JP4348749B2 - Symbol combination game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display the winning state and to prevent an unaccustomed player from vainly missing the winning state by providing a display means displaying the winning state when a judging means judges that a combination of patterns winning in an internal lottery is arranged on the prize line. SOLUTION: Whether a combination of patters wins or not in an internal lottery is judged. If it wins, whether the internal lottery winning combination of patterns coincides with the combination of patterns predicted in advance or not, i.e., whether the internal lottery winning combination of patterns is arranged on the prize line or not, is judged. If it coincides, an operation is automatically stopped without operating a stop button 13, the internal lottery winning combination of patterns is shown on the prize line, a display unit 10 is set to the blinking state, a speaker 17 is driven to emit a special sound, and the situation is presented by sound and light. A player can know that the internal lottery winning combination of patterns is arranged on the prize line via the presentation of sound and light by entrusting to an automatic stop.

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a symbol combination gaming apparatus that receives a payout by a symbol combination such as a slot machine or a pachislot machine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For slot machines, various examples of symbol combination control (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-16154 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-72313) have been proposed. Three spinning cylinders rotating in the center are arranged side by side, and each spinning cylinder is arranged with several kinds of symbols appropriately arranged on the outer peripheral surface so as to rotate independently of each other.
[0003]
Then, when a medal is inserted and the start lever is pulled, the three spinning cylinders rotate, and each time the corresponding stop cylinder is pressed, the corresponding spinning cylinder stops appropriately.
When the three spinning cylinders stop, if the combination on the winning line of the design of each spinning cylinder displayed in the display window matches a predetermined winning combination, the number of medals paid out according to the winning combination There is.
[0004]
Here, the time difference between the time when the stop button is pressed and the time when the rotating cylinder actually stops is not constant but is controlled by a computer.
Therefore, even if the player presses the stop button aiming at a specific symbol, the symbol does not necessarily appear on the winning line, and it is avoided that the payout rate becomes extremely high for the skilled player. Regardless of the level of skill of the person, control is performed so as to ensure a substantially constant payout rate.
[0005]
In other words, if a lottery work is performed by a computer so that a predetermined combination of various winning symbols can be selected with a certain probability for each winning combination, and if winning by lottery (internal winning), the winning Control is performed so that combinations of symbols appear.
[0006]
Therefore, a kicking process for preventing other winning symbol combinations not winning internally from appearing on the winning line and a drawing process for drawing the winning symbol combination internally on the winning line are performed.
[0007]
In addition, the time difference from when the stop button is pressed until the turning cylinder actually stops is determined by the maximum time, and since the symbols that can be displayed at the time the stop button is pressed are limited, it is always won internally by the retraction process It is not always possible to cause symbol combinations to appear.
[0008]
When the stop button is not pressed, control is performed so that the rotation is stopped on the assumption that the stop button has been pressed when a predetermined time has elapsed since the rotating cylinder started to rotate.
Therefore, if the state at the elapse of the predetermined time is in a state where the symbol combination of the internal winning can be drawn in, the winning symbol appears, but there may be a state where it cannot be pulled in.
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When an internal winning is made by lottery, a skilled player can operate a stop button by himself to make a winning symbol combination appear, but a player who is not used to beginners or the like can use an internal winning symbol combination. Despite being in a state where it can be displayed on the winning line, it is often missed by a poor stop button operation, and if you miss the win many times, you will eventually lose interest and play afterwards. Often disappears.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points. The purpose of the present invention is to display an indication of that when a winning combination of symbols is displayed on the winning line, even if the player is not used to it. The point is to provide a symbol combination gaming device that does not miss the winning combination.
[0011]
[Means for solving the problems and effects]
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention has a plurality of types of symbols arranged on the outer peripheral surface, and a plurality of rotary cylinders that rotate and sequentially display the symbols on the display window are arranged side by side. In a symbol combination gaming apparatus in which a payout is determined by a combination of symbols arranged on a winning line of a display window, lottery means for performing lottery for a symbol combination of a predetermined winning combination, and rotation of all the above-mentioned spinning cylinders by a player's operation An operation start means for starting the game, and a stop switch operated by a player's stop button operation to stop the rotation for each of the cylinders, and when the internal winning is made by lottery by the lottery means, who the timing to stop the rotation by operating the stop button is appropriate, winning line the symbol if contains symbols internally won in the symbol can be stopped within a predetermined time An operation stop control means for controlling the stop so as to stop upward, and the operation stop control for each of the turn cylinders when a predetermined time has passed without any stop by the operation stop control means after all the turn cylinders have started to rotate. Automatic stop control means for stopping the rotation when the stop operation is performed in the means, timing for stopping the rotation when the stop operation in the operation stop control means is performed by the automatic stop control means, and internal winning of the lottery means Based on the result of the above, the calculation means for calculating in advance the symbols of each of the cylinders that stop on the winning line, and the combination of the symbols of each of the cylinders that stop on the winning line calculated by the calculating means is determined by the lottery means Judgment means for determining whether or not the symbol combination that has been won internally matches the winning combination, and the symbol combination that has been won internally is displayed on the winning line. The determination unit to be in state is the symbol combination gaming machine having a display means for displaying to that effect when it is determined.
[0012]
When it is determined that the internal winning combination is on the winning line as a result of calculation by the calculation means after the spinning cylinder starts rotating by the player's operation when the internal winning is performed by the lottery means Is displayed on the display means, so that when the player has such a display, the player must wait without performing the operation of stopping the spinning cylinder to appear on the winning line and actually win the winning combination. It is possible to maintain the interest of players who are not accustomed to without missing the winning by performing a stop operation.
[0013]
The invention according to claim 2 is the symbol combination game device according to claim 1, wherein the symbol combination which is won internally every time each of the spinning cylinders is stopped except for the spinning cylinder which is stopped last by the operation stop control means. The determination means determines whether or not the line is aligned on the line, and the display means displays when the determination means determines that the symbol combination that has been won internally is aligned on the winning line. To do.
[0014]
Even if it is determined that the winning symbol combinations are not lined up on the winning line as a result of the calculation by the calculation means , a part of the spinning cylinder is forcibly controlled to stop by the operation stop control means , so that a new winning The displayed symbol combination may be arranged on the winning line, and at that time, the display means displays that fact. It can appear and be actually won.
[0015]
Therefore, in the case that the lottery means has been won internally, the stop operation of the rotating cylinder is performed unless the display means indicates that, and the stopping operation of the rotating cylinder is not performed after the indication is displayed. By waiting for, you can be surely won, and even unfamiliar players will not miss the win.
[0016]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the symbol combination game apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the display means displays at least one of sound and light.
The player can perceive the display of at least one of sound and light and know that the winning symbol combinations are in a line on the winning line.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
The symbol combination gaming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is called a so-called pachislot, and its appearance is shown in FIG.
[0018]
On the front surface of the housing 2, a display panel 3 displaying a winning symbol combination and the number of medals paid out is stretched on the top, and a part of the display panel 3 is occupied by the screen of the monitor TV 16.
[0019]
Three vertically long rectangular display windows 5 are arranged on the inner side covered with the central transparent plate, and the three front cylinders 6 are displayed on the respective display windows 5 so that the three rotary cylinders 6 can rotate freely. Is provided.
[0020]
The rotating drum 6 has a flat cylindrical shape, and a plurality of kinds of symbols 7 are arranged on the outer circumferential surface. The rotating drum 6 rotates about three rotation center axes oriented in the horizontal direction. Three symbols 7 positioned on the front surface of the corresponding rotating drum 6 are displayed on each display window 5 by being freely supported and rotated in the same direction by step motors.
[0021]
In a state where the three spinning cylinders 6 are stopped, three symbols 7 are displayed for each spinning cylinder 6 and nine symbols 7 are arranged in 3 rows and 3 columns in total, A total of five lines including three horizontal straight lines and two diagonal straight lines passing through the central symbol are the winning lines 8 (see FIG. 2), and a winning valid lamp 9 is provided at both ends of each winning line. Yes.
[0022]
Various indicators 10 indicating the play state are provided on the right side of the spinning cylinder display unit.
The lower end of the rotary display unit and the display 10 are slightly protruding forward, the medal slot 11 is provided at the right end of the upper surface, the start lever 12 is provided at the left end, and the three above are provided on the front surface of the protruding unit. Corresponding to the lower part of the drum 6 are stop buttons 13 respectively.
[0023]
At the lower part of the housing 2, there is a payout opening 14, and a tray 15 is projected forward, and medals discharged by a hopper provided inside the housing 2 are paid out from the payout opening 14 to the tray 15.
A speaker 17 is built in along the side plate of the housing 2 so as to generate various sound effects.
[0024]
2, the combination of three symbols arranged on the winning line 8 among the symbols arranged in three rows and three columns determines the winning, and the middle horizontal winning line 8 has I The upper and lower horizontal pay lines 8 are marked with II, and the diagonal pay lines 8 are marked with III.
[0025]
When the number of medals inserted in the five winning lines 8 is one, only one horizontal winning line 8, which is the middle center line of the I mark, is valid, and a prize is placed on the I mark winning line. It is a win only when the symbol combinations are arranged.
[0026]
When the number of medals inserted is 2, the top, middle, and bottom horizontal winning lines 8 of the I and II marks are valid, and a winning symbol combination is arranged on one of the three winning lines 8. It ’s a win.
[0027]
When the number of inserted medals is 3, all five winning lines 8 including the diagonally winning line 8 marked III are valid.
Note that the winning enable lamps 9 at both ends of the enabled winning line 8 are lit to inform the player of the effective winning line.
[0028]
A schematic block diagram of a control system in the symbol combination gaming apparatus 1 is shown in FIG.
It is controlled by the computer, and the main CPU 20 and the sub CPU 40 control the game.
The sub CPU 40 performs image processing of video displayed on the monitor television 16.
[0029]
The main CPU 20 uses the RAM 22 in accordance with the program written in the ROM 21 to perform signal processing, drive control, lottery work, etc., and pre-calculates the symbols that appear on the rotating display, and the symbol combination that is won internally is the winning line It is also judged whether or not they are lined up.
In the ROM 21, a table of predetermined winning symbol combinations, winning probability of each winning, number of payouts, etc. is written.
[0030]
Various signals are input to the main CPU 20 via the input port 23.
That is, a medal insertion sensor 30 that detects a medal inserted from the medal insertion slot 11, a start switch 31 that operates by operating the start lever 12, a stop switch 32 that operates by operating each of the three stop buttons 13, Signals from a rotation position detection sensor 33 that detects a predetermined rotation position and outputs a reset signal for each of the three rotation cylinders 6, a medal payout sensor 34 that detects a payout medal, and the like are input via an input port 23. To the main CPU 20.
[0031]
On the other hand, an instruction signal is output from the main CPU 20 to the motor control unit 35 via the output port 24. The motor control unit 35 drives the three step motors to control the rotation of the three rotating cylinders 6 respectively. .
[0032]
Each symbol of the rotating drum 6 is determined by how many pulses the step motor is driven after receiving the reset signal. The number of pulses is counted based on the reset signal to kick the rotating drum 6 Processing and pull-in processing can be performed.
[0033]
Further, the main CPU 20 outputs an instruction signal via the output port 24 to the sound generator 36 that drives the speaker 17 and the lamp controller 37 that lights various displays 10 and the like.
[0034]
The main CPU 20 transfers the symbol code signal of the symbol that appears by rotating the rotating drum 6 to the sub CPU 40 via the output port 25.
The sub CPU 40 performs signal processing using the RAM 42 according to the program written in the ROM 41.
[0035]
The sub CPU 40 inputs the symbol code of the appearing symbol from the main CPU 20, processes the signal, and outputs an instruction signal to the graphic control 43.
Then, the graphic control 43 outputs an image signal to the display unit 45 using the V-RAM 44, and the display unit 45 displays a required image on the monitor television 16.
[0036]
The rotation stop control of the rotating drum 6 by the main CPU 20 will be described below.
The rotation stop control of the rotating cylinder 6 includes an operation stopping control for stopping the rotating cylinder 6 by operating the stop button 13 and an automatic stopping control for automatically stopping the rotating cylinder 6 when the stop button 13 is not operated for a predetermined time. There are two control methods.
[0037]
The operation stop control is based on the rule that the rotating cylinder 6 is stopped within 0.19 seconds after the operation when the stop button 13 is pressed. The number of symbols that appear on the rotating display is limited by the rotation of the rotating drum 6 for 19 seconds (about 5 symbols when paying attention to one winning line), and the kicking process and the drawing process are performed from this limited symbol. The symbol displayed on the trunk display unit is determined, and the rotating drum 6 is stopped so that the symbol is displayed.
[0038]
Therefore, when the internal winning is performed by a lottery performed in advance, if the timing when the stop button 13 is pressed is appropriate, the internal winning symbol is included in the limited symbols, and the symbol is drawn by the drawing process. The spinning cylinder 6 can be stopped by displaying on the spinning cylinder display section.
[0039]
On the other hand, the automatic stop control is the same as when the stop button 13 is pressed when a predetermined time elapses without the stop button 13 being pressed after the start lever 12 is pulled and the rotary cylinder 6 starts rotating. Is performed to control the rotating cylinder 6 to automatically stop.
[0040]
FIG. 4 shows a drive timing chart in the automatic stop control of the three cylinders 6.
When the start lever 12 is pulled and the three rotating cylinders 6 start rotating, the time is counted as 0 seconds. After 30 seconds, the left rotating cylinder enters the stoppable state as if the stop button 13 was pressed. After that, the kicking process and the pulling-in process were performed within 0.19 seconds and then stopped, and then the central cylinder was stopped in the same manner between 30.2 seconds and 30.39 seconds after a delay of 0.2 seconds from the left side cylinder. Further, with a delay of 0.2 seconds from the central spinning cylinder, the right spinning cylinder stops in the same manner between 30.40 seconds and 30.59 seconds.
[0041]
Since the rotating cylinder 6 rotates at a constant speed, it is determined how much each rotating cylinder 6 rotates in a predetermined time (30 seconds, 30.2 seconds, 30.4 seconds), and the start lever 12 is eventually pulled. The state of each of the spinning cylinders 6 when automatically stopped can be calculated from the state of the spinning cylinder 6 of the hour.
[0042]
That is, it is possible to foresee the symbols displayed on the rotating cylinder display unit when the three rotating cylinders 6 (the symbols displayed on the rotating cylinder display unit) immediately before the start lever 12 is pulled are automatically stopped. is there.
Therefore, when an internal winning is made by lottery, it can be determined in advance whether or not the symbol combination that has been won internally is in a state of being lined up on the winning line 8.
[0043]
Note that each of the cylinders 6 is independent of each other, and even if the cylinder 1 is stopped by operating the stop button 13, the other cylinders 6 are not affected and automatically stop within a predetermined time. .
[0044]
Hereinafter, the procedure of the spinning cylinder drive control including the lottery in the symbol combination gaming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
First, when a medal is inserted and the start lever 12 is pulled, the three spinning cylinders 6 start to rotate (step 1), and the game starts.
[0045]
In step 2, the state of the spinning cylinder 6 when the spinning cylinder 6 is automatically stopped is calculated for each spinning cylinder 6 from the state of the spinning cylinder 6 when the spinning cylinder 6 starts to rotate, and the pattern that will be displayed on the spinning cylinder display unit. Foresee.
In step 3, a lottery process is performed, and a winning symbol combination is drawn with a predetermined probability.
[0046]
In the next step 4, it is determined whether or not an internal winning is made by lottery. If the internal winning is not made, the process jumps to step 7, and if the internal winning is made, the process goes to step 5. In step 5, it is determined whether or not the symbol combination previously predicted matches the symbol pattern of the internal winning, that is, whether or not the symbol combination of the internal winning is in a state of being lined up on the winning line.
[0047]
If they do not match, the internal winning is won, but in the automatic stop control, there is no actual win and jumps to step 7, and if they match, the automatic stop control, that is, if the automatic stop is performed without operating the stop button 13, the internal The winning symbol combinations can be actually placed on the winning line, and in order to display that fact, the process proceeds to step 6 and the display on the display unit 10 blinks and the speaker 17 is driven to produce a special sound. Produce with light and go to step 7.
[0048]
Therefore, when there is a sound and light effect, the player can know that the internal winning symbol combination is in a line on the winning line by leaving it to automatic stop.
In step 7, it is determined whether or not the stop button 13 has been pressed. If the stop button 13 has not been turned on, the process proceeds to step 11 to determine whether or not 30 seconds have passed since the rotation of the drum 6 has started. Return to step 7 and repeat steps 7 and 10 until the second has elapsed.
[0049]
If the stop button 13 is pressed during this time, the process proceeds from step 7 to step 8. However, if 30 seconds have passed without the stop button 13 being pressed, the process proceeds from step 11 to step 12, where sound and light are being produced. Stops the performance, and automatically stops the spinning cylinders that have not stopped in the order of the left, center, and right spinning cylinders in the next step 13, proceeds to step 14, performs a winning determination process, and returns to step 1.
[0050]
Therefore, when the internal winning symbol combinations are lined up on the winning line (step 5) and sound and light are being produced (step 6), if 30 seconds have passed without operating the stop button 13 ( Steps 6 and 11) are automatically stopped in the order of the left side, center, and right side cylinder (step 13). The predicted internal winning symbol combinations are arranged on the winning line and are determined to be winning, and a payout is made (step 14). ).
[0051]
On the other hand, when any one of the stop buttons 13 is pressed in step 7, the process proceeds to step 8, and if there is a sound and light effect, the effect is stopped and the time corresponding to the stop button 13 pressed in the next step 9 is stopped. The body 6 is kicked and retracted within 0.19 seconds after the stop button 13 is pressed and stopped.
[0052]
Then, in the next step 10, it is determined whether or not all of the three cylinders 6 have stopped, and if all the cylinders have not stopped, the process returns to step 4 to determine whether or not the internal winning state is present. Step 5 and subsequent steps are performed in the same manner as described above.
[0053]
Since it is controlled as described above, when the internal winning is made by lottery, but the symbol combination of the internal winning is not in a state of being lined up on the winning line, the process jumps from Steps 4 and 5 to Step 7 to produce sound and light. There is no.
[0054]
In such a case, since the player has no sound and light effects, it cannot be elected if it is left to automatic stop. Therefore, one of the stop buttons 13 is pushed in a timely manner, and the corresponding rotator 6 is kicked and retracted. By performing and stopping (Step 9), it is also possible to pull in the symbol of the internal winning, and therefore, the predictive symbol combination is changed to a new predictive symbol combination by changing a part of the symbols. Then, if the new predictive symbol combination and the internal winning symbol combination are compared and matched, it is determined that the internal winning symbol combination is aligned on the winning line.
[0055]
In this case as well, there is an effect of sound and light (step 6), so that the automatic winning can be surely won thereafter.
[0056]
The combination of internal winning symbols will be lined up on the winning line and the sound and light will be produced in some cases when none of the stop buttons 13 are pressed. When the button is pressed, or when any two stop buttons 13 are pressed, the internal winning symbol combination may be arranged on the winning line and the sound and light may be produced.
[0057]
Therefore, when there is no sound and light effect, the player can win by operating the stop button 13 and making a sound and light effect.
[0058]
Conventional players such as beginners sometimes missed winning by an extra stop button operation despite the fact that the winning symbol combination is lined up on the winning line, but this symbol combination gaming device 1 When the internal winning symbol combination is lined up on the winning line, there is an effect with sound and light, so it is possible to avoid missing the winning and maintain interest in play.
[0059]
Note that the stop button 13 can be operated even when the internal winning symbol combinations are arranged on the winning line and sound and light are produced.
However, if the stop button 13 can be operated well, it may not be possible to win where the operation can be won by automatic stop if the operation is slow.
[0060]
There are various other ways to produce sound and light, such as changing the video on the monitor TV 16, or using the speaker 17 to remind you that the internal winning symbol combination is on the winning line. It may be.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view of a symbol combination gaming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing a rotating drum display unit of the apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a control system in the apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a view showing a driving time chart of a rotating drum in the apparatus.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of spinning cylinder drive control including lottery by the main CPU.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Symbol combination game device, 2 ... Housing, 3 ... Display panel, 5 ... Display window, 6 ... Spinner, 7 ... Symbol, 8 ... Winning line, 9 ... Winning valid lamp, 10 ... Display, 11 ... Medal Input port, 12 ... start lever, 13 ... stop button, 14 ... payout port, 15 ... saucer, 16 ... monitor TV, 17 ... speaker, 20 ... main CPU, 21 ... ROM, 22 ... RAM, 23 ... input port, 24 , 25 ... output port, 30 ... medal insertion sensor, 31 ... start switch, 32 ... stop switch, 33 ... rotating drum position detection sensor, 34 ... medal payout sensor, 35 ... motor control unit, 36 ... sound generation unit, 37 ... Lamp control unit, 40 ... sub CPU, 41 ... ROM, 42 ... RAM, 43 ... graphic control, 44 ... V-RAM, 45 ... display unit.

Claims (4)

A combination of symbols arranged on the winning line of the display window of each stopped cylinder, where a plurality of different types of symbols are arranged on the outer peripheral surface, rotated and arranged in succession to repeatedly display the symbols on the display window. In the symbol combination game device in which the dividend is determined by
Lottery means for drawing a predetermined winning symbol combination;
Operation starting means for starting rotation of all the spinning cylinders by a player's operation;
The player operates a stop switch by operating the player's stop button to stop the rotation for each of the cylinders, and when the internal winning is performed by lottery by the lottery means, the player operates the stop button to rotate. If the timing to stop the game is appropriate, an operation stop control means for controlling the symbol to be stopped on the winning line when the symbol that is won internally is included in the symbols that can be stopped within a predetermined time, and
When a predetermined time elapses without stopping by the operation stop control means after all the cylinders have started to rotate, the rotation is stopped assuming that the stop operation in the operation stop control means has been performed for each of the cylinders. Automatic stop control means;
Based on the timing of stopping rotation and the result of the internal winning of the lottery means based on the stoppage in the operation stop control means by the automatic stop control means, the symbols of the respective cylinders to be stopped on the winning line in advance A calculation means for calculating;
Judgment means for judging whether or not the combination of the symbols of each of the cylinders that stop on the winning line calculated by the calculation means is in a state matching the symbol combination internally won by the lottery means;
A symbol combination gaming apparatus comprising: a display means for displaying when the determination means determines that the symbol combination that has been won internally is lined up on the winning line. The determination means determines whether or not the symbol combination that has been won internally is in a state of being lined up on the winning line every time each of the turn cylinders except the turn cylinder that is stopped last by the operation stop control means is determined,
2. The symbol combination gaming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays that when the determination means determines that the symbol combination that has been won internally is in a state of being lined up on the winning line.   When the display means determines that the symbol combination that has been won internally is in a state of being lined up on the winning line after the turning cylinder except the turning cylinder to be stopped last is stopped by the operation stop control means. The symbol combination game device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fact is displayed.   The symbol combination game device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display means displays at least one of sound and light.

Images