JP3583351B2 - Gaming machine backup power supply - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Used in a game machine equipped with a storage element for storing data on the number of remaining payouts of pachinko balls according to a prize, the above-mentioned storage that requires power at least even when the power is turned off by power accumulated during energization when the power is cut off due to a power failure or the like. The present invention relates to a backup power supply for a gaming machine that keeps energizing elements.
[0002]
Problems to be solved by the prior art and the invention
In the case of a gaming machine, for example, a pachinko machine, if a power failure occurs while a player is playing a game, the electronic control device mounted on the pachinko machine goes down, so that the game cannot be continued. In this case, if a facility such as a parlor is equipped with a backup power supply, it can be restored in a relatively short time, but if the commercial power supply is used as it is, the restoration depends on the restoration work of the electric power company etc. There is only.
[0003]
Generally, a pachinko machine is provided with a power supply module, and supplies a voltage (5 V, 12 V, etc.) corresponding to each electronic control device as a power supply voltage. Specifically, necessary power is supplied from the power supply module to the main board, the payout control board, the symbol display board, the voice control board, the lamp control board, and the like via the relay board.
[0004]
The main board controls the game progress of the entire game machine while storing a state corresponding to the progress of execution of the game program in a RAM (volatile memory) (game function). In addition to the above-mentioned game program, the main board controls the control of the number of paid-out pachinko balls (prize balls) when a prize is won (prize ball function).
[0005]
The payout control board performs a payout control based on a command related to the payout of the pachinko ball from the main control board while storing the state corresponding to the execution progress of the pachinko ball payout ball payout program in the RAM, and also executes a pachinko machine lending program. While the state corresponding to the execution progress of the game is stored in the RAM, the pachinko ball lending control is performed by communication with the prepaid card unit.
[0006]
Note that the payout control board, the symbol display board, the voice control board, and the lamp control board basically operate based on a command signal sent from the main board.
[0007]
In such a pachinko machine, if there is a power outage, the pachinko ball wins, the remaining payout number storage data of the pachinko ball corresponding to the winning is erased, and the payout actually won before the power outage cannot be paid out. Would. This results in a disadvantage for the player.
[0008]
In order to solve this, it has been proposed to use a capacitor as a backup power supply for supplying power to a RAM (volatile memory) for storing a game state immediately before a power failure of a pachinko machine after a power failure occurs (an example). As disclosed in JP-A-8-229192.
[0009]
This capacitor stores an electric charge during energization and discharges the electric power during a power outage so that a current flows to the RAM. As a result, the game information stored in the RAM can be held, and the power can be restored just before the power failure when the power is restored.
[0010]
However, if the backup power supply is simply composed of only a capacitor, the variation in the capacitance of the capacitor, the variation in the backup power supply voltage, the variation in the current consumption of the RAM, and the like, the variation in the retention time of the backup power supply is large.
[0011]
When the discharge time is calculated by the design value based on the current consumption value of the RAM, the worst case can be calculated, but the calculation is difficult because the best case is not included in the specification. Furthermore, since the actual case is close to the best case, the difference between the worst case and the actual case is very large.
[0012]
However, from the viewpoint of securing the holding (operation guarantee) voltage, it is necessary to use the worst case value as a reference. However, if the design is made with the worst case value, the actual current consumption is small as described above, so that there is a problem that the discharge does not easily progress and backup is performed unexpectedly until the next day.
[0013]
As described above, in a pachinko parlor, when a power failure occurs, power cannot be supplied to the RAM for a necessary time, or conversely, power continues to be supplied even when the store close time has passed and the power supply is normally turned off. This causes a problem that unnecessary information is not erased.
[0014]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, the backup power supply of the gaming machine using a capacitor, the variation in power source voltage, to suppress the variation in the energization time of the electronic component, the gaming machine capable of setting the desired weld time The purpose is to obtain a backup power supply device.
[0015]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 relates to a first storage element provided on a main control board for controlling the progress of a game and storing a state with respect to the progress of execution of a game program, and paying out a pachinko ball from the main control board. A second storage element that is provided on a payout control board that performs payout control based on a command, and that stores a state corresponding to the progress of execution of the prize ball payout program and the loan program. A backup power supply device for a gaming machine that continuously supplies power to the first storage element and the second storage element that require power even when the power supply is cut off at least when the power supply is cut off when the power supply is cut off. A capacitor for storing the power stored therein, and a backup for supplying the power stored by the capacitor to the first storage element and the second storage element when the power is turned off. And flop means, available backup time to the based on the electrostatic capacitance of the capacitor first memory element and the second storage element, such that the predetermined desired periods, always connected in parallel with the capacitor Then, while supplying power from the capacitor to the first storage element and the second storage element, the power stored in the capacitor can be disregarded by the current consumption of the first storage element and the second storage element. Power consumption means for consuming a large amount of discharge current.
[0016]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the power supply is cut off due to a power failure or the like, the backup means starts discharging by the power stored in the capacitor, and the first storage element and the second storage element and the like also during the power failure. It is possible to continue energizing electronic components that require electric power.
[0017]
The first storage element stores the state of the execution of the game program on the main control board immediately before the power failure, and the second storage element stores the state of the execution of the prize ball payout program and the lending program on the sub-control board. The state in which the game program is executed is stored, and the progress of the execution of the game program and the progress of the execution of the prize ball payout program and the lending program can be protected by continuing the power supply.
Here, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the power stored in the capacitor is always connected to the capacitor in parallel while supplying power from the capacitor to the first storage element and the second storage element. Power consumption means is provided for consuming the consumption current of the first storage element and the second storage element with a discharge current large enough to be ignored. For this reason, it is easy to set the energization time to the first storage element and the second storage element based on the capacitance of the capacitor to a desired time (a predetermined period).
That is, although the execution progress of each of the main control board and the payout control board is desired to be stored for a desired period due to the nature of the gaming machine, it is not preferable to store it more than necessary (for example, until the opening of the hall on the next day). Therefore, while supplying the power stored in the capacitor to the first storage element and the second storage element, the power consumption of the first storage element and the second storage element is consumed by a large discharge current that can be ignored. By doing so, an optimal backup energizing time can be obtained.
[0018]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the power consuming means is configured to discharge the power stored in the capacitor via a resistor. I have.
[0019]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the discharge is performed via the resistor as the power consuming means. By setting this resistance as a resistance value through which a current larger than the current value flowing through the first storage element and the second storage element flows, the variation in the capacitance of the capacitor, the design value of the current consumption of the storage element and the actual Variations in the retention time of the backup power supply and voltage fluctuations due to differences or the like can be absorbed by the current emission means.
[0020]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a game board 111 of a pachinko machine 110 according to the present embodiment. The area surrounded by the arc-shaped rail 112 on the game board 111 is a gauge section 114 which is a game area.
[0021]
A plurality of nails 116 are driven into the gauge portion 114 over the entire surface (only the main portion is shown in FIG. 1), and a pachinko ball hit through the rail 112 bounces on the nails 116 or is formed by the nails 116. It is falling while being guided by the guideway. In addition to the nail 116, a windmill 118 is attached at a position symmetrical to the gauge portion 114 to turn the pachinko ball in an unexpected direction.
[0022]
Further, the winning portion 120 is provided at a plurality of positions in the gauge portion 114, and a predetermined number of pachinko balls are paid out to the player by inserting the pachinko ball into the winning hole 120.
[0023]
Such a gauge section 114 is substantially symmetrical in the left and right direction. An electric accessory unit 122 is arranged at the center of the gauge section 114, and the symbol display 124 is exposed. Below the display section 124, a special symbol start winning port 126 for starting the electric accessory unit is provided.
[0024]
A special winning opening 128 is arranged further below the special symbol starting winning opening 126, and is opened for a predetermined time in a so-called hit state on the electric accessory unit 122 so that a large amount of pachinko balls can be won. It has become.
[0025]
Further, the gauge section 114 is provided with a normal symbol starting winning port 130 and a normal symbol displaying section 132 capable of displaying a single digit number from 0 to 9; When the player wins, the display of the ordinary symbol display section 132 fluctuates, and when a predetermined number is reached, the electric tulip 134 provided in the special symbol starting winning port 126 is opened for a predetermined time. By opening the electric tulip 134, the probability of winning the special symbol starting winning opening 126 is physically increased.
[0026]
A panel 140 provided with a handle 136 as a launching device and a receiving tray 138 for receiving a pachinko ball on the front side is provided below the gauge section 114. The handle 136 is attached to a rotation shaft protruding from the inside of the panel 140, and is rotatable about this rotation shaft. That is, when the player grips and rotates the handle 136, the firing device operates and the firing intensity is set based on the rotation angle. Note that a return urging force is applied to this rotation, and the player automatically returns to the original rotation position when the player releases his / her hand.
[0027]
FIG. 2 shows a control device for a pachinko machine according to the present embodiment.
[0028]
The control device for the pachinko machine includes a power supply board 12 provided on the island side of the pachinko machine and supplied with power (24 V, 50/60 Hz), a main control board 14 for controlling all functions of the pachinko machine, and A payout control board 16 for controlling the payout of the pachinko balls used in the pachinko machine at the time of winning, and the lending of the pachinko balls in place of money and the like, and functions under the main control board 14. It comprises a symbol control board 18, a voice control board 20, a lamp control board 22, and a firing control board 24 functioning under the payout control board 16. The control board functioning under the main control board 14 is not limited to being divided into three as described above, and may be integrated according to the configuration of the gaming machine.
[0029]
Output lines of the power supply board 12 are provided to the main control board 14, the payout control board 16, the symbol display control board 18, the voice control board 20, the lamp control board 22, and the emission control board 24 via the relay board 26, respectively. Power supply voltage is being supplied.
[0030]
By providing the relay board 26 and distributing the output from the power supply board 12 to a required number, it is possible to use the power supply board 12 in common across models and to reduce the number of output terminals provided on the power supply board 12. , The power board can bloom.
[0031]
The symbol display control board 18 controls the display of the symbol display 124, the voice control board 20 controls the output of the speaker 30, the lamp control board 22 controls the lighting of various lamps 32, and the emission control board 24. Controls the driving of the firing solenoid 34 for firing a pachinko ball.
[0032]
A prepaid card unit 36 is connected to the payout control board 16 via a communication line 120, and a necessary power supply voltage is directly supplied from the power supply board 12 to the prepaid card unit 36.
[0033]
The prepaid card unit 36 is connected to the pachinko machine, and instructs the payout control board 16 to rent a game ball in response to a rent request from a player.
[0034]
As shown in FIG. 2, the main control board 14 is provided with an IC (one-chip CPU) 38 as a controller. The IC 38 has a function of performing arithmetic and control processing, storing the procedure of the program, and storing the control state of the program (remaining winning ball count, timer value, etc.).
[0035]
Further, the payout control board 16 is provided with an IC (one-chip CPU) 138 as a controller for paying out pachinko balls used in pachinko machines at the time of winning, and lending pachinko balls in place of money and the like. It controls lending and has the same function as the IC 38. These ICs 38 and 138 are configured to include RAMs 42 and 142, which are volatile memories, so that the current game state can be updated and stored.
[0036]
The winning ball payout at the time of winning is controlled by controlling the winning ball payout device 86 based on a winning ball control command from the main control board 14.
[0037]
The lending of the pachinko ball is performed by controlling the lending and dispensing device 178 based on communication with the prepaid card unit 36 connected to the pachinko machine.
[0038]
As shown in FIG. 3, terminals 204A and 204B to which power lines 202A and 202B are connected from a power plug 200 to which a commercial power supply 24 V AC (50/60 Hz) is input are provided in a housing (not shown) of the power supply board 12. A terminal 204C for grounding the housing of the power supply board 12 is provided. The commercial power supply is usually 100 V / 50 Hz or 100 V / 60 Hz, but is stepped down to 24 V by a transformer or the like provided on the island side (not shown). Further, a surge absorber 205 is connected to the terminal 204C. The surge absorber 205 is for discharging a ground charge to the frame ground when the ground level of the power supply board 12 becomes higher than the frame ground to some extent. As a result, frequent fluctuations in the ground level can be suppressed, and noise resistance to static electricity and the like can be improved.
[0039]
The terminals 204A and 204B are connected to terminals 204D and 204E by communication lines 206 and 207, and the prepaid card unit 36 is connected to the terminals 204D and 204E. Note that a fuse 208 is interposed on the communication line 206 side.
[0040]
The power lines 202A and 202B connected to the terminals 204A and 204B are connected to the full-wave rectifier circuit 210, respectively (an overcurrent protection circuit 209 is interposed in the power line 202A).
[0041]
The overcurrent protection circuit 209 is provided for the purpose of protecting the power supply board 12 from overcurrent.
[0042]
The full-wave rectifier circuit 210 is configured by a bridge circuit including four diodes, and converts an AC power supply into a DC power supply. Therefore, the output of the full-wave rectifier circuit 210 becomes the power line 212 and the ground line 214.
[0043]
The power supply line 212 is divided, and one is connected to a terminal 204F (DC24VRMS) via an overcurrent protection circuit 218. The purpose of the overcurrent protection circuit 218 is to protect the lamp control board 22, the emission control board 24, the electronic components, and the like from overcurrent.
[0044]
The other of the power supply lines 212 is connected to a DC12V-A regulator 222, a DC12V-B regulator 223, a DC5V regulator 224, and a first power-off detection circuit 226 via a smoothing circuit 220 including a diode and an electrolytic capacitor. , And the second power-off detection circuit 227. The DC12V-A regulator 222, DC12V-B regulator 223 and DC5V regulator 224 each have a built-in overcurrent protection circuit.
[0045]
The output terminal of the DC12V-A regulator 222 is connected to a terminal 204G (DC12V-A), the output terminal of the DC12V-B regulator 223 is connected to a terminal 204H (DC12V-B), and the output terminal of the DC5V regulator 224 is a terminal 204I. (5 VDC).
[0046]
The first power-off detection circuit 226 is a circuit that outputs a low-level signal when the input voltage drops to a predetermined value V1, and is input to the DC12V-A regulator 222 as an output stop signal.
[0047]
The second power-off detection circuit 227 is a circuit that outputs a low-level signal when the input voltage drops to a predetermined value V2 (V2 <V1), and is connected to the terminal 204J (PDWN). The output line of the second power-off detection circuit 227 is branched and connected to the input side of the delay circuit 229. The output side of the delay circuit 229 is input to the DC 5 V regulator 224 as an output stop signal.
[0048]
The DC 5 V regulator 224 is branched at an output terminal, and is connected via a Schottky diode 228 to one end of an electric double layer capacitor 230 applied as a backup power supply. Note that an electrolytic capacitor may be used instead of the electric double layer capacitor 230 as long as the capacitor functions as a power storage capacitor.
[0049]
The Schottky diode 228 is provided to supply current from the DC 5 V power supply to the electric double layer capacitor 230 when the 5 V power supply is restored, and to prevent the current from flowing backward from the electric double layer capacitor 230 to the DC 5 V terminal when the 5 V power supply is cut off. It is.
[0050]
The other end of the electric double layer capacitor 230 is grounded. One end of the electric double layer capacitor 230, that is, the plus side, is connected to the terminal 204K (VBACKUP). Note that the terminal 204L (GND) is grounded.
[0051]
Further, a discharge resistor 232 is connected to the terminal 204K and grounded. This is provided to discharge the electric charge stored in the electric double layer capacitor 230. That is, since the current consumption of the RAMs 42 and 142 is generally small and the variation is large, it is difficult to calculate the backup time. Therefore, by setting the discharge resistor 232 such that the current consumption of the RAMs 42 and 142 is large enough to ignore the current consumption, the backup time can be easily calculated.
[0052]
The DC 12 V-A regulator 222 generates a stabilized DC 12 V from the DC power input from the smoothing circuit 220. This output power supply is used as a power supply for large power electronic components, such as a prize ball solenoid, which generally consume large power, other than switches and sensors.
[0053]
The output of the DC12V-A regulator 222 is forcibly stopped by an output stop signal from the first power-off detection circuit 226.
[0054]
The DC12V-B regulator 223 is used as a switch such as a sensor for detecting a prize ball paid-out ball or a sensor-dedicated power supply, and is dedicated to low-power electric components that consume relatively little power.
[0055]
Next, the DC 5 V regulator 224 is used as a control power supply for the ICs 38 and 138, and is also used to charge the electric double layer capacitor 230 for storing a backup power supply.
[0056]
As described above, the DC 5 V regulator 224 receives the output stop signal from the delay circuit 229. When the second power-off detection circuit 227 detects the power-off, the DC5V regulator 224 delays the output by a predetermined time and then forcibly outputs the signal. Output is stopped. The predetermined time is a time required for backup processing such as storage of the number of remaining payouts in the main control board 14 and the payout control board 16.
[0057]
The operation of the present embodiment will be described below.
[0058]
In the power supply control circuit having the above-described configuration, when a power failure occurs, first, a voltage drop is detected by the second power-off detection circuit 226, and the main control board 14 and the payout control board 16 are notified. At this time, the power supply voltage is in a state where each control board is operable, so that each control board executes a predetermined power-off process.
[0059]
In the present embodiment, the power-off process is a process for returning to the state immediately before the power failure after the power failure is restored. At this time, since there is information that must be stored, the information is stored in the RAM 42 of the IC 38 and the RAM 142 of the IC 138 , which are storage elements. The RAM 42 and the RAM 142 can maintain the storage state by the power supply voltage (approximately 4.5 V) supplied from the electric double layer capacitor 230 during a power failure. Can be.
[0060]
By the way, the power for storing information in the RAM 42 and the RAM 142 may be extremely low power, and is only a part of the power based on the capacitance of the electric double layer capacitor 230. However, when the capacitance of the capacitor is reduced and a current is supplied to the RAM 42 and the RAM 142 with necessary and sufficient power, a margin for a retention time is reduced, and reliability of information storage retention is reduced.
[0061]
Therefore, the capacitance of the electric double layer capacitor 230 is increased to a current value much larger than the current value necessary and sufficient for the RAM 42 and the RAM 142, and the discharge resistor 232 is connected in parallel with the electric double layer capacitor 230. By connecting and discharging most of the total current, a stable current can be ensured , and a necessary and sufficient current can be supplied to the RAM 42 and the RAM 142.
[0062]
Further, the current flowing through the discharge resistor 232 is increased, the ratio (current flowing through the discharge resistor 232 A _RES / RAM 42, a current flows in the RAM 142 A _RAM) be increased (A _RES >> A _RAM) that is, RAM 42, RAM 142 most can ignore the current value a _RAM flowing in, it is possible to RAM 42, RAM 142 without being influenced by the current consumption, to calculate the time for energizing the set only in RAM 42, RAM 142 of the resistance value of the discharge resistor 232 .
[0063]
Thus, by forcibly creating the state of the worst case, it is possible to configure so that the worst case does not carry over to the next day.
[0064]
In the present embodiment, the storage elements that are energized at the time of the power failure are the RAM 42 and the RAM 142 related to the control of paying out the pachinko balls, which may be disadvantageous to the player. However, a plurality of electronic components including another one may be used. .
[0065]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the backup power supply device for a gaming machine according to the present invention sets a desired power-on time in a backup power supply using a capacitor by absorbing a variation in the retention time of the backup power supply due to a variation in current consumption of the storage element and the like. It has an excellent effect that it can be performed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a gaming machine (pachinko machine) control device according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a game machine (pachinko machine) control device according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a power supply board according to the present embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 control device 12 power supply board 14 main control board 16 delivery control board 26 relay board 220 smoothing circuit 222 DC12V-A regulator 223 DC12V-B regulator 224 DC5V regulator 226 first power-off detection circuit 227 second power-off circuit detection circuit 229 delay Circuit 230 Electric double layer capacitor 232 Discharge resistance

Claims (2)

A first storage element provided on a main control board for controlling progress of a game and storing a state with respect to a progress of execution of a game program, and a payout control for performing payout control based on a command relating to paying out pachinko balls from the main control board. A second storage element that is provided on the substrate and stores a state corresponding to the progress of execution of the prize ball payout program and the lending program. A backup power supply device for a gaming machine that continues to supply power to the first storage element and the second storage element that require power even at least when power is turned off by power,
A capacitor for storing the power during energization,
Backup means for supplying the power stored by the capacitor to the first storage element and the second storage element when power is cut off;
The first storage element and the second storage element based on the capacitance of the capacitor are always connected in parallel to the capacitor so that the time that can be backed up to the second storage element is a predetermined desired period, While supplying power to the first storage element and the second storage element from the first storage element, the power stored in the capacitor is discharged to such a large level that the current consumption of the first storage element and the second storage element can be ignored. Power consumption means to be consumed by current;
A backup power supply for a gaming machine having a. 2. The backup power supply for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein said power consuming means is configured to discharge the power stored in said capacitor via a resistor.

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