JP4704707B2 - Game machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a slot machine that uses medals, coins, game balls and the like as game media.

  Conventionally, in game machines, particularly pachislot machines, a predetermined number of game media are inserted and a start lever is operated to execute a winning lottery for the game, and a plurality of symbols are displayed on the peripheral surface. In addition, when a plurality of rows (generally, three rows) of symbol variation reels (display devices) rotate, so-called symbol variation display is started.

  The symbol variable reels that have started to rotate by the operation of the start lever described above are stopped almost at the time that the player intends, by the player operating the stop buttons provided correspondingly.

  Here, when the internal lottery is executed at the time of operating the start lever and the winning / losing is determined, and the player performs the stop operation of each symbol variable reel by the stop button and wins the internal lottery. When the symbols corresponding to the winning are complete, the prize is won and the rights are exercised.

  Further, when the result of the internal lottery is off, the symbol variation reel is stopped by performing so-called slip control so as not to display the symbol combination corresponding to the winning combination.

  Even if the result of the internal lottery is a win, if the symbol variable reel is not stopped and displayed with the symbol corresponding to the winning combination, no winning is made and the above right is not exercised.

  In a pachislot machine that executes a game as described above, its control system is roughly divided into a main control circuit that controls the progress of the entire game, and an effect control circuit (sub-control) that controls the effects that are executed according to the progress of the game. Control circuit).

  The main control circuit generates a game control signal (game command signal) for controlling the progress of a game such as a lottery in response to an input signal from an external input operation system such as the start lever or stop button. Processing is executed based on the control signal.

  On the other hand, the effect control circuit receives a signal related to the effect among the game control signals and controls effect variation in the display device, or outputs effect sound synchronized with the effect variation from the speaker. A signal is generated and a device such as a display device or a speaker (effect device) is controlled. Note that the effect device includes a liquid crystal display device and the like, and the effect control unit may control a lottery result notice, an operation-related assist, and the like.

  In the pachislot machine, various errors may occur during the game. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for backing up output information to a control RAM as it is when there is something that has not been output from a peripheral device for performance (production device). By storing this backup data not on the main control board (main control circuit) but on the sub-control board (production control circuit) side, it is possible to prevent large-capacity image data from compressing the capacity. In addition, the technique of this patent document 1 discloses an error example when the power is cut off.

By the way, with regard to error processing, in general, an error has occurred during the bonus confirmation display and bonus game due to the fact that the role lottery is extremely important and the effect is less important than that. However, the backup related to the return of the production was not made, and after the error processing, the production device only displayed the initial state screen, and the return was ignored.
JP 2001-87459 A

  However, continuous productions that have a series of stories over a plurality of games play an important role in various productions with expectations. For example, a stock announcement for a stock machine that stocks a major player and counts down the number of replay time games to enable the winning of a major player (from a state in which a stocked major is not awarded to a winning state), etc. Is able to exert its effect by performing from a game several times before the stock release.

  During such a continuous production, error processing is executed in the middle of the continuous production, and when it returns to a normal state, it is returned to a return state determined in advance by error processing, that is, an initial screen, an initial sound effect, etc. The provision of game information useful to the player is stopped, the continuity of the continuous performance is impaired, the player's willingness to play is significantly reduced, and both the player and the store side are disadvantaged.

  In consideration of the above fact, the present invention enables backup without storing a large amount of data for rendering using the rendering device in the sub-control circuit when an error occurs, and at the time of return after error processing, It is an object to obtain a gaming machine that can return from the state immediately before the occurrence of an error not only in the progress of the game in the main control circuit but also in the effect using the effect device by the sub control circuit.

The present invention provides a main control circuit that generates a game control signal for advancing a game in accordance with an external input signal based on a game operation, and an effect for producing a game based on the game control signal output from the main control circuit A sub-control circuit that generates a control signal, and an effect before the occurrence of an error ends in one game based on the effect control signal output from the sub-control circuit, or an effect that spans multiple games to a rendering device and a game machine configured with a for performing the operations of the continuous effect, when an error that prevents the progress of the game occurs, the error processing means for stopping the operation of the presentation device, the auxiliary A storage unit provided in the control circuit and storing the effect control signal before the stop of the operation of the effect device by the error processing unit by a plurality of steps; Will check the performance control signal in reverse chronological order, the normal regardless of the whether continuous presentation or directing the operation of the performance apparatus from the performance of the performance control signal that has been determined to be normal before normal effect or the An operation return means for returning to continuous production;
have.

According to the onset bright, an error occurs, the storage means stores the effect control signal before the stop of the operation of the performance apparatus. In other words, since the data to be produced by the production device is not stored, but a command signal (production control signal) for production is stored, the storage capacity of the storage unit is small.

  After the error is resolved, the operation return means returns the operation of the effect device based on the effect control signal stored in the storage means.

  As a result, a large amount of data can be backed up for performances that have not been regarded as important, especially if there is an error when performing a continuous performance with a story over multiple games. The player can be informed of accurate information as an effect.

The storage means stores an effect control signal for a predetermined number of steps over time, retroactively from an effect control signal immediately before the operation of the effect device is stopped.

The storage means stores the effect control signal for a predetermined number of steps over time, retroactively from the effect control signal immediately before the stop of the operation of the effect device. As a result, even if a part of the effect control signal is destroyed due to an error, the probability of successful backup can be increased by going back to the destroyed effect control signal.

The effect device is configured by at least a display device that displays an image and a speaker that outputs a sound effect in synchronization with an image displayed on the display device.

When a sound effect is output from a speaker in synchronism with a visual effect by a display device and an image displayed on the display device, the storage device stores a large-capacity storage area when stored as each image data and sound data Must have. However, in the present invention, by storing the effect control signal, each of them can be synchronized and backup with a small capacity can be made possible.

After obtaining a game right by inserting a predetermined number of game media, a pre-set lottery is executed by performing a start operation, and the start operation is used as a trigger to configure a plurality of symbol groups. A plurality of symbol variation sequences are varied independently, and based on a stop operation for each symbol variation sequence, the varying symbol variation sequence is stopped, the result of the combination lottery is notified, and the combination lottery A pachislot machine that executes a game for paying out a number of game media according to the winning combination at the time of winning a prize when the symbol arrangement won and stopped is an arrangement according to the winning combination. It is said.

In pachislot machines, for example, stocked result (especially important task) of the lottery, the case of a game mode that allows winning the important task at a predetermined time, counts down the possible winning time for this important task from multiple previous game The ceremony can be notified in advance (continuous production).

  If an error occurs in the middle of this continuous production, it will return to the initial state, and not only can the continuous production not be performed, but also reduce the player's willingness to play with the continuous production, If the transition to the initial state described above fails to produce information that is useful to information players, the player is likely to suffer disadvantages due to the lack of information. It is remarkable.

  Therefore, as in the present invention, by providing backup for the production device without enlarging the storage capacity, the continuous production can be continued even after the error is resolved, and the player's expectation can be maintained. it can.

  As described above, according to the present invention, backup can be performed without storing a large amount of data for rendering using the rendering device in the sub-control circuit when an error occurs, and when returning after error processing, In addition to the progress of the game in the control circuit, there is an excellent effect that it is possible to return from the state immediately before the occurrence of the error in the effect using the effect device by the sub-control circuit.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the pachi-slot machine 300 includes a main body 302 and an operation / decoration portion 303 as an opening / closing cover provided on the front surface of the main body 302.

  The operation / decoration unit 303 can be classified into a decoration unit 304, an operation unit 306, and a payout unit 310 from the top.

  The decoration unit 304 has a display panel unit 312 on which a printed picture or character is transmitted and illuminated by turning on a backlight unit (not shown). In addition, as a part of the decoration part 304, a three-dimensional decoration lamp 304A is also provided in the left-right direction above the decoration part 304. In addition, speakers 305R and 305L are provided in the vicinity of the decorative lamp 304 for reproducing production sound and the like.

  The display panel unit 312 of the decoration unit 304 includes a liquid crystal display device 313 for displaying a moving image for presentation and a display window 314 for displaying a rotating display symbol. The display window 314 is configured by a transparent region that is disposed integrally with the display panel unit 312.

  Inside the display window 314, there is disposed a symbol variation portion 316 configured with three spinning reels 350A, 350B, and 350C as main portions.

  Also, at the bottom of the display window 314, a 7-segment display 315A for displaying the number of paid-out medals as game media of the pachislot machine 300, a display for setting the remaining number of jack games and the game state (six levels), etc. A section 315B and a 7 segment display section 315C for displaying the number of credits are provided.

  The operation unit 306 has an upper portion protruding forward, and a medal insertion unit 320 is provided at the right end of the upper surface of the protruding portion. Further, the operation unit 306 is pressed down when credits are sequentially paid out from the left end of the upper surface. A settlement button 103, a single bet (insertion) button 352A, and a maximum bet (maximum input) button 352B. Further, a start lever 354, stop buttons 356A, 356B, 356C, and the like are provided in this order from the front left end of the protruding portion.

  The payout unit 310 includes a medal discharge port 326 and a tray 328 that receives a medal discharged from the medal discharge port 326.

  The three reels 350A, 350B, and 350C are rotated so that the symbols can be sequentially seen from the display window 314. Among the symbols that can be seen from the display window 314 when the rotation is stopped, the symbols that are stopped on the effective line. The combination of indicates the game result.

  The stop buttons 356A, 356B, and 356C are provided below the symbol changing unit 316 and correspond to the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C. That is, the rotation of the corresponding reels 350A, 350B, and 350C can be stopped by operating the stop buttons 356A, 356B, and 356C by the player.

  In addition, by operating (tilting) a start lever 354 provided on the left side of the stop buttons 356A, 356B, 356C, this operation (start operation) is a trigger, and each reel 350A, 350B and 350C start to rotate. This rotation is normally such that the three reels 350A, 350B, 350C start rotating simultaneously.

  Further, the operation timing by the start lever 354 is an internal lottery (role lottery) timing described later, and the winning (winning) / disengagement is determined by the operation of the start lever 354.

  FIG. 2 schematically shows a control block diagram for controlling the operation of the pachislot machine 300.

  The control system of the pachislot machine 300 is configured with the main control unit 100 as the center, and the main control unit 100 identifies medals inserted from the medal insertion unit 320, and the number and types of medals inserted (incorrect or And a stop button 356A, 356B, 356C, a MAX bet button 352B, and a single bet button 352A corresponding to the start lever 354 and the above-described reels 350A, 350B, and 350C, respectively. In addition, a settlement button 103 for returning a medal stored (credited) inside the gaming machine when the game is stopped is connected via a sensor (not shown) that detects an operation state.

  The main control unit 100 also includes a main control circuit 110 including a CPU. The main control circuit 110 mainly includes a RAM 128 that temporarily stores game progress and the like, and various programs. A stored ROM 130 is connected, and a clock pulse generation circuit 124 that generates a clock pulse that is a reference for the operation of the main control circuit 110 is connected via a frequency divider 126.

  In addition, a random number generator 120 and a random number sampling circuit 122 are connected to the main control circuit 110. The main control circuit 110 controls the random number generator 120 in synchronization with the clock pulse input through the frequency divider 126 to sequentially generate random numbers, and the random number sampling circuit 122 generates the random numbers. Get (sample) the random number.

  In the pachislot machine 300, an internal lottery (role lottery) for determining whether a major role or a small role is won at the operation timing of the start lever 354 is performed by the main control unit 100. When 354 is operated, the random number sampling circuit 122 is instructed to acquire, sample, and output a random number, and thereby a lottery result is derived according to the random number input from the random number sampling circuit 122.

  If the internal lottery is a win (combination), the player can win the number of medals according to each symbol when the winning symbols are obtained by the stop operation by the subsequent stop buttons 356A, 356B, 356C. The gaming state is advantageous to the player according to the symbol.

  Here, there are small roles and big roles as roles. Among these, the major players include a big bonus (hereinafter referred to as “BB” as appropriate) and a regular bonus (hereinafter referred to as “RB” as appropriate), and the degree of advantage to the player differs in the game corresponding to each. A game corresponding to RB (hereinafter referred to as “RB game” as appropriate) is composed of a plurality of small role games, and a game corresponding to BB (hereinafter referred to as “BB game” as appropriate) is in the gaming state. The game is configured to include a plurality of RB games. Therefore, as a matter of course, the RB game is more advantageous to the player than the small role game, and the BB game is more advantageous to the player than the RB game.

  In addition, a motor drive circuit 132 is connected to the main control unit 100, and the motor drive circuit 132 includes left (L), middle (C), and right (R) reel motors 106A, 106B, Each of the left, middle, and right reels 350A, 350B, and 350C is connected via 106C.

  Further, a reel position detection circuit 134 for detecting the rotational positions of the three reels 350A, 350B, and 350C is connected to the main controller 100. In the main controller 100, the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C are connected. The position of can be grasped.

  Further, in the pachislot machine 300, the symbol variation by the symbol variation unit 316 is normally started at the operation timing by the start lever 354. When the start lever 354 is operated, the main control unit 100 operates the motor. The driving of the reel motors 106A, 106B, and 106C via the driving circuit 132 is started to rotate the three reels 350A, 350B, and 350C, respectively, and based on the subsequent operation by the stop buttons 356A, 356B, and 356C, The rotation of the three reels 350A, 350B, 350C is stopped.

  Here, in the main control unit 100, when the rotation of the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C is stopped based on the stop operation by the stop buttons 356A, 356B, and 356C, the slip control of a predetermined number of frames is performed according to the result of the internal lottery. Is supposed to run.

  In other words, when the stop button 356A, 356B, 356C is operated at the stop timing at which the symbol that stops only on the winning line is stopped on the active line when the internal lottery is off, intentionally avoiding the stop at this symbol Therefore, control is performed so that the stop position is shifted (kicked off) and stopped at the off symbol arrangement.

  Also, when the internal lottery is won, even if the winning symbol does not stop at the stop timing operated by the player, if the winning symbol is within the predetermined number of symbols, the winning symbol is intentionally stopped on the active line. Performs control to shift (pull in) the stop position.

  By kicking and pulling in the above, it is possible to make the internal lottery result and the game result uniform, and even if the stop operation timing is slightly shifted, it is possible to align the winning symbols, It prevents people from being lost.

  The main control unit 100 is connected to a hopper drive circuit 136 for operating a hopper 138 provided inside the pachislot machine 300. The hopper 138 stores medals, and the main control unit 100 pays out medals from the hopper 138 via the hopper drive circuit 136 in accordance with the stop pattern specified by the output from the reel position detection circuit 134. Executed.

  Further, a medal detection sensor 140 that detects medals paid out from the hopper 138 is disposed in the vicinity of the hopper 138 and is connected to the main control unit 100 via a payout completion signal circuit 142. The payout completion signal circuit 142 determines whether or not the payout is completed based on the detection signal from the medal detection sensor 140, and generates a payout completion signal when it is determined that the payout is completed. Is input.

  When the payout completion signal is input from the payout completion signal circuit 142, the main control unit 100 ends the medal payout by the hopper 138 via the hopper driving circuit 136.

  Further, a lamp driving circuit 144 is connected to the main control unit 100, and the 7-segment display unit 315A, the display unit 315B, the 7-segment display unit 315C, the activation line, and the like described above are connected via the lamp driving circuit 144. The display lamp 146 is turned on and off.

  On the other hand, a sub-control unit 150 is connected to the main control unit 100, and the main control unit 100 outputs a command signal indicating a control state as needed to the sub-control unit 150. In the present embodiment, as communication between the main control unit 100 and the sub control unit 150, only one-way communication from the main control unit 100 to the sub control unit 150 is executed, and the sub control unit 150 performs main communication. Communication with the control unit 100 cannot be performed at all.

  A liquid crystal control circuit 152 is connected to the sub-control unit 150, and the liquid crystal control circuit 152 controls a display state of a liquid crystal display device (LCD) 313 provided for production.

  In addition, a lamp driving circuit 156 is connected to the sub-control unit 150, and lighting of the lamp 112 and the like built in the decorative lamp 304A is controlled via the lamp driving circuit 182.

  Further, a speaker drive circuit 154 is connected to the sub-control unit 150, and controls the sound (sound effect) output from the speakers 305L and 305R.

  In the sub control unit 150, in accordance with the control state of the pachislot machine 300 of the main control unit 100, a notification effect is performed by the LCD 112, the speakers 305L and 305R, the backlight 158, the lamp 112 incorporated as a light source in the decoration lamp 304A, and the like. To do.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram functionally showing a control system for normal game control in the main control unit 100 according to the present embodiment.

  The main control unit 100 includes a lottery unit 180, and an operation signal indicating that the start lever 354 has been operated is input to the lottery unit 180. The lottery unit 180 executes an internal lottery with the operation of the start lever 354 after a predetermined number of medals have been inserted (bets) as a trigger.

  The lottery unit 180 acquires a random value in synchronization with the operation of the start lever 354, and sends the random value to the winning combination / symbol determination unit 184 via the table selection unit 182.

  The table selection unit 182 stores a table in which information indicating roles / designs corresponding to numerical values that can be acquired by the lottery unit 180 is stored for each gaming state of the pachislot machine 300. As the gaming state of the pachislot machine 300, for example, normal game, during BB internal winning, during RB internal winning, normal game during BB operation, during RB internal winning during BB operation, RB game, and the like can be cited.

  In the table selection unit 182, information indicating the current gaming state is obtained from the gaming state control unit 186, and a table for determining a role / symbol is selected from the table provided for each gaming state. Based on the table selected by the table selection unit 182, the winning combination / symbol determination unit 184 determines and determines the winning combination (small role (including replay), major role (RB, BB)) and winning symbol. The winning combination and the winning symbol are input to the gaming state control unit 186.

  The gaming state control unit 186 is connected to a gaming program memory 188 in which data indicating various programs corresponding to the gaming state of the pachislot machine 300 is stored. The game state control unit 186 mainly controls the game state by reading and executing game program data corresponding to the game state from the game program memory 188 as appropriate by the game execution control unit 186A.

  The game program memory 188 stores data indicating a normal game program and data indicating a major game program. For example, in the normal game state, the normal game program data is read from the game program memory 188. In the case of the big game state, the big game program data is read according to the internal winning state of BB and RB and the respective game states of BB and RB, and processing is executed based on each program data.

  On the other hand, the main control unit 100 is configured to include a reel drive control unit 194. Based on the start operation of the start lever 354, after a lapse of 4.1 seconds from the end of the previous game, the motor drive unit 132 is provided. Then, the reel motors 106A, 106B, and 106C are driven to start rotation of the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C.

  Further, the reel drive control unit 194 performs stop control for stopping the rotation of the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C based on the operation of the stop buttons 356A, 356B, and 356C.

  Position detection sensors 198A, 198B, and 198C connected to the reel position detection circuit 134 are attached to the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C, respectively. The reel position detection circuit 134 is connected to the reel drive control unit 194.

  The reel drive control unit 194 recognizes the respective rotation positions of the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C, stops the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C in consideration of the slip control, and stops the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C that have stopped. The symbol array is sent to the gaming state control unit 186.

  Based on the symbol arrangement of the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C that have been stopped, the gaming state control unit 186 confirms whether or not a winning combination has been won. If the winning is achieved, a predetermined payout is performed. If the control is executed and if the player is a big player, a predetermined payout is given to the payout controller 150, and then the big player game program is read from the game program memory 188 and executed by the game execution controller 186A.

  It should be noted that the regular bonus game program and the big bonus game program are separately stored in the major player program, and are selectively read based on the elected major player.

  In the regular bonus program, a maximum of 12 games (maximum number of games) can be executed in the state that the lottery probability of the small role is higher than the lottery probability during the normal game as the right exercise. The regular bonus game ends when the player wins a maximum of 8 times (maximum number of wins) during any of these 12 games.

  On the other hand, in the big bonus program, the regular bonus game can be executed with high probability as the right exercise, and the big bonus game ends when the number of executions of the regular bonus game reaches a preset upper limit number.

  In addition, a flag memory 192 is connected to the gaming state control unit 186 via the flag management control unit 190, and the internal winning state of the combination corresponding to the winning result of the internal lottery described above is changed. Is managed by.

  Each flag is established by winning by internal lottery. Generally, the state of the small role flag disappears in one game (the flag is not established), but the state of the flag of the major role is thereafter set to each reel 350A, 350B, 350C. Is stopped and displayed on the display window 314 in a predetermined arrangement, and is maintained until winning the winning role.

  Note that the flag memory 192 is connected to the reel drive control unit 194 described above, and the state of the flag stored in the flag memory 192 is based on the operation of the stop buttons 356A, 356B, and 356C by the reel drive control unit 194. This is applied as a parameter for pull-in or kick-out slip control during stop control.

  When the game progresses smoothly as described above, an error may occur regardless of the state of the game. The errors include a game medal backflow error, no payout medal error, a payout medal clogged error, a payout medal sensor error error, a game medal over error, a game medal retention error, a winning determination error, a RAM error error, a game medal selector error, etc. .

  When the above-mentioned error occurs and the game is stopped, the main control unit 100 backs up the lottery result and the like having high importance in the progress of the game and suffers a disadvantage to the player when returning after the error processing. Measures are taken so that there is no.

  By the way, conventionally, the effect control in the sub-control unit 150 (notice effect on the liquid crystal display device 313, sound effect output on the speakers 305L and 305R, etc.) has a low rank as an importance, and an error occurs. However, most of them are initialized when returning after the operation is stopped.

  In this case, there is no particular problem if the notice effect in the liquid crystal display device 313 is a so-called one-time effect (an effect that ends during one game), but in this embodiment, the game form is won. In the case of a stock machine that can win a prize by stocking multiple heroes and executing a replay time game a predetermined number of times, it is known from the previous game that the available hero's winning time is known from the previous game. It has a notice pattern that produces (continuous production) across multiple games.

  When such a continuous notice is executed, an error occurs, the production operation by the liquid crystal display device 313 or the like is stopped, and the initialization is performed at the time of return, the continuous production itself ends in the middle. Become.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, when an error occurs, the sub-control unit 150 stores a command for controlling the operation (lighting) of the liquid crystal display device 313, the speakers 305L and 305R, the lamp 112, etc. by a plurality of steps. In addition, after the error is restored, the operation of the rendering device is restored based on the stored command.

  FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram for effect control mainly including error processing in the sub-control unit 150.

  The game command analysis unit 10 receives a game command related to the effect from the main control unit 100, and the game command is analyzed. An effect command generator 12 is connected to the game command analyzer 10 so that effect instruction information as an analysis result is sent out.

  In the effect command generation unit 12, an effect command for operating the liquid crystal control circuit 152, the speaker drive circuit 154, and the lamp drive circuit 156 is generated based on the effect instruction information and sent to the output unit 14.

  The output unit 14 sends an operation instruction signal to the liquid crystal control circuit 152, the speaker drive circuit 154, and the lamp drive circuit 156 in synchronization.

The effect command generator 12 is connected to an n-stage shift register 16 so that n effect commands are always stored. In this memory, when the (n + 1) th production command is input, the first production command is discarded, and the latest n production commands are always stored.

  On the other hand, an error information extraction unit 18 is connected to the game command analysis unit 10, and when error information (error command) is input from the main control unit 100, the error information extraction unit 18 extracts the error information. It is like that.

  The error information extraction unit 18 is connected to the error management unit 20. The error management unit 20 manages the time of occurrence of errors, the time of resolution of errors, etc. When an error occurs, the production command generation unit 12 freezes the production command 12 and the error is resolved. In such a case, an effect command stored in the n-stage shift register 14 is read out.

  The error management unit 20 checks the latest effect command stored in the n-stage shift register 16, and if it is normal, selects the latest effect command, and when the error is resolved, the return control unit The effect command selected at 22 is sent out. If there is an abnormality in the latest effect command, the effect commands are checked in order from the latest, and the effect command determined to be normal is selected and sent to the return control unit 22.

  In the return control unit 22, if the selected production command is the latest production command, it is sent to the output unit 14 as it is. If the selected production command is not the latest production command, the latest production command is used. The command is predicted, a new latest production command is generated and sent to the output unit 14.

  The output unit 14 restarts the operations of the liquid crystal control circuit 152, the speaker drive circuit 154, and the lamp drive circuit 156 based on the effect command from the return control unit 22 (return operation).

  Further, when the effect command selected by the error management unit 20 is sent to the return control unit 22, a return signal is sent from the error management unit 20 to the effect command generating unit 12, and the effect command input after the return It is designed to be consistent.

  The operation of this embodiment will be described below.

  FIG. 5 shows a flowchart showing the flow of normal game state processing by the main control unit 100.

  First, in step 200, the completion of the betting operation is waited, and in the next step 202, the operation of the start lever is waited.

  That is, in the state where the medal is credited (or the medal is inserted from the medal insertion unit 320), the betting of the medal is completed by the operation of the single bet button 352A or the max bet button 352B, or the medal When a bet is completed by inserting medals from the insertion unit 320, the start lever 354 can be operated.

  In the next step 204, a winning combination in the game is determined by internal lottery, and then the process proceeds to step 206 to determine whether or not a major player has been won as a result of the internal lottery. If it is determined that the stock information needs to be updated, the process proceeds to step 208, the stock information update process routine is executed, and then the process proceeds to step 210.

  In the stock information update processing routine, the stock information is updated according to the type of major player. In addition, when other big actors are not stocked as stock information at the time of execution of the stock information update processing routine, the number of RT games until the winning big actor can be won is set by lottery and the gaming state is set to RT Set to game state.

  On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step 206, the flag status information of each small role is updated and stored as necessary according to the result of the internal lottery, and then the process proceeds to step 210.

  In step 210, it is determined whether or not the current gaming state is executing RT. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 212 to subtract (decrement) the number of RT games once. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 214 to determine whether or not the number of RT games is zero.

  If an affirmative determination is made in step 214, the game state is shifted to step 216 in order to enter a gaming state in which the major player can win a prize, while the gaming state is within the bonus (by making the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C aligned with the major role symbol by a stop operation. , A winning state in which the right of the major officer can be exercised) is set, and then the process proceeds to step 218.

  On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step 214, the gaming state remains under execution of RT and the process proceeds to step 218.

  In step 218, reel rotation is started, and then the process proceeds to step 220 to execute a reel stop processing routine for the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C, and then the process proceeds to step 222.

  That is, in the main control unit 100, when the start lever 354 is operated, a winning / losing lottery is performed simultaneously with this operation, and the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C start rotating under the control of the reel drive control unit 194. To do.

  Thereafter, when the player operates the stop buttons 356A, 356B, and 356C, the stop operation stops the rotation of the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C. However, depending on the state of various flags stored in the flag memory 192, In consideration of the slip control, the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C are controlled to stop so that the corresponding symbol is drawn into a predetermined position or kicked from the predetermined position. That is, when any one of the flags is established, the winning symbol can be stopped at an accurate eye-pressing timing. Further, a slight shift in the stop operation timing is corrected by slip control. On the other hand, if none of the flags is established, the reels 350A, 350B, and 350C are caused to slip even if they are pushed, so that they do not stop at the winning symbol.

  In step 222, as a result of the reel stop process, a winning determination for determining whether or not the stopped symbol is a winning symbol is executed. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 224, and it is determined that any winning combination is won as a result of the winning determination. If the determination is negative, the normal gaming state process is terminated.

  On the other hand, if the determination in step 224 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 226, where predetermined medal payout control preset according to the winning combination is executed, and then, the process proceeds to step 228.

  In step 228, it is determined whether or not the winning combination is a major player. If the determination is negative, the normal gaming state process is terminated. On the other hand, if the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 230 to execute a bonus game start process routine, and then proceeds to step 232 to execute a bonus game process.

  In other words, when it is determined that the big player has won a prize, a bonus game of a big bonus or a regular bonus is executed (exercise rights) in accordance with the stop pattern, and then the process proceeds to step 234.

  Here, in the bonus game start processing routine (step 230), the stock number of the major player who won the prize is decremented. If there is a stock of a big actor based on the stock information after decrement, the number of RT games to be executed before the next major executive can win is set by lottery, and the type of major actor to be executed next time is determined. To do.

  In step 234, it is determined whether or not there is a stock of the next major actor. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 236 to execute the number of RT games set by the bonus game start process. Then, the gaming state is set to RT, and then the normal gaming state process is terminated.

  On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step 234, the normal gaming state process is terminated without executing the process of step 236.

  If the error occurs and the game is interrupted while the normal game is in progress, the main control unit 100 backs up data in order of importance in the progress of the game. The most important are lottery result data and medal payout data. By backing up such highly important data, it is possible to continue the game without any disadvantage to the player when the error is resolved and the operation returns.

  In addition, the main control unit 100 sends an error command to the sub control unit 150 when the error occurs.

  In the sub-control unit 150, an error monitoring process routine shown in FIG. 6 below is in operation, and a backup process related to presentation is executed in response to an error command input.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in step 250, it is determined whether or not a command has been input from the main control unit 100. If the determination is negative, this routine ends.

  If the determination in step 250 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 252 where it is determined whether or not the input command is an error command. If the determination in step 252 is negative, it is determined that the command is a normal effect command, the process proceeds to step 254, and processing corresponding to the effect command is executed.

  In the next step 256, it is determined whether or not the number of effect command storages in the n-stage shift register 16 is full, and if an affirmative determination is made, the process proceeds to step 258, where the oldest effect command currently stored is stored. Is discarded, and the process proceeds to step 260. On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step 256, the process proceeds to step 260.

  In step 260, the latest effect command is stored in the n-stage shift register 16, and the process proceeds to step 262. In step 262, the number of effect commands stored in the n-stage shift register 16 is managed, and this routine ends. As a result, n new production commands are always stored in the n-stage shift register 16.

  If an affirmative determination is made in step 252, it is determined that some error has occurred, and the process proceeds to step 264 to execute error processing. The operation of the liquid crystal control circuit 152, the speaker drive circuit 154, and the lamp drive circuit 156 is stopped.

  In the next step 266, it is determined whether or not a command has been input. If the determination is negative, the routine ends. If an affirmative determination is made in step 266, the process proceeds to step 268 to determine whether or not the input command is an error cancel command. If a negative determination is made in step 268, the process returns to step 266.

  If an affirmative decision is made in step 268, the process proceeds to step 270 to confirm the stored effect command, and the gaming state before the occurrence of the error is recognized.

  In the next step 272, it is determined whether or not the continuous production was in progress before the occurrence of the error. If an affirmative decision is made, the routine proceeds to step 274 and returns to the continuous production, and this routine ends. If a negative determination is made in step 272, the process proceeds to step 276 to return to the normal performance, and this routine ends.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the sub control unit 150 stores n effect commands in the n-stage shift register 16 in the newest order. Here, when an error occurs, an error signal is sent from the main control unit 100 to the sub-control unit 150. When the sub-control unit 150 receives the error signal, it executes error processing. Thereafter, when the error is canceled and the operation returns, the latest stored effect command is read out, and the operations of the liquid crystal control circuit 152, the speaker drive circuit 154, and the lamp drive circuit 156 are restored. Even if an error occurs, it is possible to return from the middle of this continuous performance.

  In addition, data for rendering (image data and audio data) is not stored, but at least the rendering command immediately before the error is stored, so that the storage capacity does not become enormous. There is no burden for data storage.

It is a perspective view of the pachi-slot machine concerning this embodiment. It is an operation control block diagram of the pachi-slot machine according to the present embodiment. It is the block diagram which showed functionally the control system mainly having the normal game in the main control part. Functional block diagram for effect control mainly using error processing in the sub-control unit It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process of the normal game state process performed with the main control part which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the error monitoring process routine in a sub-control part.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Game command analysis part 12 Production command generation part 14 Output part 16 n stage shift register (storage means)
18 Error information extraction unit 20 Error management unit (error processing means)
22 Return control part (operation return means)
100 main control unit 112 lamp (direction device)
150 Sub Control Unit 152 Liquid Crystal Control Circuit 154 Speaker Drive Circuit 156 Lamp Drive Circuit 158 Backlight (Directing Device)
186 Game state control unit 186A Game execution control unit 300 Pachislot machine 305L, 305R Speaker (production device)
313 Liquid crystal display device (production device)
314 Display window 352A Single bet button 352B Max bet button 354 Start lever 350A, 350B, 350C Reel 356A, 356B, 356C Stop button

Claims (4)

A main control circuit that generates a game control signal for advancing a game according to an external input signal based on a game operation, and an effect control signal for generating a game based on the game control signal output from the main control circuit A sub-control circuit that produces the effect before the occurrence of an error based on the effect control signal output from the sub-control circuit, or a continuous effect that produces effects over a plurality of games. a gaming machine constructed and a rendering device for performing the operations,
Error processing means for stopping the operation of the rendering device when an error that prevents the progress of the game occurs;
A storage unit provided in the sub-control circuit, and storing the production control signal before the operation of the production device by the error processing unit is stopped by a plurality of steps;
After elimination of the error, continue to check the performance control signal stored in said memory means in reverse chronological order, the normal regardless of the whether continuous presentation or rendering, from the performance of the performance control signal that has been determined to be normal before Operation return means for returning the operation of the effect device to the normal effect or the continuous effect;
A gaming machine having.   The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores the effect control signal for a predetermined number of steps with time, retroactively from the effect control signal immediately before the operation of the effect device is stopped.   The game according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the effect device comprises at least a display device that displays an image and a speaker that outputs a sound effect in synchronization with an image displayed on the display device. Machine. The gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a predetermined role lottery is executed by performing a starting operation after obtaining a game right by inserting a predetermined number of game media. In addition, using the start operation as a trigger, a plurality of symbol variation sequences composed of a plurality of symbol groups are independently varied, and the variation is performed based on a stop operation for each symbol variation sequence. Stop the symbol variation sequence , inform the result of the lottery, win the winning lottery, and if the stopped symbol array is an array according to the winning combination, the winning combination will be determined according to the winning combination A gaming machine that is a pachislot machine that executes a game for paying out a predetermined number of gaming media.

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