JP4901444B2 - Game machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a slot machine.

  A gaming machine such as a slot machine (hereinafter simply referred to as “gaming machine”) is provided with a medal slot so that a player can enjoy a game by inserting a predetermined number of medals. 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 operation of the conventional gaming machine was as follows.
First, when the start switch is operated, the start switch is turned on. In response to this, a lottery process is performed by the winning lottery means inside the gaming machine. Here, when a predetermined combination is won, a winning flag is set. The rotating reel starts to rotate. When the stop switch is operated, the stop switch is turned on. Then, the rotation of the corresponding rotating reel is stopped. After the stop switches corresponding to all the rotating reels are operated, whether or not the winning symbols corresponding to the winning flag are aligned on the effective winning line while the winning flag is established, that is, whether or not the winning is confirmed Is determined. When it is determined that the winning is confirmed, a medal corresponding to the winning symbol is paid out.

  For example, when the evaluation of the lottery process is out of place, it is set so that the predetermined symbols are not aligned (so-called kicking), and when winning, the predetermined symbols are aligned on the condition that the stop switch is pressed at a predetermined timing. (So-called pull-in). In other words, only when winning in the lottery process, medals are paid out by winning a winning pattern under a predetermined condition, but when not winning, medals are paid out regardless of how the stop switch is operated. There is no. This is to keep the medal payout at a certain probability. In order to realize this, a random number generator is used in the lottery process.

  By the way, there is a fraudulent act that attempts to obtain an unfair advantage in a gaming machine. Examples of fraud include the following.

(1) Incorrectly trying to increase the winning probability The random number generator of a gaming machine is a pseudo random number generator using, for example, a counter. The random numbers generated in this case have a certain degree of regularity, and therefore have a predictable aspect. Therefore, for example, a low frequency treatment device (hereinafter referred to as “sensory device”) is attached to the arm, and the timing to press the start switch is adjusted by periodically stimulating the muscles of the arm, and similar random numbers are repeated. Considered to get. Since the repetition period of the random number generator (counter) is constant (T), the same random number value can be obtained in principle by setting the push switch depression period TS to an integral multiple of T.

(2) A game that does not insert a medal by inserting a foreign object into the medal insertion slot, or a player who wants to receive a medal refund. A medal selector that discriminates and counts the inserted medal. Is provided. Although the medal selector is provided with a medal sensor, the medal sensor is deceived by using an unauthorized tool and the medal count is performed.

(3) A player who wants to receive more than a specified number of medals by inserting a foreign object into the medal payout port A gaming machine is provided with a hopper device for paying out medals. The hopper device is provided with a medal payout sensor that counts the number of medals paid out, and the payout of medals is stopped when the payout medal reaches a specified number. By using a foreign object so that the medal payout sensor does not detect medals, the medals paying out more than a specified number of medals are received.

(4) Changing the setting of the gaming machine illegally so as to be advantageous to the player A setting change switch for changing the mode of the lottery operation is provided inside the gaming machine. The door of the gaming machine is illegally opened and the setting change switch is operated to change the setting to be advantageous to the player. Since the setting change switch cannot be operated unless the door of the gaming machine is opened, it seems that the door opening / closing detection sensor is deceived so that it is not detected that the door is opened.

In order to prevent the above-mentioned fraudulent activity, the fraudulent activity is detected and notified to that effect. As a technique for disclosing a fraud detection technique, there is one disclosed in the following application publication.
JP 2005-185741 A

  By detecting the cheating and stopping the game and notifying the fact, it is possible not only to make the cheating fail, but also to detect the cheating person.

  However, by notifying that the fraudulent act has been detected, the fraudulent person is made aware that the fraudulent act has been revealed, and as a result, the fraudulent person may be missed.

  This invention is made in view of the said subject, and it aims at providing the game machine which can alert | report that the fraudulent act was detected, without being noticed by the fraudulent person.

The present invention relates to a medal selector including a medal sensor for counting inserted medals, a hopper tank including a stored medal detection sensor for detecting a stored medal, and a medal for detecting a payout of a medal stored in the hopper tank. In a gaming machine comprising a hopper device including a payout sensor,
At least processing for determining a medal selector medal clogging error indicating that the medal selector is clogged based on the output of the medal sensor, and that the medal stored in the hopper tank is exhausted based on the output of the stored medal detection sensor Hopper tank empty error indicating and / or hopper tank overflow error indicating that medals stored in the hopper tank may overflow, and paid out in the hopper device based on the output of the medal payout sensor An error determination unit that performs one of processes for determining a hopper payout medal jam error indicating that a medal is jammed;
A fraud detector that detects fraud against gaming machines;
At least one of the medal selector medal clogging error, the hopper tank empty error, the hopper tank overflow error, and the hopper payout medal clogging error when fraud is detected by the fraud detection unit; A notification control unit that selects an error that has not been determined to be an error by the determination unit and that notifies the selected error.

The notification control unit includes a plurality of notification control circuits that respectively notify the medal selector medal clog error, the hopper tank empty error, the hopper tank overflow error, and the hopper payout medal clog error.
When the fraud detection signal from the fraud detection unit is valid and the error signal from the error determination unit (hereinafter referred to as “normal error signal”) is invalid, the notification control circuit performs error signal (hereinafter referred to as “conflict”). An error signal "), an output circuit for outputting a signal for notifying one of the normal error signal and the contradiction error signal when one of the normal error signal and the normal error signal is valid, and the normal error signal A transmission circuit that transmits the fraud detection signal to the other notification control circuit when it is valid may be provided.

The present invention relates to a gaming machine including a hopper tank including a stored medal detection sensor that detects a stored medal.
A fraud detector that detects fraud against gaming machines;
A hopper empty error determination unit that determines a hopper tank empty error indicating that the medals stored in the hopper tank are exhausted based on an output of the stored medal detection sensor;
A hopper overflow error determination unit that determines a hopper tank overflow error indicating that a medal stored in the hopper tank may overflow based on an output of the stored medal detection sensor;
A notification control unit that performs error notification,
The notification control unit
First contradiction error generation for generating an error signal (hereinafter, “first contradiction error signal”) when the fraud detection signal from the fraud detection unit is valid and the error signal from the hopper empty error determination unit is invalid A circuit, a first output circuit for outputting an error notification signal when one of the error signal from the hopper empty error determination unit or the first contradiction error signal is valid, and the hopper empty error determination unit A first notification control circuit including a sending circuit that sends the fraud detection signal to the second notification control circuit when the error signal is valid;
Second contradiction error generation for generating an error signal (hereinafter, “second contradiction error signal”) when the fraud detection signal from the sending circuit is valid and the error signal from the hopper overflow error determination unit is invalid A second notification control circuit including a circuit and a second output circuit for outputting a signal for performing error notification when one of the error signal from the hopper overflow error determination unit or the second contradiction error signal is valid; With
When the fraudulent act is detected by the fraud detection unit, the notification control unit,
Check whether the hopper tank empty error has occurred, select the error when the error has not occurred, and proceed to the next process when the error has occurred,
Whether or not the hopper tank overflow error has occurred is confirmed, and when the error has not occurred, the error is selected.

A lottery means for extracting a random number for lottery, and determining winning based on the extracted random number;
The fraud detection unit monitors whether the same or approximate random number value is extracted by comparing the random value extracted in the winning lottery means with the random value extracted before this random value. Including a monitor,
The fraud detection unit may be determined to be fraudulent when it is determined that the same or similar random value is extracted by the random number monitor.

The fraud detection unit is a cylindrical action unit that is provided in the casing of the gaming machine and is urged toward the front side thereof, and one end of the fraud detection unit is closed with the door provided on the front side of the casing closed. An action part that contacts the inside of the door and moves to the front side by a predetermined distance when the door is open, a first light emitting part provided in the vicinity of the action part, and the action part A first light-receiving unit that is disposed opposite to the first light-emitting unit and receives light from the first light-emitting unit in a state where the operating unit moves to the front side, and a space inside the operating unit or its Either the second light emitting part or the second light receiving part provided on the opposite side of the end that is in contact with the door, and the door, and the door is closed, and the door is closed through the space of the action part. Either the second light receiving unit that receives light from the second light emitting unit or the second light emitting unit that transmits light to the second light receiving unit Includes a door opening and closing detection sensor comprising a transient,
The fraud detection unit may be a fraudulent act when both the first light receiving unit and the second light receiving unit of the door opening / closing detection sensor are not receiving light.

The fraud detection unit is a cylindrical action unit that is provided in the casing of the gaming machine and is urged toward the front side thereof, and one end of the fraud detection unit is closed with the door provided on the front side of the casing closed. An action part that contacts the inside of the door and moves to the front side by a predetermined distance when the door is open, a light emitting part provided in the vicinity of the action part, and sandwiching the action part A light receiving portion that is disposed opposite to the light emitting portion and receives light from the light emitting portion in a state where the action portion is moved to the front side, and an action portion side contact provided at an end of the action portion that contacts the door And a door opening / closing detection sensor comprising a door-side contact provided at a position inside the door, which is in contact with an end of the action portion,
The fraud detection unit may determine that the fraudulent act is detected when the light receiving unit of the door opening / closing detection sensor does not receive light and the action part side contact and the door side contact are non-conductive.

  According to the present invention, an illegal act can be notified to the hall clerk by making an inconsistent error notification that only the hall clerk notices while using the existing error notifying means. By creating a situation where fraudulents are aware of fraudulent activity, but fraudsters are not aware that fraudulent activity has been revealed, the fraudulent will not be missed.

Embodiment 1 of the Invention
A gaming machine (slot machine) according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view of the gaming machine showing a state where the front door is closed, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the gaming machine showing a state where the front door is opened 180 degrees.

  1 and 2, reference numeral 100 denotes a gaming machine. As shown in FIG. 1, the gaming machine 100 can be opened and closed by a hinge or the like on the gaming machine main body 120 and one side of the front surface of the gaming machine main body 120. And a front door 130 attached thereto. 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 below the medal insertion slot 132 is a reject button 133 for forcibly discharging the clogged medals inserted from the medal insertion slot 132 to the outside of the gaming machine 100.

  In addition, a start switch 134 for starting a game is provided at the lower left of the game display unit 131, and three stop switches 140 are provided corresponding to the three reels. A table provided on the start switch 134 and the stop switch 140 is provided with a bet switch 137. A medal payout port 135 is provided at the center of the lower end of the front door.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the gaming machine main body 120 is fixed to the inner bottom surface, stores a plurality of medals therein, and stores the stored medals at a payout port 135 provided on the front surface of the front door 130. A hopper device 2 for paying out the sheets one by one is installed. At the top of the hopper device 2, there is provided a hopper tank 1 that opens upward and stores a plurality of medals therein. An auxiliary tank 30 is provided adjacent to the hopper device 2. The auxiliary tank 30 is used to receive overflowing medals when a large amount of medals are stored in the hopper tank 1 and overflow.

  Inside the gaming machine main body 120, a reel unit 203 including three rotating reels is installed at a position where the game display unit 131 comes when the front door 130 is closed. A power unit 205 is provided between the upper reel unit 203 of the hopper device 2.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a medal (coin) selector 123 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. The medal selector 123 rolls the medal toward the hopper device 2 while detecting the passage of the medal inserted from the medal insertion slot 132, and has a different diameter medal or iron or iron with an outer diameter 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 of the medal selector 123 and communicates with the payout port 135 of the front door 130 is provided below the medal selector 123. The medals distributed by the medal selector 123 are returned to the player from the payout port 135 through the derivation path 136.
The payout port of the hopper device 2 communicates with the payout port 135, and medals paid out by the hopper device 2 are also sent out from the payout port 135 to the player.

  A player who wants to enjoy a game with a gaming machine can first borrow a medal, which is a game medium, from a medal lending machine (not shown) or the like, and insert a medal directly into the medal insertion slot 132 of the medal insertion device. The game display unit 131 is formed with a symbol display window through which symbols of three rotating reels can be seen. The reel unit is driven by operating the start switch 134 on condition that a game medal is inserted. The reel unit 203 is stopped from driving by a stop switch 140. The reel unit 140 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 is a functional block diagram of the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the invention.
In FIG. 3, reference numerals 200 and 201 denote a main board and a sub board, each incorporating a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The main board 200 performs management of the number of inserted medals, payout, reel rotation and stop control, winning process, and the like. The sub-board 201 performs processing such as effect display based on the winning process. An operation unit 202 includes switches such as a start switch 134, a stop switch 140, and a bet switch. 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 obtained by the winning process. A power supply unit 205 supplies power to each unit.

  The hopper device 2 includes a medal payout sensor 43 for counting the number of payout medals, and a hopper motor 34 for rotating a rotating disk to pay out medals. The hopper motor 34 is controlled by a medal payout command (control signal) from the main board 200 (that is, outside the hopper device 2).

  The hopper tank 1 is provided with a stored medal detection sensor S10 (hereinafter referred to as “sensor S10”). The output of the sensor S10 is input to the main board 200. The sensor S10 is for detecting the amount (number) of medals in the hopper tank 2. As the sensor S10, (1) an electric contact type sensor, (2) a non-contact type sensor, (3) a weight measuring device, or the like can be used.

  (1) The electric contact type sensor has two metal bars provided at a predetermined position (height) in the hopper tank 1, and when the medal is stored and reaches the position, the two metal bars are Thus, it is possible to know that medals have been stored up to the predetermined position. One of the two metal bars can be provided at a predetermined position, and the other can be provided at the bottom of the hopper tank 1. If the amount (number) of medals when conducting is measured in advance, the amount (number) of medals in the hopper tank 1 can be detected by the electric contact sensor. In order to increase the measurement accuracy, it is preferable to provide a large number of electrical contact sensors.

  (2) The non-contact type sensor measures the height of medals stored by ultrasonic waves or the like. For example, a non-contact type sensor is provided in the information of the hopper tank 1 and the distance to the surface of the stored medal in the hopper tank 1 is measured. The height of medals stored in the hopper tank 1 can be obtained from the measured distance, and the amount (number of medals) in the hopper tank 1 can be detected.

  (3) The weight measuring device is an electric scale, and measures the weight of medals in the hopper tank 1. Based on the weight of one medal, the amount (number) of medals in the hopper tank 1 can be detected. A pressure sensor can also be used as the weight measuring device. Since the pressure and the amount of stored medal (height) are proportional, the weight can be obtained from the pressure.

  Outputs of medal sensors S1 and S2 of the medal selector 123 are connected to the main board 200, and the number of medals inserted on the main board 200 is counted. Further, the output of the medal payout sensor 43 of the hopper device 2 is connected, and the number of medals paid out on the main board 200 is counted.

  The main board 200 includes a winning lottery means 200a for determining the presence / absence of a lottery based on a signal from the start switch 134, a fraud detector 200b for detecting fraud based on the output of the winning lottery means 200a, and a medal sensor. And an error determination unit 200c that performs at least one of the following error processing based on the outputs of S1 and S2, the stored medal sensor S10, and the medal payout sensor 43.

(E1) Processing to determine a medal selector medal clogging error

(E2) Processing for determining error relating to stored medals in hopper tank This is further subdivided as follows.
(E2a) Processing for determining a hopper tank empty error which means that there are no medals in the hopper tank (E2b) Processing for determining a hopper tank overflow error which means that medals overflow from the hopper tank

(E3) Processing for determining a hopper payout medal clogging error;

  The main board 200 further includes (E1) medal selector medal clogging error, (E2a) hopper tank empty error, (E2b) hopper tank overflow error, and (E3) hopper when fraud is detected by the fraud detector 200b. Among the payout medal clogged errors, an error control unit 200d that selects an error that is not determined to be an error by the error determination unit 200c and notifies the selected error is provided. In the following description, the notification control unit 200d also performs notification of an error determined as an error by the error determination unit 200c, but this is not essential for the present invention. Of the error notifications performed by the notification control unit 200d, those related to errors that are not determined to be errors by the error determination unit 200c are referred to as “inconsistency error notifications”, and those related to errors that are determined to be errors by the error determination unit 200c are referred to as “normal” Will be called "error notification".

  The winning lottery means 200a to the notification control unit 200d will be further described later.

  4 is a front view (FIG. 4A), a right side view (FIG. 4B), and a top view (FIG. 4C) of the hopper device. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the hopper device on the hopper tank side, and FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the hopper device side of the hopper device.

  The illustrated hopper device is roughly divided into a hopper tank 1 for storing medals M and a main body (hopper device 2) for discharging medals M stored in the hopper tank 1 one by one.

  The hopper device 2 can be broadly divided into a hopper chassis 2a and a plurality of medals M, which are supported by the hopper chassis 2a so that the medals M dropped from the hopper tank 1 are inserted one by one from above. A rotating disk 3 having 3a and a hopper motor 34 for rotating the rotating disk 3 are provided. When the rotary disk 3 is rotated by the driving force of the hopper motor 34, the medal M dropped into the medal drop hole 3a is discharged from the medal discharge port X to the outside.

  A base plate 5 is obliquely attached to the upper part of the hopper chassis 2a. A hopper motor 34 is fixed to the base plate 5. The output shaft 34a of the hopper motor 34 passes through the base plate 5 and protrudes substantially at the center of the upper surface thereof. Since the base plate 5 is inclined, the output shaft of the hopper motor intersects the vertical direction. For this reason, the rotating disk 3 is high on the medal discharge port side and low on the opposite side.

  A housing support 4 is located on the base plate 5. A protruding protrusion is formed around the housing support 4. The part of the medal discharge port X of the projecting edge is notched, and the medal is discharged through this part.

  When the medal M that has fallen into the medal drop hole 3a of the rotating disk 3 is positioned at the medal discharge port X as the rotating disk 3 rotates, the medal M is prevented from moving by the guide pin 36, and the medal discharge port X is inserted from the medal drop hole 3a. It is pushed out and discharged to the outside. In this way, the medals M are discharged in order as the rotating disk 3 rotates.

  Both the hopper tank 1 and the hopper chassis 2a are made of resin.

  In this hopper device, a counter roller 7 (provided on the counter arm 8) for counting the medals paid out rotates around the separator 6. The medal inserted into the hole provided in the rotating disk 3 moves as the rotating disk 3 rotates, and is pushed out by the guide pin 36 at the medal discharge port X and guided toward the medal path. At this time, the medal contacts the roller 7 provided on the counter arm 8 and rotates it. As a result, the protrusion provided on the counter arm 8 causes the game medal payout sensor 43 (for example, a photo interrupter: a light emitting element and a light receiving element to be opposed to each other in a case having a detection groove, and a passing object between the detection grooves is not contacted Between the detection grooves), the light from the light source is blocked, and the light receiving element detects this. In this way, when one medal is paid out, the medal touches the roller 7 and presses it once, so that the number of paid-out medals can be counted based on the number of detections of the sensor 43.

  The two guide pins 36 are provided in the vicinity of the medal discharge port X of the housing support 4. The two guide pins 36 are attached to the guide pin presser 10 via guide pin springs 37, respectively. The guide pin 36 is pressed upward by a guide pin spring 37 and protrudes from the surface of the housing support 4 by about 1 mm. Due to the elasticity of the guide pin spring 37, when the guide pin 36 is pushed from above, the guide pin 36 retracts into the housing support 4, and the head of the guide pin 36 coincides with the surface of the housing support 4.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the hopper tank 1 showing the attached state of the sensor S10. This figure shows an example in which four electric contact sensors are arranged in a substantially vertical direction. Sensors S10-D, C, B, and A are provided in this order from the bottom of the hopper tank 1. The amount of stored medals detected in this order increases, and when a sensor S10-A detects medals, it is full. When it is no longer detected by sensor S10-D, it is empty and a hopper empty error is reported. Although FIG. 7 shows an example in which four sensors S10 are provided, the present invention is not limited to this. Any number of sensors of two or more may be provided. The accuracy of measuring the amount of stored medals increases as the number of sensors increases. Other types of sensors such as a non-contact type sensor and a weight measurement sensor may be provided. In short, it is only necessary to be able to detect the amount of stored medals with a certain degree of accuracy (resolution) (it is convenient for notifying the necessary amount of medals if the resolution is adjusted to the unit of replenishment (such as a full scoop)).
Note that the sensor S10-A may be provided in the auxiliary tank 30 to detect medals actually overflowing from the hopper tank 1.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the medal selector 123 included in the gaming machine. FIG. 9 is an operation explanatory diagram of the medal selector of FIG. 8 and 9A, MS1 is a downwardly inclined medal passage, MS2 is a medal outlet of the medal selector 1, and S1 and S2 are medal sensors provided in the medal passage 11. These sensors are, for example, photo interrupters. The sensor S2 is provided on the downstream side of the sensor S1. M indicates the inserted medal. The medal M inserted from the upper part of the medal selector MS falls along the medal passage MS1, the direction of travel is changed to a slant sideways, and is discharged from the medal outlet MS2. Note that irregular medals of different sizes fall in the middle of the medal passage and return to the medal return slot.

  The detection of medals is performed according to the detection order of the two medal sensors S1 and S2. FIG. 9B shows a timing chart of output signals of the sensors S1 and S2 when the medal M passes. In the signal of FIG. 9B, a high level is positive logic indicating a medal passing state. The phase of the signal of the sensor S1 provided on the front side is more advanced than that of S2 (appears in the order of symbols a, c, b, and d). The passage of medals sent without being blocked on the way is detected by the sensors S1, S2. Since S1 and S2 are provided adjacent to each other, it is possible to detect the passing speed and passing direction of medals, and based on these, not only the number of medals but also illegal acts using medals backflow or celluloid are detected. can do. Further, by providing the medal sensors S1 and S2 on the side far from the medal entrance, it is difficult to cheat. FIG. 9C shows a signal when the medal flows backward, and FIG. 9D shows a signal when a foreign object is present.

  FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram of the error determination unit 200c and the notification control unit 200d. FIG. 11 is an operation explanatory diagram (truth table) of the notification control unit 200d. The operation of the gaming machine according to the embodiment of the invention will be described based on these drawings.

Each of the error determination units 200c-E1 to -E3 determines an error as follows, for example.
The hopper empty error determination unit 200c-E2a determines that the hopper is empty when the medal cannot be detected by the sensor S10-D of FIG. 7 (the continuity is lost), and outputs an error signal to that effect.

  The hopper overflow error determination unit 200c-E2b determines a hopper overflow when a medal is detected by the sensor S10-A in FIG. 7 (conduction is detected), and outputs an error signal to that effect.

  The medal selector error determination unit 200c-E1 determines a medal selector error when it detects the waveforms in FIGS. 9C and 9D, and outputs an error signal to that effect. FIG. 9C shows a waveform when the medal flows backward. This is because the order of the signals of the sensors S1 and S2 is reversed from the normal FIG. 9B. In FIG. 9D, since a signal e that is not detected at the time of passing a medal is detected, it is considered that some foreign matter exists (for example, an illegal act has been performed). Furthermore, a medal selector error may also be determined when at least one of the sensors S1 or S2 has detected a medal for longer than a predetermined time. This indicates that medals stay in the medal selector 123 for a long time (for example, medals are jammed).

  The medal payout error determination unit 200c-E3 determines a medal payout error when the medal payout sensor 43 detects a medal for longer than a predetermined time, and outputs an error signal to that effect. This means that the medal payout sensor 43 is out of order or an illegal act is being performed (for example, the counter roller 7 is prevented from returning due to a foreign object).

  When one of the error determination units 200c-E1 to -E3 determines an error, the notification control unit 200d performs error notification by outputting a corresponding error signal, and the fraud detection unit 200b When the error is detected, the error determination units 200c-E1 to -E3 search for a normal one that is not determined as an error, and dare to notify the error. That is, as shown in the table of FIG. 11, the notification control unit 200d, when any one of the error determination units 200c-E1 to -E3 determines an error, An error notification is performed regardless of whether or not an illegal act is detected, and an error notification (contradictory error notification) is performed even when it is not determined that an error occurs when an illegal activity is detected.

  In FIG. 10, the notification control unit 200d includes four notification control circuits 200d-E1, -E2a, -E2b, and -E3 corresponding to the error determination units. Each of the notification control circuits 200d-E1 to -E3 performs processing shown in FIG. 11 and controls whether or not to transmit the signal of the fraud detection unit 200b to other adjacent notification control circuits. In FIG. 10, regarding the contradiction error notification, the priority is higher in the upper part. That is, when no error has occurred in the gaming machine, the hopper empty error E2a is notified as a contradiction error. If a hopper empty error E2a has actually occurred, a hopper overflow error E2b is reported as a contradiction error.

  Thus, the order of which four errors (E1), (E2a), (E2b), and (E3) are used for the contradiction error is determined in advance. The reason for setting the priority in this way is to make it easier for hall attendants to notice a contradiction error.

  For example, if (E2a) related to the hopper's stored medal is set as a contradiction error, it can be immediately recognized that it is strange to be notified that the hopper is empty even though the medal is stored. Similarly, if (E2b) is a contradiction error, it can be immediately realized that it is strange to be notified of a hopper overflow even though the medals are not full (relatively many medals are stored. When it is, it cannot be judged at a glance whether it is overflow or not, and it can be said that it is less noticeable than (E2a)).

  Although (E1) related to the medal selector can be set as a contradiction error, it may be determined that the medal is not actually jammed (for example, FIGS. 9C and 9D), and the medal is not jammed. It cannot be determined that there is a contradiction error. The same applies to (E3) related to medal payout (a clogged medal may be discharged at some point, and it can be said that it is less noticeable than (E1)).

  To summarize the above considerations, it is preferable to use them for contradiction errors in the order (priority) of (E2a) (E2b) (E1) (E3).

From the above viewpoint, each of the notification control circuits 200d-E1 to -E3 preferably has the following function (circuit).
(A) Function for generating a normal error signal based on a normal error signal by the error determination unit 200c (output circuit)
(A) Function for generating a contradiction error signal when a fraud is detected by the fraud detection unit 200b and not determined as an error by the error determination unit 200c (a contradiction error generation circuit)
(C) A function (output circuit) that performs control so as to perform error notification when either a normal error signal or a contradiction error signal is valid
(D) A function for sending a fraud detection signal by the fraud detector 200b to the next notification control circuit in order to make the next error a contradiction error when a normal error signal is generated (sending circuit)

  FIG. 12 shows an example in which the above function is realized by a logic circuit. Each notification control circuit includes two AND gates (AND1, 2), one OR gate, and one NOT gate (inverter). AND1 and NOT gate correspond to a contradiction error generation circuit, AND2 corresponds to a sending circuit, and OR gate corresponds to an output circuit.

  FIG. 12 is expressed in positive logic. That is, when the error signal from the error determination unit 200c is H (valid), it means that an error has occurred, and when the fraud detection signal from the fraud detection unit 200b is H, it means fraud detection.

  When the fraud detection signal from fraud detection unit 200b becomes H, the output of AND1 of notification control circuit 200d-E2a is H (however, the output of hopper empty error determination unit 200c-E2a is L (invalid)), and therefore OR gate Becomes H, and a hopper empty error is reported.

  When the output of the hopper empty error determination unit 200c-E2a is H, the output of the AND2 becomes H, and the fraud detection signal is sent to the next notification control circuit 200d-E2b. Similar processing is performed in the notification control circuit 200d-E2b.

  One input terminal of AND1 of each of the notification control circuits 200d-E1 to -E3 receives an output signal (fraud detection signal) from a higher-order notification control circuit. In other words, in FIG. 12, four notification control circuits 200d-E1 to -E3 are stacked in order of priority, and the output terminal of the sending circuit and the input terminal of the contradiction error generating circuit are among these circuits. Is connected.

  FIG. 13 shows a flowchart when the above functions are realized by a program. For example, the notification control unit 200d executes the process of FIG.

  It is determined whether or not an illegal act has been detected (S101). When it is detected (YES in S101), it is checked whether or not a first priority error (hopper empty error) has occurred (S102a). If not (S102a) NO), the first priority error is notified to notify the contradiction error (S102b). When a first priority error (a hopper empty error) has occurred (YES in S102a), attempts are made in order to notify the next inconsistency error (S103 to S105).

  According to the embodiment of the invention, it is possible to notify a hall clerk of an illegal act by performing an inconsistent error notification that only the hall clerk notices. According to the embodiment of the invention, it is possible to prevent a fraudulent from being missed by creating a situation in which a fraudulent is aware of fraud but the fraudulent is not aware of the fraud.

  According to the embodiment of the invention, an order (priority order) is assigned to a plurality of gaming machine errors, and the hall clerk notifies the errors in an order in which the hall clerk easily recognizes the contradiction error. Can be easily distinguished from errors.

Next, the operation of the fraud detection unit 200b will be described.
FIG. 14 is a block diagram of winning lottery means 200a according to the first embodiment of the invention. The random value monitor 200b-1 in FIG. 14 corresponds to the fraud detector 200b. At least a part of the functions of each block in FIG. 14 (for example, the determination unit 5, the winning determination table 6 and the random number monitor 200b-1) is executed by the same CPU as the program stored in the ROM of the main board 1. Or by hardware such as an IC. As shown in FIG. 14, the winning lottery means includes a random number generator 3, a random number extractor 4, a determining unit 5, and a winning determination table 6.

  In FIG. 14, as the fraud detector 200b, the random number value monitor 200b-1 that stores the previously extracted random number value and compares the stored random number value with the random number value extracted by the random number extractor 4 is used. It is characterized by providing. Although not shown, the random value monitor 200b-1 includes a random value storage unit (semiconductor memory (RAM) or the like) for storing the previously extracted random value. The random value monitor 200b-1 compares the random value extracted by the random number extractor 4 with the random value extracted before the random value, and the same or approximate random value is extracted based on the comparison result. (Specifically, when the random number extracted this time coincides with the previous random number, or the difference between them is smaller than a predetermined threshold value).

  The random number generator 3 generates a random number for winning lottery within a predetermined area. For example, a counter that receives a clock signal and generates an arbitrary numerical value with a predetermined probability in a range of 0 to a certain number (for example, 0000 to FFFF (hexadecimal)) according to the clock signal.

  The random number extractor 4 extracts a random number generated by the random number generator 3 at the timing of a predetermined switch operation (for example, operation of the start switch 30). The random number generator 3 continuously generates random numbers at predetermined intervals, and a part of them is extracted by the random number extractor 4.

  The winning determination table 6 has an area divided for each winning mode corresponding to the entire area of random numbers taken by the random number generator 3. For example, a range of 0 to a certain number is divided into a plurality, one division (region) is excluded, and the other division (region) is set as winning 1, winning 2,.

  The determination unit 5 refers to the extracted random number data extracted by the random number extractor 4 with the lottery probability data in the winning determination table 6. That is, the extracted random number data is collated with each of the winning determination area data divided for each winning mode in the entire random number region taken by the random number generator 3, and the winning corresponding to the winning mode to which the extracted random number data belongs is determined. To decide. For example, it is determined which category (region) of the winning determination table 6 the extracted random number value belongs to, and if the category is, for example, a category of winning 1, it is determined as “winning 1”. Similarly, if the extracted random number value belongs to a category (area) that is out of the winning determination table 6, it is determined as “out”.

  For example, when the evaluation of the lottery process is out of place, it is set so that the predetermined symbols are not aligned (so-called kicking), and when winning, the predetermined symbols are aligned on the condition that the stop switch is pressed at a predetermined timing. (So-called pull-in). And if predetermined symbols are prepared, medals corresponding to winning symbols are paid out.

  The random number monitoring device 200b-1 detects the fraud by comparing the previous random number value with the random value extracted by the random number extractor 4. For example, the random number monitor 200b-1 uses the same or approximate random number value when the random number value extracted by the random number extractor 4 matches the previous random number value or when the difference between them is smaller than a predetermined threshold value. Is extracted, and a fraud detection signal is output.

  Note that the determination performed by the random number monitor 200b-1 as to whether or not an illegal act using a so-called sensory device is performed is performed by comparing a newly extracted random number value with a previous random number value. . It is appropriate to compare with the previous random number when judging fraud, because the fraudulent act is a qualification for winning continuously (that is, obtaining the same or similar random value that can obtain the qualification). is there. Typically, the random value r (N−1) immediately before, that is, when the newly extracted random number value is r (N) (N is an integer) is the “previous” random number value. It is not limited to this. For example, r (N-10) is also a “previous” random value. However, for example, even if compared with a random number value before 100 games, there is no effect of preventing fraud. In the present specification, “previous” means the previous (r (N−1)), the last time (r (N−2)),... About 10 times before (r (N−10)). Shall mean.

  In order to detect fraud, there is a method of determining whether a random value obtained by a player can be statistically generated by taking a history of a certain period such as 10 games. For example, it is statistically impossible to extract almost the same random number value for 10 games in a row. Although it is not continuous, the same random number value is extracted in 8 games. It is the same that almost the same random number value is extracted continuously in five games.

  Extraction of random numbers by the start switch 30 is an independent event in mathematics, and the probability distribution of random values is uniform (the random number extraction probability of any of 0000 to FFFF is the same). Therefore, general statistical theory can be applied. For example, if the number of games is N, the expected random number extracted from these is E (N) (equivalent to 8000 (hexadecimal) if 16 bits). When the difference (deviation) between the average value AV of the random values actually obtained and the expected value E (N) is larger than a threshold value (for example, one of the standard deviations σ, 2σ, or 3σ), it is statistically impossible. Can be determined.

Specific methods for detecting fraud include the following methods (1) to (3). Details will be described later.
(1) The previous random number value is simply compared with the current random number value, and when they match or when the difference between them is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, it is determined as an illegal act.
(2) The extracted random number value is continuously monitored, and a state in which the difference (difference) between the previous random number value and the current random number value is zero or smaller than a predetermined threshold value is determined in advance. If it occurs more than the specified number of times, it is determined to be fraudulent.
(3) The extracted random number value is continuously monitored, and a state in which the difference between the predetermined reference value and the random number value becomes zero or becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold is a predetermined number of times. If it occurs beyond this, it is determined to be fraudulent.

  Next, the operation of the gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 15 is a process flowchart of the gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the invention.
When the start switch 30 is pressed, the process of FIG. 15 is executed. That is, a random number is acquired (S1), and a check is performed by comparing the acquired random number with a history of extracted random number values stored for a certain period (S2). It is determined whether or not the random number history is statistically abnormal (S3). The specific method is as described above or below. If it is not statistically abnormal (NO in S3), the process returns to the normal process without performing any special process. If it is statistically abnormal (YES in S3), a fraud detection signal is output (S4). Then, the process returns to normal processing.

  The criteria for determining whether or not statistically abnormal will be described. The embodiment of the present invention is for preventing an illegal act of continuously obtaining a desired random value by moving a hand or an arm at a constant cycle using a sensory sensor. Therefore, the determination criterion may be whether or not the same or similar random number value is obtained continuously to the extent that it is almost impossible to obtain it by operating the normal start switch 30. Specifically, the following criteria (1) to (3) are determined.

(1) Simply compare the previous random number value with the current random number value, and when they match or when the difference between them is smaller than a predetermined threshold, it is statistically determined to be abnormal.
(Current random value)-(Previous random value) = 0
Or (current random value)-(previous random value) <(threshold)
When the above condition is satisfied, it is statistically determined to be abnormal.
For example, the random number monitor 200b-1 calculates the left side of the above formula and outputs the result. Then, on the receiver side, the received value is compared with the threshold value, and when (received value) <(threshold value), it is statistically determined to be abnormal. The determination of (received value) <(threshold value) may be performed by the random number monitor 200b-1.
Since the random number generator 3 generates random numbers at a high speed, the probability that the current random number value and the previous random number value are exactly the same by an operation by a general player may be regarded as zero. The same applies when the difference is very small (for example, less than 1%). This method is simple to process and easy to implement.

(2) The extracted random number value is continuously monitored, and a state in which the difference (difference) between the previous random number value and the current random number value is zero or smaller than a predetermined threshold value is determined in advance. When the number of occurrences exceeds the specified number, it is statistically determined to be abnormal.
This method will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 16A is a graph in which the extracted random number values are plotted in time series. The figure shows 13 random values. The vertical axis of the graph represents a random value. The random number generator 3 is composed of a counter, and its output repeats a range of 0000-FFFF (hexadecimal). The horizontal axis of the graph indicates time.

FIG. 16B is a graph in which the random number difference (vertical axis) is plotted in time series.
(Random number difference) = (Current random number value)-(Previous random value)
It is.
In FIG. 16B, the vertical axis indicates threshold values Th + and Th−.

  For example, the random number monitor 200b-1 calculates the left side of the above formula and outputs the result. On the receiver side, the received value is compared with the threshold value, and when the difference is continuously included in the threshold value Th + and Th− within a certain number of times (for example, five times or more), it is statistically abnormal. judge. In FIG. 16B, since (p) to (t) are continuously included in the range of the threshold values Th + and Th−, at the timing t1 immediately after the random value of (t) is extracted, Is judged abnormal.

  This method is more complicated than the method (1) described above, but on the other hand, there is an advantage that an illegal act can be detected reliably. In the above-described method (1), it is not statistically determined to be abnormal unless the difference between the previous and current random numbers is small (for example, less than 1%). Even if a fraudulent act is performed, it cannot be detected unless the fraudster operates “exactly” in accordance with the random number generation cycle. In order to detect fraudulently with certainty, the threshold may be increased (for example, less than 5%), but in this case, an operation of a general player is often mistakenly detected as fraudulent. Thus, increasing the detection probability of fraudulent activity and increasing the probability of erroneously detecting a general player's operation as fraudulent activity (false detection probability) are in a trade-off relationship, and the above-mentioned (1) In this way, it is difficult to improve both at the same time.

  On the other hand, according to the method of (2), both can be improved simultaneously. The random number value by the fraudulent person becomes the same or similar value continuously (part (p) to (t) in FIG. 16), particularly when the fraudulent act is succeeding. In such a case, it may be determined statistically abnormal. In view of the nature of the random value by such a fraudster, the detection probability can be increased by increasing the threshold Th in FIG. 16B (for example, 5%), but the false detection probability is not increased. This is because it is almost impossible to obtain a random value that is continuously approximated by an operation by a general player.

  In FIG. 16 (b), when (p) to (t) are continuously within the threshold value, that is, 5 times continuously, it is statistically determined to be abnormal, but this is an example and not 5 times. 10 times, 20 times, and so on.

  In general, increasing the number of times decreases the false detection probability, but also decreases the detection probability. Increasing the threshold value increases the detection probability, but also increases the false detection probability. In view of such properties, a practically preferable threshold value / number of times may be set. The detection probability according to the method (2) is higher than the detection probability according to the method (1). Regarding the false detection probability, the method (2) is lower than the method (1) and is superior. It can be said that the method (2) improves both the detection probability and the false detection probability of the method (1) at the same time.

  In the above example, whether or not the value is the same or approximated five times consecutively is used as a criterion. Instead, whether or not the value is the same or approximated five times or more out of ten times, that is, predetermined. It is also possible to use whether or not the frequency is exceeded.

(3) The extracted random number value is continuously monitored, and a state in which the difference between the predetermined reference value and the random number value becomes zero or becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold is a predetermined number of times. When it exceeds, it is statistically determined to be abnormal.
This method will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 17A is a graph in which the extracted random number values are plotted in time series. The figure shows 13 random values. The vertical axis of the graph represents a random value. The random number generator 3 is composed of a counter, and its output repeats a range of 0000-FFFF (hexadecimal). The horizontal axis of the graph indicates time.
FIG. 17B is a graph in which a difference (vertical axis) between a predetermined reference value and a random value is plotted in time series.

In this method, instead of the difference of (2), a difference from a predetermined reference value (scattering method: hereinafter referred to as “dispersion”) is used.
(Dispersion) = (Random value)-(Reference value)
Except for the above, the method is the same as the method (2).
As a reference value, any value determined as winning is adopted. Since the fraudulent person always aims for winning, a value corresponding thereto (for example, Z = (X + Y) / 2 when the jackpot range of the winning determination table 6 is X to Y) may be set as a reference value.
Like the method (2), the method (3) can improve both the detection probability and the false detection probability, and can prevent the continuation of winning and effectively deter fraud.
Note that, similarly to the case of (2), whether or not the value is the same or approximated 5 times or more out of 10 times (whether or not a predetermined frequency is exceeded) can be used as a criterion.

Embodiment 2 of the Invention
Another fraud detection unit 200b will be described. The fraud detection unit 200b according to Embodiment 2 of the invention detects unauthorized opening of the front door 130 of the gaming machine.

  FIG. 18 is a functional block diagram of fraud detector 200b (hereinafter referred to as “door open / close detection sensor DS”) according to the second embodiment of the invention.

  The gaming machine of FIG. 18 is provided with a door open / close detection sensor DS. The door opening / closing detection sensor DS includes two sets of light detection sensors (a first light emitting unit 10 and a first light receiving unit 11, a second light emitting unit 20 and a second light receiving unit 21). Outputs of the door opening / closing detection sensor DS (outputs of the first light receiving unit 11 and the second light receiving unit 21) are sent to the main board 200. The main board 200 determines whether the front door 130 is opened or closed and an illegal act based on the output of the door opening / closing detection sensor DS with reference to a table shown in FIG. The table of FIG. 20 is stored in advance in a memory (not shown) of the main board 200 in the form of a program or data.

  FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram of the structure of the door opening / closing detection sensor according to the second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 19A is a front view of the door opening / closing detection sensor. For example, the door open / close detection sensor is attached to the inside of the right side of the housing 120 so as to face the front of the gaming machine (if provided on the inside of the right side, that is, on the side opposite to the hinge, it is possible to detect a slight opening / closing of the door. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be provided at any position of the opening of the housing 120 or at another position of the housing 120). FIG. 19A is a view of the state of such attachment as viewed from the front with the door 130 opened. FIG. 19B is a right side view of the door opening / closing detection sensor. FIG.19 (c) is AA arrow sectional drawing of Fig.19 (a). In FIG. 19, the display of the housing (case) of the door opening / closing detection sensor is omitted (the same applies to other drawings).

  In FIG. 19, reference numeral 30 denotes a rod-like (cylindrical) action portion that is provided at the opening of the housing 120 and is urged toward the front side by an urging means such as a spring (not shown). A hole is bored at substantially the center of the action portion 30 over its entire length, thereby providing a cylindrical space 30a. When the door 130 is opened, the action portion 30 protrudes from the housing 120 by a predetermined length by an urging means (not shown) (see FIG. 21B). However, the amount of protrusion is limited by a stopper (not shown) (reference symbol a in FIG. 21B indicates a movable distance). FIGS. 19B and 19C show a state where the action portion 30 does not protrude (a state where the door 130 is closed). The action portion 30 moves to the front side by a predetermined distance when one end is in contact with the inside (reference numeral 31) of the door 130 with the door 130 closed and the door 130 is opened. As a result, when the door 130 is largely opened, the end of the action part 30 is separated from the inside (reference numeral 31) of the door 130 (see FIG. 22).

  Reference numeral 31 denotes a second light receiving part holding part provided inside the door 130 and having substantially the same cross section as the action part 30. The second light receiving unit holding unit 31 holds a second light receiving unit 21 described later at an end of a columnar space 31 a provided therein. In addition, the 2nd light-receiving part holding part 31 can also be directly attached to the inner side of the door 130 without using the 2nd light-receiving-part holding part 31, and the 2nd light receiving part holding part 31 is unnecessary in this case. The second light receiving unit holding unit 31 has a function of holding the second light receiving unit 21 and also has a function of limiting the light receiving range by covering the periphery of the second light receiving unit 21. By limiting the light receiving range, it is possible to prevent the second light receiving unit 21 from receiving the light from the second light emitting unit when the door 130 is opened by a certain angle or more (see FIG. 22). For this reason, when the second light receiving unit is directly attached to the inside of the door 130, it is preferable to provide a cover around the light receiving range.

  Reference numeral 10 denotes a first light emitting unit provided in the vicinity (not limited to the end) of the end of the action unit 30 opposite to the end in contact with the door. Reference numeral 11 denotes a first light receiving unit disposed to face the first light emitting unit 10 with the end of the action unit 30 interposed therebetween. In the state of FIG. 19 in which the action part 30 does not protrude, the light path from the first light emitting part 10 to the first light receiving part is blocked by the end of the action part 30. In the example of FIG. 19, the first light emitting unit 10 and the first light receiving unit 11 are planes perpendicular to the space 30 a (perpendicular to the central axis of the working unit 30), and slightly closer to the working unit 30 than the ends thereof. It is arranged on a plane that intersects the inner part. In other words, the first light-emitting unit 10 and the first light-receiving unit 11 receive light from the first light-emitting unit in a state where the action unit 30 has moved to the front side (FIG. 21B), specifically Is provided at a position shorter than the length a of FIG. 21B as measured from the end of the action portion 30 of FIGS. In the example of FIG. 19A, the first light emitting unit 10 and the first light receiving unit 11 are provided near the circumference of the action unit 30, but these are provided near the center (near the space 30a). Also good.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a second light emitting unit provided at the end of the cylindrical space 30a of the action unit 30 and at the end opposite to the end in contact with the door 130. 21 is provided at the back side (the door 130 side) of the space 31a of the second light receiving unit holding portion 31, and the door 130 is closed so that the space 30a of the working unit 30 and the space 31a of the second light receiving unit holding unit 31 communicate with each other. It is a 2nd light-receiving part which receives light from the 2nd light emission part 20 through the space formed by these in a state. FIG. 19C shows a state in which the light L of the second light emitting unit 20 indicated by the arrow reaches the second light receiving unit 21 through the spaces 30a and 31a.
The positions of the second light emitting unit 20 and the second light receiving unit 21 may be reversed. That is, the second light emitting unit 20 may be provided at the position of the second light receiving unit 21 in FIGS. 19B and 19C, and the second light receiving unit 21 may be provided at the position of the second light emitting unit 20. Moreover, although the 2nd light emission part 20 is provided in the edge of the cylindrical space 30a of the action part 30, it is not limited to this. For example, it can be provided outside (preferably nearest) the end of the space 30a. The same applies to the second light receiving unit 21.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram of door opening / closing and fraud determination according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
FIG. 21 is an operation explanatory view of the door opening / closing detection sensor according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention (showing a door closed state).
FIG. 22 is an operation explanatory diagram of the door opening / closing detection sensor according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention (showing the door open state).
FIG. 23 is an operation explanatory diagram of the door opening / closing detection sensor according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention (indicating an illegal act).

  With reference to FIGS. 19 to 23, the operation of the door opening / closing detection sensor DS and the main board 200 in the second embodiment of the invention will be described. Based on the output of the door opening / closing detection sensor DS, the main board 200 determines the presence or absence of fraud and generates a fraud detection signal.

  The door opening / closing detection sensor DS according to the second embodiment of the present invention is a separate sensor, that is, the second light emitting unit 20 and the second light receiving unit 21 are connected to the first light emitting unit 10 in order to detect fraudulent actions such as pressing down the action part. This is used together with the first light receiving unit 11. The second light emitting unit 20 and the second light receiving unit 21 are not provided independently, but they are built in a conventional door opening / closing detection sensor DS. In addition to the on / off state of the conventional sensor (whether or not the light from the first light emitting unit 10 is received by the first light receiving unit 11), the second light emitting unit 20 receives the second light when the opening angle of the door 130 exceeds a certain level. Utilizing the fact that the light receiving unit 21 cannot detect, the opening and closing of the door is monitored by two sets of sensors.

(1) Closed state of door When the door 130 is closed, the tip of the action part 30 is pushed into the inside of the casing 120 (FIG. 21A: the tip of the action part 30 is the opening of the casing 120. Is almost the same). In this state, the end of the operation unit 30 on the back side of the housing interrupts between the first light emitting unit 10 and the first light receiving unit 11 and blocks light. On the other hand, the action part 30 and the second light receiving part holding part 31 are in contact with each other at their ends, and the spaces 30a and 31a communicate with each other to form a light passage. The light of the unit 20 is received (FIG. 21A). Accordingly, the main board 200 determines that the door is closed when the first light receiving unit 11 does not receive light and the second light receiving unit 21 receives light according to the table of FIG.

(2) Open state of door When the door 130 starts to open, the action part 30 protrudes to the front side. When the limit distance that the action part 30 can move is defined as a, the state where the action part 30 protrudes by the distance a is as shown in FIG. In the state of the figure, the end of the action unit 30 does not block the light path from the first light emitting unit 10 to the first light receiving unit 11, so that the first light receiving unit 11 receives light. On the other hand, the action part 30 and the second light receiving part holding part 31 are still in contact with each other at their ends, and the spaces 30a and 31a communicate with each other to form a light path. The light from the two light emitting units 20 is received (FIG. 21B). The main substrate 200 is not particularly determined when the first light receiving unit 11 receives light and the second light receiving unit 21 receives light.

  The distance a must be equal to or greater than the distance at which the light path from the first light emitting unit 10 to the first light receiving unit 11 is not blocked by the end of the action unit 30. In addition, the distance a must be so small that a gap between the door 130 and the housing 120 is so small that internal switches cannot be operated. The distance a is preferably about 0.5 to 1 cm or about 1 to 2 cm, for example.

  FIG. 22 shows a state where the door 130 is further opened. FIG. 22A shows a top view, and FIG. 22B shows a right side view. In the state of the figure, the end of the action unit 30 does not block the light path from the first light emitting unit 10 to the first light receiving unit 11, so the first light receiving unit 11 receives light. This is the same as FIG. On the other hand, the contact between the action part 30 and the second light receiving part holding part 31 is separated, and as shown in FIG. 22A, as the door 130 rotates around the hinge provided at the upper end of the figure. Since the light emission direction of the second light emitting unit 20 and the light receiving direction of the second light receiving unit 21 are shifted, the second light receiving unit 21 does not receive light. In other words, the light receiving range of the second light receiving unit 21 (the light receiving range is determined by the cross-sectional diameter of the space 31a of the second light receiving unit holding unit 31 and its depth from the surface to the second light receiving unit 21). The light from the second light emitting unit 20 does not enter the light. The degree to which the second light receiving unit 21 does not receive light when the door 130 is opened can be appropriately set by adjusting the light receiving range. The main substrate (control unit) 200 determines that the door is open according to the table of FIG. 20 when the first light receiving unit 11 receives light and the second light receiving unit 21 does not receive light.

(3) Unauthorized acts Unauthorized actions are performed that hinder the operation of the door open / close detection sensor DS and make it impossible to detect that the door 130 has been opened. That is, as shown in FIG. 23, the cheating person applies an unauthorized tool (for example, a rod-like or plate-like object) X to the tip of the action part 30 and opens the door 130 so that the action part 30 does not protrude. . In the state of FIG. 23, the first light receiving unit 11 does not receive light, and the second light receiving unit 21 does not receive light due to an unauthorized tool X. A state in which neither of the two light receiving parts receives light is normally impossible. Even if the unauthorized tool X transmits light, the second light receiving unit 21 does not receive light by opening the door 130. Therefore, the main board 200 determines that an illegal act is performed when the first light receiving unit 11 does not receive light and the second light receiving unit 21 does not receive light according to the table of FIG.

  In the case of FIG. 23, it is preferable that the cross section of the action portion 30 is made as small as possible so that the space 31 is reliably closed by the unauthorized tool X and the second light receiving portion 21 cannot receive light promptly.

  According to the second embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the drawbacks of the conventional switch type sensor (opening of the door cannot be detected when the action part for switching on / off of the light detection sensor is pressed when the door is opened). It is possible to reinforce the weak point of the door open / close detection sensor and prevent fraud. That is, not only the opening / closing of the door, but also an illegal act on the door opening / closing detection sensor can be determined.

  Since the second embodiment of the invention is not a method that uses reflected light for detection, even if a mirror surface is used as a shield that misidentifies the operation of the switch, the light detection sensor does not make a mistake.

FIG. 24 is a functional block diagram of another door opening / closing detection sensor according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
The door opening / closing detection sensor DS of FIG. 24 includes a pair of light detection sensors (light emitting unit 10 and light receiving unit 11), and monitors the on / off state of electric currents of the electrical contacts (acting unit side contact 20 and door side contact 21). This type of sensor is also provided. The output of the door opening / closing detection sensor DS (the output of the light receiving unit 11 and the door side contact 21) is sent to the main board 200. The main board 200 determines opening / closing of the front door 130 and an illegal act based on the output of the door opening / closing detection sensor DS with reference to a table shown in FIG. The table of FIG. 26 is stored in advance in a memory (not shown) of the main board 200 in the form of a program or data. In FIG. 24, a current is passed by the battery (power source) 22 between the action part side contact 20 and the door side contact 21, and this is monitored by the current monitoring sensor 200e. One of the contacts is grounded (grounded) by the main board 200, and the other contact is connected to the + 5V power source of the main board 200 via a resistor and connected to the input terminal of the microcomputer I / O. The microcomputer may detect the continuity between the contacts 20 and 21 (the voltage is L level in the conductive state and the voltage is H level in the non-conductive state). In addition, the action part side contact 20 and the door side contact 21 may be reversed with respect to the electrical connection in FIG.

  FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram of the structure of the door opening / closing detection sensor according to the first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 25A is a front view of the door opening / closing detection sensor. The door opening / closing detection sensor is attached to the inside of the right side surface of the housing 130, for example, facing the front of the gaming machine. FIG. 25B is a right side view of the door opening / closing detection sensor. FIG. 25C is a cross-sectional view taken along arrow AA in FIG. In FIG. 25, the display of the housing (case) of the door open / close detection sensor is omitted (the same applies to other drawings).

  In FIG. 25, reference numeral 20 denotes an action part side contact provided at an end in contact with the door 130. 21 is a door-side contact that is provided in the door-side contact holding part 31 and is electrically connected to the action part contact 20 when the door 130 is closed and the action part 30 and the door-side contact holding part 31 come into contact with each other.

  Reference numeral 30 denotes a rod-like (cylindrical) action portion that is provided in the opening of the housing 120 and is urged toward the front side by an urging means such as a spring (not shown). The tip of the action part 30 is formed in a tapered shape, and the action part side contact 20 is provided at the tip. Specifically, the action part 30 is an insulator, and a conductor constituting the action part side contact 20 is embedded in the action part 30 at the center, and both ends of the conductor are exposed at both ends of the action part 30. The end of the action portion side contact 20 formed in the tapered shape contacts the door side contact 21, and the opposite end is connected to the terminal of the main board 200 (the conductor of the end 20 formed in the tapered shape). The exposed portion is the action part side contact 20, but for the sake of clarity, the conductor is shown as the action part side contact 20). When the door 130 is opened, the action portion 30 protrudes from the housing 120 by a predetermined length by an urging means (not shown) (see FIG. 27B). However, the amount of protrusion is limited by a stopper (not shown) (reference symbol a in FIG. 27B indicates a movable distance). 25B and 25C show a state where the action part 30 does not protrude (a state where the door 130 is closed). The action part 30 moves to the front side by a predetermined distance with one end in contact with the inside (reference numeral 31) of the door 130 with the door 130 closed, and as described above. As a result, when the door 130 is largely opened, the end of the action part 30 is separated from the inside (reference numeral 31) of the door 130 (see FIG. 28).

  Reference numeral 31 denotes a door-side contact holder provided inside the door 130. The door-side contact holding part 31 is an insulator, and a conductor is embedded in the door, and both ends of the conductor are exposed at both ends of the door-side contact holding part 31. The end of the conductor on the housing side 120 contacts the action part side contact 20, and the opposite end is connected to a terminal of the main board 200. The conductor exposed at the end of the door-side contact holding portion 31 on the housing 120 side constitutes the door-side contact 21 (for the sake of clarity, the conductor is shown as the door-side contact 21). In addition, the door side contact holding part 31 can also be directly attached inside the door 130 without using the door side contact holding part 31, and the door side contact holding part 31 is unnecessary in this case.

  Reference numeral 10 denotes a light emitting unit provided in the vicinity (not limited to the end) of the end of the action unit 30 opposite to the end in contact with the door. Reference numeral 11 denotes a light receiving unit that is disposed to face the light emitting unit 10 with the end of the working unit 30 interposed therebetween. In the state of FIG. 25 in which the action part 30 does not protrude, the light path from the light emitting part 10 to the light receiving part 11 is blocked by the end of the action part 30. In the example of FIG. 25, the light emitting unit 10 and the light receiving unit 11 are planes perpendicular to the rod-like action unit 30 (perpendicular to the central axis of the action unit 30), and are slightly inside the action unit 30 from the end thereof. It is arrange | positioned on the plane which cross | intersects. In other words, the light-emitting unit 10 and the light-receiving unit 11 receive light from the light-emitting unit when the action unit 30 is moved to the front side (FIG. 27B), specifically, FIG. ) It is provided at a position shorter than the length a in FIG. 27B as measured from the end of the action part 30 in FIG. In the example of FIG. 25A, the light emitting unit 10 and the light receiving unit 11 are provided near the circumference of the action part 30, but these are provided near the center (near the central axis of the rod-like action part 30). It may be.

FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram of door opening / closing and fraud determination according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
FIG. 27 is an operation explanatory diagram of the door opening / closing detection sensor according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention (showing a door closed state).
FIG. 28 is an operation explanatory diagram of the door opening / closing detection sensor according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention (showing a door open state).
FIG. 29 is an operation explanatory diagram of the door open / close detection sensor according to the second embodiment of the present invention (indicating an illegal act).

  With reference to FIGS. 25 to 29, the operation of the door opening / closing detection sensor DS and the main board 200 in the second embodiment of the invention will be described.

  The door opening / closing detection sensor DS according to the second embodiment of the present invention is a separate sensor, that is, the action part side contact 20 and the door side contact 21 are connected to the light emitting part 10 and the light receiving part 11 in order to detect an illegal act of pressing the action part. It is characterized by being used together. The action part side contact 20 and the door side contact 21 are not provided independently, but they are built in a conventional door opening / closing detection sensor DS. In addition to the on / off of the conventional sensor (whether or not the light of the light emitting unit 10 is received by the light receiving unit 11), the on / off of conduction (current) due to the electrical contact between the action unit side contact 20 and the door side contact 21 is monitored. Thus, the opening and closing of the door is monitored by two sets of sensors.

(1) Door closed state When the door 130 is closed, the tip of the action part 30 is pushed into the inside of the housing 120 (FIG. 27A: the tip of the action part 30 is the door side contact holding part. 30). In this state, the end of the operation unit 30 on the back side of the housing interrupts between the light emitting unit 10 and the door side contact 11 and blocks light. On the other hand, the action part 30 and the door-side contact holding part 31 are in contact with each other at their ends, and as a result, the action part-side contact 20 and the door-side contact 21 are in electrical contact (FIG. 27A). Therefore, according to the table of FIG. 26, the main substrate (control unit) 200 is that the light receiving unit 11 does not receive light and the door is closed when the action unit side contact 20 and the door side contact 21 are conductive. judge.

(2) Open state of door When the door 130 starts to open, the action part 30 protrudes to the front side. When the limit distance that the action part 30 can move is defined as a, the state where the action part 30 protrudes by the distance a is as shown in FIG. In the state of the figure, since the end of the action part 30 does not block the light path from the light emitting part 10 to the light receiving part 11, the light receiving part 11 receives light. On the other hand, the action part 30 and the door side contact holding part 31 are still in contact with each other at their ends, and the action part side contact 20 and the door side contact 21 are in electrical contact (FIG. 27B). The main substrate (control unit) 200 does not particularly make a determination when the light receiving unit 11 receives light and the action unit side contact 20 and the door side contact 21 are conductive.

  The distance a must be the same as or larger than the moving distance of the action part 30 that does not block the light path from the light emitting part 10 to the light receiving part 11 at the end of the action part 30. In addition, the distance a must be so small that a gap between the door 130 and the housing 120 is so small that internal switches cannot be operated. The distance a is preferably about 0.5 to 1 cm or about 1 to 2 cm, for example.

  FIG. 28 shows a state where the door 130 is further opened. FIG. 28A shows a top view, and FIG. 28B shows a right side view. In the state of the figure, since the end of the action part 30 does not block the light path from the light emitting part 10 to the light receiving part 11, the light receiving part 11 receives light. This is the same as FIG. On the other hand, the action part side contact 20 and the door side contact 21 are separated and the electrical contact is lost. The main board (control unit) 200 determines that the door is open when the light receiving unit 11 receives light and the action unit side contact 20 and the door side contact 21 are non-conductive according to the table of FIG.

(3) Unauthorized acts Unauthorized actions are performed that hinder the operation of the door open / close detection sensor DS and make it impossible to detect that the door 130 has been opened. That is, as shown in FIG. 29, the fraudster applies an unauthorized tool (for example, a rod-like or plate-like object) X to the tip of the action part 30 and opens the door 130 so that the action part 30 does not protrude. . In the state of FIG. 29, the light receiving unit 11 does not receive light, and the action side contact 20 and the door side contact 21 are non-conductive due to an unauthorized tool X. Such a situation is usually not possible. Therefore, the main substrate (control unit) 200 is cheated when the light receiving unit 11 does not receive light and the action unit side contact 20 and the door side contact 21 are non-conductive according to the table of FIG. Is determined, error notification is performed as necessary, and an error signal is output to the outside.

  In order to prevent short circuit between the unauthorized tool X and the door-side contact 21 by a jumper wire or the like, it is preferable that the conductor portion exposed at the action portion 30 or the door-side contact holding portion 31 is as small as possible.

  As a specific example of the fraud detection unit 200b, a method for detecting the target of random numbers for lottery and a method for detecting that the door of the gaming machine has been illegally opened (the door is opened without functioning the door opening sensor) are described. did. The present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to those detecting other fraudulent activities. For example, when it is detected that the medal sensors S1 and S2 have been deceived without inserting a medal into the medal insertion slot 132 (for example, a foreign object in the medal selector 123 is detected by providing a third sensor), the hopper device When it is detected that a predetermined number of medals have been paid out from 2 (for example, a sensor is provided to detect foreign matter in the medal payout passage), a contradiction error may be notified.

  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 which shows the state which closed the front door. It is a front view of the slot machine which shows the state which opened the front door 180 degree | times. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the slot machine according to Embodiment 1 of the invention. They are a front view (Drawing 1 (a)), a right view (Drawing 1 (b)), and a top view (Drawing 1 (c)) of a hopper device. It is a disassembled perspective view by the side of the hopper tank of a hopper apparatus. It is a disassembled perspective view by the side of the hopper chassis of a hopper apparatus. It is explanatory drawing (sectional drawing of a hopper) of the attachment state of the storage medal detection sensor. It is a perspective view of a medal selector. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of a medal sensor. It is a functional block diagram of the error determination part and alerting | reporting control part which concern on Embodiment 1 of invention. It is explanatory drawing of the error alerting | reporting control which concerns on Embodiment 1 of invention. It is a functional block diagram of the alerting | reporting control circuit which concerns on Embodiment 1 of invention. It is a process flowchart of the alerting | reporting control part which concerns on Embodiment 1 of invention. It is a block diagram of the winning lottery means and fraud detector of the gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the invention. It is a processing flowchart of the gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the invention. It is explanatory drawing of determination of whether the same or the approximate random number value in Embodiment 1 of invention is extracted. It is explanatory drawing of the other determination whether the random number value same or approximate in Embodiment 1 of invention is extracted. It is a functional block diagram of the fraud detection part (door opening / closing detection sensor) which concerns on Embodiment 2 of invention. It is structure explanatory drawing of the door opening / closing detection sensor which concerns on Embodiment 2 of invention. It is explanatory drawing of the door opening / closing and fraud determination which concern on Embodiment 2 of invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the door opening / closing detection sensor which concerns on Embodiment 2 of invention (door closed state). It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the door opening / closing detection sensor which concerns on Embodiment 2 of invention (door open state). It is operation | movement explanatory drawing (at the time of fraud) of the door opening / closing detection sensor which concerns on Embodiment 2 of invention. It is a functional block diagram of the fraud detection part (other door opening / closing detection sensor) which concerns on Embodiment 2 of invention. It is structure explanatory drawing of the other door opening / closing detection sensor which concerns on Embodiment 2 of invention. It is explanatory drawing of the determination of the other door opening / closing and fraudulent act which concerns on Embodiment 2 of invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the other door opening / closing detection sensor which concerns on Embodiment 2 of invention (door closed state). It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the other door opening / closing detection sensor which concerns on Embodiment 2 of invention (door open state). It is operation | movement explanatory drawing (at the time of fraud) of the other door opening / closing detection sensor which concerns on Embodiment 2 of invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hopper tank 2 Hopper apparatus 43 Medal payout sensor 200 Main board 200a Winning lottery means 200b Fraud detection part 200c Error determination part 200d Notification control part S1, S2 Medal sensor S10 Reservation medal detection sensor

Claims (4)

In a gaming machine including a hopper tank including a stored medal detection sensor that detects a stored medal,
A fraud detector that detects fraud against gaming machines;
A hopper empty error determination unit that determines a hopper tank empty error indicating that the medals stored in the hopper tank are exhausted based on an output of the stored medal detection sensor;
A hopper overflow error determination unit that determines a hopper tank overflow error indicating that a medal stored in the hopper tank may overflow based on an output of the stored medal detection sensor;
A notification control unit that performs error notification,
The notification control unit
First contradiction error generation for generating an error signal (hereinafter, “first contradiction error signal”) when the fraud detection signal from the fraud detection unit is valid and the error signal from the hopper empty error determination unit is invalid A circuit, a first output circuit for outputting an error notification signal when one of the error signal from the hopper empty error determination unit or the first contradiction error signal is valid, and the hopper empty error determination unit A first notification control circuit including a sending circuit that sends the fraud detection signal to the second notification control circuit when the error signal is valid;
Second contradiction error generation for generating an error signal (hereinafter, “second contradiction error signal”) when the fraud detection signal from the sending circuit is valid and the error signal from the hopper overflow error determination unit is invalid A second notification control circuit including a circuit and a second output circuit for outputting a signal for performing error notification when one of the error signal from the hopper overflow error determination unit or the second contradiction error signal is valid; With
When the fraudulent act is detected by the fraud detection unit, the notification control unit,
Check whether the hopper tank empty error has occurred, select the error when the error has not occurred, and proceed to the next process when the error has occurred,
The hopper tank to check for occurrence of an overflow error, the gaming machine characterized by selecting to Rukoto the error when said error has not occurred. A lottery means for extracting a random number for lottery, and determining winning based on the extracted random number;
The fraud detection unit monitors whether the same or approximate random number value is extracted by comparing the random value extracted in the winning lottery means with the random value extracted before this random value. Including a monitor,
2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the fraud detection unit determines that the fraud is an illegal act when it is determined that the same or similar random value is extracted by the random number monitor. The fraud detection unit is a cylindrical action unit that is provided in the casing of the gaming machine and is urged toward the front side thereof, and one end of the fraud detection unit is closed with the door provided on the front side of the casing closed. An action part that contacts the inside of the door and moves to the front side by a predetermined distance when the door is open, a first light emitting part provided in the vicinity of the action part, and the action part A first light-receiving unit that is disposed opposite to the first light-emitting unit and receives light from the first light-emitting unit in a state where the operating unit moves to the front side, and a space inside the operating unit or its Either the second light emitting part or the second light receiving part provided on the opposite side of the end that is in contact with the door, and the door, and the door is closed, and the door is closed through the space of the action part. Either the second light receiving unit that receives light from the second light emitting unit or the second light emitting unit that transmits light to the second light receiving unit Includes a door opening and closing detection sensor comprising a transient,
2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the fraud detection unit determines that the fraudulent act is performed when both the first light receiving unit and the second light receiving unit of the door opening / closing detection sensor are not receiving light. The fraud detection unit is a cylindrical action unit that is provided in the casing of the gaming machine and is urged toward the front side thereof, and one end of the fraud detection unit is closed with the door provided on the front side of the casing closed. An action part that contacts the inside of the door and moves to the front side by a predetermined distance when the door is open, a light emitting part provided in the vicinity of the action part, and sandwiching the action part A light receiving portion that is disposed opposite to the light emitting portion and receives light from the light emitting portion in a state where the action portion is moved to the front side, and an action portion side contact provided at an end of the action portion that contacts the door And a door opening / closing detection sensor provided with a door side contact provided at a position inside the door, which is in contact with an end of the action part,
The fraud detection unit determines that the fraudulent act is detected when the light receiving unit of the door opening / closing detection sensor does not receive light and the action part side contact and the door side contact are non-conductive. Item 1. A gaming machine according to item 1.

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