JP3696043B2 - Game machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improvement of a gaming machine in which information is transmitted from a main control unit that controls the operation of the entire gaming machine to a sub-control unit that controls the operation of the peripheral device of the gaming machine to control the peripheral device. .
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, the operation control of a gaming machine represented by a pachinko machine has become complicated, and in order to realize the complicated operation control, from a main CPU (main control means) that controls the operation of the entire gaming machine, a peripheral device In some cases, a control command is transmitted to a sub CPU (sub control means) that controls the operation. In the case of such a gaming machine, the sub CPU on the peripheral device side receives the control command, and controls the operation of the peripheral device based on the received control command.
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in recent gaming machines, since complicated operation control is performed, the amount of control command data is large, and the CPU capacity may not even catch up.
[0003]
  The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and provides a gaming machine that controls the operation of peripheral devices with less control information transmitted from the main control means to the sub-control means. The purpose is to do.
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is characterized in that the control information is transferred from the main control means for controlling the operation of the entire gaming machine to the sub-control means for controlling the operation of peripheral devices of the gaming machine. In a gaming machine configured to control the operation of peripheral devices by transmitting
  The main control means is at least
  A status command which is digital information indicating the type of control content of the sub-control meansWhenDetermination command which is 1-bit digital information that defines specific control parameters in the control content of this status commandAnd means for transmitting to the sub-control means,
  The sub-control means is
  A table storing operation control procedures determined in advance according to the type of the status command and the time from when the status command is transmitted to when the determination command is transmitted;
  Analysis means for grasping the type of the status command;
  Measuring means for measuring the time from the rise or fall of the state command to the fall or rise of the decision command;
  Referring to the stored contents of the table, specifying means for specifying a predetermined operation control procedure according to the type of the state command grasped by the analyzing means and the time measured by the measuring means;
  Specified by the specifying meansControl the operation of the peripheral device in the operation control procedure.And a control execution meansIt was made to feature.
[0004]
  In the invention according to claim 1,The control execution means performs operation control on the peripheral device according to the operation control procedure specified by the specifying means. At this time, the measuring means is 1 bit that defines a specific control parameter in the control contents of the state command from the rising or falling edge of the state command, which is digital information indicating the type of control contents of the sub-control means. Since the time until the rising or falling edge of the determination command, which is digital information, is measured as time, a series of processing can be realized with a simple hardware configuration using a timer or the like for the controlled device.Therefore, if the main control means transmits the second control information at different times, the main control means can transmit different types of control information even with the same traffic. Therefore, it is not necessary to transmit a large amount of control information for controlling the operation of the peripheral device.In addition, since the status command represents the type of control content and the decision command represents the control parameter in the control content, systematization of control information is attempted, and mistakes at the time of program creation are reduced. It becomes easier to debug.
[0011]
Such an operation can be realized by recording the display control procedure on a computer-readable recording medium, and reading and executing the display control procedure recorded on the recording medium by the computer. Examples of such recording media include semiconductor recording media such as ROM and semiconductor IC, optical recording media such as DVDROM and CDROM, magnetic recording media such as flexible disks, and magneto-optical recording media such as MO.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a gaming board 100 constituting a part of a gaming machine (pachinko machine) according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0012]
The game board 100 is formed with a circular game area 103 surrounded by a substantially circular outer guide rail 101 and a substantially circular inner guide rail 102 having a smaller radius than the outer guide rail 101, and is illustrated by a player's operation. A game is played when a game ball launched from a launching device that does not rolls in the game area 103. The game area 103 is provided with a large number of game nails for contacting the game balls and rolling them in a plurality of directions, but the game nails are not shown for the sake of simplicity. Yes.
[0013]
At a substantially central position of the game board 100, there is a special design that includes a display area that can independently display and change the identification information composed of symbols of numbers and characters in an array pattern such as a horizontal row or a vertical row. A display device 104 is provided. A normal symbol display device 107 is disposed directly above the special symbol display device 104. A special symbol starting port 105 is disposed immediately below the special symbol display device 104, and normal symbol operation gates 106 and 106 are disposed on both sides of the special symbol display device 104.
[0014]
A variable winning device 108 is disposed below the special symbol starting port 105. In the variable winning device 108, a wide movable member 116 rotates to the front side of the drawing during the big hit period, and the movable member 116 is A large winning opening 109 in which a game ball can be won before turning in a direction to return to the original direction, and a movable member 117 having a narrow width during a small hit, rotate to the front side of the drawing, and this movable member 117 is the original. And a normal electric accessory 110 in which the game ball is in a state in which the game ball can be won before it is rotated in the direction to return to.
[0015]
In the game area 103, four windmills 111, two windmills 112 with lamps for changing the rolling direction of the game ball together with a game nail (not shown), and a lamp display that is lighted and controlled according to the game state of the game machine. Devices 114 and 115, an out port 113 and the like for discharging a non-winning game ball to the back side of the game board 100 are provided.
[0016]
Then, a game ball is won at the special symbol starting port 105, and a random number lottery is generated by a loop counter for generating a big hit random number. If the lottery random number is a big hit value, After the identification information is displayed in a variable display state, a predetermined pattern (for example, “7, 7, 7”) is displayed by the special symbol display device 104, and the special winning opening 109 is controlled to open / close with a predetermined open / close pattern. The winning device 108 is changed from a disadvantageous state to a player to an advantageous state.
[0017]
When the normal symbol operation gate 106 detects the passing of the game ball, a random number lottery is generated by a loop counter for generating a small hit random number, and when the random number selected is a small hit value, If the display of the normal symbol display device 107 is a predetermined one (for example, “7” or “3”), the normal electric accessory 110 is released (small hit state), and if a game ball is won during this open period, a big hit A lottery will be held.
[0018]
If the result of the lottery is a big win, the identification information is variably displayed in the display area in the same manner as described above, and the display with a predetermined pattern is performed by the special symbol display device 104. The opening / closing control is performed by the pattern, and the variable winning device 108 is changed from a disadvantageous state to a player's advantageous state. Note that game balls that are not won are discharged through the out port 113. In addition, this gaming machine is configured to have a probability variation function that improves the next big hit probability when a specific symbol is a big hit.
[0019]
As mentioned above, although each apparatus arrange | positioned at the game board 100 was demonstrated, the main thing of these apparatuses is operation-controlled by the microcomputer system, and these are demonstrated with reference to a control block diagram. FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of main devices arranged in the game board 100. Note that control units such as a launching device and a prize ball discharging device (not shown) are not shown.
[0020]
The main control unit 200 includes a microprocessor with a built-in CPU, a table area 215 to be described later, and a ROM 201 for storing a control program describing a series of control procedures, a command table 600, and the like, and a later-described controller. A counter area 216 and a RAM 202 in which various work areas are formed are provided to form an integrated one-chip microcomputer. The counter area 216 can also be configured by using a register group (not shown) inside the CPU instead of the RAM 202.
[0021]
The main control unit 200 includes a special symbol start switch 204 and a normal symbol operation gate 106 which are arranged inside the special symbol start port 105 and detect a winning of the game ball to the special symbol start port 105 through the input port 203. A normal symbol operation switch 205 which is disposed inside and detects the passage of the game ball through the gate, a large winning opening switch 206 which is disposed inside the large winning opening 109 and detects the winning of the gaming ball into the large winning opening 109, and a normal electric drive An ordinary electric accessory switch 207 that is disposed inside the accessory 110 and detects a winning of a game ball to the ordinary electric accessory 110 is connected, and the main control unit 200 can receive each detection signal.
[0022]
Further, various peripheral devices are connected to the main control unit 200 via an output port 208. In other words, the main control unit 200 can display the identification information composed of symbols such as numerals and characters via the output port 208 in a variable display or stop display, and a special symbol configured with a display device such as an LCD. Display device 104, for example, a normal symbol display device 107 realized by a 7-segment display device, and a large winning opening operating solenoid for controlling the opening of the large winning port 109 by rotating the wide movable member 116 of the large winning port 109 209, an ordinary electric accessory actuating solenoid 210 for controlling the opening of the ordinary electric accessory 110 by controlling the rotation of the movable member 117 of the ordinary electric accessory 110, and a lamp display device 114 (115) for controlling lighting of the lamp and LED. , And a speaker 211 for outputting sound effects.
[0023]
As will be described later, the main control unit 200 can transmit control commands for controlling these peripheral devices, and a CPU (not shown) of each peripheral device receives and receives these control commands. The peripheral device is controlled for operation by an operation control procedure according to the control command.
[0024]
The main control unit 200 is connected to a power supply circuit 212 for supplying power and a reset circuit 213 that outputs a reset signal every predetermined time. Further, the main control unit 200 is connected to the reset circuit 213. A pulse signal generated by the periodic timer counter is input, and a monitor signal for monitoring a current supply state from the power supply circuit 212 is input.
[0025]
Next, the main random number generation counter used by the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Each random number counts up one by one in a predetermined cycle (for example, 4 msec) until it reaches the upper limit value starting from the value “0”, and when the count value exceeds the upper limit value, the initial value “ The counters are generated by using so-called infinite loop counters that are cleared at 0 and the count operation is repeated. These infinite loop counters are formed in the RAM 202, and the main control unit 200 controls the count operation.
[0026]
As the main counts, as shown in FIG. 4, a jackpot determination random number counter (count value: 0 to 239) 401, a reach selection counter (count value: 0 to 99) 402, a jackpot symbol selection random number counter (count Value: 0 to 8) 403, off-left symbol selection random number counter (counter value: 0 to 8) 404, off-center symbol selection random number counter (counter value: 0 to 8) 405, and off-right symbol selection random number There is a counter (counter value: 0 to 8) 406.
[0027]
The big hit determination random number counter 401 is a counter used for determining whether or not to generate a big hit state. In the normal gaming state (in the normal probability state), the special value state is generated with a counter value of “7”, and in other cases, the special state is not generated. In the high probability state, the special prize state is generated with the counter values “7”, “39”, and “139”, and in other cases, the special prize state is not generated. Thus, if the total count value is “240”, a special prize state is generated with a probability of 1/240 in the normal gaming state, and a special prize state with a probability of 1/80 in the high probability state. Can be born.
[0028]
The reach selection random number counter 702 is a counter used for selecting a variation pattern of a special symbol. When the counter value is selected, a symbol variation pattern corresponding to the selected counter value is selected.
[0029]
The jackpot symbol selection random number counter 403 is used to select a special symbol used when the same symbol is stopped and displayed so that, for example, three identical symbols are arranged in a row in the display area of the special symbol display device 104 when the big hit state occurs. When the counter value is selected by lottery, the display unit of the special symbol display device 104 is displayed in a symbol pattern corresponding to the selected counter value.
[0030]
The off-left symbol selection random number counter 404, the off-center symbol selection random number counter 405, and the off-right symbol selection random number counter 406 are stopped and displayed in the display area of the special symbol display device 104 when the big hit state does not occur. These are counters used to select special symbols. When these counter values are selected, the left, middle and right symbols corresponding to the selected counter values are displayed on the special symbol display device 104. There are other counters related to normal symbol display and the like, and these are stored in the counter area 216.
[0031]
Next, the control operation performed by the main control unit 200 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the gaming operation of the gaming machine. 3 is executed by the main control unit 200, but is executed from step S100, which is the first step, triggered by a reset signal supplied from the reset circuit 213 every predetermined time (for example, 4 msec). In the following description, an explanation of the operation of a normal gaming machine will be described first, and then the main operation of the present invention will be described to facilitate understanding of the invention.
[0032]
First, when the power supply circuit 212 is activated by a power switch (not shown), the main control unit 200 is activated, and it is determined whether or not the first processing is executed after the power is turned on ( Step S100). In the case of the first process after the power is turned on (Yes), the process proceeds to step S102, and in other cases (No), the process proceeds to step S108.
[0033]
In step S102, the RAM 202 is cleared, and a predetermined area including at least the counter area 216 is cleared. Next, in step S104, data for performing initial control processing is set in the predetermined area of the RAM 202, and step S106 is performed. Migrate to
[0034]
On the other hand, in step S108, the counter values of the various random number counters 701 to 707 described above are incremented by 1, and the counter values are updated. Next, in step S110, the detection signals output by the special symbol start switch 204, the normal symbol operation switch 205, the big prize opening switch 206, and the normal electric accessory switch 207 are input to the register in itself (not shown) via the input port 203. In order to control the operations of the port input processing for reading and storing, the special symbol display device 104, the normal symbol display device 107, the special winning opening operating solenoid 209, the ordinary electric accessory operating solenoid 210, the lamp display device 114 (115), and the speaker 211. A port output process for outputting control data stored in an output buffer (not shown) of the RAM 202 to a corresponding device via an output port 208 in a control process at each step to be described later. The output buffer that stored the output control data The output buffer clear process for clearing, and executes the "common processing 1" which includes various timers process of updating the timer value of the various timer (not shown) used in the game machine operation control.
[0035]
Next, in step S112, the switches 204, 205, 206, and 207 are checked for disconnection or short circuit. If it is determined that these faults have occurred (Yes), the process proceeds to step S116. Then, the error flag is stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 202 and error processing for performing control necessary for notifying that there is an abnormal state is executed, and the process proceeds to step S126. On the other hand, these failures occur. If it is determined that it is not (No), the process proceeds to step S118 (step S114).
[0036]
Next, in step S118, when the special symbol start switch 204, the normal symbol operation switch 205, the big prize opening switch 206, and the ordinary electric accessory switch 207 output detection signals for detecting a winning ball, the update is made in step S108. The random numbers corresponding to the output detection signals are drawn out from the various random number counters, stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 202, and hit determination and symbol determination are performed with reference to the stored random number values.
[0037]
Specifically, when the special symbol start switch 204 or the normal symbol electric accessory switch 207 outputs a winning ball detection signal, the information is extracted by referring to the information stored in the table area 215 described above. Stored in the table area 215, the determination whether or not the random number value (random prize counter 701 for special prize state determination) causes a big hit, the special prize state random number counter 703, the random symbol selection random counters 704 to 706, and the like. The special information to be displayed is determined with reference to the stored information, and necessary control data is stored in a predetermined position of the output buffer.
[0038]
Also, it is determined whether or not the specific game state transition symbol should be displayed with reference to information stored in the special prize state symbol selection random number counter 703 and the table area 215. Further, when the normal symbol operation switch 205 outputs a detection signal, a small hit state is generated by referring to a random number generated by a random number counter (not shown) and a small hit value stored in the ROM 201 in advance. In addition to deciding whether or not to perform, a normal symbol to be displayed is determined and necessary control data is stored in a predetermined area of the output buffer.
[0039]
Next, in step S120, the special symbol display device 104 and the normal symbol display device 107 are subjected to symbol display control such as symbol variation and stop, and the control or jackpot period for displaying the symbol selected in step S118. Control data necessary for performing control for displaying an animation image therein is stored in a predetermined area of the output buffer.
[0040]
Next, in step S122, control data for controlling opening / closing of the big winning opening 109 and the ordinary electric accessory 110 in a predetermined opening pattern during the big hit state or the small hit state period is stored in a predetermined area of the output buffer. Various control data stored in the output buffer as described above is transmitted to the corresponding device by the port output processing in step S110, and the device that has received the control data performs operation control based on the received control data.
[0041]
Next, the process proceeds to step S126, and external information output set processing for storing various game data in a predetermined area of the output buffer in a gaming machine management device (not shown), and prize ball command data is output to a prize ball discharging device (not shown). Prize ball control processing, lamp display control processing for storing control data necessary for lighting control of the lamp device 114 (115) in a predetermined area of the output buffer, control data necessary for driving control of the speaker 211, output buffer The “common process 2” including the sound effect control process stored in the predetermined area is executed. In step S106, a reset standby process is executed until a reset signal is input from the reset circuit 213. If a reset signal is input, the process proceeds to step S100 to continue operation control of the gaming machine. The reset waiting process includes updating the counter value for generating random numbers of various random numbers described above.
[0042]
Next, the main part of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, a special symbol display device 104 will be described as an operation control target as an example of a peripheral device.
[0043]
As shown in FIG. 5, the special symbol display device 104 includes an I / F (interface) 510 for receiving control information from the main control unit 200, a CPU 500 that performs actual operation control, and the special symbol display device. A ROM 520 that stores a program describing the operation procedure 104 and a display unit 530 that is realized by a liquid crystal device or the like and displays a symbol or the like. The CPU 500 is provided with a timer 501 for measuring time.
[0044]
The ROM 520 is provided with a table area 521. A command table 600 as shown in FIG. 6 is stored in each of the table area 521 of the ROM 520 and the table area 215 of the ROM 201 on the main control unit 200 side.
[0045]
  The command table 600 includes a status command A (first control information) indicating the type of control content and a determination command B (second control information) that defines specific control parameters in the control content.controlInformation) is stored in association with each other. Since the control information is systematized in this way, mistakes at the time of creating a program are reduced and debugging is facilitated.
[0046]
FIG. 7 shows a timing chart of the transmission timing of the status command A and the decision command B. After transmitting the status command A (FIG. 7A), the main control unit 200 transmits the determination command B after the time T has elapsed. The CPU 500 of the special symbol display device 104 determines an operation control procedure determined by the type of the state command A and the time T, and performs operation control according to the determined operation control procedure. For example, when the status command A is “2” and the time T is 4 (ms), the CPU 500 performs the symbol variation with the variation pattern 1.
[0047]
As described above, the operation control procedure predetermined according to the type of the state command A and the time T is tabulated and stored in the table area 521 of the ROM 520. Therefore, if the stored contents of the command table 600 are changed. The operation control procedure can be easily changed.
[0048]
Next, the processing operation on the special symbol display device 104 side when the main control unit 200 transmits control information one after another as shown in FIG. 7 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0049]
First, in step S800, when the CPU 500 receives the status command A via the I / F 510, the CPU 500 performs an analysis process thereof. The CPU 500 refers to the command table 600 stored in the table area 521 of the ROM 520 and grasps the type of the received status command A.
[0050]
Next, in step S810, since the determination command B is transmitted from the main control unit 200, the CPU 500 performs time measurement processing. The CPU 500 uses the timer 501 to measure and obtain the time T from when the 4-bit status command A falls (or when it rises) until when the 1-bit decision command B rises (or when it falls). .
[0051]
Next, in step S820, the CPU 500 performs an operation control procedure specifying process. The CPU 500 refers to the command table 600 to specify a predetermined operation control procedure according to the type of the state command A and the measured time T. For example, when the state command A is “2” and the time T is “4 (ms)”, the symbol variation display is started with the variation pattern 1. In step S830, CPU 500 performs operation control according to the specified operation control procedure, and performs operation control using display unit 530.
[0052]
Therefore, the CPU 500 performs operation control on the special symbol display device 104 according to the operation control procedure specified by the operation control procedure specifying process. At this time, in the time measurement process, the CPU 500 performs the state command A which is digital information. Since the time T from the time of falling (or rising) to the time of rising (or falling) of the decision command B, which is digital information, is measured, a series of simple configurations in which a controlled device is provided with a timer or the like. Can be realized.
[0053]
In addition, various modifications and changes can be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the number of status commands A and determination commands B may be increased or decreased from those shown in FIG. 6, and the number of determination commands B may be changed for each status command A. In the above description of the embodiment, the special symbol display device 104 has been described as an example of the peripheral device. However, other peripheral devices such as the lamp display device 114 (115) and the speaker 211 are controlled similarly. Operation control can be performed.
[0054]
  In the above description of the embodiment, a pachinko machine has been described as an example of a gaming machine, but the present invention can be applied to other gaming machines such as a pachislot machine.
【The invention's effect】
  As described above, according to the present invention, the sub-control means isDetermine the type of status command, measure the time from the rising or falling edge of the status command to the falling or rising edge of the decision command, and refer to the stored contents of the table to determine the status command A predetermined operation control procedure was identified according to the type and measured time, andSince the operation control is performed for the peripheral device in the operation control procedure, the main control means makes this time different.Decision commandCan be transmitted even with the same traffic, so that different types of control information can be transmitted, and the main control means does not need to transmit a large amount of control information for operation control of the peripheral device. An effect is obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of the front of a gaming machine.
FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the gaming machine.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining operation control of the gaming machine.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of various counters.
FIG. 5 is a block configuration diagram of a special symbol display device 104;
6 is an explanatory diagram of a command table 600. FIG.
FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing command transmission timing.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of a CPU 500;
[Explanation of symbols]
100 game board
101 Outer guide rail
102 Inner guide rail
103 Game area
104 Special symbol display device
105 Special design start
106 Normal design gate
107 Normal symbol display device
108 Variable winning equipment
109 grand prize opening
110 Ordinary electric equipment
111 windmill
112 Windmill with lamp
113 Out mouth
114, 115 Lamp display device
116 Movable member
117 Movable member
200 Main control unit
201 ROM
202 RAM
203 Input port
204 Special design start switch
205 Normal pattern operation switch
206 Grand prize opening switch
207 Normal electric accessory switch
208 output port
209 Grand prize opening solenoid
210 Ordinary electric accessory actuated solenoid
211 Speaker
212 Power supply circuit
213 Reset circuit
401 Random number counter for jackpot status determination
402 Random selection counter
403 random number counter for jackpot symbol selection
404 Counter for left symbol selection
405 Detachable symbol selection counter
406 Counter for right-side symbol selection
500 CPU
501 timer
510 I / F
520 ROM
521 Table area
530 display
600 Command table

Claims (1)

In a gaming machine configured to control operation of a peripheral device by transmitting control information from a main control unit that performs operation control of the entire gaming machine to a sub-control unit that performs operation control of the peripheral device of the gaming machine.
The main control means is at least
A status command that is digital information indicating the type of control content of the sub-control means and a determination command that is 1-bit digital information that defines specific control parameters in the control content of the status command are transmitted to the sub-control means. With means,
The sub-control means is
A table storing operation control procedures determined in advance according to the type of the status command and the time from when the status command is transmitted to when the determination command is transmitted;
Analysis means for grasping the type of the status command;
Measuring means for measuring the time from the rise or fall of the state command to the fall or rise of the decision command;
Referring to the stored contents of the table, specifying means for specifying a predetermined operation control procedure according to the type of the state command grasped by the analyzing means and the time measured by the measuring means;
A game machine comprising: control execution means for performing operation control on the peripheral device in accordance with an operation control procedure specified by the specifying means .

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