JP2719516B2 - Slot machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a slot machine capable of displaying to a player that a prize is easily obtained during moving display of a symbol array.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A slot machine is provided with a plurality of reels having symbol marks arranged on an outer periphery, and when a game is started, these reels are rotated simultaneously. Then, when all of the reels are stopped by the operation of the stop button or the operation of the automatic stop device, the reels stop on the pay line activated according to the number of inserted coins and medals (hereinafter, collectively referred to as coins). The presence or absence of a prize is displayed according to the combination of the symbol marks present.

In such a slot machine game, a player expects a prize in which a large amount of payout coins are paid out or a prize in which a privilege of a privilege game (bonus game) in which a prize is obtained at a high rate is obtained. Play the game. When these big prizes are awarded, many payout coins will be paid out.However, in order to maintain a stable payout rate, in recent slot machines, the occurrence of big prizes is managed stochastically by a microcomputer and concentrated. So that no big prizes will be awarded.

[0004]

Since the occurrence of the big prize, which is most expected for the player, is stochastically suppressed as described above, the game is repeatedly performed for the player during many games. Tend to give the impression that a big prize will occur suddenly. Therefore, in most cases, the interest of the game is limited only after the reels stop,
Until the reel spins and stops, it simply waits for the passage of time, which has been a major cause of the monotony of the slot machine game. Some slot machines use a video type in which a symbol mark is moved and displayed on a CRT without using reels. However, this slot machine also has exactly the same drawbacks.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art. When a winning such as a big prize is easily obtained, the moving display of the symbol row is changed to change the symbol row. It is an object of the present invention to provide a slot machine capable of giving a player interest during a moving display.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, it is determined whether or not a prize is to be generated beforehand by prize determining means using a microcomputer before the moving display of the symbol array is stopped. When at least the first symbol row and the second symbol row are movingly displayed at the first speed, the player makes the first stop to stop the moving display of the first symbol row. When the microcomputer determines that a winning is generated when the button is pressed, the speed of the moving display of the second symbol row during the moving display is set to a second speed different from the first speed. It is configured to switch to move and display at a speed. This second speed may be lower or higher than the first speed.

[0007]

When the winning determination means determines to generate a winning, when the first stop button is operated to stop the first symbol row, the moving display of the second symbol row changes from the first speed. Automatic switching to the second speed. If the player notices the change in the moving speed, the player can predict the game result in the process of moving and displaying the symbol array. Therefore, the player is interested in the moving display of the symbol array with a new interest of whether or not the speed of the moving display of the second symbol array is switched when the first stop button is operated.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 3 showing the appearance of a slot machine according to the present invention, stop buttons 3 to 5 are provided in the center of the front of the slot machine 2 in order from the left.
A start lever 6 and a coin slot 7 are provided around the stop button 3. A front panel 8 is fitted over the stop buttons 3 to 5, and the first, second, and second diameters are the same on the back side of the front panel 8.
Third reels 9 to 11 are arranged in order from the left side in the figure.

Various symbols such as "lemon", "7" and "watermelon" are drawn on the outer peripheral surface of each of the reels 9 to 11, and three observation windows 12 formed on the front panel 8 are formed. Observed through ~ 14. In the observation windows 12 to 14, a plurality of pay lines 16 activated corresponding to the number of inserted coins are described. When the start lever 6 is operated after inserting a coin through the coin insertion slot 7,
When the reels 9 to 11 start rotating and reach the steady rotation speed, the stop buttons 3 to 5 can be operated.

When the stop buttons 3 to 5 are operated at an arbitrary timing, a stop signal is output, and the rotating reels 9 to 11 are stopped. Then, when the combination of the three symbols displayed on the activated pay line 16 corresponds to a winning combination, the number of coins corresponding to the winning combination is paid out to the tray 17. When the operation of the stop buttons 3 to 5 is not performed, each of the reels 9 to 11
Is automatically stopped by a well-known auto stop mechanism.

FIG. 2 shows an electrical configuration of the slot machine 2. The pulse motors 20 to 22 for driving the reels 9 to 11 are connected to a system controller 26 via drivers 23 to 25. Photo sensors 27 to 29 are connected to the system controller 26, and the photo sensors 27 to 29
The light-shielding pieces 30 to 32 provided for the reels 9 to 11 are detected, and each time the reels 9 to 11 make one rotation, the passage of the reference position is detected.

In addition, the system controller 26 has stop switches 3a to 5a for outputting a stop signal in conjunction with the stop buttons 3 to 5, a start switch 6a in conjunction with the start lever 6, and a coin attached to the coin slot 7. A coin payout device 37 is connected via a coin insertion sensor 35 and a driver 36 for detecting the state. The start switch 6a outputs a start signal at the operation timing of the start lever 6, and the coin insertion sensor 35 outputs a random number generation signal at the coin detection timing.

FIG. 1 shows a system controller 26. The random number generation circuit 40 connected to the coin insertion sensor 35 generates 1 to 3000 random numbers based on the random number generation signal. The random number generation circuit 40 is connected to a sampling circuit 41 that performs sampling using a start signal. In this sampling circuit 41, one cycle is 3
000 times, the same random number is not sampled during one cycle.

The sampling circuit 41 has a picture determining circuit 4
2 are connected. The picture determining circuit 42 compares the sampled random number value with the picture table 43, determines a combination of symbols corresponding to the random number value, and determines three symbol signals corresponding to the symbol combination. Each symbol signal is output to a stop position determining circuit 44 connected to the picture determining circuit 42. The stop position determining circuit 44 is connected to a motor control circuit 45 for controlling the stop switches 3a to 5a and the pulse motors 20 to 22.

The stop position determining circuit 44 receives the stop signals from the stop switches 3a to 5a and controls the stop of the pulse motors 20 to 22. In this stop control, the symbols determined by the picture determining circuit 42 are stopped on the pay line 16 in which the symbols determined by the picture determining circuit 42 are activated with reference to the rotational position signals of the reels 9 to 11 supplied from the search circuit 47 described later. Such a stop position signal is output from the stop position determination circuit 44 to the motor control circuit 45.

However, if the operation timings of the stop buttons 3 to 5 and the timings at which the reels 9 to 11 actually stop are extremely shifted, it becomes unnatural, so that a range in which this does not become unnatural, for example, a stop signal is generated. The drive of each of the pulse motors 20 to 22 is stopped until the symbols on each of the reels 9 to 11 are moved by several symbols from the time of input. In this case, the pattern determination circuit 42
In some cases, the combination of the symbols determined in step (1) cannot be obtained.
-In the event of a jackpot of "7", this symbol signal is carried over to the next game.

The motor control circuit 45 is connected to a start switch 6a, a drive pulse timing table 46, a search circuit 47, and a payout control circuit 48.
The drive pulse timing table 46 stores the data of the output timing of the drive pulse output from the motor control circuit 45 to the pulse motors 20 to 22, and the stop position determination circuit 44 sends the symbol signal “7” to the motor control circuit 45. , "7" and "7" are output,
The motor control circuit 45 decelerates the pulse motors 20 to 22 that have reached the steady rotation speed in conjunction with the operation of the first stop button.

[0018] That is, as shown in FIG. 4, T ₃ and subsequent to N
_The pulse motor which is rotating at a constant speed of ₁ rpm is changed to N ₂ rpm at the time of the first stop button operation timing T _4.
A driving pulse for rotating at a constant speed of m is output to each of the pulse motors 20 to 22. When the stop button pressed first is the stop button 3 for stopping the first reel 9, the pulse motor 20 for the first reel 9 is stopped at that time, and the second and third reels are stopped. The rotational speed of the pulse motors 21 and 22 is reduced to N ₂ rpm.

In the last game, "7", "7",
Despite the generation of the “7” symbol signal,
When the winning of “7”, “7”, “7” is not obtained, the control circuit 45 outputs the symbol signals “7”, “7”,
In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, in the next game, the pulse motors 20 to 22 are set to N ₁ r.
pm is not accelerated to a steady rotation speed, and N ₂ rp
A driving pulse for causing the motor to rotate at a constant speed of m is output to each of the pulse motors 20 to 22.

When a symbol signal other than the above is output from the stop position determination circuit 44 to the motor control circuit 45,
As shown in FIG. 6, accelerate to a steady speed of N ₁ rpm,
A drive pulse for causing constant-speed rotation is output to each of the pulse motors 20 to 22. In this case, even if the first stop button operation is performed, the rotation speed of the pulse motor is not reduced to N ₂ rpm. Note that the rotation speed of the pulse motor can be changed by changing the pulse interval of the drive pulse, as shown in FIGS.

The search circuit 47 is connected to the photo sensor 27.
29, and the count of the drive pulse from the motor control circuit 45, the rotation of each of the reels 9 to 11 is determined.
Is checked, and a rotation position signal is output to the stop position determination circuit 44. If the combination of symbols is a winning combination at the timing when all of the pulse motors 20 to 22 are stopped, the payout control circuit 48 outputs the driver 36
The coin payout device 37 is made to pay out the number of coins corresponding to the winning combination via the.

The operation of the slot machine 2 of the present invention configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. When a coin is inserted into the coin insertion slot 7 at T _{0 in} FIG. 4, the coin insertion sensor 35 outputs a random number generation signal,
The random number generation circuit 40 generates a random number. When the T ₁ at the start lever 6 is operated, a start signal to the sampling circuit 41 and the motor control circuit 45 is input.

The sampling circuit 41 samples a random number and outputs a random number value to a picture determining circuit 42. When the sampled random number is 1 to 10, the picture determination circuit 42 refers to the picture table 43 and selects three symbol signals “7” corresponding to the symbol combination “7” − “7” − “7”. , "7", and "7", and outputs them to the motor control circuit 45. Motor control circuit 45
In accordance with the data of the drive pulse timing table 46, performs a starting of the pulse motors 20 to 22, the acceleration to N ₁ rpm in a steady rotational speed.

[0024] it is possible to operate of T ₃ at the stop buttons 3 to 5 each pulse motors 20 to 22 has reached a steady rotation speed. Thereafter, when the first stop button 3 is depressed at the time of T _4, is output stop position signal from the stop position determining circuit 44 to the motor control circuit 45, the motor control circuit 45 from the search circuit 47 With reference to the rotation position signal, the pulse motor 20 is stopped so that the symbol “7” of the first reel stops on the activated pay line 16.

[0025] At the time of the initial T ₄ the pressing operation of the stop button 3 has been performed, the motor control circuit 45 performs the deceleration of the pulse motor 21, 22 as shown, T ₅ at N ₂ r
pm (N ₁ > N ₂ ). afterwards,
When the second stop button 4 is operated, the stop position determination circuit 44 and the motor control circuit 45 perform the above-described control, and stop the symbol "7" of the second reel on the activated pay line 16. When the last stop button 5 at T ₆ is operated, the motor control circuit 45 is N ₂ r
pm at a constant speed, the pulse motor 22 is decelerated.
Stop this at ₇ o'clock. By stopping the pulse motor 22, all the reels 9 to 11 are stopped. All the symbols of the reels 9 to 11 displayed on the activated pay line 16 are all "7", and the symbol combination "7"-"7"-"7" as a whole is completed, and Become.

When the stop buttons 3 to 5 are not operated, the motor control circuit 45 turns off all the pulse motors after an appropriate time has elapsed by the automatic stop mechanism.
After transition to constant speed of ₂ rpm, to continue rotating the pulse motors 20 to 22 o'clock T _8, stops them on the basis of at symbol signal T _9. At this timing, the payout control circuit 45 outputs a payout signal to the coin payout device 37 to pay out a specified number of coins.

When the symbol signals "7", "7", "7" are output to the motor control circuit 45, the timing for operating the stop buttons 3 to 5 is shifted, and the symbol combination "7"-"7" If "7" cannot be completed, the motor control circuit 45 holds the symbol signals "7", "7", "7" and carries over to the next game.

[0028] Therefore, when T ₁ at the start lever 6 is operated, the motor control circuit 45 outputs a drive pulse as shown in FIG. 5 to the pulse motors 20 to 22 to rotate them. Then, at time T2, the pulse motors 20 to ₂
When the number 2 shifts to a constant speed rotation of N ₂ rpm, the stop button becomes operable. When the stop button is operated in this state, the motor control circuit 45 outputs a stop position signal, and the reels 9 to 1 are displayed on the activated pay line 16.
Pulse motors 20 to stop symbol "7"
22 are respectively stopped. Also at this time, if the symbol combination "7"-"7"-"7" is not completed, the same processing is repeated until the symbol combination "7"-"7"-"7" is completed. .

If the random number sampled by the sampling circuit 41 at T ₁ is between 11 and 3000, the picture determination circuit 42 refers to the picture table 43 to determine the combination of symbols, and Are output to the stop position determination circuit 44. The motor control circuit 45 to which the symbol signal has been output from the stop position determination circuit 44 outputs drive pulses as shown in FIG. 6 to the pulse motors 20 to 22 to rotate them.

[0030] Then, T ₃ o'clock, the pulse motor 20 to 22 in rotation at a constant rotational speed, stop button 3-5
The operation, as shown at T ₈ o'clock in the drawing T _6, is stopped at a reduced speed, respectively. In the case where T ₆ o'clock stop button 3-5 is not operated, the motor control circuit 45 the pulse motor 20 to 22 performs a uniform rotation of N ₁ rpm until T ₇ as indicated by a broken line in the figure, the and post-deceleration, stop this at T _9. If the combination of symbols completed on the activated pay line 16 does not correspond to a winning combination, one game is completed. Also,
If the completed symbol combination corresponds to a winning combination, the payout control circuit 45 pays out a predetermined number of coins to the coin payout device 37, and the one game ends.

In this embodiment, each of the reels 9-11 is decelerated and rotated at a constant speed lower than the normal rotation speed. However, the reels 9-11 may be accelerated and rotated at a higher rotation speed than the normal rotation speed. Also, if the symbol signal is “7”, “7”,
The rotation speed of the reel is changed only in response to the first stop button operation at "7", but this rotation speed is changed when another symbol signal constituting a winning is output. Is also good. The present invention can also be applied to a video type slot machine.

[0032]

As described above in detail, in the present invention, only when the winning determination means determines that a winning is to be generated, the remaining symbol strings are returned in response to the operation of pressing the first stop button. Is switched from the first speed to the second speed, so that the player can easily determine whether or not a prize can be won depending on whether or not the display speed of the symbol row is switched by the first stop button operation. Can be identified, and the player can be given an interest while moving the symbol row.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system controller of the slot machine.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an electrical configuration of the slot machine of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the slot machine of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing rotation control of a pulse motor by operating a stop button.

FIG. 5 is a time chart showing rotation control of a pulse motor when a winning symbol signal is carried over.

FIG. 6 is a time chart showing the rotation control of the pulse motor when a winning symbol signal is not obtained.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 6 Start lever 9 First reel 10 Second reel 11 Third reel 12, 13, 14 Observation window 16 Winning line 42 Picture determination circuit 43 Picture table 44 Stop position determination circuit 45 Motor control circuit 46 Drive pulse timing table

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] At least a first and a second symbol row displayed on an observation window, a first stop button for stopping the moving display of the first symbol row, and stopping a moving display of the second symbol row. And a second stop button for causing
After moving and displaying the first and second symbol columns in the observation window, the moving and displaying of the first and second symbol columns is stopped in response to pressing of the first and second stop buttons. In a slot machine in which the presence or absence of a prize is determined based on a combination of symbols stopped on a predetermined prize line, a prize determining means for determining in advance whether or not a prize is to be generated; Is determined, the first and second symbol columns are moved and displayed at a first speed, and the second symbol column is displayed in response to the pressing of the first stop button. Control means for moving and displaying at a second speed different from the first speed. 2. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the second speed is lower than the first speed. 3. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the second speed is higher than the first speed.