing such an uneven structure, the light emitted from each LED 540 passes through the light-guiding space without being blocked and is refracted and diffused by the uneven structure, resulting in a more effective light-emitting effect.

The color sheet 52 (sheet member) is made of a transparent material so that the light emitted from the LEDs 540 can pass through it.
As shown in FIG. 6, the color sheet 52 is composed of a number of irregularly divided triangular or polygonal small regions R, each with a side length of approximately 3 to 8 mm, with each region R being painted in a different number of colors.
Specifically, the color sheet 52 has a half mirror on the front side (the lamp cover 51 side) and a back side (the partition member 53 side) on which multiple colors, such as yellow, purple, blue, red, green, and orange, are printed on each small area R on the half mirror.
The spaces between the regions R (hereinafter also referred to as transparent regions T) are colorless (transparent) and not printed in color.

The half mirror here is made semi-transparent by depositing and coating a light-reflective metal such as silver or aluminum onto a thin metal film, and any known half mirror that can reflect part of the light and transmit part of it can be used.
In this way, by forming the front surface of the color sheet 52 as a half mirror and dividing the back surface of the half mirror into small regions R and applying multiple colors to them, the multiple colors printed on the back surface can be made invisible to the player when the LED 540 is not emitting light.
On the other hand, when the LED 540 emits light, the irradiated light is transmitted through each region R to which a plurality of colors are applied, so that each region R can emit light in a plurality of colors.

As shown in Figure 7, the partition member 53 is a member that separates the area that illuminates the center lamp cover 51b (third lamp cover area r3) from other areas (first lamp cover area r1, second lamp cover area r2) on the top lamp LED board 54, and is arranged on the boundary line that separates these areas.
Therefore, the partition member 53 can split the light irradiated to the lamp cover 51 into light irradiated to the side lamp cover 51a and light irradiated to the center lamp cover 51b.

In addition, the partition member 53 is formed so that the area that illuminates the center lamp cover 51b has approximately the same shape as the outer shape of the color sheet 52, so that light leakage can be prevented even if the color sheet 52 is fixed in the middle of the optical path.
Therefore, since the partition member 53 is fixed so as to surround the periphery of the color sheet 52, it is possible to suppress the light that is irradiated toward the lamp cover 51 from being guided around by the color sheet 52.
Therefore, the partition member 53 plays a role of branching the optical path from the top lamp LED board 54 to the lamp cover 51 .

A player can simultaneously enjoy the light emission effect produced by the side lamp cover 51a and the light emission effect produced by the center lamp cover 51b.
This makes it possible to increase the variety of light-emitting effects, for example by providing a light-emitting effect by the center lamp cover 51b through the color sheet 52 only during a bonus game (special gaming state).

The top lamp LED board 54 is an elongated printed circuit board and includes a plurality of LEDs 540 (e.g., full-color LEDs) mounted on the front surface of the board, and a plurality of LED drivers (not shown) mounted on the back surface of the board that control the driving and dimming of these LEDs 540.
The LED driver controls the LEDs 540 to emit light in a predetermined light emission pattern in accordance with commands from the sub-controller 20 connected via a predetermined connector or cable.
For this reason, a connector (not shown) is provided on the back surface of the top lamp LED board 54, and the top lamp LED board 54 is electrically connected to peripheral boards such as the sub-controller 20 via this connector.

In addition, two types of LEDs 540 are arranged on the top lamp LED board 54: LEDs 540a mounted in the first lamp cover area r1 and the second lamp cover area r2, and LEDs 540b mounted in the third lamp cover area r3.
The light emitted from the LEDs 540a mounted in the first lamp cover area r1 and the second lamp cover area r2 is divided by the partition member 53 and is guided directly to the side lamp cover 51a without passing through the color sheet 52.
On the other hand, the light emitted from the LED 540b mounted in the third lamp cover region r3 is partitioned by the partition member 53, reaches the color sheet 52, and is then guided via the color sheet 52 to the center lamp cover 51b.
A player can visually recognize the light emission state of the top lamp 50 through both the side lamp cover 51a and the center lamp cover 51b.

The cover member 55 is, for example, silver-plated and is a protective member that protects each component from the rear.
The cover member 55 has a connector opening 550 for exposing the connector to the outside.
The connector opening 550 is an opening formed at a position corresponding to the connector of the top lamp LED board 54 , and receives the connector from the connector opening 550 to the back surface of the top lamp LED board 54 .

The top lamp 50 having such a configuration can produce various light emission patterns according to the gaming status.
Figure 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the light emission mode of the top lamp 50 and the light emission color of each region R, where (a) is a schematic diagram of the light emission color in each region R, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the light emission mode of the top lamp 50 and the light emission color of each region R.
In FIG. 8A, for ease of explanation, each triangular or polygonal region R is represented by a square, and each region R is given many colors, but the colors are roughly divided into reddish colors (including red), greenish colors (including green), and blueish colors (including blue) and are shown in schematic form.
In each region R, the region R that is colored in red is shown as a red region (R), the region R that is colored in green is shown as a green region (G), and the region R that is colored in blue is shown as a blue region (B), and the areas between each uncolored region R are shown as transparent regions T.

In addition, the modes in which the center lamp cover 51b of the top lamp 50 emits white light, red light, green light, and blue light are shown as LED white light emission, LED red light emission, LED green light emission, and LED blue light emission, respectively.
The color sheet 52 includes a first region (e.g., a red region) applied with a first color (e.g., red), a plurality of first similar regions (e.g., red regions) applied with a similar color to the first color, a second region (e.g., green region) applied with a second color (e.g., green region), a plurality of second similar regions (e.g., green regions) applied with a similar color to the second color, a third region (e.g., blue region) applied with a third color (e.g., blue region), a plurality of third similar regions (e.g., blue regions) applied with a similar color to the third color, and a specific region (transparent region T) where no color is applied.
In the color sheet 52, each area R is visually recognized as follows depending on the color of light emitted by the LED 540 serving as the light source.

(1) LED white light emission (specific light emission mode)
The LED white light emission is realized by making the transparent region T emit white light, the red region (including the red region) emit red light, the green region (including the green region) emit green light, and the blue region (including the blue region) emit blue light.
In other words, by additively mixing red, green, and blue emitted light, it appears to the player that the entire center lamp cover 51b is emitting white light.
Moreover, in the LED white light emission, since the LED 540 emits light over the entire region R, the amount of light is the greatest among all the light emission modes.

(2) Red LED light emission (first light emission mode)
The LED red light emission makes the transparent area T and the red area emit red light, and the other green and blue areas are non-emitting, so that it appears to the player that the entire center lamp cover 51b is emitting red light.

(3) LED green light emission (second light emission mode)
The LED green light emission makes the transparent area T and the green area emit green light, and the other red and blue areas are non-emitting, so that it appears to the player that the entire center lamp cover 51b is emitting green light.

(4) LED blue light emission (third light emission mode)
The LED blue light emission makes the transparent area T and the blue area emit blue light, and the other red and green areas are non-emitting, so that it appears to the player that the entire center lamp cover 51b is emitting blue light.

The control of the light emission mode of the top lamp 50 by the sub-controller 20 is arbitrary, but the light emission mode can be easily changed, for example, by sequentially changing the light emission color such as white LED light → red LED light → green LED light → blue LED light, or by flashing one color.
In addition, during normal play (when a "miss" wins), the light emission mode of the top lamp 50 is the LED emitting white light, and when a bonus is won (when a "bonus role" is won), the light emission mode of the top lamp 50 is the LED emitting red light, and so on, depending on the game status.
In other words, the top lamp 50 is equipped with a color sheet 52 on which a number of different colors are printed for each of a number of small regions R, so that a color-changing effect in which the light emission mode changes successively can be obtained with a simple structure without using painting processes or optical films.
This allows the player to enjoy the presentation of various light emission patterns, as the light appears to be split into different wavelengths when seen through the front lamp cover 51.
In addition, an uneven structure is formed on the back surface (inner surface) of the center lamp cover 51b in order to diffuse light, so that light can be reflected in different directions, providing an effect similar to that of a hologram.
As a result, in the slot machine 1, it is possible to achieve both spectral expression and monochromatic light emission in a relatively inexpensive manner with a high degree of freedom in placement, and to produce a light emission effect with a highly aesthetic brilliance in which the color changes depending on the viewing angle.

[Logo lamp]
Next, the logo lamp 60 will be described.
FIG. 9 is a front view of the logo lamp 60, and FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the logo lamp 60. As shown in FIG.
The logo lamp 60 is an example of a presentation means, and is a light-emitting device that is disposed between the display L and the display window 6 and performs light-emitting presentation synchronized with the game (see FIG. 1).
The logo lamp 60 is composed of multiple members, such as a front cover 61 , a logo 62 , a decorative sheet 63 , a base member 64 , a light-guiding member 65 , an LED board 66 for the logo lamp, and a rear cover 67 .
The logo lamp 60 is arranged in the following order from front to rear: a front cover 61, a logo 62, a decorative sheet 63, a base member 64, a light-guiding member 65, an LED board 66 for the logo lamp, and a rear cover 67.
Each of the components that make up the logo lamp 60 will now be described.

The front cover 61 is located in front of the logo lamp 60, and is a trapezoidal cover member whose upper side is longer than its lower side when viewed from the front.
The front cover 61 is different from the lamp cover 51 used in the top lamp 50 in that the front surface is covered with a transparent synthetic resin such as acrylic resin or glass so that the logo 62 inside can be seen.
The front cover 61 is provided with a fixing claw 610, and by hooking this fixing claw 610 into a fixing groove 640 provided in the base member 64 with the logo 62 and decorative sheet 63 attached, the front cover 61 and the base member 64 are integrated.
In this integrated state, the front cover 61 is secured to the base member 64 with screws, thereby covering and protecting the logo 62 attached inside.

The logo 62 (illumination target) is a predetermined letter (for example, "GIRLS") that has been given thickness to give it a three-dimensional appearance, and the entire logo 62 is gold-plated to create a luxurious feel.
The logo 62 is formed with each character independently and fixed to the base member 64 by support members 620 (see FIG. 14(b)).
Note that the logo 62 may be a picture, a symbol, a figure, a design, or a combination of these, in addition to characters.

The decorative sheet 63 (transmitting means) is made of a plastic sheet having substantially the same shape as the inside of the front cover 61 .
The decorative sheet 63 has a surface coated with a color that is difficult for light to transmit (e.g., dark green), and the reverse side is provided with a pattern (e.g., a continuous geometric pattern) created by embossing with fine irregularities, resulting in an eye-catching decoration with improved design.

The base member 64 is a non-translucent resin member and is configured to be able to reflect light.
A logo 62 and a decorative sheet 63 are attached to the front side of the base member 64, and a light guide member 65 and an LED board 66 for a logo lamp are attached to the back side.
At the middle of the back side of the base member 64, upper and lower fixing claws 641 protruding toward the rear are provided. By hooking these fixing claws 641 into fixing grooves 670 of the rear cover 67, the base member 64 and the rear cover 67 are integrated.

The light guide member 65 is made entirely of a colorless and transparent resin material or the like, and is configured of an upper light guide member 65a (first light guide member) and a lower light guide member 65b (second light guide member).
The light guide member 65 is composed of a plurality of cylindrical light guide lenses 650 of substantially the same shape, and beam portions 651 connecting the light guide lenses 650 .
The light guide lens 650 is a so-called light guide, and serves to guide light incident from a rear end 650b (one end) to a front end 650a (the other end) and irradiate the light from the front end 650a towards the logo 62.
The beam portion 651 connects the multiple light guide lenses 650 together into an integrated unit.
The light guide members 65 are attached to the top and bottom of the base member 64 in the left-right direction so that the front end portions 650a of the light guide lenses 650 are positioned forward.

As shown in FIG. 11, the logo lamp LED board 66 has a plurality of LEDs 660 mounted on its front surface (one side), and an LED driver 661 for controlling the driving and dimming of these LEDs 660 mounted on its back surface (the other side).
A plurality of LEDs 660 are arranged in a straight line on the surface, and are mounted in multiple rows (for example, three rows) at regular intervals, so that the LEDs 660 irradiate light evenly toward the front of the slot machine 1 .
The logo lamp LED board 66 is mounted with an LED 662 located at the center of the board and used for external illumination, and LEDs 660a to 660d (specific illumination means) located above and below the board and used for spotlight illumination.
On the back surface, a plurality of (for example, four) LED drivers 661 are mounted, and the LED drivers 661 cause the LEDs 660 to emit light in a predetermined light emission pattern.

The LED 660 (light emitting means) is configured as a full-color LED that incorporates LED elements of the three primary colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) and generates more heat than a single-color LED.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a control configuration of an LED driver 661 corresponding to the LEDs 660a to 660d used for spotlight emission.
As shown in the figure, the LED 660 constitutes an LED unit in which LEDs that emit light of each of the colors RGB (red, green, and blue) are assembled.
Since the sub-control unit 20 controls each LED 660 independently, the LED driver 661 follows instructions from the sub-CPU constituting the sub-control unit 20 to control each LED 660 individually according to the progress of the game, for example, by moving the LEDs 660 in the left-right direction or changing the light color.

An LED driver 661 (light emission control means) adjusts the amount of light of each color by supplying a current to the LED 660 through PWM control.
The LED driver 661 has input terminals (not shown) for a serial signal, a clock signal, etc., as well as output terminals, which are multiple output channels (control signal output sections) connected to each LED 660 in order to drive the multiple LEDs 660.
For example, the LED drivers 661 (first to fourth LED drivers) mounted on the logo lamp LED board 66 are all LED drivers 661 of the same model number and have 24 output channels OUT0 to OUT23.
The LED driver 661 can control one LED 660 with one output channel, and can therefore control the driving and dimming of up to 24 LEDs 660 .

However, if all of the output channels of the LED driver 661 are used, there is a problem in that the current consumption of the LED driver 661 itself increases.
That is, by increasing the number of output channels used, the number of LED drivers 661 required can be reduced, but this increases current consumption, causing the LED drivers 661 to generate heat and increasing the junction temperature.
Therefore, increasing the number of output channels used by one LED driver 661 increases the amount of heat generated accordingly. Therefore, in order to use all of the output channels provided by the LED driver 661, consideration must be given to ensuring that the junction temperature does not exceed a predetermined maximum junction temperature, and sufficient heat dissipation measures must be taken.
However, due to space restrictions in the location of the board provided in a specific portion of the slot machine 1, it may not be possible to attach a heat sink or other heat dissipation device, and sufficient heat dissipation measures may not be possible.
Therefore, in this embodiment, for an LED group consisting of a plurality of LEDs 660 to which specific addresses are set, some of the LEDs are controlled by one LED driver 661 and the other parts are controlled by another LED driver 661 .
This makes it possible to reduce the number of output channels used per LED driver 661 below the upper limit, thereby making it possible to suppress the amount of heat generated by the LED driver 661.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a connection configuration of the output channels in the first LED driver 661a and the second LED driver 661d.
As shown in the figure, the first LED driver 661a (first light emission control means) controls the light emission of the LED 660a via output channels OUT0 to OUT11 (first specific number) among the output channels OUT0 to OUT23, and the remaining output channels OUT12 to OUT23 (other numbers) are not connected.
For example, an LED 600a(1)R is connected to OUT0, an LED 600a(1)G is connected to OUT1, and an LED 600a(1)B is connected to OUT2.
Furthermore, an LED 600a(4)R is connected to OUT9, an LED 600a(4)G is connected to OUT10, and an LED 600a(4)B is connected to OUT11.
Therefore, the first LED driver 661a controls the twelve LEDs 660a (LEDs 600a(1) to (4), first light emitting means).

On the other hand, the second LED driver 661d (second light emission control means) controls the light emission of the LED 660d via the output channels OUT12 to OUT23 (second specific number) among the output channels OUT0 to OUT23, and the remaining output channels OUT0 to OUT11 (other numbers) are not connected.
For example, an LED 600d(5)R is connected to OUT12, an LED 600d(5)G is connected to OUT13, and an LED 600d(5)B is connected to OUT14.
Further, an LED 600d(8)R is connected to OUT21, an LED 600d(8)G is connected to OUT22, and an LED 600d(8)B is connected to OUT23.
Therefore, the second LED driver 661d controls 12 LEDs (LEDs 600d(5) to (8), second light-emitting means).

In this manner, the first LED driver 661a uses only OUT0-OUT11, and the second LED driver 661d uses only OUT12-OUT23.
Since both the LED 660 and the LED driver 661 generate heat, when they are mounted on a small board, the ambient temperatures between them can become unexpectedly high. However, by configuring the output channels in this way, it is possible to reduce thermal interference between the LED 660 and the LED driver 661.
As a result, the maximum temperature generated in the LED driver 661 can be reduced.
Although this has the disadvantage of requiring a plurality of LED drivers 661, in terms of the amount of heat generated, it can be suppressed because not all of the output channels of the LED driver 661 are used.

Furthermore, a slave address is set in the LED driver 661 to specify the LED 660 to be controlled.
The slave address (specific address data) is composed of 8 bits long that identify the LED driver 661. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the first LED driver 661a and the second LED driver 661d surrounded by dotted lines, and the third LED driver 661b and the fourth LED driver 661c surrounded by solid lines are each set to the same address as a slave address.
For example, the first LED driver 661a and the second LED driver 661d are both set with a slave address of "24h (00100100)."

At this time, the sub-CPU constituting the sub-controller 20 serves as the master, and each LED driver 661 serves as a slave, and serial communication is performed.
Specifically, the sub-CPU transmits data specifying a slave address to the first LED driver 661a and the second LED driver 661d, but because the same slave address is set to the first LED driver 661a and the second LED driver 661d, the same data is transmitted.
In addition to the data specifying the slave address, the sub CPU also transmits drive data specifying whether the corresponding LED 660 should be turned on or off as one block of data.
Such a block of data is transmitted to all the LEDs 660, and each LED driver 661 controls each LED 660 in accordance with the received drive data.
Therefore, on the master side (eg, a sub CPU) which sets this slave address, it is sufficient to declare the slave address only once.
This allows the output terminals of the sub-CPU to be used efficiently and reduces delays in the timing of light emission.
Note that these points are common to the third LED driver 661b and the fourth LED driver 661c.

Next, each member constituting the logo lamp 60 will be described.
The rear cover 67 is a cover member that constitutes the rearmost part of the logo lamp 60, and has a plurality of slits 671 for dissipating heat formed therein to prevent heat generation from the logo lamp LED board 66.
By providing the slits 671 in the rear cover 67, heat generated by the LEDs 660 mounted on the logo lamp LED board 66, the LED driver 661, etc. can be released to the outside, thereby preventing heat from building up inside.

The logo lamp 60 having such a configuration can produce two main types of light emission effects.
This makes it possible to attract the player's attention to the logo 62 and realize a variety of presentations that the player will not tire of.
Two types of lighting effects will be described below.

(1) Outer Light Illumination Outer light illumination is a light emitting mode that makes the periphery of the logo 62 appear to be illuminated.
FIG. 14 shows the logo lamp 60, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is an enlarged view of the logo 62.
The decorative sheet 63 has an area (hereinafter referred to as a transparent area 63 a ) formed in accordance with the shape of the logo 62 for transmitting light from the LEDs 660 .
The rear surface of the decorative sheet 63 has a region (hereinafter referred to as a non-transmitting region 63b) that is subjected to a light-shielding process by means of light-shielding printing or painting in order to suppress the transmission of light from the LEDs 660.
At this time, the portion corresponding to the shape of the logo 62 is not subjected to light-shielding processing, thereby forming a transmissive region 63a.

This allows the outline of the logo 62 to stand out by illuminating the transmissive areas 63a of the decorative sheet 63.
If only direct light was emitted from the LED 660 behind the logo 62, the graininess of the LED 660 would be noticeable, but since the transparent area 63a is formed to match the shape of the logo 62, only the periphery of the logo 62 can be illuminated.
On the other hand, light that reaches the non-transmitting area 63 b is reflected backward and does not pass through the decorative sheet 63 .
As a result, light is transmitted along the shape of the logo 62, so that the logo 62 can be displayed more conspicuously, and the logo 62 can be made to look clear and vivid even in a bright environment.
In other words, since it is possible to give an elegant impression like indirect lighting, the graininess and color unevenness of the LED 660 that illuminates the logo 62 can be reduced.
In addition to the portion of the decorative sheet 63 that matches the shape of the logo 62, transparent areas 63a can be formed in the spaces on the left and right of the logo lamp 60, for example, along the shape of a game character.
If the player wins the lottery for transitioning to a game state advantageous to the player, a variety of innovative effects can be provided to the player, such as making the game character glow to create expectations in the player.

Furthermore, the support posts 620 (support members) that secure the logo 62 to the base member 64 are made of the same color scheme as the decorative sheet 63 (including the same color, for example, dark green).
With this configuration, the support portion 620 becomes integrated with the decorative sheet 63 of the same color scheme and becomes inconspicuous.
Since only the area around the logo 62, and not the logo 62 itself, is illuminated, the logo 62 appears as if it is floating in the light.
In this way, the logo lamp 60 can be used for a variety of purposes.
Furthermore, the logo lamp 60 can also emit spotlight light as described below.

(2) Spotlight Illumination Spotlight illumination is an illumination mode that makes the logo 62 look as if it is being illuminated by spotlights from above and below.
FIG. 15 shows a front view of the base member 64 with the logo 62 attached.
As shown in the figure, the base member 64 has a plurality of openings 642 formed along both long sides thereof and facing each other.
The openings 642 are alternately formed at the upper and lower ends at regular intervals.
The opening 642 at the upper end of the base member 64 opens downward, and the opening 642 at the lower end of the base member 64 opens upward.
These openings 642 correspond to the light guiding members 65 .

More specifically, the opening 642 at the upper end corresponds to a front end 650a of the upper light guiding member 65a, and the opening 642 at the lower end corresponds to a front end 650a of the lower light guiding member 65b.
In other words, the front end portion 650a of the upper light guiding member 65a and the front end portion 650a of the lower light guiding member 65b are disposed opposite to each other in a staggered manner.

Here, the front end 650a of the light guiding lens 650 will be described.
16A, 16B, and 16C are diagrams showing a front end portion 650a of a light guiding lens 650, in which (a) is a side view, (b) is a plan view, and (c) is a perspective view.
The front end 650a of the light guide lens 650 has two cut surfaces.
Specifically, it has an inclined surface S formed by cutting the corner of the cylinder at an angle of approximately 45°, and a raised angular shape A (first region) provided on the side of the cylinder, and a parallel surface P (second region) which is cut parallel to the side of the cylinder and embossed beyond the angular shape A.
In other words, the shape of the front end 650a of the light guide lens 650 is a right-angle prism that changes the traveling direction of light by 90°.
The right-angle prism reflects the light from the LED 660 incident on the inclined surface S, changes the traveling direction of the light by 90°, and emits the light from the parallel surface P.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a front end 650 a of a light guiding lens 650 disposed in the opening 642 of the base member 64 .
A front end 650a of the upper light guiding member 65a and a front end 650a of the lower light guiding member 65b are disposed exposed from the opening 642 such that their parallel planes P are parallel to each other.
Therefore, the parallel planes P of the front end portions 650 a of the upper light guiding member 65 a and the lower light guiding member 65 b are both disposed to face the logo 62 .

Furthermore, the parallel surface P of the front end portion 650a and the opening 642 of the base member 64 have almost the same shape, and the diameter of the opening 642 is very small, about 3 mm.
With this configuration, even in the limited, narrow space of the slot machine 1, the light from the LED 660 can be radiated evenly from the small opening 642 to the logo 62 in a fan-shaped manner.
This makes it possible to realize a lighting effect that emphasizes the light path, like spotlights used in theater stage productions.
This gives the player the feeling that he or she is watching a performance at a theater.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing the optical paths of light from the LEDs 660a to 660d to the logo 62. As shown in FIG.
Light emitted from the LEDs 660b and 660c mounted on the upper part of the logo lamp LED board 66 is incident on the inclined surface S of the front end 650a via the rear end 650b of the upper light-guiding member 65a.
The light incident on the inclined surface S is reflected, changes its traveling direction by 90°, and is emitted downward (in a first direction) from the parallel surface P.

On the other hand, light emitted from the LEDs 660a and 660d mounted on the lower part of the logo lamp LED board 66 is incident on the inclined surface S of the front end 650a via the rear end 650b of the lower light-guiding member 65b.
The light incident on the inclined surface S is reflected, changes its traveling direction by 90°, and is emitted from the parallel surface P in an upward direction (a second direction).

That is, the light emitted from the LED 660 is reflected inside the right-angle prism at the front end 650a of the light-guiding lens 650, and then changes its direction of travel by 90° to illuminate the logo 62 (target) (see arrow).
As a result, when heat is generated by the LEDs 660 due to a combination of various conditions, the influence of the heat generated by the LEDs 660 can be suppressed more than when light is irradiated from behind.
Furthermore, by providing the front end portion 650 a of the light guide lens 650 with the angular shape A, a gap is less likely to be created between the light guide lens 650 and the base member 64 .
Therefore, light leakage occurring between the light guide lens 650 and the base member 64 can be prevented.
As a result, the logo 62 can be efficiently illuminated not only by direct light from the LED 660 but also by indirect light that has been diffused or reflected.
In addition, the external lighting and the spotlight lighting can be performed simultaneously or independently.

In the slot machine 1 configured as above, the main control unit 10 controls the game as follows.
First, when a player inserts a medal into the medal insertion slot 2 , the medal is detected by the medal selector 2 b , and a detection signal is input to the main control unit 10 .
When the bet button 2 a is operated, an operation signal is input to the main control unit 10 .
The main control unit 10 monitors the number of medals available for the game based on the presence or absence of input of these signals, and also monitors the operation of the start lever 3 .
When the number of medals required to start the game is reached and the start lever 3 is operated, the main control unit 10 drives the drum unit 4 to perform control to rotate the reels 41a to 41c.
As a result, the symbols displayed on the reels 41a to 41c are displayed in a variable manner.

As shown in FIG. 20, the periphery of each reel 41a to 41c is displayed with a number of (e.g., 21) symbols that serve as identification information, such as "7,""BAR,""Replay,""Bell,""Clown,""Grapes," and "Cherry." The rotation speed gradually increases from a stopped state, and then the reels reach a steady state where they rotate at a constant speed.
When the reels reach this steady rotation state, the stop buttons 5a to 5c provided corresponding to the reels 41a to 41c can be pressed.

At this time, the main control unit 10 performs an internal lottery process for each game from among a plurality of winning combinations including a "miss" that are to be selected in response to the operation of the start lever 3.
In the internal lottery process, a winning combination is determined by lottery from among a plurality of combinations based on a predetermined probability of winning each time a game is played.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing winning combinations that are stopped along the pay lines in the display window 6, combinations of symbols corresponding to the winning combinations, and special prizes.
The objects of the internal lottery include, for example, as shown in FIG. 21, a "bonus role" that grants the right to move to a bonus game including two types of bonus games, such as BB (big bonus) and RB (regular bonus), a "minor role" (such as bell, clown, grape, cherry, etc.) that awards a predetermined number of medals, a "replay role" that allows the next game to be played without inserting a medal, and a miss not shown.
In the internal lottery, a winning value preset for each of these lottery objects is compared with a random number value obtained at the time the start lever 3 is operated, and the lottery object corresponding to the winning value that matches the random number value is determined as the winning object (including losing objects) for this game.
Thereafter, when each of the stop buttons 5a, 5b, and 5c is pressed by the player, the main control unit 10 performs stop control to stop each of the reels 41a, 41b, and 41c based on the operation timing.
For example, if the left stop button 5a is pressed first, the left reel 41a will stop when it is pressed, if the middle stop button 5b is pressed second, the middle reel 41b will stop when it is pressed, and if the right stop button 5c is pressed third, the right reel 41c will stop when the right stop button 5c is released from pressure by releasing the finger that pressed it.
In the following explanation, when the stop button 5 is operated, the reel 41 that stops first is referred to as the first reel, the reel 41 that stops after the first reel is referred to as the second reel, and the reel 41 that stops after the second reel is referred to as the third reel.
The operation for stopping the first reel is referred to as the first stop operation, the operation for stopping the second reel is referred to as the second stop operation, and the operation for stopping the third reel is referred to as the third stop operation.

At this time, the main control unit 10 controls the reels 41a to 41c to stop so that a combination of symbols corresponding to a winning combination stops along an active line.
For example, when a winning combination is obtained by the internal lottery, the player operates the stop button 5 (presses the stop button at the right time) so that the winning combination stops on the winning line, and the spinning reels 41a to 41c are controlled to stop based on the timing of this operation.

Specifically, a determination is made as to whether or not there is a symbol corresponding to a winning combination within a range of the number of sliding frames (e.g., 0 to 4 symbols) that can cause the reel 41 to rotate further based on the operation timing, and if there is a symbol corresponding to a winning combination within the range of the number of sliding frames, pull-in control is performed to pull the symbol onto the winning line.
The main control unit 10 then determines the patterns and their combinations that are stopped and displayed on each of the reels 41a to 41c, and when the pattern combination for the winning role is aligned on an active line, it determines that a prize has been won and controls the medal payout device 7 to pay out a predetermined number of medals, and the medals are paid out from the medal payout outlet 7b.
Therefore, the main control unit 10 functions as an awarding means for awarding medals to the player in accordance with the winning combination.

For example, when a combination of bonus symbols (such as "7-7-7" (special identification information)) stops on an active line, a transition to a bonus game defined by an upper limit on the number of balls that can be dispensed occurs.
During this bonus game, a lottery is held and the reels are controlled so that a pattern arrangement corresponding to a "minor winning combination" with a predetermined payout is aligned consecutively, thereby paying out a large number of game media.
Therefore, during the bonus game, the player is in a more advantageous gaming state than in the normal gaming state in which consecutive "small winning" wins cannot be expected.
Furthermore, even though they are the same bonus games, the upper limit of the number of balls paid out in BB is set to a value higher than the upper limit of the number of balls paid out in RB, so that more medals are paid out in BB than in RB.
The probability of winning this "bonus role" is determined by a set value that can be changed in multiple stages (for example, six stages).
Generally, setting 1 is the lowest probability value, with the higher the number the higher the probability value, and setting 6 being the highest probability value.
Therefore, setting 1 is the most disadvantageous setting to the player, and the higher the number, the more advantageous the setting is to the player, with setting 6 being the most advantageous setting to the player.

"Small roles" include the "Bell role," the "Clown role," the "Grape role," and the "Cherry role."
When a "minor winning combination" (for example, "Bell Bell Bell") stops on an active line, the game is controlled so that a number of medals specified for each "minor winning combination" are paid out.
Incidentally, the reach combination "Clown 7 Clown" not shown in FIG. 21 described later is naturally treated as a winning combination (for example, a "small combination").

When a "replay role" (for example, "replay replay replay") stops on an active line, the game is controlled so that the player can play (replay) the next game without inserting a medal.
Based on the symbol combinations as explained above, the winning of the "bonus role,""minorrole," and "replay role" are determined, and when the corresponding symbol combination stops on an active line as a result of the determination, a win is made and a special prize is awarded according to the winning combination.

In addition, the main control unit 10 outputs predetermined signals and information to the sub-control unit 20 at predetermined game timings (for example, operation of the start lever 3 or the stop button 5).
For example, when each of the stop buttons 5 a to 5 c is operated to stop, the main control unit 10 outputs information such as the order in which the stop buttons 5 are pressed and the operation timing to the sub-control unit 20 .
For this reason, when each reel 41a to 41c is stopped by operating the stop button 5, the main control unit 10 outputs information regarding which reel 41 stopped in what order and at what timing to the sub-control unit 20 together with information that can identify the patterns on the upper, middle and lower rows.
In addition, when a "bonus role" is won, the main control unit 10 outputs a bonus signal (BB signal, RB signal) to the sub-control unit 20 to indicate that a "bonus role" has been won and to identify the type of "bonus role" that has been won.

When the sub-control unit 20 inputs information and signals output from the main control unit 10, it controls the top lamp 50, the display L, the logo lamp 60, and the speaker 9 in accordance with this information and signals and based on a pre-stored presentation program, to perform a predetermined game presentation.
Specifically, the sub-control unit 20 is composed of a sub-CPU (central processing unit), a sub-RAM (memory), a sub-ROM and other storage means, a sub-board on which an image control circuit, an audio control circuit, a lamp control circuit, etc. are mounted, and a board case that houses these, and drives presentation means such as a display L consisting of an LCD display, a speaker 9 that outputs sounds such as voice and sound effects, a top lamp 50 that emits light, and a logo lamp 60, to control game presentations such as specified images, light emission presentations, and sound presentations.
The sub-controller 20 then identifies the progress of the game, the game state, and the lottery items that have been won in the lottery process, all of which are managed by the main controller 10, and controls the performance to be synchronized with the game.
For example, when the sub-control unit 20 inputs a bonus signal output from the main control unit 10 in the event that a "bonus role" is won in an internal lottery, it causes the notification lamp 8 to light up (light up), thereby notifying the player that a "bonus role" has been won (hereinafter also referred to as a bonus notification).
Therefore, the player can know that he or she has won the "bonus role", which further heightens the player's expectations for the bonus game.
Therefore, the notification lamp 8 functions as a notification means for notifying the player that a bonus game can be generated.

[Reach eyes]
FIG. 22 shows reach patterns (specific identification information), symbol combinations corresponding to the reach patterns, and whether or not medals will be awarded, and is stored in advance in a storage means.
The reach symbol refers to a result that informs the player that he or she has won a "bonus role" in an internal lottery.
A player who sees a reach pattern can understand that he or she has won a "bonus combination", and can therefore perform a stop operation (eye push) on the stop button 5 so that the symbol combination of the "bonus combination" stops on the effective line at an early stage.
In the slot machine 1 of this embodiment, such reach eyes can be divided into three categories, reach eyes A, reach eyes B, and reach eyes C, according to the combination patterns of the symbols.
The following describes the symbol combinations for each reach pattern and whether or not a medal is awarded.

Reach pattern A is a reach pattern in which a combination of "bonus symbols" is aligned in a straight line on an active line.
No. (1) to (6) in Figure 22 show examples of reach patterns A. Reach patterns A are reach patterns in which the symbol combination of the "bonus symbol""7" or "BAR", such as No. (1) "BAR, BAR, BAR", stops on any of the activated lines 1 to 5.
Therefore, the reach symbol A is a reach symbol in which the pay line is not limited.
Further, reach eyes A are reach eyes in which no medals are paid out to the player even if the corresponding symbol combination stops on an active line, for all of the reach eyes No. (1) to (6).

Reach pattern B is a reach pattern in which the combination of "clown, bonus symbol, clown" is aligned in a straight line on an active line.
No. (7) and (8) in Figure 22 show an example of reach pattern B. Reach pattern B is a reach pattern in which the combination of the symbols "Clown 7 or BAR Clown" with "clowns" on either side of the "bonus symbol" stops on any of the activated lines 1 to 5.
Therefore, like reach symbol A, reach symbol B is a reach symbol in which the pay line is not limited.
In addition, in reach pattern B, the reach pattern No. (7) “Clown BAR Clown” does not result in a payout of medals even if the corresponding symbol combination stops on an active line, as in reach pattern A. However, in the reach pattern No. (8) “Clown 7 Clown”, when the corresponding symbol combination stops on an active line, a predetermined number of medals (for example, 1 medal) is paid out, as in the case of a winning combination such as a “small prize”.
In addition, in the case of the reach pattern of No. (7) “Clown BAR Clown”, similarly to the reach pattern of No. (8) “Clown 7 Clown”, if the corresponding combination of symbols stops on an active line, medals may be paid out.

The reach symbol C is a reach symbol in which a "cherry (predetermined symbol information)" stops on the left reel 41a.
No. (9) and (10) in Figure 22 show an example of a reach pattern C. Reach pattern C is a reach pattern in which a "bonus role" is won and a "cherry role" is also formed at the same time (hereinafter referred to as a cherry overlap).
For example, the No. (9) reach pattern is a reach pattern in which "Cherry" stops on the top row of the left reel 41a, "BAR" stops on the middle row, and "Grapes" stops on the bottom row, and "Cherry" does not appear on the center reel 41b.
Therefore, when "Cherry" stops at the upper or middle row of the center reel 41b, "Cherry" is in a ready state, and therefore it is not a reach combination.
The reach symbol No. (10) is a reach symbol in which "Grapes" stops on the top row of the left reel 41a, "Cherry" stops on the middle row, and "BAR" stops on the bottom row.
In addition, "ANY" on the center reel 41b or the right reel 41c indicates that any stopping symbol does not matter.
Therefore, the No. (10) reach symbol C can be said to be a reach symbol that is established when a "cherry" stops in the middle row of the left reel 41a.
In addition, for reach eyes C, when the corresponding symbol combination for either reach eye No. (9) or (10) stops on an active line, a “cherry role” is awarded, so it can be said that this is a reach eye that will essentially result in the payment of a predetermined number of medals (for example, two medals).

[Notification control process]
Next, notification control when a reach symbol occurs will be described.
The notification control for reach eyes is such that the lighting of the notification lamp 8 is controlled so that there is no sense of incongruity between reach eyes such as "BAR BAR BAR" where no medals are paid out and reach eyes such as "Pierrot 7 Pierrot" where medals are paid out.
By such control, the slot machine 1 can notify the bonus by the notification lamp 8 even when the reach symbol which brings about a payout is displayed at the same timing as when the reach symbol which brings about no payout is displayed.
The notification control when a reach symbol occurs will be described below with reference to the timing charts of FIG. 23 to FIG.

The examples shown in FIG. 23 to FIG. 26 are specific examples of notification control during one game from the start of the game when a reach symbol stops on an active line until the notification lamp 8 is turned on.
In the notification control of reach eyes, after the bet amount is set by the bet button 2a, the game becomes ready to start by operating the start lever 3, and the lighting control of the notification lamp 8 is different depending on the subsequent stop operation by the stop button 5 and the payout of medals.

First, the notification control process when a reach symbol (first specific identification information) in which no payout is performed will be described.
FIG. 23 is a timing chart of the notification control process when a normal reach pattern A such as "BAR BAR BAR" or a reach pattern B such as "Clown BAR Clown" occurs in which no medals are paid out.
As described above, the main control unit 10 progresses the game by controlling output means such as the drum unit 4 equipped with each reel 41a-41c and a stepping motor that drives these rotations, and the medal payout device 7, based on operation signals from operation means such as the bet button 2a, start lever 3, and stop button 5 (for example, on/off information from a sensor provided on each operation means (on: operated, off: not operated)).

In the course of the game, operations for each operating means are performed in the following order.
For example, after the bet button 2a is operated first, the start lever 3 is operated to start the rotation of the reel 41.
Operation of the stop button 5 becomes valid a predetermined time after the reel 41 starts to rotate, and by operating the stop button 5 after it becomes valid, the rotation of the reel 41 stops.

The game progresses as each operating means is operated in this order, but a notification when a reach symbol is reached and no payout is made is made when both of the following conditions (1) and (2) are met.
(1) The reels 41 are stopped from spinning. (2) All main operating means are in the "OFF" (non-operating) state.

Notification control during a normal reach pattern is as follows: (1) when the rotation of reel 41 stops and the operating means such as stop button 5 for stopping the third reel are not operated, that is, (2) when all of the main operating means are turned "OFF," the sub-control unit 20 receives a next game start command from the main control unit 10, and controls the notification lamp 8 to light up after receiving this next game start command.
Therefore, for example, as shown by the dotted line, if the player is late in releasing the stop button 5 after pressing it for a long time when stopping the third reel, the notification lamp 8 will also be delayed by the same amount of time before it is lit.

In addition, when a "cherry" such as reach symbol C stops on the left reel 41a, medals will essentially be paid out. In this case, the following condition (3) is added to the conditions (1) and (2).
(3) The payment of medals has been completed.

The notification in the case of overlapping cherries (first situation) is further conditioned on (3) that the payout of medals has been completed.
When all of these conditions are met, the sub-controller 20 receives a next game start command from the main controller 10 and turns on the notification lamp 8 .
Therefore, (1) the rotation of the reel 41 stops, and (2) all of the main operating means are turned "OFF", and then (3) when the payout of the medals is completed, a notification is given by the notification lamp 8.
Also, for example, even if (2) all of the main operating means are turned "OFF" while medals are being paid out, (3) if the stop button 5 or the like is pressed again before the medal payout is completed, the notification lamp 8 will not issue a notification until the player releases the stop button 5, even if the payout is completed (see Figure 24).

On the other hand, the time chart shown in FIG. 25 shows the notification control process for a reach pattern (second specific identification information) that results in the payout of medals, such as reach pattern B of "Clown 7 Clown."
The notification of a reach point at which medals are to be paid out is made when both of the following conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied.
(1) The reels 41 have stopped spinning. (2) All main operating means have been turned "OFF."

The sub-control unit 20 receives a special notification command from the main control unit 10 when (1) the rotation of the reel 41 stops and (2) all of the main system operating means are turned "OFF," for example, when the player releases his/her hand from the stop button 5 during the third stop operation.
Then, the sub-controller 20 that receives the special notification command turns on the notification lamp 8 .
At this time, the payout of medals begins (1) when the rotation of the reel 41 stops, regardless of whether (2) all of the main operation means are "OFF" or not, but if (1) the rotation of the reel stops and (2) all of the main operation means are "OFF", the payout of medals is controlled to be notified even if it has not been completed.
Therefore, the notification is executed even if the payout of medals has not been completed, which is different from the case where cherries overlap, in which the payout of medals is also performed.
Also, for example, as shown by the dotted line, if the player is late in releasing the stop button 5 after pressing it for a long time when operating to stop the third reel, the notification lamp 8 will also be delayed by the same amount of time before it is lit.

In this way, even if the reach symbol results in a payout, such as a winning combination such as a “small combination,” the main control unit 10 confirms that (1) the rotation of the reel 41 stops and (2) all main system operating means are “OFF,” and then transmits a special notification command to the sub-control unit 20 and lights up the notification lamp 8, just as in the case of a reach symbol that does not result in a payout.
As a result, even if a winning combination with a payout is treated as a reach pattern, it can be announced at the same timing as a reach pattern without a payout, allowing the player to play without feeling uncomfortable.

In addition, the sub-control unit 20 controls the game so that, when medals are paid out to the player, a payout display is performed to indicate that medals will be paid out.
The payout display is a presentation in which, based on the reception of a winning signal indicating a win, sound and light indicating the payout of medals are output from the speaker 9, the top lamp 50, and the logo lamp 60.
For example, when four medals are paid out, the display L displays "1, 2, 3, 4", the speaker 9 sounds "dadadada" (four consecutive sounds), and the top lamp 50 and logo lamp 60 light up "pikapikapikapika" as if four medals were paid out.
When a "minor win" such as overlapping cherries is won at the same time, this payout action is executed along with the payout of medals, but in the case of a "Clown 7 Clown" reach combination, the payout action is controlled so that it is not executed when the medals are paid out.
This is because the reach pattern of "Clown 7 Clown" is still functioning as a reach pattern, and is therefore controlled separately.

Next, the notification control process performed during a premiere (special performance) will be described.
The time chart shown in Figure 26 shows the notification control processing of a reach pattern in which a premium "bonus role" is won and a minor role is simultaneously established (mainly a cherry overlap such as reach pattern C in which a "cherry" stops on the left reel 41a).
Here, the case of the "cherry combination" will be described as an example of a minor combination that is established simultaneously with the winning of the "bonus combination".

When a premium cherry overlap occurs, the notification lamp 8 notifies the player when all of the following conditions (1) to (3) are met.
(1) The reels 41 have stopped spinning. (2) All main operating means have been turned "OFF." (3) The payout of medals has been completed.

Notification control in the case of a premium cherry overlap (second situation) is when (1) the reels stop spinning, (2) all main operating means are turned "OFF", and (3) the payout is completed, the sub-control unit 20 receives a next game start command from the main control unit 10 and lights up the notification lamp 8.
At this time, payout of medals starts when (1) the reels have stopped spinning and (2) all of the main operating means are in the "OFF" state.
Therefore, the condition for starting the payout of medals in the premium mode is different from the condition for starting the payout of medals in the normal mode, and also requires that (2) all main operating means are turned "OFF."
For example, as shown by the dotted line, if the player is late in releasing the stop button 5 after pressing it for a long time when stopping the third reel, the start of medal payout will be delayed, and accordingly the notification lamp 8 will be delayed by the same amount as the delay.

Here, the special effects that are performed after the series of notification control processes described above will be described.
The special effect is a rare, premium effect that occurs after the notification lamp 8 turns on and a "replay role" that transitions to the next game is established (even when only one medal is bet).
For example, a special effect may be produced when a predetermined condition is met, in which case the character's cry (Wawawawan!) is heard from the speaker 9 and the notification lamp 8 flashes at the same time.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart for explaining the post-notification control process.
In the slot machine 1, a special effect is executed by satisfying all predetermined conditions between the time when a bonus is announced and the time when the "bonus role" actually stops on the pay line.
The predetermined conditions for the special effect to be executed include, for example, (1) winning the "BB role," (2) winning the special effect execution lottery, and (3) winning the "replay role," and if all of these conditions are met, the special effect is controlled to be executed.

(1) Winning the “BB role” The condition for (1) is that the “bonus role” has either the “BB role” or the “RB role”, but the winning of the “BB role” is the condition (S10).
If the "BB" role has been won, the process proceeds to S11 (S10: Yes), whereas if the "RB" role has been won, the process ends (S10: No).

(2) Winning the lottery to execute a special effect The condition for (2) is to win the lottery to execute a special effect which is performed while the “bonus role” is won (S11). This lottery is executed, for example, at the timing of operating the start lever 3.
This structure further heightens the player's expectations for the bonus game.
The right to a special effect can be acquired by winning the lottery to execute the special effect, and if the lottery to execute the special effect is won, the process proceeds to S12 (S11: Yes), whereas if the lottery is not won, the process ends (S11: No).

(3) Winning of "Replay Role" The condition for (3) is that a "replay role" is won (S12).
If the "replay role" has been won, the process proceeds to S13 (S12: Yes), and if the "replay role" has not been won, the process ends (S12: No).
Normally, winning a "replay role" that does not shift to a bonus game would be winning a role that is not desirable for the player, but by satisfying these conditions such as winning a "replay role", the player's desire to see a premium special performance after the bonus is announced can be satisfied (S13).

In addition, when there are multiple replay symbols or symbol combinations in the "replay role", there may be multiple types of special effects depending on which "replay role" is established.
In addition, even if condition (2) (the lottery for executing a special effect) is won, if condition (3) (the "replay role") is not won, the special effect will not be executed and the right to win the special effect will be lost. However, if the lottery for executing a special effect is won even once, the right to win the special effect may be carried over until the special effect is executed after the next or subsequent notification control processing.

[Modification]
Next, a modified example will be described with reference to FIG.
As described above, in the notification control process when the "Clown 7 Clown" reach symbol for which a payout is to be made stops on an active line, a notification is made by the notification lamp 8 even if the payout of medals has not been completed.

The notification in the modified example is executed when all of the following conditions (1) to (3) are satisfied.
(1) The reel 41 has stopped spinning. (2) All main operation means have been turned "OFF." (3) A predetermined amount of medals has been paid out.

In a modified example, when the "Clown 7 Clown" reach symbol stops on an active line, even if the payout of medals has not been completed, (1) the rotation of the reel 41 stops, and (2) all of the main operating means are turned "OFF," the notification is withheld until a predetermined amount of medals (for example, the seventh out of ten) have been paid out, and (3) the notification is made when the predetermined amount is reached.
In this case, if all of the conditions (1) to (3) are met, the main control unit 10 will send a special notification command to the sub-control unit 20, and the sub-control unit 20 will turn on the notification lamp 8 after receiving the special notification command.

This allows for variation in the notification by the notification lamp 8, preventing the notification presentation from becoming monotonous.
As a result, the timing of the notification can be made interesting to the player, and it is possible to control the setting to be suggested based on, for example, the number of medals paid out at which the notification begins.
Specifically, when the number of medals to be paid out is announced on the third coin, a setting of 3 is suggested, and when the number of medals to be paid out is announced on the sixth coin, a setting of 6 is suggested, and so on.

As described above, according to the gaming machine of this embodiment, for an LED group consisting of multiple LEDs 660 each having a specific address set thereto, one LED driver 661 controls a portion of the group, and another LED driver 661 controls the other portion.
This makes it possible to reduce the number of output channels used per LED driver 661 below the upper limit, thereby making it possible to suppress the amount of heat generated by the LED driver 661.
As a result, the maximum temperature generated by the LED driver 661 can be reduced, thereby extending the life of the LED 661, and since the LED 661 can emit light with a stable luminance, a decrease in luminance due to thermal effects can be reduced.

In conventional gaming machines, the board installed in a specific location on the slot machine 1 was subject to space constraints at the installation location, making it impossible to attach a heat sink or other heat dissipation device, and sufficient heat dissipation measures were not possible.
According to the gaming machine of the present invention, it is possible to solve all or part of the problems that need to be improved in conventional gaming machines.

Although a preferred embodiment of the gaming machine of the present invention has been described above, the gaming machine of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.
(1) In this embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to a slot machine 1, but the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to other gaming machines, such as pachinko machines.
(2) The present invention can also be applied to so-called sealed gaming machines in which games are played using pseudo gaming media in the form of data, rather than using actual gaming media such as medals or gaming balls.
(3) The winning values or the classification of the winning values in the various lottery tables described above are merely examples, and other winning values or the classification of the winning values may also be used.
Furthermore, the winning values or the classification of the winning values in the various lottery tables can be changed for each setting value set in the gaming machine.
(4) The slot machine 1 is not limited to an AT machine, but may also be an ART machine or a so-called A-type slot machine 1 that is equipped with only a bonus.
(5) A separate LED may be newly provided to illuminate only the space in front of the color sheet 52, thereby compensating for the reduction in the amount of light in an emission mode other than white LED emission (for example, red LED emission).
Furthermore, the light emission mode of the top lamp 50 is not limited to the light emission mode described above, and for example, a newly provided separate LED 540 may be configured to emit light while changing the color from red light to green light to blue light, etc., thereby emphasizing the rainbow color effect.
(6) Some kind of notification process may be performed depending on the light color of the top lamp 50.
For example, in order to make it easy for other players to understand, when a player secures a gaming machine, the top lamp 50 is controlled to emit red LED light, and when the player releases the gaming machine, the top lamp 50 is controlled to emit green LED light.
(7) Although an example has been described in which the front cover 61 of the logo lamp 60 does not emit light, for example, the front cover 61 may also be configured to emit light in conjunction with the logo 62 .
(8) In the case of spotlight illumination, a design imitating a spotlight used for stage lighting in a theater may be used to hide the front end 650a of the light-guiding lens 650, thereby enabling a more realistic illumination effect.
(9) In the logo lamp LED board 66, the LEDs 660 and the LED driver 661 are mounted on the same board. However, the LEDs 660 and the LED driver 661 may be mounted on separate boards.
(10) In the logo lamp LED board 66, the LED drivers 661 are mounted centrally in the center of the board in the above embodiment. However, the LED drivers 661 may be distributed across the board, for example, at the four corners.
(11) In the above embodiment, the LEDs 660 are mounted on the front surface of the logo lamp LED board 66 and the LED driver 661 is mounted on the back surface. However, all of the LEDs 660 and the LED driver 661 may be mounted on the same surface.
(12) In the logo lamp LED board 66, an example has been described in which the LEDs 660 and the LED driver 661 are mounted on the same board. However, the LEDs 660 and the LED driver 661 may be mounted on separate boards.
(13) After a reach symbol (special outcome) such as “BAR, BAR, BAR” stops on an active line, a special performance may be produced by pressing the MAX BET button 2a1, pressing the 1 BET button 2a2, or inserting a medal.
As a result, when the only condition is pressing the MAX BET button 2a1, the special effects cannot be executed. However, by setting multiple conditions, for example, an experienced player or other player who is accustomed to playing may bet one coin to win a "bonus role" in order to prevent loss of medals as much as possible, but even such a player can execute the special effects when pressing the 1 BET button 2a2.
(14) In the notification control when Premier Cherries overlap, an example has been explained in which the condition for starting medal payout is that all main operating means are “OFF.” However, the condition for starting medal payout may also be set based on the elapsed time (e.g., number of seconds) from when all main operating means are turned “OFF” to when medal payout starts.
For example, a setting suggestion may be that the longer the time between when all main operating means are turned "OFF" and when the payout of medals begins, the higher the probability of a high setting.
(15) In a gaming machine in which the display L is used to count up the number of coins to be paid out (a number that is incremented by one every second), the presentation of a reach symbol such as "Clown 7 Clown," which does not result in a payout, may be differentiated from other reach symbols by, for example, displaying the count up faster or slower than a normal count up.
(16) In the example described above, the reach combination of “Clown 7 Clown” does not include a payout. However, it may include a payout. For example, if a payout is included, a setting suggestion such as a high setting can be given.
(17) The above description takes as an example a so-called “A type” gaming machine in which medals are earned by winning “bonus roles” such as BB and RB. However, the present invention can also be applied to so-called “A+AT type” gaming machines that have an AT gaming state that assists in winning “minor roles” in addition to bonuses such as BB and RB.
In this case, the specifications of the "A+AT type" gaming machine can be, for example, as follows:
・One slot machine with a liquid crystal display (main liquid crystal display + sub liquid crystal display is fine)
・Equipped with AT (including ART) and CZ (chance zone) for entering AT ・Equipped with normal zone and advantageous zone, the advantageous zone ends when the number of times played in the advantageous zone reaches a specific number (for example, 3000 games) or the number of coins won in the advantageous zone reaches a specific number (for example, 2400 coins) (In the case of an enclosed type gaming machine, it is not necessary to set a specific number of times to play in the advantageous zone.)
- The advantageous zone includes the normal state, a high probability state in which the probability of winning CZ or AT is higher than in the normal state, CZ, AT, etc.

1. Slot machine (amusement machine)
5 Stop button (operation means)
8 Notification lamp (notification means)
9. Speaker (means of presentation)
10 Main control unit (control means, providing means)
20 Sub-control unit (control means)
41 Reel (variable display means)
50 Top lamp (performance means)
51 Lamp cover (lens member)
52 Color sheet (sheet member)
53 Partition member 54 Top lamp LED board 55 Lid member 60 Logo lamp (performance means)
61 Front cover 62 Logo (irradiation target)
63 Decorative sheet (transparent means)
64 Base member 65 Light guide member 66 Logo lamp LED board (board)
67 Rear cover

Claims (5)

A gaming machine including a performance means capable of executing a predetermined light emission performance and a control means capable of controlling the performance means,
The production means includes:
a light emitting means capable of emitting light under the control of the control means;
a transmitting means capable of transmitting light irradiated from the light emitting means;
an irradiation object that is irradiated by the light transmitted by the transmitting means;
Includes:
The transmitting means is
A transparent region that corresponds to the shape of the irradiation object and is capable of transmitting light irradiated from the light emitting means, and a non-transparent region that is not capable of transmitting or is difficult to transmit light irradiated from the light emitting means,
The irradiation object is
A gaming machine characterized in that a ball is arranged in front of the transparent area so as to correspond to the shape of the transparent area. The irradiation object is
being supported by a support member, the support member being disposed in front of the transmission area so as to correspond to the shape of the transmission area;
2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the support member and the non-transmissive area are the same or similar in color. The production means is
A specific light-emitting means different from the light-emitting means;
a light guiding member capable of guiding the light emitted from the specific light emitting means in a predetermined direction;
Equipped with
The light guiding member is
The light irradiated from one end portion can be guided to the other end portion, and the light guided to the other end portion can be irradiated into a space in which the irradiation object is disposed,
The other end is
3. The gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a first region formed in an angular shape; and a second region formed in a flat shape and having an embossed finish. The light guiding member is
a first light guiding member capable of guiding light irradiated from one end portion in a predetermined direction to a predetermined position in the light guiding member, and guiding the light guided to the predetermined position in a first direction different from the predetermined direction toward another end portion;
a second light guiding member capable of guiding light irradiated from one end portion in a predetermined direction to a predetermined position within the light guiding member, and guiding the light guided to the predetermined position in a second direction different from the predetermined direction and the first direction, thereby guiding the light toward the other end portion;
The gaming machine according to claim 3, further comprising: The control means
5. The gaming machine according to claim 4, characterized in that it is possible to execute control for causing the light emitting means and the specific light emitting means to emit light simultaneously.

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