JP4585912B2 - Game machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a slot machine, a fraud prevention method for a gaming machine, and a program.

  The slot machine allows a player to enjoy a game by inserting a predetermined number of medals into the gaming machine. The medals necessary for the game can be borrowed with a medal lending machine provided in the game hall, and the game can be started by inserting it into the medal slot of a desired gaming machine. The slot machine basically pays out medals as prizes when the patterns are ready. The slot machine includes a medal selector for discriminating inserted medals and counting the number of medals, and a hopper device for paying out medals.

  If a medal is jammed in the medal selector or if there are no medals in the hopper device, an error state occurs, and an error notification to that effect (for example, a buzzer sounds or a lamp blinks) is performed. After the hall clerk has cleared the error state, when the error notification is released by pressing the error release button provided in the gaming machine casing, the game returns to the game ready state and the player can continue the game.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-350924 “Rotating Game Machine and External Concentrated Terminal Board Provided on the Spinning Game Machine” Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-19315 "Amusement Machine Front Frame Locking Management Device"

  A small part of the players performed a dishonest act (so-called goto act). For example, there is a person who inserts a foreign object from a medal insertion slot, malfunctions a sensor of the medal selector, plays a game without inserting a regular medal, or receives a medal refund. In addition, there is a person who inserts a foreign object from the medal exit of the hopper device and malfunctions a sensor for counting the number of paid-out medals and receives more medals than prescribed. An error may occur during such an illegal act. The above-described error is an example, and the control unit of the gaming machine performs error notification under a predetermined condition.

  In a conventional gaming machine, a fraudulent person illegally operates an error release button to release an error and may continue the fraud. The error release button is provided inside the gaming machine housing so that only the hall attendant can operate by opening the locked front door. It seems that the error release button is operated by opening or inserting a foreign object through the gap between the front door and the housing.

  In conventional gaming machines, error notification is unconditionally canceled simply by operating an error cancel button. For this reason, there has been a problem that the fraudster himself can cancel the error and perform the fraud again.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine that can make it difficult for an unauthorized person to cancel an error.

This invention is a gaming machine comprising a plurality of switches and a control unit that performs error notification and releases the error notification based on at least one output of the plurality of switches.
(A) The control unit sets an error flag when a predetermined condition is satisfied, performs an error notification, and shifts to an inoperable state.
(B) The error flag is retained even when the gaming machine is powered off.
The controller is
(C1) monitoring the outputs of the plurality of switches;
(C2) When a previously randomly selected switch among the plurality of switches is operated, the error flag is reset to release the error notification, and the state shifts to a gameable state.
(C3) When a switch other than the selected switch is operated, the error notification is not canceled, and the error notification is maintained until the gaming machine is turned off.
(C4) After the switch other than the selected switch is operated, the error notification is maintained even when the selected switch is operated,
(C5) When the power of the gaming machine is turned off and turned on again, the error flag is checked,
(C6) When the error flag is set, the error notification is resumed, and the game shifts to an unplayable state.
Repeat (c1) to (c6),
further,
Randomly selecting one of the plurality of switches when the power is turned on again in (c5), and determining a procedure for canceling the error notification using the randomly selected switch;
The content of the determined procedure is notified as the error cancellation procedure.

  The control unit resumes the error notification when power is turned on again, reselects at least one switch for canceling the error notification from the plurality of switches, and the selected switch You may make it alert | report whether there exists.

  The plurality of switches are, for example, a switch that is interlocked with a locking mechanism that locks the door of the gaming machine, and that is provided inside the gaming machine, a key switch that is turned on / off in accordance with rotation of a key inserted into the lock of the door. A setting key switch, and an error canceling key switch provided in the gaming machine.

  According to the present invention, when an error occurs, the error canceling procedure is determined and the determined error canceling procedure is notified, and if it is a correct canceling procedure, normal recovery is performed. become unable. If the error release fails, the game becomes impossible, and as a result, fraud can be suppressed.

  A gaming machine (slot machine) and method according to an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a front view of the slot machine with the front door closed, and FIG. 2 shows a front view of the slot machine with the front door opened.

  FIG. 1 shows a slot machine 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the slot machine 100 includes a slot machine main body 120 and a front door 130 attached to one side of the front surface of the slot machine main body 120 by a hinge or the like so as to be opened and closed. As shown in FIG. 1, a game display unit 131 is provided substantially in the center of the front door 130, and a medal insertion slot 132 for a player to insert medals is provided at the lower right corner of the game display unit 131. Provided on the further right side of the medal slot 132 is a reject button 133 for forcibly discharging the jammed token inserted from the medal slot 132 to the outside of the slot machine 100.

  Further, a start button 134 for starting a game is provided at the lower left of the game display unit 131, and three stop buttons 140 are provided corresponding to the three reels. A medal payout port 135 is provided at the center of the lower end of the front door. When a game medal is inserted into the medal slot 132 or when the start switch 134 is operated on condition that the bet switch 137 is operated, the three reels start to rotate and the game starts. A cancel switch (also referred to as a cancel button) 138 is for requesting the return of inserted medals.

  A key receiving portion 11 for inserting a key is provided at the right end of the center height of the front door 130. When opening the front door 130, if the key is inserted into the key receiving portion 11, the internal lock is released and the front door 130 is opened. The lock mechanism (not shown) is provided with a door key switch (described later), detects the open / closed state of the front door 130, and sends the output to a main board (described later).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the slot machine main body 120 is fixed to the inner bottom surface thereof, stores a plurality of medals therein, and stores the stored medals in a payout port 135 provided on the front surface of the front door 130. A hopper device 121 for paying out the sheets one by one is installed. An upper portion of the hopper device 121 is provided with a hopper tank 122 that opens upward and stores a plurality of medals therein. A power supply unit 205 is provided between the upper hopper unit 121 and the reel unit 203.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the medal (coin) selector 1 is attached to the back side of the front door 130 on the back side of the medal slot 132 provided on the front surface of the front door 130. This medal selector 1 rolls the medal toward the hopper device 121 while detecting the passage of the medal inserted from the medal insertion slot 132, and has a different diameter medal or iron or iron whose outer diameter is different from the predetermined dimension. This is an apparatus for selecting and removing illegal medals made of an alloy and selecting and eliminating a predetermined number or more of medals that can be inserted per game.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a lead-out path 136 that covers the lower side and communicates with the payout port 135 of the front door 130 is provided below the medal selector 1. The medals distributed by the medal selector 1 are returned to the player from the payout port 135 via the derivation path 136.

  A player who wants to enjoy a game with a slot machine can first borrow a medal as a game medium from a medal lending machine (not shown) or the like, and insert a medal directly into the medal slot 132 of the medal slot device. The reel unit 203 is stopped from driving by a stop switch 140. The reel unit 203 is composed of three rotating reels. Each rotating reel includes a rotating drum made of a synthetic resin and a tape-like reel tape attached around the rotating drum. A plurality of (for example, 21) symbols are displayed on the outer peripheral surface of the reel tape.

  FIG. 3 shows a front view of the power supply unit 205 of the gaming machine. Each switch of the power supply unit 205 is connected to the main board 1.

  In FIG. 3, a power switch 2051 is a power on / off switch, a power supply pilot lamp 2052 is a lamp (LED) that is lit when the power is on, and a strike / stop switch 2053 is a strike that limits the number of medals to be paid out. Is a switch for setting “Yes” or “No”. The stop / presence switch 2053 is normally set to “none” and is not frequently used. The setting key switch 2054 is a key switch that is turned on when changing the internal setting of the gaming machine, the setting change 2055 is a switch for changing the setting, and the AC100V pilot lamp 2056 is supplied with AC100V that is the power supply of the housing. The AC power output and power cable 2057 are for supplying power. A reset (error cancel) key switch 2058 is a key switch for canceling an error.

  The switches 2054 and 2058 are key switches and cannot be turned on unless a correct key is inserted. In order to prevent fraudulent actions for setting changes and error cancellation, it is preferable to use a key switch as shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the slot machine according to the embodiment of the invention.
In FIG. 4, reference numerals 200 and 201 denote a main board (control unit) and a sub board that incorporate a CPU, ROM, and RAM, respectively. The main board 200 performs medal insertion, payout, reel control, winning process, and the like. The sub-board 201 performs processing such as effect display. An operation unit 202 includes switches such as a start switch 134, a stop switch 140, and a bet switch 137. A reel unit 203 includes three rotating reels. An effect display unit 204 includes a game display unit 131, internal illumination of a reel, a liquid crystal display device, a speaker, and the like. The effect display unit 204 notifies the winning combination and the pressing order. A power supply unit 205 supplies power to each unit. 121 is a hopper device for paying out stored medals one by one to a payout opening 135 provided on the front surface of the front door 130. Reference numeral 2061 denotes a door key switch. The door key switch 2061 detects that the front door is unlocked by inserting a key into the key receiving portion 11 and outputs a signal to the main board 200. Since the lock mechanism and the door key switch 2061 are publicly known, the description thereof is omitted.

  A spinning-type game machine or a ball game machine is designed to insert a predetermined game medium, perform a predetermined game, and pay out the game medium when winning. In addition to the processing directly related to the game, there are effects for entertaining the player. Various kinds of productions are known. In order to provide such an effect to the player, the gaming machine includes an effect display unit 204. As an effect display unit, decorative illumination including light emitting elements such as LEDs and lamps, a display device in which light emitting elements are arranged in a matrix, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and the like are used. Such a display unit repeatedly turns on and blinks during the production and displays an animation.

  The gaming machine according to the embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the door key switch 2061 and the setting key switch 2054, a reset key switch 2058 for error cancellation is provided inside the gaming machine. Then, as a switch used to cancel the error, any one of the door key switch 2061, the setting key switch 2054, and the reset key switch 2058 is randomly selected, and the error can be canceled only by the selected key switch. The error notification is maintained until the power is turned off when a switch other than the selected key switch is operated.

  Processing according to the embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The process of FIG. 5 is a process executed when an error occurs.

  It is checked whether an error flag is set (S1). An error flag is set when an error state is given and an error notification is made (YES in S1).

  An error release procedure is determined (S2). For example, any one of a door key switch 2061, a setting key switch 2054, and a reset key switch 2058 is randomly selected as a switch used to cancel the error. This is to select only one of the three key switches or to select two or three key switches and to determine the order of their operation. In order to simplify the description, a description will be given below by taking only one of the three key switches as an example.

  An error is notified by a signal from the control unit (main board 200), and an error canceling procedure is notified by the effect display unit (S3). For example, a message such as “Please turn on the reset key switch to cancel the error” is displayed on the liquid crystal display screen. The display of the “reset key switch” portion changes according to the selection result of S2.

  The outputs of the above three key switches that can be used to cancel the error are monitored (S4). If the output is detected, the process proceeds to S5.

  It is determined whether the detected switch operation is a correct release procedure (S5). The correct cancellation procedure is the error cancellation procedure determined in S2. When the key switch selected in S2 is turned on and the other key switches are not turned on, it is determined that the release procedure is correct (YES in S5). In that case, it returns from an error state and shifts to a game-ready state (S7).

  If the release procedure is not correct (NO in S5), the state is maintained until the power is turned off. That is, the state before the error cancellation is maintained without shifting to the game enabled state (S6). Even when the correct release procedure is performed after the process proceeds to S6, the process does not proceed to S7. According to the embodiment of the present invention, the error can be canceled only once, and once it fails, the error cannot be canceled unless the power is turned off. If it is a hall clerk, he has the keys of the three key switches, so it is easy to cancel the error with the correct cancellation procedure according to the notification in S3. On the other hand, since it is considered that the fraudster does not have all the keys, there is a high possibility that the error cancellation will fail, and fraudulent acts are easily revealed. Therefore, according to the embodiment of the invention, fraudulent acts can be suppressed. Rather than turning the key switch on and off, there is also a fraudulent action that shorts the key switch wiring (harness) to cause an on / off state, but since the release procedure is selected at random, the corresponding wiring is searched and short-circuited That is troublesome. Therefore, it is considered that such illegal acts can also be suppressed.

  Since the error flag is retained even when the power is turned off, the error state is entered again when the power is turned on, and the error cannot be cleared unless the error canceling procedure determined in S2 is followed.

  According to the embodiment of the invention, when an error occurs, a main board (or a sub board) may be used to determine an error release procedure and notify the hall staff of the determined error release procedure. If the release method is correct, it will return normally, but if there is an action such as release with the wrong key or two or more key operations at the same time, turn off the power once and turn it on again. The error cannot be canceled until Therefore, when the error cancellation fails, the game becomes impossible, and as a result, the fraud can be suppressed.

  In order to determine whether or not the error canceling procedure is correct, the harnesses of the switches 2054, 2058, and 2061 input to the main board 200 need to be independent as shown in FIG. If they are connected in parallel, it becomes impossible to distinguish which switch is operated.

  In the example of FIG. 5, the error cancellation procedure is determined after the error has occurred. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the error cancellation procedure is performed at the initial setting stage immediately after power-on as shown in FIG. It may be determined. In the case of FIG. 7, since the error canceling procedure changes every time the power is turned on, it is impossible to predict what kind of error canceling procedure will be performed even if an unauthorized person tries to cancel the error by turning on the power again. This is believed to be able to deter fraud.

  In the above description, the door key switch 2061, the setting key switch 2054, and the reset key switch 2058 are illustrated as the error release switches. However, the start button 134, the bet switch 137, and the stop button 140 are used together with or instead of these. It can also be used.

  In the above description, a slot machine is taken as an example of a gaming machine, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to a ball-type gaming machine.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and these are also included in the scope of the present invention. Needless to say.

It is a front view of the slot machine in a state where the front door is closed. It is a front view of the slot machine in a state where the front door is opened. It is a front view of the power supply part (power supply part panel) which concerns on embodiment of invention. It is a functional block diagram of the slot machine which concerns on embodiment of invention. It is a flowchart of the process at the time of error generation which concerns on embodiment of invention. It is explanatory drawing of the switch connection which concerns on embodiment of invention. It is another processing flowchart at the time of error occurrence concerning an embodiment of the invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Medal selector 11 Key receiving part 100 Slot machine 120 Slot machine main body 121 Hopper apparatus 122 Hopper tank 130 Front door 131 Game display part 132 Medal insertion port 133 Reject button 134 Start button 135 Discharge port 136 Derivation path 137 Bet switch 138 Cancel button 140 Stop Button 200 Main board (control unit)
201 Sub-board 202 Operation unit 203 Reel unit 204 Effect display unit 205 Power supply unit 2051 Power switch 2052 Power-on display lamp (LED)
2053 Stop switch 2054 Setting key switch 2055 Setting change 2056 AC100V pilot lamp 2057 Power cable 2058 Reset (error release) key switch 2061 Door key switch

Claims (2)

A switch that is interlocked with a locking mechanism that locks the door of the gaming machine and that is turned on / off in accordance with rotation of a key inserted into the lock of the door, a setting key switch provided in the gaming machine, and A plurality of switches including at least one of key switches for error cancellation provided inside the gaming machine ;
In a gaming machine comprising an error notification and a controller that cancels the error notification based on at least one output of the plurality of switches,
(A) The control unit sets an error flag when a predetermined condition is satisfied, performs an error notification, and shifts to an inoperable state.
(B) The error flag is retained even when the gaming machine is powered off.
The controller is
(C1) monitoring the outputs of the plurality of switches;
(C2) When a previously randomly selected switch among the plurality of switches is operated, the error flag is reset to release the error notification, and the state shifts to a gameable state.
(C3) When a switch other than the selected switch is operated, the error notification is not canceled, and the error notification is maintained until the gaming machine is turned off.
(C4) After the switch other than the selected switch is operated, the error notification is maintained even when the selected switch is operated,
(C5) When the power of the gaming machine is turned off and turned on again, the error flag is checked,
(C6) When the error flag is set, the error notification is resumed, and the game shifts to an unplayable state.
Repeat (c1) to (c6),
further,
Randomly selecting one of the plurality of switches when the power is turned on again in (c5), and determining a procedure for canceling the error notification using the randomly selected switch;
A gaming machine characterized in that the contents of the determined procedure are notified as the error cancellation procedure.   The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of switches is connected to the control unit by an independent harness.

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