JP5721027B2 - GAME SYSTEM AND GAME DEVICE - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is a game machine that generates game data that changes in accordance with the progress of the game, and is connected to the game machine so as to be able to communicate with the game machine using the game value owned by the player. The present invention relates to a gaming system comprising a gaming device, or the gaming device.

  Enclosed ball-type pachinko machines are known as gaming machines that can be played with points and that have points added in response to winning. In addition, as a gaming device that is connected to the gaming machine so as to be able to communicate with the gaming machine while adding the gaming value owned by the player, A card unit that is communicably connected to a pachinko machine is known.

  Patent Document 1 describes an enclosed ball type gaming machine 1 and a terminal device 3 provided adjacent to the left side of such a conventional gaming machine and gaming device (refer to Patent Document 1). Paragraphs [0019] [0022]).

  Similarly, Patent Document 2 describes an enclosed ball game machine 100 and a ball lending machine 901 (see paragraph [0086] of Patent Document 2).

  The points used in the game are added by the occurrence of winnings or the withdrawal of the card balance, while subtracted by, for example, firing a pachinko ball. In this way, the number of points that change in accordance with the gaming situation has been conventionally managed by the gaming machine itself (see paragraphs [0079] and [0080] of Patent Document 2 and paragraphs [0043] and [0045] of Patent Document 1). ]reference).

  For example, in Patent Document 1, when the credit control device 51 of the gaming machine transmits the final number of balls to the terminal device 3 at the end of the game, the gaming card in which the final number of balls has been written is stored in the terminal. It is described that it is discharged from the device 3 (see paragraph [0059] of Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-337371 JP 2006-254955 A

  By the way, in order to manage the number of points with the gaming machine itself, it is necessary for the gaming machine to have a point management function. In particular, since the score is important information that should be strictly managed from the viewpoint of fraud prevention, the functions required for the score management are also sophisticated. As a result, the point management function is a factor that further increases the cost of gaming machines that tend to become more sophisticated and complex in consideration of gaming characteristics.

  Furthermore, game machines are being replaced at a game hall regardless of whether there is a failure or not in order to provide more interesting games.

  For this reason, the fact that gaming machines that tend to be costly more expensive due to the point management function has been a great economic burden for the game arcade.

  The present invention has been conceived in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the economic burden of a game arcade in which a point-type game machine is introduced. In addition, a further object of the present invention is to recover from a communication disabled state when the communication disabled state is resolved and recovered after the communication disabled state where communication between the gaming device and the gaming machine cannot be performed occurs. It is to enable accurate management of game data that reflects the amount of change in game data on the gaming machine side until the game is completed.

Specific examples of means for solving the problems and their effects

(1) A game machine (pachinko machine 2) that generates game data (the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 and the number of starting ports 2) that changes according to the progress of the game, and can communicate with the gaming machine Connected to the connector (connecting wiring with the connectors 330 and 20), and using the gaming value (prepaid balance, the number of balls, or the number of balls) owned by the player, the gaming device (card) A gaming system comprising unit 3),
The gaming machine is
Variation of Yu Technical data (addition ball number, subtraction piece count) and specifying means for specifying (microcomputer, adding balls counter for game machine control, subtract ball number counter),
Information transmission means (ball number control board 17) capable of transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device ;
Gaming machine side storage means for storing game data;
Game machine side update means for updating the game data stored in the game machine side storage means according to the amount of change ,
The gaming device is:
Yu skill gaming device side storage means for storing data (the "game piece count, adds balls cumulative, subtraction ball total, starting opening 1 total, starting opening 2 total" RAM for storing),
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) capable of receiving the update information;
Game device side update means (control unit 323) for updating game data stored in the game device side storage means based on the update information;
Determining means for determining consistency between the game data stored in the gaming device-side storage means and the game data stored in the gaming machine-side storage means ;
When it is determined as inconsistency by the determination means, predetermined inconsistency occurrence processing is executed,
The gaming machine, during a period from when the communication is non communication impossible state of the gaming device has occurred until recovery from the incommunicable state, the accumulated amount of change in the game data specified by the specifying means Incommunicable cumulative storage means (FIGS. 39 to 46; the number of balls added after the operation response transmitted immediately before the power supply of the CU is transmitted until the CU is activated and the recovery process is performed, Stores the number of subtraction balls, the number of starting ports 1 times, the number of starting ports 2 times and the number of game balls as the current number of balls, the addition ball number counter, the subtraction ball number counter, the start port 1 time counter, the start port 2 times counter and the number of game balls Counter, as well as the previous number of balls)
When the information transmission means recovers from the communication disabled state , the information transmitting means transmits to the gaming device cumulative update information capable of specifying a cumulative change amount of game data stored in the communication impossible cumulative storage means ( FIGS. 39 to 46: Number of balls to be added, number of balls to be subtracted, number of starting ports, number of starting ports, starting port after CU is activated and recovery processing is performed after transmission of operation response transmitted immediately before CU power is cut off Recovery data including 2 times and the number of game balls is sent as a recovery response),
The game device-side update means updates game data stored in the game device-side storage means based on the cumulative update information transmitted (FIGS. 39 to 46; number of game balls as a backup value) , The addition ball accumulation, the subtraction ball accumulation, the starting opening 1 accumulation, and the starting opening 2 accumulation are updated).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Also, when a communication incapable state in which communication is not possible between the gaming device and the gaming machine has occurred and then the communication incapable state has been resolved and recovered, from the time when the communication incapable state has occurred until recovery processing is executed During this period, cumulative update information that can identify the amount of change in game data on the gaming machine side is sent to the gaming device, so the gaming machine side during the period from when the communication is disabled until it is restored It is possible to accurately manage game data that reflects the amount of change in game data.

(2) The gaming machine includes game prohibition means (FIGS. 39 to 46; stop play upon detection of disconnection) for making a game with no points when the communication impossible state occurs.
The incommunicable during accumulation storage means, after the state had not performed game by lifting point by the game inhibiting means from when said incommunicable state occurs, to reach the state Yu technique data can not change In the meantime, the amount of change of the game data specified by the specifying means is accumulated and stored (FIGS. 39 to 46; the play is stopped after the transmission of the operation response immediately before the power-off of the CU and all floating balls are collected The accumulated number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of times of the starting port, the number of times of the starting port 2 and the number of game balls that have changed during the course of the game are cumulatively stored).

  According to such a configuration, during the period from when the incommunicable state occurs until the recovery process is executed, the game prohibition means does not play the game with the points due to the game prohibition means. The game data may change even after the game with the points is not performed, and the game data after the game cannot be performed with the points by the game prohibition means after the communication disabled state occurs. Since the accumulated update information that can specify the amount of change of the game data specified by the specifying means is transmitted to the gaming device until it reaches a state where it cannot change, the game data after the communication is disabled It is possible to accurately manage game data that reflects the amount of change in game data on the gaming machine side before reaching a state where it cannot change.

(3) The gaming machine can continue the game even after the incommunicable state occurs (when the power interruption at the CU or the communication interruption between the CU and the P machine is detected, the P machine side In this case, the game may be controlled so that the game can be continued without stopping the ball hitting).
The cumulative communication means at the time of communication failure accumulates and stores the amount of change of the game data specified by the specifying means during recovery from the communication disabled state after the communication disabled state occurs (communication interruption occurs). The accumulated subtraction ball number and the number of times of the start opening generated along with the game continued from the occurrence of the abnormality until it is recovered and started up are accumulated and stored on the P platform side).

  According to such a configuration, the game data can be continued even after the communication failure state occurs, and the game data changed with the game continued until the recovery process is performed after the communication failure state occurs. It is possible to accurately manage game data reflecting the amount of change.

(4) The communication failure accumulative storage means stores a backup amount transmitted immediately before, which is a change amount of game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the communication disabled state occurs ( FIG. 39 to FIG. 46: the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 and the number of starting ports 2) as the previous number of balls),
The information transmission means includes immediately before update information that can identify the amount of change transmitted immediately before in the cumulative update information and transmits it to the gaming device (FIGS. 39 to 46; addition as the previous number of balls) Recovery data including the number of balls, the number of subtraction balls, 1 start port and 2 start ports is sent as a recovery response),
The gaming apparatus determines whether or not the communication disabled state has occurred before receiving the immediately transmitted update information included in the cumulative update information (FIG. 39 to FIG. 39). 46: determination based on whether or not the operation instruction is being transmitted and whether or not the SQNs match,
The game device-side updating means determines that the communication-impossible occurrence timing determining means determines that the time when the communication-disabled state has occurred is after the reception of the immediately previous transmitted update information (FIG. 39; operation instruction transmission). In FIG. 40, FIG. 42, FIG. 44, FIG. 46; it is determined that the SQN on the P side is one before the SQN on the CU side), and the cumulative update information While updating the game data stored in the gaming device side storage means based on the information excluding the update information transmitted immediately before (CU corrects the backup value based only on the backup data of the current number of balls), When it is determined by the communication failure occurrence time determination means that the time when the communication disabled state occurs is before the reception of the immediately previous transmitted update information (FIGS. 41, 43, and 45; an operation instruction is being transmitted) One SQN determined match), the gaming device side storage means updates the game data is stored (CU number currently ball based on the accumulated update information including the immediately preceding transmitted update information The backup value is corrected based on the backup data including not only the previous backup data but also the previous number of balls).

  According to such a configuration, the immediately-preceding transmitted update information that can identify the immediately-sent change amount that is the change amount of the game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the incommunicable state occurs is included in the cumulative update information. Therefore, even if the change amount of the game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the incommunicable state occurs does not reach the gaming device, the gaming device The game data is updated including the immediately previous transmitted change amount specified by the immediately previous transmitted update information, and the change amount of the game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the communication disabled state is not Even in the case of arrival, it becomes possible to manage game data accurately.

(5) For communicably connecting to a gaming machine (pachinko machine 2) that generates game data (the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 and the number of starting ports 2) that changes according to the progress of the game A gaming device (card unit 3) comprising a connecting portion (connector 330) and enabling a game in the gaming machine using a gaming value owned by the player,
Yu skill gaming device side storage means for storing data (the "game piece count, adds balls cumulative, subtraction ball total, starting opening 1 total, starting opening 2 total" RAM for storing),
Receivable information receiving means from said game machine capable of specifying updates the amount of change in Yu technique data and (gaming machine communication unit 325),
Game device side update means (control unit 323) for updating game data stored in the game device side storage means based on the update information;
Determining means for determining consistency between the game data stored in the gaming device-side storage means and the game data stored in the gaming machine ;
When it is determined as inconsistency by the determination means, predetermined inconsistency occurrence processing is executed,
Said information receiving means, altered cumulative update information which can specify the cumulative change amount of the game data during the period until the communication is non communication impossible state of the gaming machine is restored from the incommunicable state from the time of occurrence (FIGS. 39 to 46; the number of balls to be added and the number of balls to be subtracted after the CU is activated and the recovery process is performed after the transmission of the operation response transmitted immediately before the power-off of the CU. , Receiving recovery data including the number of times of the starting port, the number of times of the starting port and the number of game balls as a recovery response),
The game device-side update means updates the game data stored in the game device-side storage means based on the received cumulative update information (FIGS. 39 to 46; number of game balls as a backup value) , The addition ball accumulation, the subtraction ball accumulation, the starting opening 1 accumulation, and the starting opening 2 accumulation are updated).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Also, when a communication incapable state in which communication is not possible between the gaming device and the gaming machine has occurred and then the communication incapable state has been resolved and recovered, from the time when the communication incapable state has occurred until recovery processing is executed During this period, cumulative update information that can identify the amount of change in game data on the gaming machine side is sent to the gaming device, so the gaming machine side during the period from when the communication is disabled until it is restored It is possible to accurately manage game data that reflects the amount of change in game data.

(6) The cumulative update information including immediately preceding transmitted update information capable of specifying a change amount transmitted immediately before that is a change amount of game data transmitted by the gaming machine immediately before the communication disabled state occurs. Receiving information (FIG. 39 to FIG. 46; receiving recovery data including the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 and the number of starting ports 2 as the previous response)
Communication failure occurrence time determining means for determining whether or not the communication disabled state has occurred before receiving the immediately previous transmitted update information included in the cumulative update information (FIGS. 39 to 46; operation instruction being transmitted) And whether or not the SQNs coincide with each other)
The game device-side update means, when the communication failure occurrence time determination means determines that the communication failure occurrence time is after reception of the immediately previous transmitted update information, FIG. 39; during operation instruction transmission and SQN 40, FIG. 42, FIG. 44, FIG. 46; it is determined that the SQN on the P base side is one before the SQN on the CU side), and the previously transmitted update from the cumulative update information While the game data stored in the game device storage means is updated based on the information excluding information (the CU corrects the backup value based only on the backup data of the current number of balls), the communication failure occurs. When it is determined by the time determination means that the communication failure occurrence time is before reception of the immediately previous transmitted update information (FIGS. 41, 43, and 45; the operation instruction is being transmitted and the SQNs match. Previous and judgment), the immediately preceding the gaming device side storage means based on the accumulated update information including the sent update information to update the game data is stored (CU is not only backup data of the current number ball The backup value is corrected based on the backup data including the number of balls).

  According to such a configuration, the cumulative update information including the immediately previous transmitted update information that can identify the immediately previous transmitted change amount that is the change amount of the game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the communication disabled state occurs. Even if the amount of change in the game data received by the gaming device and transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the incommunicable state occurs does not reach the gaming device, the gaming device determines that, Since the game data is updated including the immediately previous transmitted change amount specified by the immediately previous transmitted update information, the change amount of the game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the incommunicable state has not been reached. Even in this case, it becomes possible to manage game data accurately.

It is a front view which shows a card unit and a pachinko machine. It is a perspective view which shows the state which open | released the glass door and front frame of the pachinko machine. It is a block diagram which shows the control circuit used for a card unit and a pachinko machine. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the various data memorize | stored in the card unit side and the pachinko machine side, and its transmission / reception. It is explanatory drawing explaining the outline of the command and response performed between a card unit and a pachinko machine. (A) is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the content of a communication start request | requirement, (b) is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the content of an operation instruction. (A) is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the content of an apparatus information response, (b) is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the content of a recovery response. It is explanatory drawing explaining the content of an operation response. It is a figure which shows the aspect of transmission / reception of the command and response between a card unit and a pachinko machine. It is a figure which shows an example of a process when a communication disconnection is detected by the card unit side. It is a figure which shows an example of a process at the time of detecting a communication disconnection by the pachinko machine side. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with the card unit and the pachinko machine at the time of power activation. It is a figure which shows an example of a process when a card unit and a pachinko machine are reconnected. It is a figure which shows an example of the process in the time of the standby which is not performing operation of a card unit and a pachinko machine. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when a card is inserted in a card unit. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when consuming the balance of a prepaid card. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with the card unit and the pachinko machine at the time of a replay. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine in the case of subtracting the number of game balls according to an instruction on the card unit side. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with the card unit and the pachinko machine in a big hit. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when the number of game balls in a pachinko machine runs out during a game. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when returning a card. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when unlocking | releasing and releasing the lock | rock of the glass door in a pachinko machine. It is a figure which shows the modification of the process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when unlocking | releasing and releasing the glass door in a pachinko machine. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when unlocking | releasing and releasing the cell (front frame) of a pachinko machine. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when a pachinko machine is not connected when a power supply is started in the state where a card unit is holding a card. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when the operation | movement instruction (no request | requirement operation | movement) from a card unit does not reach | attain a pachinko machine. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine in case the operation response from a pachinko machine (response with respect to no request | requirement operation | movement) does not reach | attain a card unit. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when the operation instruction from a card unit (response to an addition request) does not reach the pachinko machine. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when the operation response from a pachinko machine (response to an addition request) does not reach the card unit. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when the operation instruction (subtraction request) from a card unit does not reach the pachinko machine. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when the operation response from a pachinko machine (response to a subtraction request) does not reach the card unit. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when a pachinko machine returns the response of addition refusal with respect to the addition request of a card unit. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when a pachinko machine returns the subtraction rejection response with respect to the subtraction request | requirement of a card unit. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when a pachinko machine returns the response of a rejection of a clear with respect to the clear instruction | indication request | requirement of a card unit. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when a pachinko machine returns the response of permission rejection with respect to the game permission request | requirement of a card unit. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when a pachinko machine returns the response of prohibition refusal with respect to the game prohibition request | requirement of a card unit. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when a pachinko machine returns the response of glass door opening rejection with respect to the glass door opening request | requirement of a card unit. It is a figure which shows an example of a process with a card unit and a pachinko machine when a pachinko machine returns the response of a cell (front frame) opening rejection with respect to the cell (front frame) opening request | requirement of a card unit. It is a figure which shows an example of the recovery process of a card unit and a pachinko machine when the power failure in the card unit after reaching the operation response regarding addition / subtraction data occurs. It is a figure which shows an example of the recovery process of a card unit and a pachinko machine when a power failure has occurred in the card unit before the operation instruction is reached. It is a figure which shows an example of the recovery process of a card unit and a pachinko machine when a power failure occurs in a card unit before the operation response regarding addition / subtraction data is reached. It is a figure which shows an example of the recovery process of a card unit and a pachinko machine when a power failure occurs in the card unit before the addition request is reached. It is a figure which shows an example of the recovery process of a card unit and a pachinko machine when a power failure occurs in the card unit before reaching an operation response to the addition request. It is a figure which shows an example of the recovery process of a card unit and a pachinko machine when a power failure occurs in the card unit before the subtraction request is reached. It is a figure which shows an example of the recovery process of a card unit and a pachinko machine when a power failure occurs in the card unit before reaching an operation response to the subtraction request. It is a figure which shows an example of the recovery process of a card unit and a pachinko machine when a power failure occurs in the card unit before reaching the clear request. It is a figure which shows an example of the recovery process of a card unit and a pachinko machine when a power failure occurs in the card unit before reaching an operation response to the clear request.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, referring to FIG. 1, an enclosed circulating pachinko machine (hereinafter abbreviated as “pachinko machine” or “P”) 2, which is an example of a gaming machine, is attached to each gaming island (not shown) arranged in the game hall. A card unit (which may be abbreviated as CU hereinafter) 3 as an example of a gaming device is installed in a one-to-one correspondence with the pachinko machine 2 at a side position on a predetermined side of the pachinko machine 2. Yes. This card unit 3 is issued to a visitor card having a prepaid function which is a game recording medium issued to a general player who has not registered as a member, or to a member player who has registered as a member in the game hall. A pachinko machine that accepts membership cards, which are recorded game recording media, and uses the game value (for example, card balance, number of balls, number of balls, etc.) possessed by the player specified by the record information of the cards. 2 has a function for allowing the ball to be fired and playing.

  This pachinko machine 2 encloses a pachinko ball as an example of a game ball inside, and the player operates the hitting operation handle 25 to drive the hitting ball launch motor 18 (not shown in FIG. 1). It is configured so that a game can be played by hitting balls one by one into the game area 27 in front of the game board 26. Pachinko balls that are driven into the game area 27 are detected by the shot ball detector 14.

  The pachinko machine 2 shown in FIG. 1 is a so-called first-type pachinko machine, which is not shown, but has a start port (1) and a start where a pachinko ball driven into the game area 27 can win a prize. And a variable display device that variably displays based on the detection signal of the start winning ball won in each of the start ports, and the display result of the variable display device is predetermined. There is provided a variable winning ball apparatus or the like that is opened by a combination of specific identification information (for example, a glance). The start port (2) is composed of an electric tulip that can be changed to a first state (for example, an open state) advantageous to the player and a second state (for example, a closed state) unfavorable to the player.

  When the variable winning ball apparatus is opened, a big hit state is achieved. In addition, since the display result of the variable display device is a combination of predetermined special identification information (for example, a combination of probability variation symbols such as 777) out of a combination of jackpot symbols (grooves), the probability variation big hit state is A probability variation state (probability variation state) in which the occurrence probability of the jackpot is improved after the occurrence of the jackpot state is generated.

  Pachinko balls that have been struck into the game area 27 are won at any of the winning openings or are collected at the outlet without winning. The pachinko balls won at the winning opening and the pachinko balls collected at the out mouth are again returned to the hitting ball launch position through the collection path in the pachinko machine 2. Then, when the player operates the hitting operation handle 25, the pachinko ball at the hitting position is again shot into the game area 27.

  On the front side of the card unit 3, a bill insertion slot 302 for inserting bills, a projecting portion 305 projecting forward from the front of the apparatus, a card insertion slot 309 for inserting a membership card or a visitor card, etc. Is provided. The member card or visitor card inserted into the card insertion slot 309 is received by the card reader / writer 327 (see FIG. 3), and the information recorded on the card is read. In the protrusion 305 described above, the display 312 and the member card ID recorded on the member card and the number of stored balls specified by the member ID are used for the surface facing the player when the member card is received. IR light receiving unit 315 (in FIG. 1) that receives an infrared signal from a replay button 319 for performing a replay game and a remote control (not shown) possessed by a game hall staff, converts the infrared signal into an electronic signal, and outputs it. (Not shown) is provided.

  The display 312 displays the prepaid balance recorded on the inserted game recording medium (card), but can display the number of game balls and other various information described later, and has a transparent surface. A touch panel is used, and various operations can be input by touching various display items displayed on the display unit of the display 312 with a finger.

  When the replay button 319 is operated and the number of game balls acquired by the player is recorded on the inserted card, it is possible to play with a pachinko machine by deducting from the number of game balls. When the card is a membership card, the number of game balls is not recorded, and the stored ball is recorded in the hall management computer 1 or the like, the game can be played by the pachinko machine 2 as a withdrawal from the stored ball.

  The “storing ball” is a game medium deposited in a game hall, and is generally managed by the hall management computer 1 or other management computer installed in the game hall. On the other hand, “the number of game balls” is the number of game balls owned by a player as a result of a player playing a game with a gaming machine and not yet deposited in the game hall. is there. The number of game balls may be managed by a management device for managing the number of game balls set in the game hall. In short, the difference between “save ball” and “number of game balls” is the number of game balls that have been deposited in the game hall by performing a storage ball operation to deposit in the game hall, or still deposited in the game hall. The point is whether it is the number of game balls at the stage where it is not entered.

  The banknote inserted into the banknote insertion slot 302 is taken in by the currency discriminator 344, and its authenticity and banknote type are identified.

  On the front side of the card unit 3, a rental button (also referred to as a rental button) 321 and a return button 322 are further provided. The lending button 321 is a button for performing an operation for withdrawing the balance recorded in the inserted card and using it for a game by the pachinko machine 2. The return button 322 is operated when the player ends the game, and is an operation button for storing and discharging the number of game balls determined at the end of the game in the inserted card.

  Next, referring to FIG. 2, the pachinko machine 2 is provided with a front frame (also referred to as a cell) 5 and a glass door 6 so that the frame-shaped wooden frame 4 can be opened and closed with its left side edge as a swing center. It has been.

  A pair of upper and lower engaging protrusions 6a and 6b are provided in the vicinity of the edge of the front frame 5 opposite to the center of swinging. The engaging protrusions 6a and 6b are pressed downward by a spring (not shown). On the other hand, engagement receiving pieces 7 a and 7 b are provided at positions facing the engagement protrusions 6 a and 6 b of the wooden frame 4. When the open front frame 5 is pressed against the wooden frame 4, the engaging protrusions 6a, 6b get over the engaging receiving pieces 7a, 7b, and the engaging protrusions 6a, 6b are moved downward by the urging force of the spring in the state of getting over. Move and become locked.

  A front frame opening solenoid 11 is provided on the rear surface side of the front frame 5. When the front frame opening solenoid 11 is excited, a pair of upper and lower engaging protrusions 6a and 6b against the biasing force of the spring. Is pushed upward, and as a result, the engagement projections 6a and 6b are disengaged from the engagement receiving pieces 7a and 7b to be unlocked, and the front frame 5 is released.

  Further, the front frame 5 is also provided with an engagement projection 8 for the glass door 6, and an engagement hole 9 is provided in the glass door 6 portion facing the engagement projection 8. The engagement protrusion 8 is pressed downward by a spring (not shown), and the engagement protrusion 8 is pushed up by the lower edge portion of the engagement hole 9 by pressing the opened glass door 6 against the front frame 5. By getting over, the engagement protrusion 8 is pushed down by the urging force of the spring, and the engagement protrusion 8 and the engagement hole 9 are engaged with each other to be locked. In this state, by energizing the glass door opening solenoid 10 provided on the back surface of the front frame 5, the engagement protrusion 8 is pulled up against the biasing force of the spring, and the engagement protrusion 8 and the engagement hole 9 are pulled up. Is released and the glass door 6 is opened.

  A front frame closing detector 13 is provided at a position in contact with the front frame 5 in the upper part of the wooden frame 4, and it is detected that the front frame 5 is pressed against the wooden frame 4 and is locked. Further, a glass door closing detector 12 is provided in a contact portion with the glass door 6 in an upper portion of the front frame 5, and this glass door is that the glass door 6 is pressed against the front frame 5 to be in a locked state. Detected by the closure detector 12.

  Next, an outline of a control circuit for the card unit 3 and the pachinko machine 2 will be described with reference to FIG. The card unit 3 is provided with a control unit 323 composed of a microcomputer or the like. The control unit 323 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as a control center, a ROM (Read Only Member) storing a program and control data for operating the CPU, and a RAM (Random) functioning as a work area of the CPU. Access Memory), and an input / output interface for maintaining signal consistency with peripheral devices. The control unit 323 is provided with an external communication unit 324 for communicating with the hall management computer 1 and the like, and a gaming machine communication unit 325 for communicating with the ball number control board 17 of the pachinko machine 2. Is provided. The card unit 3 is provided with a connection part 330 to the pachinko machine 2 side, and the pachinko machine 2 is provided with a connection part 20 to the card unit 3 side. These connection parts 330 and 20 are comprised by the connector etc., for example. The gaming machine communication unit 325 and the ball count control board 17 are communicably connected via the connectors 330 and 20 and connection wiring.

  The above-described money discriminator 344 identifies the authenticity and type of the bill, and the identification result signal is input to the control unit 323. When the IR photosensitive unit 320 receives infrared rays emitted from a remote controller owned by a game attendant, the received light signal is input to the control unit 323. The card reader / writer 327 reads the information recorded on the inserted card, and the read information is input to the control unit 323. At the same time, data to be written to the inserted card is sent from the control unit 323 to the card reader / writer 327. When transmitted, the card reader / writer 327 writes the data to the inserted card.

  Display data such as a balance or the number of game balls is output from the control unit 323 to the display 312, and the display 312 displays the output display data. Further, when the player operates a touch panel provided on the surface of the display 312, the operation signal is input to the control unit 323. When the player operates the lending button 321, the operation signal is input to the control unit 323. When the player operates the replay button 319, the operation signal is input to the control unit 323. When the player operates the return button 322, the operation signal is input to the control unit 323.

  The pachinko machine 2 is provided with a game control board 16 that controls the progress of the game of the gaming machine and a ball number control board 17 in an electrically connected state.

  A game control microcomputer 16 is mounted on the game control board 16. A microcomputer for gaming machine control includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as a control center, a ROM (Read Only Member) storing a program for operating the CPU, control data, etc., and a RAM functioning as a work area for the CPU. (Random Access Memory), an input / output interface for maintaining signal consistency with peripheral devices, and the like are provided.

  The ball count control board 17 is equipped with a ball count control microcomputer. A microcomputer for controlling the number of balls includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as a control center, a ROM (Read Only Member) that stores programs and control data for operating the CPU, and a RAM that functions as a work area for the CPU. (Random Access Memory), an input / output interface for maintaining signal consistency with peripheral devices, and the like are provided.

  Further, the glass door opening solenoid 10, the front frame opening solenoid 11, the hitting ball launching motor 18, the glass door closing detector 12, the front frame closing detector 13, and the firing ball detector 14 are electrically connected to the ball number control board 17. It is provided in the state that was done.

  The game control board 16 performs display control commands for the variable display device based on the above-described start winning ball detection signal, and controls the progress of the game, such as opening / closing control of the variable winning ball device when a big hit occurs. .

  When the number-of-balls control board 17 transmits a glass door opening solenoid excitation signal to the glass door opening solenoid 10, the glass door opening solenoid 10 is excited and the above-described lock of the glass door 6 is released.

  When the number-of-balls control board 17 transmits a front frame release solenoid excitation signal to the front frame release solenoid 11, the front frame release solenoid 11 is excited and the lock of the front frame 5 described above is released.

  When the player operates the hitting operation handle 25, the ball control board 17 outputs a motor drive control signal to the hitting motor 18 on condition that there is a game ball, and the hitting motor 18 rotates. As a result, the pachinko ball can be launched into the game area 27.

  When the glass door closing detector 12 detects the closing of the glass door, the detection signal is input to the ball count control board 17. When the front frame closing detector 13 detects the closing of the front frame 5, the detection signal is input to the ball count control board 17. When the shot ball is detected by the shot ball detector 14, the detection signal is input to the ball number control board 17.

  The ball number control board 17 will be described in detail later, but if the player performs an operation for deducting the valuable value owned by the player and using it in the game, a request for adding the number of game balls is transmitted from the card unit 3. In response to the addition request, the ball number control board 17 adds and updates the game ball number counter. Then, by launching the pachinko ball into the game area 27, the shot ball is detected by the shot ball detector 14, and the ball number control board 17 subtracts and updates the game ball counter according to the detection signal. When the number of game balls counter reaches 0, the ball number control board 17 performs control to stop driving the hitting ball motor 18.

  In addition, if a winning occurs, data on the number of balls to be added accompanying the winning is transmitted from the game control board 16 to the number-of-balls control board 17. The number-of-balls control board 17 adds and updates the game number-of-games counter according to the transmitted data of the number of added balls. Further, when a big hit occurs, a special prize signal is transmitted from the game control board 16 to the ball number control board 17. Further, when the probability change starts, a probability change signal is transmitted from the game control board 16 to the ball number control board 17.

  The ball number control board 17 transmits a subtraction ball number signal to the gaming machine communication unit 325 based on the shot ball detection signal input from the shot ball detector 14, while the number of addition balls input from the game control board 16. In accordance with the data, an additional ball number signal is transmitted to the gaming machine communication unit 325.

  The control unit 323 of the card unit 3 has a function of calculating the number of game balls in the current pachinko machine 2 on the basis of the input number of added balls and subtracted balls signals and managing the number of game balls. doing.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 4, various data stored on each of the CU side and the P base side and its transmission / reception mode will be described.

  In the present embodiment, the current number of game balls is managed by calculating the fluctuation of the number of game balls on the P side on the CU side. The P game side also calculates and stores the current number of game balls, but the number of game balls is controlled so that when the number of game balls reaches 0 on the P table side, the P game player quickly stops hitting the ball. It is a secondary item used only for performing Since the main management of the number of game balls is performed on the CU side, it is not necessary to provide a function for strictly managing the number of game balls on the P table side, and the cost of the P game can be suppressed as much as possible.

  In particular, compared with the CU, the P units have a short replacement cycle at the game hall and are replaced early. For that reason, the running cost of the game hall where the enclosed game machine is introduced can be reduced by providing the CU side with a main management function related to the number of game balls on the P platform side to reduce the cost on the P platform side. There is an advantage.

  FIG. 4 shows RAM storage data provided in the control unit 323 on the CU side and RAM storage data mounted on the ball number control board 17 on the P platform side. First, when the power is turned on for the first time when the P unit (pachinko machine 2) and the CU (card unit 3) are electrically connected for the first time after being installed in the amusement hall, the ball control board 17 on the P unit side. Receives the main chip ID from the game control board 16, transmits the main chip ID to the CU side, and transmits the payout chip ID stored in the ball count control board 17 itself to the CU side.

  On the CU side, the transmitted main chip ID and payout chip ID are stored. Next, the connection time, that is, the data of the time when the CU side and the P base side are connected and the communication is started is transmitted from the CU side to the P base side, and the P connection side stores the transmitted connection time. .

  In this state, three pieces of information of the main chip ID, the payout chip ID, and the connection time identified on the CU side are stored on the CU side and the P base side. When the power is turned on thereafter, the three pieces of information, that is, the main chip ID, the payout chip ID, and the previous connection time data are transmitted from the P platform side to the CU side.

  On the CU side, the transmitted data and the already stored data are collated, and it is determined whether or not the same P units as in the previous time are connected. The connection time data includes new connection time data transmitted from the CU side to the P base side when communication between the CU side and the P base side is started each time the power is turned on. Is stored on the P platform side.

  Each time the operation instruction and response are updated on the CU side and the P base side, the sequence number (SQN) is incremented by "1" and the sequence number is stored on the CU side and the P base side. The The SQN is a communication number for checking whether or not communication is properly performed by updating the number every time data is transmitted / received between the CU and the P platform. SQN is a number updated at the end of the communication number to be updated.

  For example, an operation instruction is transmitted from the CU side to the P platform side, and the sequence number n at that time is transmitted, and the transmitted sequence number n is stored on the P platform side. When the operation response is returned from the P platform side to the CU side, the stored sequence number n is also transmitted. On the CU side, it is determined that data communication has been normally performed because the returned sequence number n matches the already stored sequence number n, and the sequence number is incremented by 1 when the next operation instruction is sent. Send the n + 1 sequence number to the P platform.

  Next, the current ball related information (the ball related information being counted) is transmitted from the P platform side to the CU side. This current ball related information is stored in the current ball related information storage area of the RAM. Specifically, when a pachinko ball that has been driven into the game area 27 wins and additional ball number information is transmitted from the game control board 16 to the ball number control board 17, the additional ball counter counts the added ball number. And the value of the added ball counter is transmitted from the P platform side to the CU side. Further, if a pachinko ball is fired into the game area 27 and the fired ball is detected by the fired ball detector 14, a subtraction ball counter counts the number of fired balls as a subtraction ball number based on the detection signal, The value of the subtraction ball number counter is transmitted from the P platform side to the CU side.

  Further, the pachinko ball wins at the start port (1) or the start port (2), and the start port (1) winning signal or the start port (2) winning signal is transmitted from the game control board 16 to the ball number control board 17. In such a case, the number of winnings is counted by the starting port 1 winning number counter or the starting port 2 winning number counter on the ball number control board 17, and the count value is transmitted from the P platform side to the CU side. Further, the ball number control board 17 counts the number of game balls at the present time with a game ball number counter based on the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls. To the side.

  On the P side, each time the values of the added ball counter, subtracted ball counter, starting port (1) winning counter, starting port (2) winning counter, and game ball counter are transmitted to the CU side, they are counted. After the value is stored (rewritten) as backup data in the previous ball related information storage area, the value of the added ball counter, subtracted ball counter, starting port 1 winning counter and starting port 2 winning counter as current ball related information Clear 0.

  As a result, in the storage area of the previous ball related information (current ball related information transmitted immediately before), the current ball related information transmitted to the CU side immediately before, the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of winnings at the start opening 1 And the data of the number of start-up 2 winnings is stored as backup data. When the current ball related information is not transmitted from the P platform side to the CU side, this backup data includes not only the current counter value but also the previous counter value that was not transmitted at the next transmission. It is intended to enable transmission.

  On the CU side, in the cumulative data storage area in the RAM, the total number of added balls (total number of added balls), the total number of subtracted balls (total number of subtracted balls), the starting port (1) the total number of winning prizes (starting port (1) The total number of times), the start opening (2) the total number of winnings (start opening (2) total number of times), and the number of game balls are stored.

  The total number of added balls and the number of game balls are updated based on the value of the added ball number counter transmitted from the P side. Further, the total subtraction ball number and the game ball number are updated based on the value of the subtraction ball number counter transmitted from the P platform side. Further, the starting port (1) total winning number is updated based on the value of the starting port 1 winning number counter transmitted from the P unit, and the value of the starting port 2 winning number counter transmitted from the P unit side is updated. Based on the starting opening (2), the total number of winnings is updated. In this way, the CU can manage the latest number of game balls by updating the number of game balls according to the current ball related information transmitted one by one from the P cars. Similarly, the CU updates the total number of added balls, the total number of subtracted balls, the starting port (1), and the total number of winnings by updating the current ball-related information sent from the P unit one by one. It becomes possible to manage.

  The CU receives the count value of the game ball counter in addition to the value of the additional ball counter and the subtraction ball counter from the P platform side, but the number of game balls stored by itself is the additional ball counter. The game ball number counter is updated based on the value of the subtraction ball number counter and is not used. For this reason, even if the number of game balls sent from the P side does not match the number of game balls managed on the CU side, the number of game balls on the CU side is sent from the P side. It is never updated with the number of balls.

  Further, the CU collates the value of the game ball counter transmitted from the P platform side with the current number of game balls updated on the CU side, and determines whether or not they match.

  The CU sends a normal (normal) operation request (command) and a normal (normal) operation response (with normal operation) (provided that a match (confirmation confirmation) has been made) Continue to receive (response). On the other hand, when it is determined that they do not match, the CU performs control to shift to an error state.

  As control for shifting to the error state, for example, error notification is performed by the display 312 or an error notification signal indicating that an error has occurred is transmitted to the hall management computer 1 (in this case, the hall management computer). Error notification by 1) may be performed), or a predetermined notification for encouraging an artificial response by an attendant may be considered.

  Alternatively, when it is determined that they do not match, the CU generates a command for instructing the number of game balls to be corrected to the number of game balls managed by the CU side, and transmits the command to the P units. It is also possible. In this case, the P unit is provided with a function of correcting the number of game balls stored in the P unit according to the correction instruction command. The correction instruction command may be a command specifying the number of game balls managed on the CU side, or the number of game balls managed on the CU side and the number of game balls stored on the P stand side. It may be a command indicating the difference between

  In this way, the CU receives the values of the various counters transmitted from the P platform side, and calculates and manages the current number of game balls based on the value of the addition / subtraction ball number counter in particular. Has a main management function. For this reason, it is not necessary to provide a main management function for the P platform. Accordingly, the manufacturing cost of the gaming machine can be reduced. In the present embodiment, the number of game balls is also stored on the P side for the purpose of allowing the game to be immediately prohibited when the number of game balls reaches zero. However, a game ball counter for storing the number of game balls on the P platform side may not be provided.

  The CU performs a game ball number matching determination process for determining whether or not they match by comparing the calculated number of game balls at the present time with the value of the game ball number counter transmitted from the P platform side. And a function of performing control to shift to an error state when there is no match (error control at the time of mismatch).

  As described above, in this embodiment, the number of game balls is also stored on the P platform side, but it is determined whether or not the number of game balls matches the number of game balls managed and stored on the CU side. (CU side function). Therefore, even if a situation occurs in which the number of game balls stored on the gaming machine side does not match the number of game balls managed and stored on the CU side due to fraud or other circumstances, it can be checked. Here, although the determination function is provided on the CU side, for example, the number of game balls stored on the CU side and the game stored on the P stand side by the hall management computer 1 connected to the CU. The number of balls may be received and it may be determined whether or not both are consistent.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the CU further includes a storage area for storing a possession ball (storage ball) and a storage area for storing a card balance of the accepted (inserted) prepaid card (game card). The control unit 323 (see FIG. 3) of the CU holds in response to an input requesting the use of a holding ball (for example, pressing input of a replay button (replay button) 319 (see FIG. 3) provided on the CU). A predetermined number of balls are subtracted from the storage area for storing balls. Further, the control unit 323 (see FIG. 3) of the CU subtracts a predetermined value from a storage area for storing the card balance in response to an input requesting the use of the card balance (for example, pressing input of the lending button 321).

  In addition, when the player performs an operation to deduct the value from the player's own game value (for example, the prepaid balance, the number of balls, or the number of balls) and use it for the game, the amount of the deducted ball The addition request ball number for adding the number to the game ball counter is transmitted from the CU side to the P stand side. On the P side, in response to this, the game ball number counter is added and updated.

  On the other hand, when an operation for performing a so-called wagon service order in which a player-owned game value is withdrawn and exchanged for a drink or the like is executed, the number of balls requested to be subtracted from the player-owned game value is To the P platform side. On the P platform side, the game ball counter is decremented and updated.

  Next, an outline of commands and responses performed between the card unit and the pachinko machine will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 shows the transmission direction, whether the data to be transmitted is a command or a response, the name of transmission information, and its outline. First, a command named device information request is transmitted from the CU to the P units. This device information request command requests transmission of the main chip ID and the like to the P units.

  A response named device information response is transmitted from the P platform to the CU. The response of this device information response is to transmit the main chip ID and the like to the CU. An authentication request command is transmitted from the CU to the P units. This authentication request command is for requesting authentication to the P units.

  A response of the authentication response is transmitted from the P platform to the CU. This response of the authentication response notifies acceptance of the authentication request from the CU. A recovery request command is transmitted from the CU to the P units. This recovery request command is for requesting transmission of recovery information to the P units.

  A response of the recovery response is transmitted from the P units to the CU. The response of this recovery response is to transmit the recovery information held by the P units to the CU. A connection confirmation request command is transmitted from the CU to the P units. This connection confirmation request command notifies P devices that they are in a connected state.

  A response of the connection confirmation response is transmitted from the P platform to the CU. The response of the connection confirmation response notifies the CU that it is in a connected state. A notification start request command is transmitted from the CU to the P units. This notification start request command requests the P units to clear the recovery information and back up the connection ID (communication start time).

  A response of a communication start response is transmitted from the P platform to the CU. This response to the communication start response notifies the CU that the recovery information has been cleared and the connection ID (communication start time) has been backed up.

  An operation instruction command is transmitted from the CU to the P units. The operation instruction command instructs various types (game operations) to the P units and requests transmission of game table information (addition / subtraction data or the like). The CU uses this command to periodically check the status of the game machine.

  The response of the operation response is transmitted from the P platform to the CU. The response of this operation response is to notify the execution result of the game operation instruction and the game table information (addition / subtraction data etc.) to the CU.

  Next, among the commands / responses shown in FIG. 5, the contents of the communication start request, the operation instruction, the device information response, the recovery response, and the operation response will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  First, referring to FIG. 6A, the communication start request command transmitted from the CU to the P units requests the P units to clear recovery information and receive a new communication ID (communication start time). is there. Further, the CU performs backup processing of the connection time and backup of the “main chip ID” and “payout chip ID” when transmitting this command.

  Further, when receiving a command for clearing recovery information (recovery request ON), the P machines clear the recovery data and back up the connection time.

  The connection time is the time held by the CU, and is the time when communication between the CU and the P unit is started, and is transmitted from the CU to the P unit. This connection time is used as a communication connection ID. The recovery clear request is data indicating whether or not there is a recovery clear request. The recovery clear request is ON to indicate that there is a recovery request, and the recovery clear request is OFF to indicate that there is no recovery request.

  The operation instruction commands transmitted from the CU to the P units shown in FIG. 6B are “game ball addition”, “game ball subtraction”, “game permission / prohibition”, “game balls” for the P table. In addition to instructing the "clear sequence number" operation, it requests transmission of various game machine information. The CU uses this command to periodically check the status of P units.

  As an operation request, 7-bit data of Bit0 to Bit6 is transmitted from the CU to the P units. With respect to Bit 0, a game ball number addition request is instructed when “1”, and a game ball number addition non-request is instructed when “0”. For Bit1, “1” indicates that there is a game ball number subtraction request, and “0” indicates that there is no game ball subtraction request. As for Bit2, “1” indicates that a game permission is requested, and “0” indicates that no game permission is requested.

  For Bit 3, “1” indicates that there is a game prohibition request, and “0” indicates that there is no game prohibition request. With regard to Bit 4, when the number is "1", the presence of a clear request for the number of game balls and the sequence number is instructed, and when the bit is "0", the request for clearing the number of game balls and the sequence number is instructed.

Bit 5 is used for a glass door opening request, and Bit 6 is used for a cell (front frame) opening request.
When a plurality of bits of Bit0 to Bit6 are “1”, the P units execute in order from Bit0.

  Also, data of the number of balls required for addition that is valid only when the operation request Bit 0 is “1” is transmitted from the CU to the P units. This data on the number of balls requested for addition indicates a value to be added to the number of game balls.

  Data of the number of balls required for subtraction that is valid only when the operation request Bit1 is “1” is transmitted from the CU to the P units. This subtraction request ball number data indicates a value to be subtracted from the game ball number.

  Referring to FIG. 7A, a device information response is transmitted from the P platform to the CU. The response of the device information response is to transmit information on the main chip ID and the payout chip ID to the CU. The main chip ID is P main chip IDs, that is, chip IDs stored in the game control board 16, and the payout chip ID is P payouts stored in the ball number control board 17. It is a chip ID.

  Referring to FIG. 7B, a recovery response is transmitted from the P platform to the CU. The response of this recovery response is to transmit the recovery information held by the P units to the CU. The recovery information transmitted from the P platform to the CU includes a connection time, a final sequence number, and current ball related information.

  The connection time is the connection time backed up by the P units (connection time data received from the CU at the start of communication). The final sequence number is a sequence number received from the CU and backed up by P units. The last ball related information is the ball related information notified last time, the previous added ball number which is the previously notified number of added balls, the previous subtracted ball number which is the previously notified subtracted ball number, the previously notified start port (1 ) The number of times of the previous start port (1) that is the number of times, and the number of times of the previous start port (2) that is the number of times of the start port (2) notified last time.

  The current ball-related information is the latest ball-related information. The current number of game balls that are currently held in P units and the current number of balls that are currently added in P units. The current subtraction number, which is the number of subtraction balls currently held by P units, the current start port (1) times, which is the number of start ports (1) currently held by P units, and the current P units Each information of the number of times of the current start port (2) that is the number of start ports (2) that are present.

  Referring to FIG. 8, the response of the operation response is transmitted from the P platform to the CU. The response of the operation response is to notify the CU of the game table information such as the execution result of the instruction operation and the number of game balls.

  As an execution result, it is transmitted from P units to the CU as 7-bit data of Bit0 to Bit6. For Bit0, when “1”, an execution result of the rejection of the number of game balls is indicated, and when “0”, an execution result indicating that the addition of the number of game balls is not rejected is indicated. Regarding Bit1, when “1”, the execution result of the rejection of the number of game balls is indicated, and when “0”, the execution result indicating that the subtraction of the number of game balls is not rejected is indicated. As for Bit2, when “1”, the execution result of the game permission rejection is shown, and when “0”, the execution result that the game permission is not rejected is shown.

  For Bit 3, when “1”, the execution result of the game prohibition rejection is indicated, and when “0”, the execution result indicating that the game prohibition is not rejected is indicated.

  For Bit 4, when “1”, the number of game balls and sequence number clear rejection result are shown, and when “0”, the execution result that game ball number and sequence number clear are not rejected is shown.

  For Bit 5, when “1”, an execution result indicating that the opening of the glass door is rejected is indicated, and when “0”, an execution result indicating that the opening of the glass door is not rejected is indicated.

  For Bit 6, when “1”, an execution result indicating that the cell release has been rejected is indicated, and when “6”, an execution result indicating that the cell release is not rejected is indicated.

  The ball related information (current ball related information) transmitted from the P platform to the CU includes the number of game balls, the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of start ports (1), and the number of start ports (2).

  After performing the game ball correction process using the “added ball number” and the “subtracted ball number”, the CU determines whether or not the number of game balls transmitted from the P unit matches the number of game balls after the correction. Check, if not matched, perform recovery processing, clear recovery information such as the number of P balls, and correct the number of P balls to the corrected number of game balls on the CU side To do.

  The CU that has received the added ball count adds this added ball count to the number of game balls held. In addition, P units back up the notified value of the added number of balls as a pre-added number of balls, and clear the current added number of balls to zero.

  The CU that has received the number of subtraction balls subtracts the number of subtraction balls received from the number of game balls held. The P units back up the notified number of subtraction balls as the number of pre-subtraction balls, and clear the current subtraction number of balls to zero.

  The number of times of the start port (1) is data indicating the number of times of entering (winning) the start port (1). The P units back up the notified start port (1) count value as the previous start count and clear the current start count to zero.

  The number of times of the start port (2) is data indicating the number of times of entering (winning) the start port (2). In addition, the P platform backs up the value of the notified number of start openings (2) as the previous winning number, and clears the current winning number to zero.

  The game table status data for notifying the game table status from the P table to the CU is transmitted. This game table state data is composed of 8 bits of Bit0 to Bit7. Regarding Bit0, when it is “0”, it indicates a game possible state, and when it is “1”, it indicates a game stop state. Regarding Bit1, when it is “0”, it indicates that it is waiting, and when it is “1”, it indicates that it is playing.

  When Bit 2 is “1”, it indicates that a special award is being given, when Bit 3 is “1”, it indicates that a probability change is in progress, when Bit 3 is “1”, the number of game balls is 0, and when Bit 5 is “1”, a game It indicates completion. When Bit 6 is “1”, it indicates that the glass door is being developed. When Bit 7 is “1”, it indicates that the cell is being developed.

  9 to 47 show a process executed by the CPU in the control unit 323 of the CU and a process executed by the CPU mounted on the ball count control board 17.

  First, with reference to FIG. 9, the mode of transmission and reception of commands and responses between the CU and the P platform will be described. A command is transmitted from the CU to the P unit, and the P unit returns a response to the CU in response to the command. After receiving the response, the CU transmits the next command to the P units, and the P unit returns a response to the CU in response to the command. As shown in FIG. 9, the period from the transmission of the first command to the P units from the CU to the transmission of the next command is controlled to 200 ms, that is, 0.2 seconds. Further, the period from the transmission of a response from the P platform to the CU until the transmission of the next response is controlled to 200 ms, that is, 0.2 seconds.

  Thus, both a command and a response are transmitted between the CU and the P platform at an interval of 200 ms. On the other hand, in the P platform, by operating the hitting operation handle 25, 100 pachinko balls are shot into the game area 27 per minute, so the hitting time interval is 0.6 seconds. As a result, a plurality of commands and responses are transmitted and received while firing one ball.

  Therefore, the response of the motion response for notifying the amount of change in the number of game balls is sequentially transmitted from the P platform to the CU at intervals shorter than the ball firing time interval. As a result, the P units can finely notify the CU of the amount of change in the number of game balls. On the other hand, the CU can manage the points by finely reflecting the changes in the points on the P platform side.

  Here, the transmission interval of the command and the response is set to 200 ms, but the transmission interval may be longer or shorter than this. For example, the transmission interval may be set as the P emission time intervals. It is also possible to match.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 10, a process when a communication disconnection is detected on the CU side will be described. If the response is not received within one second after the CU sends a command to the P machine, the same command is sent to the P machine again. If no response is received within one second, a second retransmission is performed in which the same command is transmitted to P devices. If no response is received from the P units within one second after the second retransmission, the CU determines that there is a communication abnormality at this stage. This communication abnormality may be caused by the disconnection of the connector 330 or 20 shown in FIG. 3 or the disconnection of the connection wiring or the power supply of the P units.

  The CU transmits a device information request command to the P devices in order to start the connection sequence again after 20 seconds after determining the communication abnormality. The specific contents of the process of transmitting the device information request command to the P devices and starting the connection sequence will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 11, a process when a communication disconnection is detected on the P platform side will be described. A command is transmitted from the CU to the P machine, and the P machine sends a response to the CU in response to the command. Next, when the state in which the command from the CU is not transmitted to the P units continues for 10 seconds, the P unit determines that the communication is interrupted, stops the driving of the hitting motor 18 and prohibits the game, Transition to unconnected state. The cause of this communication disconnection may be the disconnection of the connector 330 or 20, disconnection of the connection wiring, or the power supply disconnection of the CU, as described with reference to FIG. 10.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 12, the process of the connection sequence at the time of power activation will be described. First, at the time of power-on, communication is started after stopping the hitting motor 18 to stop the game in the P platform. First, a device information request command is transmitted from the CU to the P units. In response, the P device returns a response of a device information response. The response of this device information response includes a main chip ID and a payout chip ID.

  The CU that has received the device information response stores the information included in the device information response, and requests authentication for the P devices that have responded (P devices identified by the received main chip ID and payout chip ID). Is sent to P units.

The P devices that have received the authentication request return an authentication response to the CU.
The CU that has received the authentication response then transmits a recovery request to the P devices. In response to this, the P units return the recovery information backed up inside the P units (specifically, the number of control boards 17) to the CU as a response. As described above, the recovery information includes the connection time, the last SQN (sequence number), the previous ball related information, and the current ball related information.

  The CU that has received this recovery response starts recovery processing from that point. This recovery process is a process for recovering the consistency of each other's data between the CU and the P platform, and is not only executed when the power is turned on, but also recovered as a result of trouble as described later. Sometimes even executed.

  The CU counts up this SQN (sequence number) each time an “operation instruction” is transmitted. However, it is not counted up when the operation instruction is retransmitted. The CU backs up the SQN and its request contents when transmitting an “operation request”. The P platform stores the SQN received by the “operation instruction” and sends it back to the CU as it is by “operation response”. When the P unit receives an operation instruction of the same SQN as the previously received SQN, the P unit determines that the re-transmission text is that the communication failure has occurred and the CU has retransmitted the operation instruction.

  After the recovery process is completed, the CU updates the main chip ID, the payout chip ID, and the connection time to the values received from the P units, updates the sequence number to “0”, and initiates a communication start request (recovery clear ON). Is sent to the P units. In response, the P unit clears the recovery data and backs up the data at the new connection time received from the CU. And the P platform returns a communication start response to the CU. Thereafter, an operation instruction command and an operation response response are transmitted and received between the CU and the P platform.

  As described above, the CU counts up the sequence number (SQN) by one each time this operation instruction is transmitted. First, in the first operation instruction, an operation instruction command of no game permission request and SQN = 1 is transmitted to P machines. In response to this, the data of SQN = 1, the number of pre-addition balls = 0, the number of pre-subtraction balls = 0, the number of front start ports (1) = 0, and the number of front start ports (2) = 0 are backed up. To do. Further, the P platform clears the values of the counters of the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of start ports (1), and the number of start ports (2), which are current ball related information, to zero. Then, as for P platform, SQN = 1, number of game balls = 0, number of additional balls = 0, number of subtraction balls = 0, start port (1) number of times = 0, start port (2) number of times = 0, And a game prohibition (game stop state) response is transmitted to the CU.

  Based on the motion response, the CU that receives the motion response calculates the current number of game balls 0 + the received number of additional balls 0-the received number of subtracted balls 0 and backs up the current number of game balls 0 and adds The total number of balls = 0, the total number of subtraction balls = 0, the starting port (1) number of times total = 0, and the starting port (2) number of times total = 0 are backed up.

  Next, the CU transmits an operation instruction of no game permission request and SQN = 2 to the P machines, and the P machine that receives it sends SQN = 2, the number of game balls = 0, and the number of additional balls = 0 as operation responses. , The number of subtraction balls = 0, the number of times of start port (1) = 0, the number of times of start port (2) = 0, and a game prohibition (game stop state) response is returned to the CU.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 13, the processing of the connection sequence when the CU and the P stand are reconnected will be described. The connection sequence at the time of reconnection is similar to the connection sequence at the time of power activation described with reference to FIG. 12, and here, differences will be mainly described.

  First, the time when P devices prohibit the game and start communication is immediately after receiving the device information request command from the CU. This is because the P unit can recognize that the P unit has been reconnected only after receiving a device information request from the CU.

  Next, since the connection sequence in FIG. 12 is when the power is turned on, a recovery clear ON communication start request command is transmitted from the CU to the P units, and the P unit clears the recovery data in response to the command. At the same time, the sequence number (SQN) is set to 1 according to SQN = 1 sent by the first operation instruction, and all the previous ball related information and current ball related information are cleared to “0”.

  However, in the case of the connection sequence in FIG. 13, since it is a reconnection time, the reconnection is performed and the recovery process is executed, so that the communication partner P units are connected before and after the reconnection. If it is determined that the sequence number (SQN) is not abnormal, the recovery data is taken over as it is without converting the game ball into a possession ball, and re-game is enabled. As a result, the recovery clear OFF is transmitted in the communication start request command transmitted from the CU to the P units at the end of the recovery process. In response to this, the P machine backs up the connection time received from the CU without clearing the recovery data.

  The CU backs up the main chip ID and the payout chip ID transmitted from the P units at the stage where the recovery process is completed, and backs up the connection time that is the time of reconnection. And about the sequence number, when the last SQN transmitted from P units is not abnormal, the sequence number (SQN) is continued.

  On the other hand, in the CU, after the recovery process is started, if it is determined that the communication partner P units do not match, or if the SQN is determined to be abnormal, the recovery response transmitted from the P unit The number of the current game balls included in is converted to a one-handed ball. The “mochidama” refers to the number of game balls recorded on a game recording medium (card or the like) owned by the player. Then, after the possession ball is recorded on the recording medium, the replay button 319 is operated to use the possession ball of the recording medium, and the possession ball is converted into a game ball, and then replay is possible. At that time, similarly to the connection sequence at the time of power activation shown in FIG. 12, recovery clear ON is transmitted as a communication start request transmitted from the CU to the P units, and the P unit receives the recovery data in response to the request. clear. In the CU, the sequence number is set to “0”, SQN = 1 is transmitted to the P units in the first operation instruction, and the PQ backs up the SQN = 1. In addition, in the P-unit, the number of pre-added balls = 0, the number of pre-subtracted balls = 0, the number of front start ports (1) = 0, the number of front start ports (2) = 0 is backed up, and the number of additional balls, subtracted balls The counter values of the number, the number of start ports (1) and the number of start ports (2) are cleared to zero.

  Next, processing during standby will be described with reference to FIG. This standby state is a state in which no game is played on the P platform, a card is not inserted in the CU, and the rental button 321 and the replay button 319 are not operated at all.

  First, an operation instruction command with no addition, no subtraction, and SQN = n is transmitted from the CU to the P units. In response to this, in the P-unit, the response of the operation response is SQN = n, the number of game balls = 0, the number of additional balls = 0, the number of subtracted balls = 0, the number of start ports (1) = 0, the start port (2) The number of times = 0, and game prohibition data are transmitted. The CU backs up SQN = n + 1, the number of balls requested for addition = 0, and the number of balls required for subtraction = 0 each time an operation instruction command is transmitted. In the next operation instruction command from the CU to the P units, data of SQN = n + 1 is transmitted. In response to this, the P-unit backs up SQN = n + 1, the number of pre-added balls = 0, the number of pre-subtracted balls = 0, the number of front start ports (1) = 0, and the number of front start ports (2) = 0. The counter values of the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of start ports (1), the number of start ports (2), and the number of game balls are cleared to zero.

  Then, the P units have an operation response of SQN = n + 1, the number of game balls = 0, the number of additional balls = 0, the number of subtraction balls = 0, the number of start ports (1) = 0, the number of start ports (2) = 0, A game prohibition response is transmitted to the CU. In the CU, every time a response of the operation response from the P platform is received, the number of game balls = 0, the total number of added balls = 0, the total number of subtracted balls = 0, the total of starting ports (1) = 0, and the starting port ( 2) Back up cumulative number = 0.

  With reference to FIG. 15, the processing of the CU and the P unit when a card is inserted will be described. At the time of inserting the card, the P units execute the same processing as the standby processing shown in FIG. 14 without executing any special processing by inserting the card.

  On the other hand, in the CU, in the command transmission process to the P units, the same process as that during standby shown in FIG. 14 is executed. When the card is inserted, the CU outputs a command signal for taking the card to the card reader / writer 327, and the card reader / writer 327 reads the information recorded on the taken-in card. Card insertion processing such as receiving a card is executed.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 16, a process when the prepaid balance recorded on the inserted recording medium (card) is consumed will be described. In the process of FIG. 16, the prepaid balance is “1000”, and the current game ball is “50”. First, a command with no addition, no game allowed, SQN = n, the number of balls required for addition = 0, and the number of balls required for subtraction = 0 is transmitted as operation instructions from the CU. In response to this, in the P units, SQN = n, number of game balls = 50, number of additional balls = 0, number of subtraction balls = 0, start port (1) times = 0, start port (2) times = Responses of 0, game possible, special prize OFF, and probability change OFF are returned.

  On the other hand, the CU lends 500 yen, that is, 125 balls by one lending operation (ball lending operation). When the lending button (lending button) 321 is pressed in the CU, SQN = n + 1, the number of balls required for addition = 125, the number of balls required for subtraction = 0, and the balance = 500 are backed up. In this way, the balance consumption is determined by the CU alone at the stage where the lending operation is performed.

  Then, the CU transmits, as operation instructions, commands of “Yes”, “Yes”, “SQN = n + 1”, “Addition request ball count” = 125, and “Subtraction request ball count = 0” to P units. In response to this, the P-unit backs up SQN = n + 1, the number of pre-added balls = 0, the number of pre-subtracted balls = 0, the number of front start ports (1) = 0, and the number of front start ports (2) = 0. After creating the response, the counter value of the number of balls to be added, the number of subtraction balls, the number of times of starting port (1), and the number of times of starting port (2) is cleared to 0, and the number of balls requested to be added to the current number of gaming balls 50 The number of game balls is updated to a value of 175 including the number 125.

  Then, as an operation response, addition rejection OFF, game allowance OFF, SQN = n + 1, number of game balls = 175, number of additional balls = 0, number of subtraction balls = 0, start port (1) number of times = 0, start port (2 ) Returns a response that the number of times is 0, the game is possible, the special prize is OFF, and the probability variation is OFF.

  In response to this, the number of game balls = 50 (number of game balls before update) +125 (number of balls required for addition) +0 (number of balls added) −0 (number of balls subtracted) = 175 is calculated and backed up. The total number of balls = 0, the total number of subtraction balls = 0, the start port (1) total = 0, and the start port (2) total = 0 are backed up.

  Thus, unlike the determination of the balance consumption, the determination of the number of game balls is determined after waiting for the response of the operation response from the P units.

  In addition, in the P machine, when an operation instruction command including the number of balls with and without addition is received, the addition is the same without distinguishing between the consumption of the ball (replay of the stored ball) and the consumption of the prepaid balance. The subsequent processing is executed in the sequence.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 17, the process at the time of the replay which consumes a holding ball (storage ball) is demonstrated. In FIG. 17, the holding ball specified by the inserted recording medium (card or the like) is “1000”, and the initial game ball is “0”. The replay process in FIG. 17 is similar to the process at the time of balance consumption shown in FIG. In particular, on the P platform side, as described above, the same processing as in the case of FIG. 16 is performed in order to execute in the same sequence without distinguishing between holding money consumption (reservoir replay) and balance consumption. On the CU side, SQN = n + 1, when a replay button 319 is pressed in a state where a player's own game recording medium (card or the like) is inserted and a ball specified by the card exists. The point where the number of balls requested for addition = 125 and the number of balls required for subtraction = 0 are the same as in the case of FIG. 16, and the holding ball is withdrawn, 1000-125 = 875 is calculated, and 875 is backed up. This is because the balance in the case of FIG. 16 is data in monetary units, while the holding ball in FIG. 17 is data in units of balls, so it is sufficient to simply subtract 1000-125.

  Other processes are the same as those in FIG. As described above, the consumption of the ball is determined by the CU alone when the re-play button 319 is pressed without waiting for the response of the operation response from the P units, and the number of game balls is P units. Wait for the response of the operation response from and confirm.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 18, the processing of subtracting the number of game balls (wagon service etc.) according to the instruction on the CU side will be described. In the amusement hall, a wagon service is provided in which a game ball owned by the player is consumed and drinks are provided to the player. When a player receives such a wagon service, the player calls the amusement store clerk and places a wagon order, and the player places an order by operating the remote control owned by the amusement store clerk. The contents of the order are output as an infrared signal to the IR photosensitive unit 320 of the card unit 3.

  The CU receives the infrared signal and determines that a wagon order has occurred. FIG. 18 shows a case where a wagon order that consumes “300” used game balls occurs in a state where there are “1000” game balls owned by the player. When a wagon order is generated, the CU performs a process of backing up “300” which is the number of used balls of the game balls accompanying the generation of the wagon order as SQN = n + 1, the number of balls required for addition = 0, and the number of balls required for subtraction. At this stage, the CU does not actually subtract 300 from the game balls, but simply backs up “300” as the number of balls required for subtraction. Then, a command with no addition, with subtraction, SQN = n + 1, addition request ball number = 0 and subtraction request ball number = 300 is transmitted as an operation instruction from the CU to the P platform.

  Receiving it, the P cars determine whether or not the value of the game ball counter stored therein is equal to or greater than the subtraction request count. This determination is executed by the ball number control board 17. In FIG. 18, it is assumed that the value of the game ball counter is equal to or greater than the number of subtraction requests. In this case, the P platform backs up SQN = n + 1, the number of pre-added balls = 0, the number of pre-subtracted balls = 0, the number of front start ports (1) = 0 and the number of front start ports (2) = 0. The counter values of the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of start ports (1), and the number of start ports (2) are cleared to zero. Then, according to the subtraction request ball number = 300, the game ball number is updated to “700” obtained by subtracting the subtraction ball number 300 from the current game ball number 1000.

  Then, from the P platform to the CU, the subtraction rejection is OFF, SQN = n + 1, the number of current game balls = 700, the number of additional balls = 0, the number of subtraction balls = 0, the number of start ports (1) = 0, the start port (2) A response indicating that the number of times = 0, the game is possible, the special prize is OFF, and the probability variation OFF is returned.

  Then, the CU calculates the number of game balls = 1000 (number of game balls before update) −300 (number of balls required for subtraction) +0 (number of balls added) −0 (number of subtraction balls) = 700, and sets the number of game balls to “700”. ”And back up. Thus, the subtraction of the number of game balls is determined only after waiting for the response of the motion response from the P units.

  Further, the CU backs up the cumulative number of added balls = 0, the total number of subtracted balls = 0, the starting port (1) cumulative = 0, and the starting port (2) cumulative = 0.

  On the other hand, when the P units determine that the value of the game ball counter stored therein is less than the subtraction request number, the P units do not perform subtraction of the game ball number according to the subtraction request number. . In this case, the P platform returns an operation response indicating that the subtraction rejection is ON to the CU as an operation response. As a result, the CU is notified that the game balls have not been subtracted based on the subtraction request because the P cars refused the subtraction request.

  As described above with reference to FIG. 17, the subtraction of the number of game balls based on the instruction from the CU is determined only after waiting for the response of the operation response from the P units. On the other hand, as described with reference to FIG. 16, the possession (accumulation) consumption based on the instruction of the CU is determined when the CU accepts the possession of the possession.

  As described above, the determination time is different between “subtraction of the number of game balls based on the CU instruction” and “consumed ball (storing) consumption based on the CU instruction” for the following reason.

  At the stage when the CU has received a subtraction process for the number of game balls, such as a wagon order, the subtraction instruction is sent because there is a margin in the number of game balls, but the game balls are used in the game when the P units receive the subtraction instruction. As a result, there are cases where the number of game balls corresponding to the subtraction instruction does not remain.

  In such a case, if the subtraction is confirmed based on the number of game balls stored in the CU at the stage when the CU accepts the subtraction process, the number of game balls actually does not remain on the gaming machine side. Nevertheless, the subtraction is finalized, resulting in a contradiction. Therefore, in the present embodiment, “subtraction of the number of game balls based on the instruction of the CU” is determined after waiting for a response of the operation response from the P units.

  On the other hand, since “invested (accumulated) consumption based on the instruction of the CU” is an instruction to add the number of balls, the P units are stored when the instruction reaches the P units. Even if the number of game balls fluctuates, there is no problem in adding the game balls corresponding to the addition instruction. For this reason, from the viewpoint of speeding up the process, “consumed ball (stored ball) consumption based on CU instruction” is determined when the CU accepts the ball consumption.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 19, a process when a big hit occurs during the game will be described. In FIG. 19, the initial game ball is 1010, and a probability variation big hit occurs while the operation instruction and the response of the operation are being transmitted and received between the P player and the CU in the game. After the control is finished, a state where the probability change in which the probability of occurrence of a big hit has started is shown.

  First, the CU backs up SQN = n, the number of balls required for addition = 0, and the number of balls required for subtraction = 0, and commands from the CU to the P units include no addition, no subtraction, and SQN = n Send. In response to this, the P-unit backs up SQN = n, the number of pre-added balls = 3, the number of pre-subtracted balls = 13, the number of front start ports (1) = 1, and the number of front start ports (2) = 1. The number of game balls = 1010 + 3 (the number of added balls) −13 (the number of subtracted balls) = 1000 is calculated, and the number of game balls is updated to 1000. Further, after the response is created, the counter values of the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of start ports (1), and the number of start ports (2) are cleared to zero.

  Then, as for the P platform, SQN = n, number of game balls = 1000, number of additional balls = 3, number of subtracted balls = 13, number of start ports (1) = 1, number of start ports (2) = 1, A response indicating that the game is possible, the special prize is OFF, and the probability change is OFF is transmitted to the CU. In this way, the P units transmit not only the number of subtraction balls and the number of addition balls, but also the number of game balls to the CU. As a result, the CU can determine whether or not the number of game balls stored in the P unit matches the number of game balls managed by the CU.

  In addition, in the P platform in the present embodiment, as described above, 100 pachinko balls are shot into the game area 27 per minute, and therefore, one pachinko ball is shot into the game area in 0.6 seconds. Will be included. As described with reference to FIG. 9, since the command / response is transmitted at intervals of 200 ms, the number of subtraction balls from the previous response transmission to the current response transmission is 0 or 1. Therefore, the number of subtraction balls transmitted from the P platform to the CU is either 0 or 1. However, when the number of subtraction balls is set to such a small value, the number of game balls does not change so much, and the processing flow becomes difficult to understand. Therefore, in the drawing of the processing flow in the present embodiment, for the sake of simplicity, the number of subtraction balls and the change in the number of addition balls as necessary are exaggerated for convenience.

  In the CU that has received the response of the operation response, the number of game balls = 1010 + 3-13 = 1000 is calculated and the 1000 is backed up as the number of game balls, and the cumulative number of added balls = 3, the total number of subtracted balls = 13, the start port (1) Accumulation = 1 and Start port (2) Accumulation = 1 are backed up.

  While repeatedly performing the transmission / reception of such an operation instruction command and an operation response response, a probable big hit occurs in the P units, and the ball related information includes the number of game balls = 1100, the number of additional balls = 120, The number of subtraction balls is changed to 20, the number of start ports (1) = 2, and the number of start ports (2) = 2. Then, the probability change starts after the big hit at the P platform. In the CU, SQN = n + 1, addition request ball number = 0, and subtraction request ball number = 0 are backed up, and commands of no addition, no subtraction, and SQN = n + 1 are transmitted to the P units as operation instructions.

  In the P unit, SQN = n + 1 is backed up, and the number of pre-added balls = 120, the number of pre-subtracted balls = 20, the number of front start ports (1) = 2, and the number of front start ports (2) = 2 are backed up. At the same time, the number of game balls = 1000 + 120−20 = 1100 is calculated, and the number of game balls is updated to 1100. Further, after creating the response, the counter values of the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of start ports (1), and the number of start ports (2) are cleared to zero.

  Then, the P units have an operation response of SQN = n + 1, the number of gaming balls = 1100, the number of additional balls = 120, the number of subtracting balls = 20, the number of start ports (1) = 2, the number of start ports (2) = 2, A response indicating that the game is possible, the special prize is ON, and the probability change ON is transmitted to the CU.

  In response to this, the CU calculates the number of game balls = 1000 + 120−20 = 1100, corrects the number of game balls in that 1100 and backs up, and also adds the total number of balls = 120, the total number of subtraction balls = 20, and starts. Mouth (1) total = 2 and start port (2) total = 2 are backed up. Further, the CU detects that “special prize” and “probability change” have started.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 20, a process in the case where it is detected that there is no game ball while playing P games will be described. The initial number of game balls = 20. First, the CU backs up SQN = n, the number of balls required for addition = 0, and the number of balls required for subtraction = 0, and the operation instructions include no addition, no subtraction, and SQN = n. Send command to P units. In the P platform, SQN = n, the number of pre-added balls = 3, the number of pre-subtracted balls = 18, the number of front start ports (1) = 1, and the number of front start ports (2) = 1 are backed up. Then, after the response is created, the counter values of the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of start ports (1), and the number of start ports (2) are cleared to zero.

  Then, the P platform has SQN = n, the number of game balls = 5, the number of added balls = 3, the number of subtracted balls = 18, the number of start ports (1) = 1, the number of start ports (2) = 1, A response indicating that the game is possible, the special prize is OFF, and the probability change is OFF is transmitted to the CU. In the CU, the number of game balls = 20 + 3-18 = 5 is calculated, and then the number of game balls is corrected and backed up, and the total number of added balls = 3, the total number of subtracted balls = 18, and the starting port (1) total = 0 and the starting port (2) total = 0 are backed up. After that, since the number of subtracted balls is 5 in P units, the number of game balls = 5-5 = 0 is calculated and the number of game balls = 0, the number of additional balls = 0, the number of start ports (1) = 0 The starting port (2) number of times fluctuates to zero. At the stage where the number of game balls reaches 0, no balls are detected in the P units, and the ball number control board 17 automatically stops driving the ball striking motor 18 and cannot hit the ball into the game area. Control to the game prohibited state. It should be noted that if the variable display device is already in variable display at that stage, the variable display is continued only by stopping the hitting of the hit ball. If there is a start memory at the start port (1) count or the start port (2) count at the stage where the firing stop control is performed, the variable display control of the variable display device based on the storage is continued.

  The CU backs up SQN = n + 1, the number of balls requested for addition = 0, and the number of balls required for subtraction = 0, and transmits commands of no addition, no subtraction, and SQN = n + 1 to the P units as operation instructions.

  In the P unit, SQN = n + 1 is backed up, and the number of pre-added balls = 0, the number of pre-subtracted balls = 5, the number of front start ports (1) = 0, and the number of front start ports (2) = 0 are backed up, After creating the response, the counter values of the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of start ports (1), and the number of start ports (2) are cleared to zero.

  Then, the P units have an operation response of SQN = n + 1, the number of game balls = 0, the number of additional balls = 0, the number of subtraction balls = 5, the number of start ports (1) = 0, the number of start ports (2) = 0, A response of game prohibition, special prize OFF, and probability change OFF is transmitted to the CU.

  In response to this, the CU calculates the number of game balls = 5 + 0−5 = 0, corrects the number of game balls to 0, and backs up, and also adds the total number of balls = 0, the total number of subtraction balls = 5, the start port (1) Cumulative = 1, and start port (2) Cumulative = 0.

  In this way, the main management of the number of game balls is performed by the CU, but only when the game prohibition control (launching stop control) is performed when the number of game balls reaches 0 in the P platform, It is determined that the number of game balls has become 0, and game prohibition control (launch stop control) is performed. Thereafter, as the operation response, the final ball related information is transmitted to the CU, and the final game ball number “0” is determined on the CU side. The reason for controlling in this way is that it is necessary to perform ball hitting stop control at the moment when the number of game balls becomes zero on the P platform side.

  For example, on the CU side which mainly manages the number of game balls, the response of the motion response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls when the number of game balls sent from the P platform side becomes 0 is received. Wait, when the final number of game balls is calculated on the CU side and becomes 0, a command for operation instruction with a prohibition request for prohibiting the game is transmitted to the P base side, and received When hitting ball stop control is first performed on the P platform side, there is a possibility that a pachinko ball will be shot and fired during the response and command transmission / reception, and a new number of subtraction balls may be generated during that time. On the other hand, although the number of game balls has already become “0”, a new subtraction ball number is generated and eventually the game ball number becomes negative. In order to prevent such an inconvenience, only the ball hitting stop control when the number of game balls becomes 0 is controlled based on the number of game balls on the P platform side.

  As described above, since the game control represented by the hitting ball stop control is performed based on the number of game balls stored in the P player itself, this control is performed based on the number of game balls managed and stored in the CU. Compared with the case where such game control is performed, the game control in accordance with the fluctuation of the number of game balls can be performed in real time.

  Here, although the example in which the ball number control board 17 performs the hitting ball firing stop control is shown, the game control board 16 (see FIG. 3) may be configured to perform the hitting ball shot stop control.

  In this case, for example, the ball number control board 17 transmits a signal indicating that the number of game balls is 0 to the game control board 16 when the number of game balls is determined to be zero. In response to this signal, the game control board 16 prohibits the driving of the ball hitting motor 18.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 21, a process when a card return operation is performed will be described. In the state where the number of game balls is initially set to 500, an operation instruction from the CU to the P unit, and in response to an operation response from the P unit to the CU, when the return button 322 is pressed, the CU As a next operation instruction, a command of prohibition for prohibiting a game, no request for clear, and a command of SQN = n + 1 are transmitted to the P units. In the P platform, in accordance with the instruction with the prohibition request included in the command, the driving of the hitting motor 18 is stopped to control the hitting stop state. Thereafter, a waiting time of 10 seconds is provided in consideration of the time from when the already fired balls flow down in the game area 27 to all flow out balls, that is, the floating ball processing waiting time. Polling is continued between the P units and the CU during the wait time of 10 seconds.

  Then, after 10 seconds have passed, the P platform has, as an operation response, prohibited rejection OFF, SQN = n + 1, the number of gaming balls = 500, the number of additional balls = 0, the number of subtracted balls = 0, the number of start ports (1) = A response of 0, start port (2) times = 0, game prohibition, special prize OFF, and probability change OFF is transmitted to the CU. The number of game balls transmitted at this time is the final number of game balls at the end of the game. This sequence example shows a case where the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls are not changed by the floating ball. If a prize is generated by a floating ball, or if the floating ball becomes a foul ball, the number of payouts or the number of foul balls corresponding to the prize will be transmitted to the CU as an “added ball number”. .

  Upon receiving this operation response, the CU backs up SQN = n + 2 and data with a clear request. Furthermore, according to “the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of start ports (1), the number of start ports (2)” included in the motion response, the stored “number of game balls, total number of added balls, total number of balls” Each data of “the number of subtraction balls, start opening (1) total winning prize, starting opening (2) total winning prize” is updated. As a result, the number of game balls at the end of the game is determined on the CU side. As described above, since the final number of game balls is determined on the CU side, it is not necessary to provide a point management function on the P platform side, and the cost of the P platform can be suppressed as much as possible.

  In this example, the CU receives the input of the “signal for requesting the end of game” based on the operation of the return button 322, and determines the number of game balls at the end of the game. However, the “signal for requesting the end of the game” is not limited to a signal based on the operation of the return button 322.

  For example, the CU is provided with a fingerprint authentication unit that authenticates a player's fingerprint. At the start of the gaming machine, authentication by the fingerprint authentication unit is mandatory, and the fingerprint information specified by the game card inserted into the CU by the player at the start of the game matches the fingerprint information detected by the fingerprint authentication unit. The game is allowed as a condition. Furthermore, authentication by the fingerprint authentication unit is essential at the end of the game, and the game is ended on condition that the fingerprint information detected by the fingerprint authentication unit matches the fingerprint information detected at the start of the game. In this case, the “signal for requesting game end” is fingerprint information detected by the fingerprint authentication unit.

  In addition, when a game end request signal is input to the CU from a server or the like that manages the entire gaming machine installation island, the game may be ended regardless of whether or not the return button 322 is operated. In this case, the “game end request signal” is constituted by the game end request signal input from the server.

  Returning to the description of FIG. Subsequently, the CU that backed up SQN = n + 2 and data with clear request transmits a command with clear request and SQN = n + 2 to the P units as an operation instruction.

  In response to this, the P units clear (initialize) the value of each stored data to zero. Here, the data cleared by the P cars is the current ball related information and the previous ball related information shown in FIG. As a result, the added ball number counter, the subtracted ball number counter, the starting port (1) winning counter, the starting port (2) winning counter, and the number of gaming ball counters are stored as the previous counter values. The data on the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of winnings for the starting port 1 and the number of winnings for the starting port 2 are cleared (initialized).

  Next, as for P, the operation response is clear rejection OFF not to reject the clear request, SQN = n + 2, the number of game balls = 0, the number of additional balls = 0, the number of subtraction balls = 0, the number of start ports (1) = 0, start port (2) times = 0, game prohibition, special prize OFF, and probability change OFF responses are transmitted to the CU. Then, the CU backs up SQN = n + 2, game balls = 0, and holding balls = 500. This holding ball = 500 is a value obtained by adding 500, which is the number of game balls received immediately before the clear request, to the holding ball.

  Thereafter, the CU ejects the inserted card and returns it to the player. Then, as an operation instruction, a command with no prohibition request, no clear request, and SQN = n + 3 is transmitted to the P units.

  In response to this, PQ, SQN = n + 3, number of game balls = 0, number of additional balls = 0, number of subtraction balls = 0, start port (1) times = 0, start port (2) times = 0, game A response of prohibition, special prize OFF, and probability change OFF is transmitted to the CU.

  With reference to FIG. 22, a process when the glass door 6 is unlocked and opened will be described. First, as a first operation instruction, a command including an instruction not to open a glass door and requesting no glass opening is transmitted from the CU to the P platform. Receiving it, the P vehicle returns a normal response including the number of game balls = 500 to the CU as an operation response. At this stage, for example, if a trouble occurs such as a pachinko ball that has been driven into the game area 27 on the P platform, the player calls the attendant at the game hall. An infrared signal for unlocking and opening the glass door 6 by operating the remote controller is transmitted to the IR photosensitive unit 320. In response to this, the IR photosensitive unit 320 inputs a glass door opening instruction signal included in the received infrared signal to the control unit 323. Upon receiving the instruction to open the glass door, the CU transmits, as operation instructions, commands for prohibiting the game to stop, no glass opening request, and SQN = n + 1 to the P units. That is, before the glass door 6 is actually opened, first, an operation instruction with a prohibition request and no glass opening request is sent to the P platform in order to perform the hitting stop control at the P platform.

  In response to this, the P platform stops the driving of the hitting ball launch motor 18 and controls the hitting ball shot stop state. Next, the P platform returns, as an operation response, a response including prohibition rejection OFF indicating that the game prohibition is not rejected and game prohibition data indicating that the game prohibition state is set to the CU.

  On the other hand, in the CU, after the operation instruction command including the above-described prohibition request is transmitted to the P units, the time until all balls fired in the game area 27 in the P units flow out and are collected, that is, floating In consideration of the ball processing waiting time, a 10-second wait is provided. During this time, the CU continues to poll by sending a command including an instruction indicating that the game is prohibited, that is, a prohibition request, to the P units.

  Then, when the wait time of 10 seconds has elapsed, a command including an instruction to request opening of the glass for unlocking and opening the glass door 6 is transmitted to the P units as an operation instruction.

  In response to this, the P platform opens the glass door 6 by exciting the glass door opening solenoid 10 to unlock the glass door 6. Further, the bit 6 bit in the gaming table state shown in FIG. 8 is turned ON, that is, “1”, and thereafter, until the glass door 6 is closed (until the detection signal from the glass door closing detector 12 is inputted). Keep ON. Then, the P platform returns a response including the response to the glass opening rejection OFF, the game prohibition, and the glass development student as an operation response to the CU.

  In the CU, if the glass opening request command is not rejected, that is, if a response including a response of glass opening rejection ON is not returned, it is determined that the glass door 6 has been opened. Thereafter, a command including no glass opening request is transmitted to the P units as an operation instruction.

  FIG. 23 shows a modification of the glass door opening process shown in FIG. The difference from the processing of FIG. 23 is that when the glass door opening instruction input is detected in the CU, not only the prohibition request for instructing the prohibition request of the game but also the glass door 6 is unlocked. A command with a glass opening request instructing an opening request is transmitted to the P units. Upon receiving this command, the P platform stops the driving of the hitting ball launch motor 18 and controls the hitting ball shot stop state. At the same time, all the balls shot in the game area 27 flow into the out balls and are collected. Considering the floating ball processing waiting time, a 10 second weight is provided. During the wait time of 10 seconds, the CU and the P platform continue to transmit / receive operation instructions / operation responses. When the wait time of 10 seconds elapses, the glass door opening solenoid 10 is excited to unlock the glass door 6 and the glass door 6 is opened. Further, the bit of Bit 6 in the gaming table state shown in FIG. 8 is set to ON, that is, “1”, and then remains ON until the glass door 6 is closed (until a detection signal is input from the glass door closing detector 12). .

  And as for P platform, glass opening refusal OFF which does not refuse opening of a glass door as an operation response, a game prohibition which shows that it is in the state where ball hitting is stopped, and that the lock of the glass door is released and it is being opened A response including data on the glass development student indicating is sent to the CU.

  The CU determines that the glass door 6 has been opened by receiving an operation response of glass opening refusal OFF.

  As described above, the modification shown in FIG. 23 is characterized in that the 10-second wait process considering the floating ball process waiting time is executed not on the CU side but on the P platform side.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 24, a process for unlocking and releasing the cell (front frame) 5 will be described. The opening process of the cell (front frame) 6 is the same as the opening process of the glass door 6 shown in FIG. Here, the differences will be mainly described.

  When an attendant at the game hall operates the remote control to unlock and release the front frame (cell) 5, infrared light including a cell release command signal is output from the remote control to the IR photosensitive unit 320. Is done. In response to this, the IR photosensitive unit 320 outputs a cell open command signal to the control unit 323. As a result, it is determined in the CU that a cell opening instruction input for opening the cell has been detected. Then, the CU transmits, as an operation instruction, a command including data indicating that there is a prohibition request for prohibiting a game and no cell opening request to the P units. In response to this, the P platform stops the driving of the hitting ball firing motor and controls the hitting ball firing stop state.

  In the CU, a 10-second wait is provided in consideration of the floating ball processing waiting time, and when the 10-second wait time ends, the cell open request data that is an instruction to unlock and release the cell is received. The command including it is transmitted to P units. In response to this, the P platform releases the front frame 5 by exciting the front frame opening solenoid 11 to unlock the front frame 5. Further, the bit during the cell development, specifically, the bit 7 of the game table state shown in FIG. 8 is turned ON, that is, “1”, and thereafter, until the cell is closed (the detection signal from the front frame closing detector 13 is detected). Keep ON) until input.

  And as for the P platform, the cell opening rejection OFF which does not reject the cell opening request as the operation response, the game prohibition indicating that it is in the hitting stop state, and the cell development in progress indicating that the cell is being opened A response including data is transmitted to the CU.

  If the CU is not rejected with respect to the cell opening request, that is, if a response including cell opening rejection OFF is returned, the CU determines that the cell has been opened.

  In addition, in the process when the cell shown in FIG. 24 is opened, the P platform side has a function of providing a 10-second weight in consideration of the floating ball processing waiting time as in the modification shown in FIG. When the command input for cell opening is detected, the CU sends a command including instructions for prohibition request and cell opening request to the P units, and the P unit side receives the command and performs the hit ball firing prohibition control. After that, the operation instruction / response is continued between the 10-second wait period CU and the P platform, and when the 10-second wait time has elapsed, the front frame opening solenoid 11 is excited to lock the front frame 5 May be released after being released, and then a response including data indicating that cell open refusal OFF and cell development is in progress may be transmitted to the CU.

  As described above with reference to FIGS. 22 to 24, according to the present embodiment, the closed state of the glass door or cell, which is a specific example of the front member of the P platform, is released without affecting the game progress. It becomes possible.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 25, processing when the CU is powered on while holding a card and an abnormality in which the P units are not connected at that time occurs will be described. Since a communication interruption occurred between the CU and the P unit while a card was inserted and a game was being played on the P unit, a device information request command was issued from the CU when the CU power was restarted. Sent to the machine. However, since an unconnected abnormality of P units has occurred, a response from P units is not returned to the CU. Then, as described with reference to FIG. 10, the CU retransmits the device information request command to the P devices. In spite of this, if no response is returned from the P device, the second device information request is retransmitted to the P device. If no response is returned from the P units for the second retransmission, at this stage, the CU determines that there is a communication error and displays on the display 312 that an error has occurred due to no connection. Execute the control.

  In this state, when the store clerk operates the remote controller for the CU and outputs an infrared signal forcibly ejecting the inserted card to the IR photosensitive unit 320, the forced ejection signal is input to the control unit 323. Is done. In response to this, the CU adds the “number of game balls” backed up by the CU to the “held ball” of the inserted card and clears the “number of game balls” and “connection time” of the CU to 0. Then, a command to eject the inserted card is output to the card reader / writer 327. Receiving it, the card reader / writer 327 discharges the taken card.

  After that, the CU transmits a device information request command to the P units and performs a connection sequence (see FIG. 12) resumption process. The number of balls to be added (for example, j) or subtraction balls after the connection failure (see FIG. 12) is resumed after the P connection failure occurs and before the first operation response is transmitted by the P units. Processing when a number (for example, r) has occurred is performed in the restart processing of FIG. Referring to FIG. 12, the CU receives the first motion response from the P units, thereby calculating the number of game balls = 0 + j (the number of added balls) + r (the number of subtracted balls), and the game that is the result of the calculation. Back up the number of balls = j + r.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 26, a process when the operation instruction from the CU (no requested operation) has not reached P units will be described.

  As described with reference to FIG. 19 and the like, the P platform receives the operation instruction command from the CU, and obtains the data of the current addition subtraction ball number and the current start port number data stored in the current ball related information storage area. The back-up information is stored in the front ball related information storage area as the number of pre-addition subtraction balls and the number of previous start ports, and the current addition subtraction ball number and the current start port number data stored in the current ball related information storage area are cleared to 0 However, in the case of FIG. 26, the operation instruction from the CU has not reached P units. Therefore, the above-described backup clear process is not performed on the P units. As a result, each time the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, or a start win occurs, these data are accumulated and stored as current ball related information in the current ball related information storage area.

  First, in a state where the current number of game balls is 520, the CU sends a command of no request and SQN = n to the P units as an operation instruction. However, since the command does not reach the P machines, the response from the P machines is not returned to the CU. As a result, as described with reference to FIG. 10, the CU transmits the same operation instruction command to the P units again. If this re-transmission does not reach the P units, the response from the P units is not returned to the CU, so the CU performs the second retransmission for the same operation instruction. When this retransmission is repeated, the value of SQN is maintained at n, and the addition update of “1” is not performed.

  When the command reaches P units in the second re-transmission, until the operation instruction arrives, P unit uses the current ball related information as the data of the number of addition subtraction balls and the number of start ports as described above. As a cumulative memory. Then, using the accumulated number of balls to be stored = 6 and the number of subtracted balls = 36, the current number of gaming balls = 520 + 6-36 = 490 is calculated, and SQN = n, the number of gaming balls = 490, the number of added balls = 6, the number of subtracted balls = 36, the number of times of starting port (1) = 1, and the number of times of starting port (2) = 1 are transmitted to the CU.

  In response to this, the CU calculates the number of game balls = 520 + 6 (the number of added balls) −36 (the number of subtracted balls) = 490, and corrects and stores the number of game balls in 490.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 27, a process when the operation response from the P platform (response to the absence of requested operation) has not reached the CU will be described. In the case shown in FIG. 27, since the command from the CU is input to the P units, the above-described backup clear processing is executed, but the value of the SQN of the command transmitted from the next CU to the P unit is performed. Is the same as the value of the previous SQN, the P units determine that the response of the operation response transmitted to the CU is a retransmission due to not reaching the CU, and the pre-addition subtraction that is the previous ball related information Without clearing the data of the number of balls and the number of previous starting ports to 0, the current addition subtraction number of balls and the current number of starting ports are cumulatively added to these data as current ball related information.

  Specifically, assuming that the current number of game balls is 520, the CU first sends a command of no request and SQN = n to the P units as an operation instruction. In response to this, the P-unit performs the above-mentioned backup clear processing, and stores the data of the current addition / subtraction ball count and the current start port count in the pre-addition / subtraction ball count and the previous start port count as well as an operation response command. And the current addition / subtraction ball count and current start port count data as current ball related information are cleared to zero. Also, the current number of game balls = 520−13 + 3 = 510 is calculated, and the number of game balls 510 is included in the response data of the motion response. Then, as for the P units, SQN = n, number of game balls = 510, number of added balls = 3, number of subtracted balls = 13, number of start ports (1) = 1, and number of start ports (2) = 0 Is sent to the CU.

  However, since the response does not reach the CU, the CU transmits the same operation instruction as that of the previous time, that is, no request, SQN = n command to the P units.

  In response to this, since the previous SQN and the current SQN have the same value of n, the P unit determines that the response of the transmitted operation response is a retransmission due to not reaching the CU. Without adding up the data of pre-addition subtraction balls and the number of previous starting ports as related information, the data of current addition subtraction balls and the number of current starting ports as the current ball related information are cumulatively added to the data and backed up. To do. As a result, the number of pre-added balls = 3 + 3 = 6, the number of pre-subtracted balls = 13 + 8 = 21, the number of front start ports (1) = 1 + 0 = 1, and the number of front start ports (2) = 0 + 1 = 1. After the response of the operation response composed of these data is created, the data of the current number of added and subtracted balls and the current number of starting ports are cleared to zero. Then, as an operation response, the P platform has SQN = n, the number of game balls = 505, the number of added balls = 6, the number of subtracted balls = 21, the number of start ports (1) = 1, and the number of start ports (2) = 1. Send the response to the CU. However, since this response also does not reach the CU, the CU transmits the same operation instruction (no request, SQN = n) command to the P units again.

  In response to this, the P unit detects that the previous SQN and the current SQN are both n and have not changed, and detects that the response of the operation response is a retransmission because it has not reached the CU. To do. As a result, the P platform performs cumulative addition storage on the previous ball related information, as described above, creates a response of the operation response, and returns it to the CU. Specifically, as an operation response, SQN = n, number of game balls = 485, number of added balls = 12, number of subtracted balls = 47, start port (1) number of times = 2, start port (2) number of responses = 2 To the CU.

  Since the response of this operation response has reached the CU, the CU calculates the number of game balls = 520 + 12−47 = 485, and performs processing for correcting and storing the data of the game balls in the 485.

  As described above, when the previously transmitted operation response does not reach the CU, the P units do not transmit the next operation response after retransmitting the unachieved operation response, but information that has not been reached. The information after adding up is transmitted as the next operation response. As a result, the gaming apparatus can reliably and efficiently collect information regarding the number of game balls and the number of winning entries. In the example of FIG. 27, the case where the operation response from the P platform has not reached once has been described. However, if the operation response has not reached twice, the operation response transmitted for the third time is not included. , The total value obtained by adding the motion response information transmitted the second time is included.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 28, a process when the operation instruction (addition request) from the CU has not reached P units will be described. The number of gaming balls at the current time is set to 520, and the number of balls to be added when there is an operation for holding a ball (replay) or a prepaid balance is set to 125. First, as an operation instruction, the CU has an addition request, SQN = A command including data of n and the number of balls to be added = 125 is transmitted to the P units. However, since the command does not reach the P units, the response from the P units is not returned to the CU. As a result, as described above, the CU retransmits the command with the same operation instruction. Since the re-send command has not reached the P units, the corresponding response from the P units is not transmitted to the CU. Therefore, as described above, the CU performs the second retransmission for the command with the same operation instruction. This second retransmission command reaches P units. In the period when the operation instruction command from the CU has not yet reached, the P units do not perform the above-described backup clear process, and the addition / subtraction data and the start port are added to the current addition / subtraction ball number and the current start port number as the current ball related information Accumulated addition of count data is stored.

  Then, P units calculate the current game ball number = 520 + 125 (addition request ball number) +6 (current addition ball number) −36 (current subtraction ball number) = 615, and the current game ball number data is set to 615. Create an action response. Specifically, the P platform has an addition rejection OFF, SQN = n, number of game balls = 615, number of additional balls = 6, number of subtraction balls = 36, start port (1) number of times = 1, and start as an operation response. Mouth (2) Response of number of times = 1 is transmitted to the CU.

  In response to this, the CU calculates the number of game balls = 520 + 125 + 6-36 = 615, and corrects and stores the game ball number data in that 615.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 29, processing when the operation response from the P platform (response to the addition request) has not been reached will be described. A case will be described where an initial number of game balls = 520 and an operation for using a game as a withdrawal from a holding ball (replay) or a prepaid balance is performed and an addition request for 125 balls is generated. First, the CU transmits, as an operation instruction, a command with an addition request, SQN = n, and the number of addition request balls = 125 to P units. In response to this, the P units, as the current ball related information, add ball number = 3, subtract ball number = 13, start port (1) number of times = 1, and start port (2) number of times = 0, and SQN = n Is stored in the previous ball related information storage area, and the number of game balls = 520 + 125 + 3-13 = 635 is calculated and the number of game balls = 635 is stored.

  Then, after creating the response of the motion response, the P platform clears the stored data in the current ball related information storage area to 0, and as the motion response, addition rejection OFF, SQN = n, number of game balls = 635, number of added balls = 3, number of subtraction balls = 13, start port (1) number of times = 1, and start port (2) number of times = 0 responses are transmitted to the CU.

  However, since the response did not reach the CU, the CU retransmits the same operation instruction command to the P units. At the time of the retransmission, the SQN having the same value n as the previous time is transmitted to the P units without updating the SQN by adding “1”.

  Since the P unit receives the command and the SQN has the same value n as the previous time, it detects that the transmitted response is a retransmission due to not reaching the CU, and adds it to the received command. Although the required number of balls = 125 is included, the game balls are not added and updated based on the command. That is, the addition update according to the addition request is not executed twice.

  In addition, since the command P is detected again in the P platform, the previous ball related information already stored in the previous ball related information storage area is stored in the current ball related information storage area in the same manner as the processing in FIG. The accumulated data, that is, the number of added balls = 3, the number of subtracted balls = 8, the number of start ports (1) = 0, and the number of start ports (2) = 1 are accumulated and stored. Then, the number of game balls = 635 + 3-8 = 630 is calculated, and the number of game balls is corrected to 630 and stored.

  Thereafter, the P units create a response of the operation response. Specifically, as an operation response, addition rejection OFF, SQN = n, number of gaming balls = 630, number of additional balls = 6, number of subtracted balls = 21, start port (1) number of times = 1, and start port (2) Number of times = 1 is transmitted as a response to the CU.

  Since this response also did not reach the CU, the CU performs a second retransmission of the command with the same operation instruction.

  In the P units, the retransmission detection is performed in the same manner as described above, and the addition request ball number = 125 is received, but the addition update is not performed, and the addition update according to the addition request is not performed twice. In the same manner as described above, after accumulating in the previous ball related information storage area, calculating the number of game balls, generating a response, and clearing the current ball related information storage area to 0, as an operation response, addition rejection OFF, SQN = N, number of game balls = 610, number of added balls = 12, number of subtraction balls = 47, start port (1) number of times = 2, and response of start port (2) number of times = 2 are transmitted to the CU. Since this response reaches the CU, the CU calculates the number of game balls = 520 + 125 + 12−47 = 610, corrects the number of game balls to 610, and stores it.

  As described above, in the case of the P units, even when the command including the addition request ball number data transmitted from the CU is received, the SQN value included in the command is the same as the SQN value of the previous command. Therefore, it is determined that it is a re-transmission, it is not determined that it is an additional addition request, the addition update of the game balls is not performed, and the addition update according to the addition request is not performed twice.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 30, a process when the operation instruction (subtraction request) from the CU does not reach the P units will be described. A case will be described where an initial number of game balls = 520 and a subtraction request for 300 balls is generated due to the occurrence of a wagon order or the like. First, the CU transmits, as operation instructions, commands with a subtraction request, SQN = n, and the number of subtraction request balls = 300 to P units. However, since the command did not reach the P machines, the response from the P machines is not returned to the CU. Therefore, the CU transmits the same operation instruction command to the P units again. Since this re-transmission command also did not reach the P units, the response from the P units is not returned to the CU. Therefore, the CU performs a second retransmission of the same operation instruction command. This second retransmission command reaches the P units.

  In the P unit, during the period in which the operation instruction command from the CU has not yet reached, as in the process of FIG. 26, every time an additional subtraction ball number and a start winning are generated, the data is accumulated and stored in the current ball related information storage area To do. Then, at the stage when the command command for the second operation is input to the P machines, the game ball = 520−300 + 6-36 = 190 is calculated, and the game ball = 190 is stored. Then, as an operation response, the subtraction rejection OFF, SQN = n, the number of game balls = 190, the number of additional balls = 6, the number of subtraction balls = 36, the number of start ports (1) = 1, and the number of start ports (2) = 1 Is sent to the CU.

  In response to this, the CU calculates a game ball = 520−300 + 6-36 = 190, and corrects and stores the game ball in 190.

  In this way, when subtracting from the game balls, the CU first sends an operation instruction command including data on the number of subtraction requests and the number of subtraction request balls to the P units, and a response as an operation response to the command is received. After waiting for the response to the CU, the subtraction request is subtracted from the game ball. Although the main management function for adding and subtracting game balls and managing the current game balls is on the CU side, the number of balls added and subtracted from the P units on the CU side is different from the game balls that change momentarily as the game progresses on the P units. It is possible to calculate the current game ball by adding / subtracting the game balls only after the response including the motion response is returned, and the game in the CU compared to the P device for the period of waiting for the motion response from the P device. The calculation time of the ball is delayed. Therefore, the current game ball data on the CU side is data with a time delay with respect to the P units, and even if the current game ball on the CU side is the number of subtraction request balls, In reality, however, there may be no game balls left for the number of balls required for subtraction. Therefore, in this embodiment, when subtracting the game balls, the CU waits for a response of the operation response from the P platform, and subtracts the game balls for the subtraction request.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 31, a process when the operation response from the P platform (response to the subtraction request) has not reached the CU will be described. Assuming that the initial number of game balls = 520 and the number of balls required for subtraction = 300, first, the CU transmits, to the P units, commands indicating that there is a subtraction request, SQN = n, and the number of balls required for subtraction = 300. In response to this, the P units, as the current ball related information, add ball number = 3, subtract ball number = 13, start port (1) number of times = 1, and start port (2) number of times = 0, and SQN = n Is stored in the previous ball related information storage area, and the number of game balls = 520-300 + 3-13 = 210 is calculated and the number of game balls = 210 is stored.

  Then, after creating the response of the motion response, the P platform clears the storage data in the current ball related information storage area to 0, and as the motion response, addition rejection OFF, SQN = n, number of gaming balls = 210, number of additional balls = 3, number of subtraction balls = 13, start port (1) number of times = 1, and start port (2) number of times = 0 responses are transmitted to the CU.

  However, since the response did not reach the CU, the CU retransmits the same operation instruction command to the P units. At the time of the retransmission, the SQN having the same value n as the previous time is transmitted to the P units without updating the SQN by adding “1”.

  Since the P unit receives the command and the SQN has the same value n as the previous time, it detects that the transmitted response is a retransmission due to not reaching the CU, and subtracts it from the received command. Although the required number of balls = 300 is included, the game ball is not subtracted and updated based on the command. That is, the subtraction update corresponding to the subtraction request is not executed twice.

  In addition, since the command P is detected again in the P platform, the previous ball related information already stored in the previous ball related information storage area is stored in the current ball related information storage area in the same manner as the processing in FIG. The accumulated data, that is, the number of added balls = 3, the number of subtracted balls = 8, the number of start ports (1) = 0, and the number of start ports (2) = 1 are accumulated and stored. Then, the number of game balls = 210 + 3-8 = 205 is calculated, and the number of game balls is corrected to 205 and stored.

  Thereafter, the P units create a response of the operation response. Specifically, as the operation response, addition rejection OFF, SQN = n, number of gaming balls = 205, number of additional balls = 6, number of subtracting balls = 21, number of start ports (1) = 1, and start port (2) Number of times = 1 is transmitted as a response to the CU.

  Since this response also did not reach the CU, the CU performs a second retransmission of the command with the same operation instruction.

  In the P units, retransmission detection is performed in the same manner as described above, and the subtraction update is not performed while receiving the subtraction request ball count = 300, and the subtraction update is not performed twice in response to the subtraction request. In the same manner as described above, after accumulating in the previous ball related information storage area, calculating the number of game balls, generating a response, and clearing the current ball related information storage area to 0, as an operation response, addition rejection OFF, SQN = N, number of game balls = 205 + 6-26 = 185, number of added balls = 12, number of subtracted balls = 47, start port (1) number of times = 2, and start port (2) number of times = 2 responses are sent to the CU . Since this response reaches the CU, the CU calculates the number of game balls = 520−300 + 12−47 = 185, corrects the number of game balls to 185, and stores it.

  As described above, in the case of the P units, even when the command including the addition request ball number data transmitted from the CU is received, the SQN value included in the command is the same as the SQN value of the previous command. Therefore, it is determined that it is a re-transmission, it is not determined that it is an additional subtraction request, the subtraction update of the game ball is not performed, and the subtraction update according to the subtraction request is not performed twice.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 32, a process when the P units return an addition rejection response to the CU addition request will be described. The initial number of game balls = 520, the balance of the game recording medium (card) inserted in the CU = 1000 yen, and first, a command of no request and SQN = n is transmitted from the CU to the P units as an operation instruction. . The P platform calculates a game ball = 520 + 3-23 = 500 and returns an operation response including data on the number of game balls, the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of start ports (1), and the number of start ports (2). Reply to CU. The CU calculates a game ball based on the motion response and corrects it to game ball = 500.

  Next, the lending button 321 is pressed, and the CU transmits, as operation instructions, commands with an addition request, SQN = n + 1, and addition request balls = 125 to P units. In the P platform, for some reason, a response of an operation response including addition rejection ON that rejects addition is returned to the CU.

  Since the CU has received an operation response including addition rejection OFF, the CU again transmits an operation instruction command including the addition request presence and the number of addition request balls = 125 to the P units. In the P platform, the response of the operation response including the addition rejection ON is returned to the CU again. In response to this, the CU performs a second retransmission of the operation instruction command including the addition request present and the number of addition request balls = 125. In response to this, when an operation response including addition refusal ON is returned from the P unit to the CU, the CU determines that the points cannot be added in the P unit, and a FIN signal for terminating the connection. Is transmitted to P units.

  In the P unit, a FIN / ACK signal indicating that the end of the connection is accepted is returned to the CU, and as recovery data, SQN = n + 3, the previous number of balls as the previous number of balls = 3, the number of pre-subtracted balls = 13, the number of front starting ports (1) = 1, the number of front starting ports (2) = 1, the current number of balls as the current number of balls = 450, the current number of added balls = 3, the number of current subtracted balls = 13, Data of current start port (1) number of times = 1 and current start port (2) number of times = 1 are stored.

  On the other hand, the CU resets the communication connection after changing SQN as a backup value to n + 3 + 2 (add 2 to make SQN abnormal) for recovery processing to be executed later. SQN is added by “1” to the current value. However, here, in order to deliberately set SQN to an abnormal value, “2” is added to the current value (n + 3). As a result, the CU discriminates an abnormality having a difference of “2” with respect to the SQN value (n + 3) included in the recovery response transmitted from the P units. Operation instruction transmission processing including the number of addition requests = 125 is executed.

  After resetting the communication connection, the CU transmits a SYN signal as a connection establishment request to the P units. In response to this, the P platform returns a SYN / ACK signal indicating that the connection establishment request has been accepted to the CU. Thereafter, the device information request command, device information response response, authentication request command, authentication response response, recovery request command, recovery response response shown in the processing of FIG. Are transmitted and received. In the response of this recovery response, the above-described recovery data stored on the P platform side is transmitted to the CU side.

  The CU compares the value of SQN = n + 3 included in the recovery response with the value of the SQN being backed up (n + 3 + 2), determines that there is a difference of “2”, and forces the P side The process at the time of abnormality for adding game balls is executed. Specifically, first, recovery is performed, and a game ball is forcibly added on the CU side, that is, a game ball is calculated by calculating 450 (CU game ball) +125 (addition request ball) = 575. Modify the number to 575.

  Next, the CU transmits a command for forcibly adding game balls to the P units to the P units in response to an operation instruction after recovery. Specifically, as an operation instruction, a command including the presence of addition and the number of balls requested for addition = 125 is transmitted to the P units.

  The P units are programmed so that when the operation instruction (addition request) after recovery is received, the addition request cannot be rejected by the P unit. Ball = 450 + 125 = 575 is calculated and the game ball is corrected to 575.

  Also in the processing of FIG. 32, since the consumption of the balance is determined on the CU side without waiting for the response of the operation response from the P units, a response including addition rejection ON is received as the operation response from the P unit. Even if a reply is received, the balance consumption has already been confirmed on the CU side at an earlier stage.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 33, a process when P units return a subtraction rejection response to a CU subtraction request will be described. Since the initial number of game balls is 520, the number of balls to be added is 3 and the number of balls to be subtracted is 13 at the stage when the command of the operation instruction and the response of the operation response are transmitted and received once between the CU and the P platform. Then, the game ball = 520 + 3-13 = 510.

  When a wagon service order or the like occurs at this stage and a subtraction request for 500 balls is generated, the CU uses a command of subtraction request, SQN = n + 1, and the number of subtraction request balls = 500 as an operation instruction. Send to the stand. At the stage of receiving this command, the number of balls to be added is 6 and the number of balls to be subtracted is 36 in P units, and the number of game balls at the present time is 510 + 6-36 = 480. As a result, since the current number of game balls (480) is smaller than the number of balls required for subtraction (500), the subtraction request of 500 cannot be satisfied. Therefore, the P units have subtraction rejection ON indicating that the subtraction request is rejected as an operation response, SQN = n + 1, the number of gaming balls = 480, the number of additional balls = 6, the number of subtracted balls = 36, the number of start ports (1) = 2 and the response of start port (2) number of times = 2 is transmitted to the CU.

  In response, the CU calculates a game ball = 510 + 6-36 = 480 and corrects the game ball to 480. Then, subtraction rejection is detected, and subtraction cancellation processing is performed. In the subtraction cancellation process, for example, the display 312 displays a message such as “Unable to subtract due to insufficient game balls”.

Thereafter, normal operation instruction and operation response polling are performed.
Next, with reference to FIG. 34, a process when the P units return a clear rejection response to the CU clear instruction request will be described. When the return button 322 is pressed down with the initial number of game balls = 520, the illustration is omitted in FIG. 34, but as with the processing in FIG. Then, a command including data indicating prohibition request and prohibition request for prohibiting the game is transmitted to the P machines. In response to the request, the P platform returns a response including prohibition rejection OFF and game prohibition data to the CU as an operation response. Thereafter, similarly to the processing of FIG. 21, a 10-second wait is provided in the P platform, and polling is continued between the P platform and the CU during this 10-second wait.

  Thereafter, the CU transmits a command for clear request and an operation instruction command of SQN = n + 1 to the P units. Receiving it, the P unit is cleared to indicate that it cannot be cleared for some reason, SQN = n + 1, the number of game balls = 480, the number of added balls = 3, the number of subtracted balls = 36, the number of start ports (1) = 1 The response of the operation response of the start port (2) times = 2 is transmitted to the CU. At this stage, the game ball is 480. Then, the CU detects clear rejection, transmits a command of no request and SQN = n + 2 as operation instructions to the P units, and performs clear cancel processing. This clear canceling process is, for example, a process of displaying a message such as “Return operation is performed but canceling is not possible” on the display 312. Thereafter, normal polling of operation instructions and response is performed between the CU and the P platform.

  With reference to FIG. 35, the process when P units respond with a permission rejection response to the CU game permission request will be described. Initially, the number of game balls is set to 520, and in the trouble state where some kind of game prohibition factor has occurred, the operation instruction command and the response of the operation response are transmitted and received between the CU and the P device in a state in which P games are prohibited. Then, it is assumed that the game prohibition factor is eliminated at the stage of “game elimination factor elimination” in FIG.

  At that time, the CU transmits a game permission request presence and a command of SQN = n + 1 to the P machines as operation instructions. However, the P platform returns to the CU an operation response command including, for some reason, a state where the ball cannot be shot, that is, a game rejection ON that rejects the game permission request.

  In response to this, the CU repeatedly transmits a command including a game permission request to the P machines as an operation instruction until the game is permitted.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 36, a process in the case where the P units return a prohibition rejection response to the CU game prohibition request will be described. The initial number of game balls is set to 520, and a normal operation instruction command and a normal operation response response are transmitted / received between the CU and the P platform. At the stage of “game prohibition factor generation” in FIG. Assume that a game prohibition factor such as an operation of the return button 322 occurs. At this stage, the CU transmits a command of game prohibition request and SQN = n + 1 to the P units as an operation instruction. In the P machine, the response of the operation response including the prohibition rejection ON for rejecting the game prohibition request for some reason is returned to the CU. In response to this, the CU detects a game prohibition refusal, and transmits a command including a game prohibition request to the P units as an operation instruction until the game is prohibited.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 37, a process when the P platform returns a glass opening rejection response to the glass opening request of the CU will be described. When the opening number of the glass door 6 is detected as the initial number of game balls = 520, although not shown in FIG. 37, as in the process of FIG. And a command of no glass opening request is transmitted to P units. In response to this, the P platform performs control to stop the driving of the hit ball launch motor 18 and transmits a response including prohibition rejection OFF and game prohibition to the CU as an operation response. The CU provides a 10-second wait in consideration of the floating ball processing waiting time, and for 10 seconds, the CU continues polling with the operation instruction (game prohibition) to the P units. Then, at the stage where the 10-second wait is completed, the CU transmits a command to request glass opening and an operation instruction command of SQN = n + 1 to the P units. In response to this, the P platform transmits a response of an operation response including a glass opening refusal ON that refuses to unlock and open the glass door 6 for some reason to the CU.

  In response to this, the CU detects glass open refusal, sends a command including no request to the P units as an operation instruction, and executes normal polling after performing glass open cancel processing. The glass opening canceling process is, for example, a process of displaying a message such as “Cannot open the glass door” on the display 312.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 38, a process when the P units return a cell open rejection response to the CU cell open request will be described. When an input of a cell opening instruction is detected with the initial number of game balls = 520, although not shown in FIG. 38, as in the process of FIG. A command with no open request is sent to the P units. In response to this, the P platform performs control to stop the driving of the hit ball launch motor 18 and transmits a response including prohibition rejection OFF and game prohibition to the CU as an operation response. The CU provides a 10-second wait in consideration of the floating ball processing waiting time, and for 10 seconds, the CU continues polling with the operation instruction (game prohibition) to the P units. Then, at the stage when the 10-second wait is completed, the CU transmits a command for cell opening request and an operation instruction command of SQN = n + 1 to the P units. In response to this, the P platform transmits a response to the operation response including the cell open rejection ON which refuses to release the cell lock for some reason and releases it.

  In response to this, the CU detects cell open refusal, sends a command including no request to the P units as an operation instruction, and executes normal polling after performing cell open cancel processing. The cell opening canceling process is, for example, a process of displaying a message such as “Cannot open cell” on the display 312.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 39, a description will be given of recovery processing when a power interruption occurs on the CU side after reaching an operation response related to addition / subtraction data. An operation instruction command is transmitted to P units in the state of SQN = n at the initial number of game balls = 520, and P units have the number of game balls = 500, the number of added balls = 3, the number of subtracted balls = 23 as operation responses. A response including the addition / subtraction data is transmitted to the CU. After the response reaches the CU, the number of game balls is corrected to 500, and when a power failure occurs in the CU, the commands from the CU are not transmitted to the P units thereafter. As described with reference to FIG. 11, in the case of the P platform, when the command is not received for 10 seconds or more, it is determined that the communication is interrupted, the state is changed to the unconnected state, and the driving of the hit ball launch motor 18 is stopped to play. Stop. Cumulative storage of the addition / subtraction data and the number of start ports after the response of the motion response including the previous addition / subtraction data is transmitted in the current ball related information storage area, and accordingly, game balls = 500 + 6-36 = 470 are calculated. Then, the game ball = 470 is stored.

  Next, when the CU is powered off and started up, the device information request, device information response, authentication request, authentication response, recovery request, and recovery response transmission / reception are sent to and from the CU and P units as in the processing of FIG. Will do.

  In the P-unit, as recovery data, SQN = n, as the previous number of balls, the number of previous addition balls = 3, the number of previous subtraction balls = 23, the number of previous start ports (1) = 1, the number of previous start ports (2) = 1. Current game ball number = 470, current add ball number = 6, current subtraction ball = 36, current start port (1) number = 2, current start port (2) number = 2 And sent to the CU as a recovery response.

  The CU determines that the communication partners are the same, is not transmitting an operation instruction, and that both SQNs match, and performs a process of correcting the backup value based on the recovery data transmitted in the recovery response. Specifically, the number of game balls = 500 (number of CU game balls) +6 (current number of added balls) −36 (current number of subtracted balls) = 470, cumulative number of added balls = 6, cumulative number of subtracted balls = 36, start The mouth (1) total = 2, and the starting port (2) total = 2 are corrected.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 40, the recovery process at the time of the power failure generation | occurrence | production on the CU side before operation instruction | command arrival is demonstrated. The initial number of game balls = 520, and the P units that have received the operation instruction command have SQN = n, the number of game balls = 500, the number of additional balls = 3, the number of subtracted balls = 23, the start port (1 ) After sending the response of number = 1 and the start port (2) number of times = 1 to the CU and modifying it to the game ball = 500, the CU sends a command of no request and SQN = n + 1 as an operation instruction. Send to P units. If the command does not reach the P-unit and a power failure occurs at the CU immediately after that, the P-unit cannot receive the command for more than 10 seconds after sending the last response as in the process of FIG. If it is determined that the communication has been interrupted, a transition is made to the unconnected state, and at the same time, the driving of the ball striking motor 18 is stopped and the play is stopped.

  Next, when the CU is powered off and started up, the device information request, device information response, authentication request, authentication response, recovery request, and recovery response transmission / reception are sent to and from the CU and P units as in the processing of FIG. Will do.

  In the P-unit, as recovery data, SQN = n, as the previous number of balls, the number of previous addition balls = 3, the number of previous subtraction balls = 23, the number of previous start ports (1) = 1, the number of previous start ports (2) = 1. Current number of balls as current number of balls = 500 + 6-36 = 470, current number of added balls = 6, current subtracted number of balls = 36, current start port (1) number of times = 2, current start port (2) number of times = 2 is stored and transmitted to the CU as a recovery response.

  In the CU, the communication partner is the same, the operation command is not being sent, and the SQN on the P side is one before the SQN on the CU side, so the backup value is corrected based on the recovery data sent in the recovery response Perform the process. Specifically, the number of game balls = 500 (number of CU game balls) +6 (current number of added balls) −36 (current number of subtracted balls) = 470, cumulative number of added balls = 6, cumulative number of subtracted balls = 36, start The mouth (1) total = 2, and the starting port (2) total = 2 are corrected.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 41, a description will be given of recovery processing when a power failure occurs on the CU side before reaching an operation response related to addition / subtraction data. Assuming that the initial number of game balls = 520, a normal operation instruction and a normal operation response are transmitted and received between the CU and the P units, and after a command of no request and an operation instruction of SQN = n + 1 is transmitted to the P units, As for the P response, the response of SQN = n + 1, number of game balls = 470, number of added balls = 6, number of subtracted balls = 36, start port (1) number = 2, start port (2) number = 2 is CU. Sent to. However, when the response does not reach the CU and the power failure occurs in the CU before the CU executes the operation response process according to the response, If no command is transmitted, the cutting is detected, the driving of the hitting motor 18 is stopped, and the play is stopped.

  Next, when the CU is powered off and started up, the device information request, device information response, authentication request, authentication response, recovery request, and recovery response transmission / reception are sent to and from the CU and P units as in the processing of FIG. Will do.

  In the P-unit, as the recovery data, SQN = n, the previous number of balls as the previous number of balls = 6, the number of the previous subtraction balls = 36, the number of the previous start port (1) = 2, the number of the previous start port (2) = 2. Current number of balls as current number of balls = 470-3 = 467, current number of added balls = 0, current subtractive ball = 3, current start port (1) times = 0, current start port (2) times = 0 is stored and transmitted to the CU as a recovery response.

  In the CU, since the communication partner is the same, the operation instruction is not being transmitted, and both SQNs coincide with each other, the backup value is corrected based on the recovery data transmitted in the recovery response. Specifically, the number of game balls = 500 (the number of game balls of the CU) +6 (current number of added balls) +0 (current number of added balls) −36 (current number of subtracted balls) −3 (current number of subtracted balls) = 467, Total number of balls added = 6 (current number of added balls) + 0 (current number of added balls), total number of subtracted balls = 36 (current number of subtracted balls) + 3 (current number of subtracted balls), starting port (1) cumulative number = 2 (previous Start port (1) number) +0 (current start port (1) number), start port (2) total = 2 (previous start port (2) number) +0 (current start port (2) number).

  Next, with reference to FIG. 42, a description will be given of recovery processing when a power failure occurs on the CU side before the addition request is reached. Initial number of game balls = 520 and prepaid balance is 1000 yen, normal operation instruction and normal operation response are sent and received between CU and P units, based on the number of added balls and subtracted balls generated between them When the game ball reaches 500, the lending button 321 is pressed. Then, the CU sets SQN = n + 1, the number of balls requested for addition = 125, calculates balance = 1000 yen−500 yen = 500 yen, updates the balance to 500 yen, and determines consumption of the balance at this stage. Then, the CU transmits a command including an addition request, SQN = n + 1, and an addition request ball count = 125 as operation instructions to the P units. If this command does not reach the P platform, the P platform detects the disconnection and drives the hitting motor 18 when the command has not been received for 10 seconds since the last response was transmitted. Stop and enter play stop state.

  On the other hand, in the CU, as described with reference to FIG. 10, when there is no response from the P units due to the command not reaching, the response is transmitted even after the same command is repeatedly transmitted and the second retransmission is performed. Is not returned, a communication abnormality (communication disconnection) is detected, and a reconnection sequence is started 20 seconds later.

  After the reconnection sequence is started, the device information request, the device information response, the authentication request, the authentication response, the recovery request, and the recovery response are transmitted and received between the CU and the P device in the same manner as the processing of FIG.

  In the P-unit, as recovery data, SQN = n, as the previous number of balls, the number of previous addition balls = 3, the number of previous subtraction balls = 23, the number of previous start ports (1) = 1, the number of previous start ports (2) = 1. Current game ball number = 470, current add ball number = 6, current subtraction ball = 36, current start port (1) number = 2, current start port (2) number = 2 And sent to the CU as a recovery response.

  In the CU, since the communication counterpart is the same and the SQN on the P side is one before the SQN on the CU side, the backup value is corrected based on the recovery data transmitted in the recovery response. Specifically, the number of game balls = 500 (number of CU game balls) +125 (number of balls to be added) +6 (current number of balls to be added) −36 (current number of balls to be subtracted) = 595, cumulative number of balls to be added = 6, subtraction The total number of balls is corrected to 36, the starting port (1) total = 2, and the starting port (2) total = 2.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 43, a description will be given of recovery processing when a power interruption occurs on the CU side before reaching the operation response to the addition request. Initial number of game balls = 520, prepaid balance = 1000 yen, normal operation instruction and normal operation response are transmitted / received between CU and P units, and game balls = After reaching 500, the lending button 321 was pressed. Then, the CU calculates SQN = n + 1, the number of balls to be added = 125, calculates balance = 1000 yen−500 yen = 500 yen, sets the balance to 500 yen, and determines the balance consumption at this stage. Then, the CU transmits, as operation instructions, commands with an addition request, SQN = n + 1, and the number of addition request balls = 125 to the P units. In response to this, the P units have SQN = n + 1, the number of game balls = 595, the number of added balls = 6, the number of subtracted balls = 36, the number of start ports (1) = 2, and the number of start ports (2). A response of = 2 is transmitted to the CU. If this response does not reach the CU and the power is cut off before the operation response process corresponding to this response is performed in the CU, the command from the CU is not transmitted to the P units thereafter. As described with reference to FIG. 11, in the case of the P platform, when the command is not received for 10 seconds or more, it is determined that the communication is interrupted, the state is changed to the unconnected state, and the driving of the hit ball launch motor 18 is stopped to play. Stop. Cumulative storage of the addition / subtraction data and the number of start ports after the P response transmission of the operation response including the previous addition / subtraction data is made in the current ball related information storage area, and accordingly, game balls = 595-3 = 592 are calculated. Then, the game ball = 592 is stored.

  Next, when the CU is powered off and started up, the device information request, device information response, authentication request, authentication response, recovery request, and recovery response transmission / reception are sent to and from the CU and P units as in the processing of FIG. Will do.

  In the P-unit, as recovery data, SQN = n + 1, the previous number of balls as the previous number of balls = 6, the number of previous subtraction balls = 36, the number of previous start ports (1) = 2, the number of previous start ports (2) = 2. The current number of balls as the current number of balls = 592, the current number of added balls = 0, the current subtraction ball = 3, the current start port (1) number of times = 0, and the current start port (2) number of times = 0 are stored. And sent to the CU as a recovery response.

  The CU determines that the communication partners are the same, is transmitting operation instructions, and that both SQNs match, and performs a process of correcting the backup value based on the recovery data transmitted in the recovery response. Specifically, the number of game balls = 500 (number of CU game balls) +125 (number of balls to be added) +6 (number of balls to be added before) +0 (current number of balls to be added) −36 (number of balls to be subtracted before) −3 (current Number of subtraction balls) = 592, cumulative number of additional balls = 6 (number of previous addition balls) + 0 (current number of additional balls), cumulative number of subtraction balls = 36 (number of previous subtraction balls) + 3 (current number of subtraction balls), start port ( 1) Cumulative = 2 (Number of previous start ports (1)) + 0 (Current start port (1) times), Start port (2) Cumulative = 2 (Number of previous start ports (2)) + 0 (Current start port (2) Frequency).

  Next, with reference to FIG. 44, a description will be given of recovery processing when a power failure occurs on the CU side before the subtraction request is reached. Assuming that the initial number of game balls = 520, normal operation instructions and normal operation responses are transmitted and received between the CU and the P platform, and the number of game balls = 500 according to the number of addition / subtraction balls in between. When a subtraction request for 300 balls is generated due to a wagon service request or the like, the CU sets SQN = n + 1, the number of subtraction request balls = 300, the subtraction request is present, SQN = n + 1, and the subtraction request ball as an operation instruction. Number = 300 commands are transmitted to P units.

  When this command does not reach the P units, the P unit detects the disconnection and drives the hitting ball firing motor 18 when the command has not been received for 10 seconds after the last response is transmitted. Stop and enter play stop state.

  On the other hand, in the CU, as described with reference to FIG. 10, when there is no response from the P units due to the command not reaching, the response is transmitted even after the same command is repeatedly transmitted and the second retransmission is performed. Is not returned, a communication abnormality (communication disconnection) is detected, and a reconnection sequence is started 20 seconds later.

  After the reconnection sequence is started, the device information request, the device information response, the authentication request, the authentication response, the recovery request, and the recovery response are transmitted and received between the CU and the P device in the same manner as the processing of FIG.

  In the P-unit, as recovery data, SQN = n, as the previous number of balls, the number of previous addition balls = 3, the number of previous subtraction balls = 23, the number of previous start ports (1) = 1, the number of previous start ports (2) = 1. Current game ball number = 470, current add ball number = 6, current subtraction ball = 36, current start port (1) number = 2, current start port (2) number = 2 And sent to the CU as a recovery response.

  In the CU, the communication partner is the same, and the SQN on the P side is one before the SQN on the CU side, so it is determined that the subtraction request is not executed on the P side, and the recovery sent in the recovery response The backup value is corrected based on the data. Specifically, the number of game balls = 500 (number of CU game balls) +6 (current number of added balls) −36 (current number of subtracted balls) = 470, cumulative number of added balls = 6, cumulative number of subtracted balls = 36, start The mouth (1) total = 2, and the starting port (2) total = 2 are corrected.

  As described above, the CU determines that the subtraction request is not executed in the P units based on the value of the SQN, so that the subtraction request for 300 balls is generated in the correction of the backup value accompanying the recovery process. While subtracting, the subtraction request ball number 300 is not subtracted from the game ball number.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 45, a description will be given of recovery processing when a power failure occurs on the CU side before the operation response to the subtraction request is reached. The initial number of game balls is set to 520, and normal operation instructions and normal operation responses are transmitted and received between the CU and the P platform, and the number of game balls is set to 500 according to the number of addition / subtraction balls generated during that time. In the stage, when a wagon service request for 300 balls is generated, the CU sets SQN = n + 1, the number of subtraction request balls = 300, and the operation instruction includes a subtraction request, SQN = n + 1, and the number of subtraction request balls = 300 command is transmitted to P units.

  In response to this, the P units receive SQN = n + 1, the number of game balls = 170, the number of additional balls = 6, the number of subtraction balls = 30, the number of start ports (1) = 2, and the number of start ports (2) = 2. Send the response to the CU. If the response does not reach the CU and the power is cut off before the operation response process corresponding to the response is executed in the CU, the command from the CU is not transmitted to the P units thereafter. As described with reference to FIG. 11, in the case of the P platform, when the command is not received for 10 seconds or more, it is determined that the communication is interrupted, the state is changed to the unconnected state, and the driving of the hit ball launch motor 18 is stopped to play. Stop. Cumulative storage of the addition / subtraction data and the number of start ports after the P responses are transmitted in response to the motion response including the previous addition / subtraction data is made in the current ball related information storage area, and accordingly, game balls = 170-3 = 167 are calculated. Then, the game ball = 167 is stored.

  Next, when the CU is powered off and started up, the device information request, device information response, authentication request, authentication response, recovery request, and recovery response transmission / reception are sent to and from the CU and P units as in the processing of FIG. Will do.

  In the P-unit, as recovery data, SQN = n + 1, the previous number of balls as the previous number of balls = 6, the number of previous subtraction balls = 36, the number of previous start ports (1) = 2, the number of previous start ports (2) = 2. Current game ball number = 167, current addition ball number = 0, current subtraction ball = 3, current start port (1) times = 0, current start port (2) times = 0 as the current number of balls And sent to the CU as a recovery response.

  In the CU, since the communication partner is the same, the operation instruction is being transmitted, and both SQNs are the same, the P units determine that the subtraction instruction has been received, and based on the recovery data transmitted in the recovery response Performs processing to correct the backup value. Specifically, the number of gaming balls = 500 (the number of gaming balls of the CU) +6 (the number of balls added previously) +0 (the number of balls added previously) −36 (the number of balls previously subtracted) −3 (the number of balls currently subtracted) = 467, Cumulative number of added balls = 6 (pre-added number of balls) + 0 (current number of added balls), cumulative number of subtracted balls = 36 (number of pre-subtracted balls) + 3 (current subtracted number of balls), starting port (1) cumulative number = 2 (previous Start port (1) number) +0 (current start port (1) number), start port (2) total = 2 (previous start port (2) number) +0 (current start port (2) number).

  Then, the CU transmits an operation instruction command including “added” and “addition request ball number = 125” to the P units in order to forcibly add the game balls corresponding to the subtraction cancellation to the P unit side by the operation instruction after recovery. In response to this, the P platform calculates a game ball = 167 + 300 = 467, corrects the game ball to 467, and stores it.

  As described above, even when it is determined that the P units have received the subtraction instruction, the reason for performing the subtraction cancellation process is that the P unit side that has received the subtraction instruction always performs the subtraction process according to the subtraction instruction. There is a possibility that the subtraction is rejected on the P platform side. When such a rejection of subtraction on the P platform side is performed, if the subtraction is confirmed on the CU side, there is a disadvantage that the remaining number of game balls becomes a negative value. For this reason, subtraction cancellation is performed. As a result, when such a CU-side power interruption occurs, subtraction has been performed despite the fact that the P platform side should have rejected the subtraction instruction because the remaining points are insufficient. It is possible to prevent a disadvantage that the remaining number of game balls on the machine side becomes a negative value.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 46, a description will be given of recovery processing when a power failure occurs on the CU side before the clear request is reached. When the return button 322 for returning the inserted recording medium (card) is pressed, the number of game balls is 500. Although not shown in FIG. 46, as in the process of FIG. 21, the CU gives a command including data of prohibition request presence and clear request absence for prohibiting a game to the P units as an operation instruction. Send to P units. In response to the request, the P platform returns a response including prohibition rejection OFF and game prohibition data to the CU as an operation response. Thereafter, similarly to the processing of FIG. 21, a 10-second wait is provided in the P platform, and polling is continued between the P platform and the CU during this 10-second wait.

  Then, the CU sets SQN = n + 1, and sends a command including clear request and SQN = n + 1 as an operation instruction to the P units. When the command does not reach the P units, the P units When the state where the command is not received after the last response is transmitted continues for 10 seconds, the cutting is detected and the driving of the hitting ball motor 18 is stopped to enter the play stop state.

  On the other hand, in the CU, as described with reference to FIG. 10, when there is no response from the P units due to the command not reaching, the response is transmitted even after the same command is repeatedly transmitted and the second retransmission is performed. Is not returned, a communication abnormality (communication disconnection) is detected, and a reconnection sequence is started 20 seconds later.

  After the reconnection sequence is started, the device information request, the device information response, the authentication request, the authentication response, the recovery request, and the recovery response are transmitted and received between the CU and the P device in the same manner as the processing of FIG.

  In the P-unit, as the recovery data, SQN = n, as the previous number of balls, the number of previously added balls = 0, the number of previously subtracted balls = 0, the number of previous starting ports (1) = 0, the number of previous starting ports (2) = 0, Current game ball number as current ball number = 500, Current addition ball number = 0, Current subtraction ball = 0, Current start port (1) number of times = 0, Current start port (2) number of times = 0 And sent to the CU as a recovery response.

  In the CU, the communication partner is the same, and the SQN on the P side is one before the SQN on the CU side. The process of correcting the backup value is performed. Specifically, the number of game balls = 500 (current game balls) +0 (current number of added balls) −0 (current number of subtracted balls) = 500, cumulative number of added balls = 0, cumulative number of subtracted balls = 0, start opening (1) Accumulation = 0, start port (2) Accumulation = 0

  Next, with reference to FIG. 47, a description will be given of a recovery process in the case where a power failure occurs on the CU side before reaching the operation response to the clear request. When the return button 322 for returning the inserted recording medium (card) is pressed, the number of game balls is 500. Although not shown in FIG. 47, as in the process of FIG. 21, the CU gives a command including data of prohibition request with and without a clear request as an operation instruction to the P units. Send to P units. In response to the request, the P platform returns a response including prohibition rejection OFF and game prohibition data to the CU as an operation response. Thereafter, similarly to the processing of FIG. 21, a 10-second wait is provided in the P platform, and polling is continued between the P platform and the CU during this 10-second wait.

  Then, the CU sets SQN = n + 1, and transmits a command including a clear request and SQN = n + 1 to the P units as an operation instruction.

  Then, in response to this operation instruction, the P platform clears the game ball to 0 and sets the game ball to 0 in accordance with the clear request, and clears SQN to 0 and sets SQN to 0. = 0, the number of game balls = 0, the number of added balls = 0, the number of subtracted balls = 0, the number of times of starting port (1) = 0, and the number of times of starting port (2) = 0 are transmitted to the CU. If this response does not reach the CU and the power is cut off before the operation response process corresponding to the response is performed in the CU, the command from the CU is not transmitted to the P units thereafter. As described with reference to FIG. 11, in the case of the P device, when the command cannot be received for 10 seconds or more, it is determined that the communication is disconnected, and the state is changed to the unconnected state.

  Next, when the CU is powered off and started up, the device information request, device information response, authentication request, authentication response, recovery request, and recovery response transmission / reception are sent to and from the CU and P units as in the processing of FIG. Will do.

  In the P-unit, as recovery data, SQN = n + 1, as the previous number of balls, the number of previous addition balls = 0, the number of previous subtraction balls = 0, the number of previous start ports (1) = 0, the number of previous start ports (2) = 0, Current game ball number = 0, Current addition ball number = 0, Current subtraction ball = 0, Current start port (1) times = 0, Current start port (2) times = 0 And sent to the CU as a recovery response.

  In the CU, since the SQN on the P base side is two or more before the SQN on the CU side, the CU judges that the counterpart P base does not match and corrects the backup value based on the recovery data transmitted in the recovery response To do. Specifically, the number of gaming balls = 500 (CU backup value) +0 (current number of added balls) −0 (current number of subtracted balls) = 500, cumulative number of added balls = 0 (current number of added balls), number of subtracted balls Cumulative = 0 (current number of subtracted balls), starting port (1) cumulative = 0 (current starting port (1) number of times), starting port (2) cumulative number = 0 (current starting port (2) number of times).

  Normally, the difference between the SQNs on the CU side and the P platform side does not become 2 or more. Therefore, in the recovery process of FIG. 47, the CU determines that the communication partners do not match, and the backup value is corrected. To do. As a result, the number of game balls is corrected to the number of balls before the clear request is transmitted, that is, a backup value of 500. Then, since the CU has determined that the communication partner does not match, in the reconnection sequence shown in FIG. 13, the processing when the SQN is abnormal and the communication partner does not match, that is, after the game ball is once converted into a holding ball Processing that enables replaying will be executed.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the number of game balls is managed on the CU side, there is no need to provide the management function on the P platform side, and the cost of the P platform is reduced accordingly. It can be suppressed as much as possible. In particular, the P machine has a short exchange cycle in the game hall in order to be able to provide a more interesting game as soon as possible, and tends to be exchanged early in units of several months if it is one year or early. . In addition, as new stands are being developed one after another, which quickly incorporates rapidly changing player preferences, there is also a tendency for the base exchange cycle in the amusement hall to be accelerated.

  On the other hand, CUs are rarely replaced from the viewpoint of preference, and in general, equipment replacement is performed in response to a failure. It is what is used. If no failure occurs, replacement is not performed for several years.

  For this reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the P units are introduced can be reduced by providing the management function of the game balls not on the P units side but on the CU side to suppress the cost of the P units.

Next, modifications, feature points, and the like in the embodiment described above will be described below.
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the number of game balls is displayed on the indicator 312 provided on the CU side. However, instead of or in addition to this, the game ball number display section is on the P platform side. The number of game balls may be displayed by the game ball display unit on the P platform side. When the number of game balls is displayed by a display on the CU side, there is an advantage that the number of game balls can be displayed by applying the CU in the present embodiment to P units without a display unit. On the other hand, when the game ball number display unit is provided on the P platform side, the display control may be performed on the CU side. Alternatively, the display control may be performed on the P platform side. When display control is performed on the P platform side, the number of game balls managed by the CU is displayed on the game ball number display section by receiving information on the number of game balls to be displayed from the CU side. It becomes possible to do. In addition, when display control is performed on the P platform side in this way, there is an advantage that it is possible to display the number of game balls having a high decorative (rendering) value. When display control is performed on the P platform side, information on the number of game balls to be displayed is not received from the CU side, but based on the value of the game ball counter stored in the P platform itself, It is good also as what controls display of a number.

  (2) In FIG. 23, the P side is provided with a 10-second wait time for the floating ball processing waiting time, but instead, the number of shots fired on the game area 27 on the P side. And determining that the difference from the number of balls collected from the game area 27 through the out mouth, the winning mouth, or the like has become 0, and determining that the processing of the floating balls has ended. Good.

  (3) In the above-described embodiment, in the P units that have received the prohibition request command, the driving of the hitting motor 18 is stopped to stop hitting the hitting ball, and the variable display device that is changing is stopped or the start winning memory is stored. In the above description, the variable display device based on the above is not stopped until the change, but instead, the change of the variable display device may be stopped.

  (4) In the above-described embodiment, when a game ball is subtracted by a wagon service or the like, as described based on FIG. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and when the number of game balls stored on the CU side is sufficiently larger than the number of balls requested for subtraction (for example, more than 30 balls), the CU does not wait for a response from the P unit. The game ball may be subtracted by the side alone, and then an operation instruction for a subtraction request may be transmitted to the P units.

  (5) In the above-described embodiment, the command is transmitted from the CU to the P device and the P device responds to the response to the CU. Conversely, the command is transmitted from the P device to the CU. Then, the communication form in which the CU returns a response to the P units in response thereto may be used.

  (6) Further, in the above-described embodiment, communication is performed between the CU and the P platform at regular intervals (for example, 200 ms), but instead, when the necessity of communication occurs, the CU Alternatively, communication may be performed by transmitting data from one of the P units to the other.

  (7) In the above-described embodiment, an operation response including a rejection signal that does not comply with requests such as addition rejection ON, subtraction rejection ON, clear rejection ON, etc. is returned from the P units to the CU. Thus, it is determined that the request is rejected based on the rejection ON. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and instead of the P units returning a rejection ON operation response, an operation response including addition / subtraction ball numbers and game ball data not complying with the request from the CU is returned to the CU. On the side, it is possible to determine whether the returned data (the number of added / subtracted balls, game balls, etc.) is in accordance with the request, and thereby determine whether the request has been rejected. Good.

  (8) In the above-described embodiment, when a power interruption at the CU or a communication interruption between the CU and the P base is detected, the shot is stopped on the P base side and the play is stopped. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and control may be performed so that the game can be continued without stopping hitting on the P platform side. In that case, the P subtraction data and cumulative number of starting and subtracting balls generated along with the game that was continued from the time when the communication interruption occurred until the abnormality was recovered and started up are stored on the P platform side. In addition, at the time of activation, the data and game ball data may be transmitted to the CU to correct the backup value of the data on the CU side.

  (9) In the above-described embodiment, when the command from the CU is not transmitted for a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds), the P platform determines that the communication is disconnected by the processing of FIG. However, the communication interruption may be determined by the following method.

  A connection detector for detecting whether or not the pachinko machine 2 and the card unit 3 are electrically connected is provided in the pachinko machine 2. Referring to FIG. 3, the gaming machine communication unit 325 and the ball count control board 17 are connected by the signal line as described above, but in addition to the signal line, a predetermined voltage (for example, 5V) from the card unit 3. Is provided with a connection detection signal line that is input to the pachinko machine 2 side. The connection detection signal line and the signal line between the gaming machine communication unit 325 and the ball number control board 17 are composed of the same cable, and the cable is disconnected or the connectors 330 and 20 are detached, and the card unit. 3 is configured so that the connection detection signal is detected and the detection signal is input to the ball count control board 17 because the voltage of the connection detection signal line becomes 0 V when the power supply disconnection 3 occurs. To do. The number-of-balls control board 17 determines that the disconnection of the cable, the disconnection of the connectors 330 and 20, and the power supply of the card unit 3 have been disconnected due to the input of the detection signal.

  (10) In the process of FIG. 32, when the P units receive an operation instruction (addition request) after recovery, the P units are programmed so that the addition request cannot be rejected by the P units. By receiving it, the P balls calculate game balls = 450 + 125 = 575 and correct the game balls to 575. However, there are cases where a serious error has occurred in the P units, even though the operation instruction (addition request) after recovery has been received, and the game balls cannot be corrected. In consideration of such a severe error state, after the operation instruction (addition request) after recovery is transmitted on the CU side, the content of the operation response transmitted from the P unit is checked, and the game on the P unit side It may be determined whether or not the ball has been corrected correctly, and if it has not been corrected, control for shifting to an error state may be performed.

  In other words, when the CU determines that points can still not be added in the gaming machine (for example, P machines) even after the forced addition process of FIG. 32 is performed, the control is performed to shift to a predetermined error state. Error control means for performing

  As control for shifting to the error state, for example, a severe error notification is performed by the display 312 and a notification that a serious error has occurred is given to the hall management computer 1 to notify the error by the hall management computer 1. It may be possible to promote artificial responses by staff.

  (11) In the above-described embodiment, a pachinko machine is shown as an example of a gaming machine, but the gaming machine is not limited to a pachinko machine, and other gaming machines such as a slot machine (pachislot) or the like. There may be. This type of slot machine is generally provided with a variable display device having a plurality of (usually three) reels having a plurality of types of symbols as identification information drawn on the outer periphery thereof. The player starts the rotation by operating the start lever, and the player operates the stop button provided for each reel, so that it is within the predetermined maximum delay time range from the operation timing. To stop rotation. A winning is generated according to the display result derived when the rotation of all reels is stopped.

  The types of winning combinations include small roles, special roles, and replaying roles. Here, in the winning of a small role, the player can obtain a profit that a predetermined number of medals are paid out for each type of small role. In the special role winning, the player can obtain a profit that the next game is shifted to a gaming state advantageous to the player, such as a regular bonus or a big bonus. In the winning of the re-gamer, it is possible to obtain a profit that the next game can be performed without consuming new medals for setting the bet number.

  In order for winning of each combination to occur, generally, it is a condition that a winning is made by an internal lottery performed in advance (usually when the start lever is operated). In addition, the combination of symbols constituting the winning combination in the internal lottery is aligned with the effective line, and the combination of symbols configuring the winning combination not selected in the internal lottery is not aligned with the effective line. Reel control is performed.

  In the case of such a slot machine, as a method for prohibiting a game when a command for prohibiting a game is received from a CU, for example, disabling the betting number input operation can be considered.

  In addition, when applied to a slot machine, instead of the floating ball processing waiting time described with reference to FIGS. 22 to 24, a waiting time for ending one game from the start of one game to the end of one game is used. adopt. The waiting time for ending one game is, for example, the time from when all reels of the slot machine start to rotate until all reels stop and credits are awarded when a winning occurs. This time can be varied according to the late timing of the reel stop operation by the player. Therefore, for example, it is conceivable to set an expected time in advance.

(12) On the P platform side, the number of additional balls may be counted as follows.
Counters A and B are provided on the P platform side as counters for counting the number of balls to be added. First, the number of balls to be added is counted by the counter A. When it is the transmission timing of the number of added balls, the count value of the counter A is transmitted to the CU. Thereafter, the value of the counter A is maintained, and thereafter, the number of additional balls is counted by the counter B. If it is the transmission timing of the number of added balls, the count value of the counter B is transmitted to the CU. Thereafter, the value of the counter B is maintained, while the count value of the counter A is cleared to 0. Thereafter, the counter A counts the number of added balls. Thereafter, the above counting by the counters A and B is repeated.

  The above counting method may be used for counting the number of subtraction balls on the P platform side. Alternatively, it may be used for counting the number of winnings at the starting port 1 and the number of winnings at the starting port 2.

  (13) The P platform does not send two pieces of information of the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls to the CU, but sends one information after adding / subtracting the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls to the CU. Also good. That is, such information also constitutes “update information that can specify the change amount”.

  (14) The communication method is not limited to the command-response method described above. The P units may transmit ball-related information such as game balls to the CU at predetermined time intervals without waiting for a command from the CU. Alternatively, the P platform may transmit the ball related information to the CU every time a predetermined amount of information is obtained, instead of transmitting the ball related information at predetermined time intervals. For example, in the case of an additional ball, it may be configured to transmit the additional ball number to the CU every time one or two or more predetermined number of additional balls are generated.

  (15) In the present embodiment, two counters, an addition ball counter and a subtraction ball count, are provided on the P platform side. However, instead of these two counters, a single addition / subtraction counter may be used that increments according to an increase in game balls (such as winnings) and subtracts due to a decrease in game balls (such as bullet firing). In this case, the value of this one addition / subtraction counter is transmitted from the P units to the CU.

(16) This embodiment includes the following configuration.
After the gaming device transmits a command for instructing subtraction of points to the gaming machine, and before receiving a response to the command, a process for reestablishing a communication connection with the gaming machine In the process of re-establishing the communication connection, it is determined whether or not the command for instructing the subtraction of the point has reached the gaming machine based on the data transmitted from the gaming machine side. The command transmission means for canceling the instruction for subtracting the point by the command when the arrival determination means determines that the command for instructing the subtraction of the point has arrived. In order to cancel the point subtraction instruction by the command for instructing the subtraction of the points. When the command is received, whether the score has already been subtracted based on the command for instructing the subtraction of the score, or if the score is not subtracted due to lack of the score, The score corresponding to the cancellation amount of the subtraction instruction is added to the score stored in the score storage means.

  (17) In the present embodiment, a signal requesting the end of the game is input to the CU by operating the return button 322. However, the CU may be configured to be able to input a signal requesting the end of the game from a management computer or the like.

(18) The CU and the P stand may be connected so as to be communicable by radio instead of wired connection.
(19) By providing the game control board 16 with the function of the ball count control board 17, the ball count control board 17 may not be provided in the pachinko machine 2.

  (20) The ball number control board 17 performs control to stop the driving of the ball hitting motor 18 when the game ball counter stored on the pachinko machine 2 side becomes zero. However, the ball number control board 17 may execute the control when the game ball number counter reaches a predetermined value other than zero. For example, the player can specify and input the predetermined value in advance using a predetermined operation switch of the gaming machine. The ball count control board 17 stops driving the ball hitting motor 18 when the game ball counter reaches a predetermined value designated by the player. Thereby, the player can automatically stop the game when the remaining number of game balls reaches the number of balls designated in advance.

  In the following, effects obtained from various means included in the present embodiment and combinations of various means are listed.

(1-1) A gaming machine that can be played with points, and a gaming machine (pachinko machine 2) to which points are added according to the occurrence of winnings, and a player's gaming value (prepaid balance, number of balls, Or a gaming system comprising a gaming device (card unit 3) that is connected to the gaming machine (connector wiring with connectors 330 and 20) and adds points by using the number of stored balls)
The gaming machine is
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in the number of points (addition balls, subtraction balls) depending on the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings,
Information transmission means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device;
The gaming device is:
Main possession point storage means for storing points (RAM that stores “the number of game balls”);
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for receiving the update information;
A score update unit (control unit 323) for updating the score stored in the main score storage unit based on the update information.

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

(1-2) The gaming machine
Sub-point storage means (game ball counter) for storing points,
Sub-holding point update means (ball control board 17) for updating the holding points stored in the secondary holding point storage means according to the amount of change,
The gaming machine performs game control based on the points stored in the auxiliary holding point storage means (when the game ball counter reaches 0, the driving of the hitting ball motor 18 is stopped),
The gaming device, when a signal for requesting the end of the game (an operation signal for the return button 322) is input, holds the points stored in the main holding point storage means as the points at the end of the game. Point determination means (control unit 323; FIG. 21) is included.

  According to such a configuration, since the points at the end of the game are determined on the gaming device side, there is no need to provide a point determination function on the gaming machine side, and the cost of the gaming machine is reduced as much as possible. Can be suppressed.

(1-3) The gaming device
A point display unit (display 312) for displaying the points stored by the main point storage means;
Instruction information transmitting means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for transmitting information (operation instruction) for instructing transmission of the update information to the gaming machine,
The gaming machine is
Including instruction information receiving means (ball control board 17) for receiving information for instructing transmission of the update information;
Each time the information transmission means receives information for instructing transmission of the update information, the information transmission means updates the amount of change (current ball related information) from the previous reception to the current reception Information is transmitted (values of the added ball number counter and the subtracted ball number counter in FIG. 4, FIG. 19).

  According to such a configuration, in response to an instruction from the gaming device, update information indicating the amount of change with respect to the time when the previous update information was transmitted is transmitted from the gaming machine to the gaming device one by one. . Therefore, the gaming device can manage the latest score by updating the score with the update information transmitted one by one.

(1-4) The information transmission means transmits the score (the value of the game ball counter) stored in the auxiliary score storage means to the gaming device (the value of the game ball counter in FIG. 4). , FIG. 19),
The gaming device is:
Including determination means for determining the consistency between the score stored in the main score storage means and the score stored in the sub-point storage means (FIG. 4; determining the match of the number of game balls) ,
When the inconsistency is determined by the determination means, predetermined inconsistency occurrence processing (error notification, game ball number correction command transmission, etc. by display 312) is executed.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to detect an abnormality in which the points stored on the gaming machine side do not match the points stored on the gaming device side. Furthermore, when such an abnormality occurs, it is possible to deal with the processing when an inconsistency occurs.

(1-5) The instruction information transmission means has the holding points stored in the main holding point storage means when the determination means determines that the inconsistency is inconsistent. Send correction information (transmission of correction instruction command) to correct the point to the gaming machine,
The instruction information transmission means transmits the correction information to the gaming machine (transmission of a correction instruction command),
The gaming machine includes a score correcting means (ball control board 17; correcting the number of game balls according to a correction instruction command) for correcting the score stored in the auxiliary score storage means based on the correction information. .

  According to such a configuration, the points stored on the gaming device side and the gaming machine side due to anomalies in the size of the stored points on the gaming machine side due to cheating or other causes Even if the stored score does not match, the score stored on the gaming machine side can be corrected to the score stored on the gaming device side.

(1-6) The gaming machine is a ball game machine (pachinko machine 2),
The information transmitting means sequentially transmits the update information at an interval (FIG. 9; once every 200 ms) shorter than the game ball launch time interval (one shot at 0.6 s).

  According to such a configuration, since the update information is transmitted at an interval shorter than the game ball firing time interval, the amount of change in the point notified by the update information is made as small as possible. As a result, it is possible to notify the game device of the amount of change in the points in detail.

  (1-7) The gaming machine determines the remaining number of points necessary for continuing the game based on the remaining points stored in the sub-point storage unit (the number of balls). Including the control board 17, FIG. 20).

  According to such a configuration, the transmission of the update information at the time of determination is not in time, so that the points stored on the gaming device side and the actual points (the points stored on the gaming machine side) Even if there is a gap between them, the determination based on the actual score can be made.

(1-8) The instruction information transmitting means transmits information for instructing game prohibition to the gaming machine (operation instruction in FIGS. 22 to 24 (with prohibition request)),
When the gaming machine receives the information for instructing the prohibition of the game, the gaming prohibiting means (the ball number control board 17 stops the driving of the hitting ball launching motor 18) so that the game by the holding point is not performed. , “Game prohibition” of FIGS. 22 to 23.

  According to such a configuration, the prohibition of gaming by the gaming machine can be controlled on the gaming device side.

(1-9) The instruction information transmitting means transmits information for instructing to set the value of the score stored in the auxiliary score storage means to an initial value to the gaming machine (FIG. 21, (Operation instruction in FIG. 47 (with clear request)),
In the gaming machine, the sub-point storage means stores the information based on the fact that the instruction to set the value of the points stored in the sub-point storage means to the initial value is received. It includes a point initializing means (FIG. 21, FIG. 47 (the number control board 17 initializes the value of the game ball number counter to 0) that sets the value of the score to an initial value.

  According to such a configuration, the points stored in the gaming machine can be instructed to be initialized on the gaming device side.

(1-10) Provided with a connection portion (connector 330) for communication with a gaming machine (pachinko machine 2) that can be played with points, and that is awarded in accordance with the occurrence of a prize, A gaming device (card unit 3) that adds points by using a player's own gaming value (prepaid balance, number of balls, or number of balls),
A score storage means for storing the score (RAM for storing “the number of game balls”);
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for receiving update information from the gaming machine that can specify the amount of change in points according to the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings;
A score update unit (control unit 323) that updates the score stored in the score storage unit based on the update information.

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  (1-11) When a signal requesting the end of a game (an operation signal for the return button 322) is input, the score that is determined by the score stored in the score storage means as the score at the end of the game The confirmation means (control unit 323; FIG. 21) is included.

  According to such a configuration, since the points at the end of the game are determined on the gaming device side, there is no need to provide a point determination function on the gaming machine side, and the cost of the gaming machine is reduced as much as possible. Can be suppressed.

(1-12) When a score updated on the gaming machine side is received from the gaming machine in response to the use in a game and the occurrence of a prize, the received score and the score storage means Including determination means for determining consistency with the stored points (FIG. 4; determining match of the number of game balls);
When the inconsistency is determined by the determination means, predetermined inconsistency occurrence processing (error notification, game ball number correction command transmission, etc. by display 312) is executed.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to detect an abnormality in which the points stored on the gaming machine side do not match the points stored on the gaming device side. Furthermore, when such an abnormality occurs, it is possible to deal with the processing when an inconsistency occurs.

  (1-13) The correction information for correcting the score stored in the gaming machine to the score stored in the score storage means when it is determined as inconsistent by the determination means It includes correction information transmission means (transmission of a correction instruction command) for transmission to the gaming machine.

  According to such a configuration, the points stored on the gaming device side and the gaming machine side due to anomalies in the size of the stored points on the gaming machine side due to cheating or other causes Even if the stored score does not match, the score stored on the gaming machine side can be corrected to the score stored on the gaming device side.

(1-14) The gaming device provides information for instructing transmission of the update information at an interval shorter than the game ball firing time interval (one shot at 0.6 s) in the gaming machine (FIG. 9; 200 ms). To the gaming machine in turn,
The score update means sequentially updates the score stored in the score storage means based on the sequentially received update information (control unit 323, FIG. 19).

  According to such a configuration, the update information is transmitted at an interval shorter than the game ball firing time interval, so that the gaming measure has a detailed reflection of the change in the points on the gaming machine side. Point management is possible.

(2-1) A game that can be played with points, a game machine (pachinko machine 2) to which points are added according to the occurrence of a prize, and a player's own game value (prepaid balance, number of balls, Or a gaming system comprising a gaming device (card unit 3) that is connected to the gaming machine (connector wiring with connectors 330 and 20) and adds points by using the number of stored balls)
The gaming machine is
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in the number of points (addition balls, subtraction balls) depending on the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings,
Information transmitting means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device;
Two change amount storage means for storing the change amount transmitted by the information transmission means as the update information and for backing up the change amount transmitted by the information transmission means once as the update information (FIG. 4; An addition ball counter for storing the added ball number, a subtraction ball counter for counting the current subtraction ball number, an area for storing the previous addition ball number as the previous ball related information, and an area for storing the previous subtraction ball number),
And arrival determination means (ball control board 17, FIG. 27) for determining that the updated information has reached the gaming apparatus based on predetermined information (SQN) transmitted from the gaming apparatus,
The gaming device is:
Main possession point storage means for storing points (RAM that stores “the number of game balls”);
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for receiving the update information;
A score update unit (control unit 323) for updating the score stored in the main score storage unit based on the update information;
Confirmation information transmitting means (gaming machine communication unit 325) that transmits information (SQN) that can confirm arrival of the updating information to the gaming machine when the updating information is received;
The information transmission means receives update information that can specify a sum of change amounts stored in the two change amount storage means when the arrival determination means does not determine that the update information has arrived. (FIG. 27).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Furthermore, when it is not determined that the update information has arrived, update information that can specify the sum of the change amounts stored in the two change amount storage means is transmitted to the gaming device. Can be collected reliably and efficiently.

(2-2) The two change amount storage means are:
First change amount storage means for storing the change amount transmitted by the information transmitting means as the update information (FIG. 4; an addition ball number counter for storing the current addition ball number, a subtraction ball for counting the current subtraction ball number Number counter)
Second change amount storage means for backing up the change amount transmitted by the information transmission means once as the update information (FIG. 4; area for storing the number of pre-added balls as previous ball related information and pre-subtraction Area that stores the number of balls)
The second change amount storage means uses the stored value of the first change amount storage means when the update information is transmitted based on the storage of the first change amount storage means. A rewrite process for rewriting the stored value of the storage means is executed (FIG. 4),
The first change amount storage means sets the storage value of the first change amount storage means to an initial value after the rewriting process (FIG. 4).

  According to such a configuration, the change amount transmitted last time is backed up by the second change amount storage means, and the new change amount can be stored by the first change amount storage means. Even if the amount of change transmitted as information has not been reached, the amount of change can be specified.

(3-1) Connection unit for communicably connecting to a gaming device (card unit 3) that adds points using the gaming value (prepaid balance, number of balls, or number of balls) owned by the player A game machine (pachinko machine 2) that has a (connecting portion 20), is capable of playing games with points, and that points are added in accordance with the occurrence of winnings,
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in the number of points (addition balls, subtraction balls) depending on the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings,
Information transmitting means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device;
Two change amount storage means for storing the change amount transmitted by the information transmission means as the update information and for backing up the change amount transmitted by the information transmission means once as the update information (FIG. 4; An addition ball counter for storing the added ball number, a subtraction ball counter for counting the current subtraction ball number, an area for storing the previous addition ball number as the previous ball related information, and an area for storing the previous subtraction ball number),
And arrival determination means (ball control board 17, FIG. 27) for determining that the updated information has reached the gaming apparatus based on predetermined information (SQN) transmitted from the gaming apparatus,
The information transmission means receives update information that can specify a sum of change amounts stored in the two change amount storage means when the arrival determination means does not determine that the update information has arrived. (FIG. 27).

  According to such a configuration, in order to transmit update information that can specify the amount of change in the score from the gaming machine, the score management can be performed on the gaming device side. As a result, it is not necessary to provide a point management function on the gaming machine side, and the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible.

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Furthermore, when it is not determined that the update information has arrived, update information that can specify the sum of the change amounts stored in the two change amount storage means is transmitted to the gaming device. It is possible to collect information on the game device reliably and efficiently.

(3-2) The two change amount storage means are:
First change amount storage means for storing the change amount transmitted by the information transmitting means as the update information (FIG. 4; an addition ball number counter for storing the current addition ball number, a subtraction ball for counting the current subtraction ball number Number counter)
Second change amount storage means for backing up the change amount transmitted by the information transmission means once as the update information (FIG. 4; area for storing the number of pre-added balls as previous ball related information and pre-subtraction Area that stores the number of balls)
The second change amount storage means uses the stored value of the first change amount storage means when the update information is transmitted based on the storage of the first change amount storage means. A rewrite process for rewriting the stored value of the storage means is executed (FIG. 4),
The first change amount storage means sets the storage value of the first change amount storage means to an initial value after the rewriting process (FIG. 4).

  According to such a configuration, the change amount transmitted last time is backed up by the second change amount storage means, and the new change amount can be stored by the first change amount storage means. Even if the amount of change transmitted as information has not been reached, the amount of change can be specified.

(3-3) A score storage means (game ball counter) for storing the score,
A score update means (ball control board 17) for updating the score stored in the score storage means according to the amount of change;
Game control means (ball count control board 17) for performing game control based on the points stored in the score storage means (when the game ball counter becomes 0, the driving of the hitting ball motor 18 is stopped). .

  According to such a configuration, the game control in the gaming machine is performed based on the points stored in the gaming machine itself, so that the game control is performed based on the points stored in the gaming device. Thus, the game control can be performed in real time in accordance with the change of the points.

(3-4) including instruction information receiving means (ball number control board 17) for receiving information for instructing transmission of the update information from the gaming device;
Each time the information transmission means receives information for instructing transmission of the update information, the information transmission means updates the amount of change (current ball related information) from the previous reception to the current reception Information is transmitted (values of the added ball number counter and the subtracted ball number counter in FIG. 4, FIG. 19).

  According to such a configuration, in response to an instruction from the gaming device, update information indicating the amount of change with respect to the time when the previous update information was transmitted is transmitted from the gaming machine to the gaming device one by one. . For this reason, in the gaming apparatus, it is possible to manage the latest score by updating the score with the update information transmitted one by one.

  (3-5) Correction information (correction instruction command) for correcting the score (the value of the game ball counter) stored in the score storage means to the score stored in the gaming device When received, it includes score correction means (ball control board 17; corrects the number of game balls according to the correction instruction command) for correcting the score stored in the score storage means based on the correction information.

  According to such a configuration, the points stored on the gaming device side and the gaming machine side due to anomalies in the size of the stored points on the gaming machine side due to cheating or other causes Even if the stored score does not match, the score stored on the gaming machine side can be corrected to the score stored on the gaming device side.

(3-6) The gaming machine is a ball game machine (pachinko machine 2),
The information transmitting means sequentially transmits the update information at an interval (FIG. 9; once every 200 ms) shorter than the game ball launch time interval (one shot at 0.6 s).

  According to such a configuration, since the update information is transmitted at an interval shorter than the game ball firing time interval, the amount of change in the point notified by the update information is made as small as possible. As a result, it is possible to notify the game device of the amount of change in the points in detail.

  (3-7) Remaining score determination means for determining the presence or absence of the remaining score necessary for continuing the game based on the score stored in the auxiliary score storage means (the number control board 17, FIG. 20).

  According to such a configuration, the transmission of the update information at the time of determination is not in time, so that the points stored on the gaming device side and the actual points (the points stored on the gaming machine side) Even if there is a gap between them, the determination based on the actual score can be made.

  (3-8) Game prohibition means for setting a state in which a game is not performed by holding points when information for instructing game prohibition is received (the operation instruction in FIG. 22 to FIG. 24 (with prohibition request)). (The number of balls control board 17 stops driving the ball striking motor 18 and “game prohibition” in FIGS. 22 to 23).

  According to such a configuration, a game prohibition instruction can be received from the gaming device side, and a game with no points can be prevented.

  (3-9) Information for instructing to set the value of the score stored in the score storage means to the initial value is received from the gaming device (the operation instruction (clear request in FIGS. 21 and 47) Yes) Based on the fact that the score value stored in the score storage means is an initial value, the score initializing means (FIG. 21, FIG. 47 (the ball count control board 17 is a game ball counter) Is initialized to 0).

  According to such a configuration, the points stored in the gaming machine can be initialized in response to an instruction from the gaming apparatus side.

(4-1) A game that can be played with points, a game machine (pachinko machine 2) to which points are added according to the occurrence of a prize, and a player's own game value (prepaid balance, number of balls, Or a gaming system comprising a gaming device (card unit 3) that is connected to the gaming machine (connector wiring with connectors 330 and 20) and adds points by using the number of stored balls)
The gaming machine is
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in the number of points (addition balls, subtraction balls) depending on the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings,
When information (operation instruction) for instructing transmission of update information capable of specifying the change amount is received from the gaming device, the update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) is used for the game. Information transmitting means (ball control board 17) for transmitting to the device;
Change amount storage means (addition ball number counter, subtraction ball number counter) for storing the change amount transmitted by the information transmission means as the update information,
The gaming device is:
Main possession point storage means for storing points (RAM that stores “the number of game balls”);
Instruction information transmitting means (game machine communication unit 325) for repeatedly transmitting information for instructing transmission of the update information;
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for receiving the update information;
A score update unit (control unit 323) for updating the score stored in the main score storage unit based on the update information;
The change amount storage means stores the change amounts sequentially specified by the specifying means while the state in which information indicating the transmission of the update information cannot be received continues even after a predetermined period has elapsed since the update information was transmitted. Cumulative storage (Figure 26)
The information transmission means is configured to receive the change amount storage means when information instructing transmission of the update information is received in a state where the change amounts sequentially specified by the specifying means are accumulated and stored in the change amount storage means. Update information that can specify the amount of change accumulated and stored in is transmitted (FIG. 26).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Further, while the state in which the information for instructing transmission of the update information cannot be received even after a predetermined period has elapsed since the transmission of the update information, the amount of change sequentially specified by the specifying means is accumulated on the gaming machine side. Since the update information that can specify the accumulated change amount is transmitted at the stage when the information for instructing the transmission of the update information is received after being stored, communication between the gaming device and the gaming machine Even if the state where the game is interrupted continues, information on the points can be reliably collected in the gaming device.

(5-1) A game that can be played with points, a game machine (pachinko machine 2) to which points are added according to the occurrence of a prize, and a player's own game value (prepaid balance, number of balls, Or a gaming system comprising a gaming device (card unit 3) that is connected to the gaming machine (connector wiring with connectors 330 and 20) and adds points by using the number of stored balls)
The gaming machine is
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in the number of points (addition balls, subtraction balls) depending on the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings,
Sub-point storage means (game ball counter) for storing points,
Auxiliary holding point update means (ball control board 17) for updating the holding points stored in the auxiliary holding point storage means according to the amount of change;
When receiving information for instructing subtraction of a point, the point determination unit for determining whether or not a point having a size indicated by the information is stored in the sub-point storage unit (see FIG. 18; Number of balls control board 17),
Update information that can identify the amount of change (operation response including the number of balls to be added and the number of balls to be subtracted) is transmitted to the gaming device, and the score of the size indicated by the information to be subtracted is the auxiliary score storage means Information transmission means (ball number control) for transmitting a score subtraction acceptance response (FIG. 18; motion response including subtraction rejection OFF) to the game device when it is determined by the score determination means Substrate 17),
The gaming device is:
Main possession point storage means for storing points (RAM that stores “the number of game balls”);
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for receiving the update information;
A score update unit (control unit 323) for updating the score stored in the main score storage unit based on the update information;
A game value storage means for storing the game value in an identifiable manner (FIG. 4; a storage area for storing a ball, a storage area for storing a balance);
Game value update means (control unit 323) for updating the game value stored in the game value storage means;
Information for instructing addition of points (operation instruction including addition in FIGS. 16 and 17), and instructing subtraction of points within the range of the size of the points stored in the main holding point storage means Instruction information transmitting means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for transmitting information (operation instruction including presence of subtraction in FIG. 18) to the gaming machine,
The gaming value updating means is based on the gaming value stored in the gaming value storage means, without waiting for a response to the information for instructing addition of the score, the gaming value corresponding to the instruction for adding the score. While subtracting (FIG. 16; “Balance consumption is finalized at this stage”, FIG. 17; “Handball consumption is finalized at this stage”),
The score update means sets the score indicated by the information on the condition that an acknowledgment response to the information for instructing the subtraction of the score (an operation response including the subtraction rejection OFF in FIG. 18) is returned. Subtraction is made from the points stored in the main holding point storage means (FIG. 18; subtraction of the number of game balls is determined after waiting for an action response).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  In addition, when a point addition request using a gaming value is generated, the gaming value is quickly subtracted without waiting for a response from the gaming machine side. If it occurs, the score may be insufficient for the subtraction request immediately after that depending on the game situation. Therefore, the score is subtracted on the condition that a response to the consent is returned. As a result, when a request for adding points or a request for subtracting points based on the game value is generated, it is possible to quickly and reliably perform processing according to those requests.

  (5-2) The instruction information transmission means holds a request when a request for adding points using the gaming value is input (FIG. 16; ball lending button pressed, FIG. 17; replay button pressed). Information for instructing addition of points is transmitted.

  According to such a configuration, processing for adding points can be executed in response to a request for adding points using the gaming value.

(5-3) The instruction information transmission means can transmit information for canceling the point subtraction instruction to the gaming machine (FIG. 45; operation instruction after recovery (addition, number of balls requested for addition = 300)),
When the sub-point update means receives the information for canceling the subtraction instruction, the sub-point update means adds a point corresponding to the cancellation amount of the subtraction instruction to the point stored in the sub-point storage means (FIG. 45).

  According to such a configuration, the following effects are exhibited. That is, when the subtraction instruction arrives at the gaming machine side, the points stored on the gaming machine side may be less than the subtraction instruction because of the progress of the game. At this time, if it is unknown on the gaming device side whether or not the gaming machine has refused the subtraction instruction due to communication failure or the like, if the subtraction is confirmed, the score on the gaming machine side will be negative Inconvenience arises. However, at this time, by transmitting information for canceling the point subtraction instruction to the gaming machine, the gaming machine can cancel the subtraction instruction into the points stored in the sub-point storage means. Since the corresponding points are added, the inconvenience of negative points on the gaming machine side can be prevented.

(5-4) The information transmission means sends a subtraction rejection response when it is determined by the score determination means that the score of the size indicated by the information is not stored in the auxiliary score storage means. Transmitted to the gaming device (FIG. 33; operation response of subtraction rejection ON),
When the subtraction rejection response is returned to the gaming device, the instruction information transmission means transmits information for instructing cancellation of the point subtraction instruction to the gaming machine (FIG. 33; subtraction rejection). (No instruction for subtraction after detection of an operation instruction for the number of subtraction requests = 0).

  According to such a configuration, when the subtraction instruction arrives at the gaming machine side, the subtraction is performed when the score stored on the gaming machine side is less than the subtraction instruction due to the progress of the game. It becomes possible to cancel.

(6-1) Connection unit for communicably connecting to a gaming device (card unit 3) that adds points using the gaming value (prepaid balance, number of balls, or number of balls) owned by the player A game machine (pachinko machine 2) that has a (connecting portion 20), is capable of playing games with points, and that points are added in accordance with the occurrence of winnings,
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in the number of points (addition balls, subtraction balls) depending on the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings,
Information transmitting means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device;
A point storage means (game ball counter) for storing points;
Information for instructing subtraction of points (operation instruction including subtraction in FIG. 18), and usage amount of the game value with respect to points stored in the game device on the game device side Instruction information for receiving information (operation instruction including addition in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17) for instructing addition of the points transmitted from the gaming apparatus side in conjunction with the addition of the remaining points Receiving means (ball control board 17);
A score update unit (ball control board 17, ball update control unit 17) that updates the score stored in the score storage unit according to the amount of change and adds and updates the score according to information for instructing addition of the score. Fig. 4)
When information for instructing subtraction of a point is received, a point determination unit for determining whether or not a point having a magnitude indicated by the information is stored in the point storage unit (FIG. 18). A ball control board 17),
The information transmitting means accepts a score subtraction acceptance response when the score determining means determines that a score of a size indicated by the information to be subtracted is stored in the score storage means (FIG. 18; Subtraction of the points instructed to be subtracted by the information from the points stored on the gaming device side by transmitting a response to the gaming device including the subtraction rejection OFF) to the gaming device. (FIG. 18; subtraction of the number of game balls is determined after waiting for an action response).

  According to such a configuration, since the change amount of the score is transmitted from the gaming machine, the score management can be performed on the gaming device side. As a result, it is not necessary to provide a point management function on the gaming machine side, and the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible.

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  In addition, the point addition on the gaming machine side is promptly performed in response to a request for adding points using gaming value, but if a point subtraction request is generated, immediately after that, depending on the game situation Since there is a possibility that the score is insufficient for the subtraction request, the score is subtracted on the gaming device side on the condition that a consent response is returned. As a result, when a request for adding points or a request for subtracting points based on the game value is generated, it is possible to quickly and reliably perform processing according to those requests.

  (6-2) When the point update means receives information for canceling the point subtraction instruction (FIG. 45; operation instruction after recovery (addition is present, number of balls required for addition = 300)), The score corresponding to the cancellation amount of the subtraction instruction is added to the score stored in the score storage means (FIG. 45).

  According to such a configuration, the following effects are exhibited. That is, when the subtraction instruction arrives at the gaming machine side, the points stored on the gaming machine side may be less than the subtraction instruction because of the progress of the game. At this time, if it is unknown on the gaming device side whether or not the gaming machine has refused the subtraction instruction due to communication failure or the like, if the subtraction is confirmed, the score on the gaming machine side will be negative Inconvenience arises. However, at this time, by receiving information for canceling the point subtraction instruction, the gaming machine has a score corresponding to the cancellation amount of the subtraction instruction in the point stored in the point storage means. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the disadvantage that the score on the gaming machine side is negative.

  (6-3) The information transmitting means sends a subtraction rejection response for the game when it is determined by the score determination means that a score of the size designated for subtraction is not stored in the score storage means. Transmit to the device (FIG. 33; operation response of subtraction rejection ON).

  According to such a configuration, when the subtraction instruction arrives at the gaming machine side, if the points stored on the gaming machine side are less than the subtraction instruction due to the progress of the game, The machine can ask the gaming device to cancel the subtraction.

(7-1) A game that can be played with points, a game machine (pachinko machine 2) to which points are added according to the occurrence of a prize, and a player's own game value (prepaid balance, number of balls, Or a gaming system comprising a gaming device (card unit 3) that is connected to the gaming machine (connector wiring with connectors 330 and 20) and adds points by using the number of stored balls)
The gaming machine is
A front member (front frame 5 and glass door 6) covering the front of the gaming machine so as to be opened and closed;
Locking means for locking the front member in the closed state (front frame opening solenoid 11, glass door opening solenoid 10, engagement protrusion 8, engagement hole 9, engagement receiving pieces 7a and 7b, engagement protrusions 6a and 6b); ,
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in the number of points (addition balls, subtraction balls) depending on the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings,
Information transmitting means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device;
When the information for instructing the prohibition of the game is received, the game prohibiting means (FIG. 22 to FIG. 24; stopping the driving of the hitting ball shooting motor 18 by the ball number control board 17) so that the game by the holding point is not performed. )When,
Release means for releasing the lock by the lock means when receiving information for instructing the lock release by the lock means (FIG. 22 to FIG. 24; unlocking by the ball number control board 17),
The gaming device is:
Main possession point storage means for storing points (RAM that stores “the number of game balls”);
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for receiving the update information;
A score update unit (control unit 323) for updating the score stored in the main score storage unit based on the update information;
Information for instructing game prohibition (FIG. 22 and FIG. 24; operation instruction with prohibition request), and information for instructing release of lock by the locking means (FIG. 22; operation instruction with glass opening request, FIG. 24; an operation instruction with a cell release request) to transmit to the gaming machine instruction information transmission means (gaming machine communication unit 325),
The information transmitting means is game prohibition information (FIGS. 22 and 24; operation of prohibition refusal OFF) for notifying that a game with a point has not been performed according to information for instructing prohibition of game. Response) to the gaming device,
The instruction information transmitting means includes
Before transmitting the information for instructing the unlocking by the locking means, the information for instructing the game prohibition is transmitted (FIGS. 22 and 24),
After the game prohibition information is received by the information receiving means, and after a predetermined time (the floating ball processing waiting time in FIGS. 22 and 24) for waiting for the determination of the game result on the gaming machine side has elapsed, Information for instructing unlocking by the locking means is transmitted (FIGS. 22 and 24).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Furthermore, after a predetermined time for waiting for a game result to be determined on the gaming machine side has elapsed and the game machine has no points, the information for instructing to release the lock Since the obstruction state of the front member is released by being transmitted from the gaming device to the gaming machine, the obstruction state of the front member can be released without affecting the game result by an instruction from the gaming device side. Become.

(7-2) The specifying means also specifies the amount of change in the points until the game result is determined after the game prohibition means is not played by the points (FIG. 22, 24, the number of balls to be added and the number of balls to be subtracted included in the motion response in FIG.
The information transmission means transmits the update information during a period from when the game prohibition means does not play a game with points until the game result is determined (in FIG. 22 and FIG. An operation response indicating the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls is transmitted from the prohibition to the glass opening or cell opening request).

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to manage the score including the amount of change in the score until the game result is determined after the game prohibition unit does not play the game with the score. Become.

(8-1) A game that can be played with points, a game machine (pachinko machine 2) to which points are added according to the occurrence of a prize, and a player's own game value (prepaid balance, number of balls, Or a gaming system comprising a gaming device (card unit 3) that is connected to the gaming machine (connector wiring with connectors 330 and 20) and adds points by using the number of stored balls)
The gaming machine is
A front member (front frame 5 and glass door 6) covering the front of the gaming machine so as to be opened and closed;
Locking means for locking the front member in the closed state (front frame opening solenoid 11, glass door opening solenoid 10, engagement protrusion 8, engagement hole 9, engagement receiving pieces 7a and 7b, engagement protrusions 6a and 6b); ,
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in the number of points (addition balls, subtraction balls) depending on the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings,
Information transmission means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device;
The gaming device is:
A score storage means for storing the score (RAM for storing “the number of game balls”);
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for receiving the update information;
A score update means (control unit 323) for updating the score stored in the score storage means based on the update information;
Release information transmitting means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for transmitting information for instructing the unlocking by the locking means (FIG. 23: operation instruction with prohibition request and glass opening request) to the gaming machine. ,
The gaming machine further includes:
A game prohibition means (FIG. 23; stop driving of the hitting ball launch motor 18 by the ball number control board 17) for preventing the game from being performed when the information from the release information transmission means is received;
Release control means (FIG. 23; unlocking by the ball number control board 17) for performing control to release the lock by the lock means on condition that the game is not performed by the game prohibition means. Including
The release control means delays the control for releasing the lock by the lock means until a predetermined condition for waiting for the determination of the game result is satisfied after the game prohibition means becomes in a state where the game by the holding point is not performed. The delay means (FIG. 23; by the ball number control board 17, during the floating ball processing waiting time (10 seconds) or until the number of shot balls and the number of recovered balls become equal, the front frame opening solenoid 11 and the glass door opening solenoid 10 Including delaying excitation).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Further, the control for releasing the lock by the lock means is delayed until the gaming machine side is in a state where no game is performed by the holding point and a predetermined condition for waiting for the determination of the game result on the gaming machine side is satisfied. Therefore, the closed state of the front member can be released without affecting the game result by an instruction from the game apparatus side.

(8-2) The specifying means specifies the amount of change even when the score changes while the game prohibition means is in a state in which a game with a score is not performed (the operation of FIG. 23). The number of balls added and subtracted in the response),
The information transmitting means can specify the amount of change when the amount of change in the score is specified by the specifying means while the game is not performed by the game prohibition means. The update information is transmitted to the gaming device (in FIG. 23, the motion response indicating the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls is transmitted even during the period from when the game is prohibited until when the motion response including glass open refusal OFF is transmitted. ).

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to manage the score including the amount of change in the score until the game result is determined after the game prohibition unit does not play the game with the score. Become.

  (8-3) The delay unit releases the lock by the lock unit until a predetermined time for waiting for the determination of the game result has elapsed from the time when the game prohibition unit does not play a game with points. (FIG. 23: The ball number control board 17 delays excitation of the front frame opening solenoid 11 and the glass door opening solenoid 10 during the floating ball processing waiting time (10 seconds)).

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to make a release that does not affect the game result by a simple control of delaying the control for releasing the lock for a predetermined time.

(8-4) The delay means is
Judgment means (determining the number of fired balls and the number of recovered balls by the ball number control board 17) that determines that the winning has not occurred after the game prohibition means has not been played by the points Determine whether or not
The lock by the lock means is released from the time when the game prohibition means has entered a state in which a game with no points is not performed until the determination means determines that the winning has not occurred. Control is delayed (excitation of the front frame opening solenoid 11 and the glass door opening solenoid 10 is delayed until it is determined by the ball number control board 17 that the number of fired balls and the number of recovered balls are equal).

  According to such a configuration, since the control for releasing the lock is delayed until it is determined that the state where the winning cannot occur is reached, if the state where the winning cannot occur early is reached early. Since the lock is released, it is possible to prevent waste that the delay in unlocking continues despite the fact that the winning cannot be achieved.

(8-5) Connection unit for communicably connecting to a gaming device (card unit 3) that adds points using the remaining amount (prepaid balance) specified by the recording information (game card) of the recording medium A gaming machine (pachinko machine 2) that is equipped with (connector 20) and that can be played with points, and that points are added in accordance with the occurrence of a prize;
A front member (front frame 5 and glass door 6) covering the front of the gaming machine so as to be opened and closed;
Locking means for locking the front member in the closed state (front frame opening solenoid 11, glass door opening solenoid 10, engagement protrusion 8, engagement hole 9, engagement receiving pieces 7a and 7b, engagement protrusions 6a and 6b); ,
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in the number of points (addition balls, subtraction balls) depending on the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings,
Information transmitting means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device;
When the information for instructing the unlocking by the locking means transmitted from the gaming device is received, the game prohibiting means for prohibiting the player from continuing the game (FIG. 23; by the ball number control board 17) Stop driving of the ball striking motor 18),
Release control means (FIG. 23; unlocking by the ball number control board 17) for performing control to release the lock by the lock means after the game prohibition means is not in a state where the game by the holding point is not performed.
The release control means delays the control for releasing the lock by the lock means until a predetermined condition for waiting for the determination of the game result is satisfied after the game prohibition means becomes in a state where the game by the holding point is not performed. The delay means (FIG. 23; by the ball number control board 17, during the floating ball processing waiting time (10 seconds) or until the number of shot balls and the number of recovered balls become equal, the front frame opening solenoid 11 and the glass door opening solenoid 10 Including delaying excitation).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Further, the control for releasing the lock by the lock means is delayed until the gaming machine side is in a state where no game is performed by the holding point and a predetermined condition for waiting for the determination of the game result on the gaming machine side is satisfied. Therefore, the closed state of the front member can be released without affecting the game result by an instruction from the game apparatus side.

(8-6) The specifying means specifies the amount of change even when the score changes while the game prohibition means is in a state in which a game with a score is not performed (the operation of FIG. 23). The number of balls added and subtracted in the response),
The information transmitting means can specify the amount of change when the amount of change in the score is specified by the specifying means while the game is not performed by the game prohibition means. The update information is transmitted to the gaming device (in FIG. 23, the motion response indicating the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls is transmitted even during the period from when the game is prohibited until when the motion response including glass open refusal OFF is transmitted. ).

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to manage the score including the amount of change in the score until the game result is determined after the game prohibition unit does not play the game with the score. Become.

  (8-7) The delay means delays the control for releasing the lock by the lock means until a predetermined time elapses from the time when the game prohibition means is not in a state where the game is not performed by the holding points (FIG. 23). The excitation of the front frame opening solenoid 11 and the glass door opening solenoid 10 is delayed by the ball number control board 17 during the floating ball processing waiting time (10 seconds).

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to make a release that does not affect the game result by a simple control of delaying the control for releasing the lock for a predetermined time.

(8-8) The delay means is
Judgment means (determining the number of fired balls and the number of recovered balls by the ball number control board 17) that determines that the winning has not occurred after the game prohibition means has not been played by the points Determine whether or not
The lock by the lock means is released from the time when the game prohibition means has entered a state in which a game with no points is not performed until the determination means determines that the winning has not occurred. Control is delayed (excitation of the front frame opening solenoid 11 and the glass door opening solenoid 10 is delayed until it is determined by the ball number control board 17 that the number of fired balls and the number of recovered balls are equal).

  According to such a configuration, since the control for releasing the lock is delayed until it is determined that the state where the winning cannot occur is reached, if the state where the winning cannot occur early is reached early. Since the lock is released, it is possible to prevent waste that the delay in unlocking continues despite the fact that the winning cannot be achieved.

(9-1) A game that can be played with points, a game machine (pachinko machine 2) to which points are added according to the occurrence of a prize, and a player's own game value (prepaid balance, number of balls, Or a gaming system comprising a gaming device (card unit 3) that is connected to the gaming machine (connector wiring with connectors 330 and 20) and adds points by using the number of stored balls)
The gaming machine is
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in the number of points (addition balls, subtraction balls) depending on the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings,
Information transmitting means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device;
Sub-point storage means (game ball counter) for storing the points,
The gaming device is:
Main possession point storage means for storing the above points (RAM for storing “the number of game balls”);
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for receiving the update information;
A score update unit (control unit 323) for updating the score stored in the main score storage unit based on the update information;
A point addition means for deducting the value within the range of the game value owned by the player and adding the equivalent amount to the point stored in the main point storage means (FIG. 32; deduction from the prepaid balance) A control unit 323) for adding the number of balls for the amount of money to the game balls;
Addition information for transmitting to the gaming machine the point addition information (FIG. 32; operation instruction including addition request present and number of balls required for addition = 125) for giving a point addition instruction corresponding to the point to be added Transmission means (game machine communication unit 325);
When it is determined that no points can be added in the gaming machine based on information returned from the gaming machine in response to transmission of the score addition information to the gaming machine (FIG. 32; addition refusal) When the operation response including ON is repeatedly returned three times, it is determined that the control unit 323 cannot add), and compulsory addition information for forcibly adding the score to the gaming machine (FIG. 32; after recovery processing) Operation instruction including addition request present and addition request ball count = 125 to be transmitted and forced addition processing (FIG. 32; operation including recovery process and subsequent addition request present and addition request ball count = 125) Forcibly adding processing means (control unit 323) for performing processing for transmitting instructions)
When the compulsory addition information is transmitted, the gaming machine performs an addition process to the score stored in the secondary score storage means (FIG. 32; the ball count control board 17 adds to the game ball 450. Add 125 balls to make game balls = 575).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  In addition, when a request for deducting the value within the range of the game value owned by the player and adding the score is generated and the information of the score addition command is transmitted to the gaming machine, the gaming machine does not respond to it The compulsory addition information for forcibly adding the score to the gaming machine is transmitted to the gaming machine so that the gaming machine performs the addition process to the score, so that when the request for adding the score occurs, the gaming machine It is possible to prevent as much as possible the inconvenience that no points are added on the side.

  (9-2) The forced addition processing means transmits the data (FIG. 32; FIN) for shifting to the forced addition processing to the gaming machine and then executes the forced addition processing to the gaming machine. Force the points to be added.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to perform addition processing to the points corresponding to the forced addition processing on the gaming machine side that has received the data for shifting to the forced addition processing.

(9-3) The gaming device
A communication number (SQN) is transmitted to the gaming machine together with the data to confirm whether the communication is properly performed by updating the number according to repeated transmission / reception of data to / from the gaming machine. Communication number transmitting means (game machine communication unit 325 for transmitting SQN),
Communication number determination means (control unit 323) for determining whether or not the communication number included in the data returned from the gaming machine is appropriate,
The forced addition processing means updates the communication number to an abnormal number (FIG. 32; adds 2 to make SQN abnormal), so that the communication number included in the data returned from the gaming machine is The communication number determination means is determined to be abnormal, and the forced addition information is transmitted based on the determination of the abnormality (FIG. 32; the value of SQN included in the recovery data returned from the P units is It is determined that the value is an abnormal value, and an operation instruction including an addition request present and the number of addition request balls = 125 is transmitted).

  According to such a configuration, the gaming device uses the communication number for checking whether or not the communication is properly performed by updating the number in accordance with the repeated transmission / reception of data, and the game device forcibly adds the information. Can be sent.

  (9-4) The gaming device controls to shift to a predetermined error state when it is determined that points cannot be added in the gaming machine even after the forced addition processing is performed. Error control means for controlling (when it is determined that the points cannot be added in the gaming machine (for example, P machines) even after the forced addition process is performed, control is performed to shift to a predetermined error state. Error control means).

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to cope with an abnormality in which points cannot be added in the gaming machine even after the forced addition process is performed.

(9-5) The addition information transmitting means adds the score in the gaming machine based on information returned from the gaming machine in response to transmission of the score adding information to the gaming machine. When it is determined that it has not been received, a retransmission process for repeatedly transmitting the point addition information to the gaming machine is repeatedly executed (FIG. 32; every time an operation response including an addition refusal NO is received, an addition request is present and an addition request is received. The operation instruction including the number of balls = 125 is repeatedly transmitted)
The compulsory addition processing means still adds points when the retransmission processing by the addition information transmitting means is executed a predetermined number of times (FIG. 32; at the stage where the retransmission is performed twice). If not (FIG. 32; when an operation response including addition rejection ON is returned after the second retransmission), it is determined that the points cannot be added in the gaming machine, and the forcible addition process is executed. To do.

  According to such a configuration, the point addition information retransmission process is repeatedly executed again before the compulsory addition process is executed. Therefore, the score addition process is executed on the gaming machine side at the stage of the retransmission process. In this case, the addition of the points can be achieved without executing the forced addition process.

  (9-6) The score adding means deducts the value from the value information owned by the player without waiting for a response from the gaming machine that has received the score addition information (FIG. 32; inserted) 1000 yen will be deducted from the prepaid balance of the card you have).

  According to such a configuration, in the case where a request for deducting the value within the range of the gaming value owned by the player and adding the score is generated, the player does not wait for a response from the gaming machine side to the request. The value can be quickly deducted from the value information of possession.

(9-7) Provided with a connection portion (connector 330) for connecting to a gaming machine (pachinko machine 2) that can be played with points and is added in accordance with the occurrence of a prize, A gaming device (card unit 3) for adding the points using the remaining amount specified by the recording information of the recording medium,
A score storage means for storing the score (RAM for storing “the number of game balls”);
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for receiving update information from the gaming machine that can specify the amount of change in points according to the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings;
A score update unit (control unit 323) for updating the score stored in the score storage unit based on the update information;
A point addition means for deducting a value within the range of game value owned by the player and adding the equivalent amount to the point stored in the point storage means (FIG. 32; deduction from the prepaid balance) A control unit 323) for adding the number of balls for the amount of money to the game balls;
Addition information for transmitting to the gaming machine the point addition information (FIG. 32; operation instruction including addition request present and number of balls required for addition = 125) for giving a point addition instruction corresponding to the point to be added Transmission means (game machine communication unit 325);
When it is determined that no points can be added in the gaming machine based on information returned from the gaming machine in response to transmission of the score addition information to the gaming machine (FIG. 32; addition refusal) When the operation response including ON is repeatedly returned three times, it is determined that the control unit 323 cannot add), and compulsory addition information for forcibly adding the score to the gaming machine (FIG. 32; after recovery processing) Operation instruction including addition request present and addition request ball count = 125 to be transmitted and forced addition processing (FIG. 32; operation including recovery process and subsequent addition request present and addition request ball count = 125) Compulsory addition processing means (control unit 323) that performs processing for transmitting an instruction).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  In addition, when a request for deducting the value within the range of the game value owned by the player and adding the score is generated and the information of the score addition command is transmitted to the gaming machine, the gaming machine does not respond to it In addition, when the compulsory addition information for forcibly adding the score to the gaming machine is transmitted to cause the gaming machine to perform addition processing to the score, It is possible to prevent inconvenience that the score is not added on the machine side.

  (9-8) The forced addition processing means transmits the data (FIG. 32; FIN) for shifting to the forced addition processing to the gaming machine and then executes the forced addition processing to the gaming machine. Force the points to be added.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to cause the gaming machine that has received the data for shifting to the forced addition process to perform the addition process to the score corresponding to the forced addition process.

(9-9) A communication number (SQN) for confirming whether or not communication is properly performed by updating the number according to repeated transmission / reception of data to / from the gaming machine together with the data A communication number transmitting means for transmitting to the gaming machine (a gaming machine communication unit 325 for transmitting SQN);
Communication number determination means (control unit 323) for determining whether or not the communication number included in the data returned from the gaming machine is appropriate,
The forced addition processing means updates the communication number to an abnormal number (FIG. 32; adds 2 to make SQN abnormal), so that the communication number included in the data returned from the gaming machine is The communication number determination means is determined to be abnormal, and the forced addition information is transmitted based on the determination of the abnormality (FIG. 32; the value of SQN included in the recovery data returned from the P units is It is determined that the value is an abnormal value, and an operation instruction including an addition request present and the number of addition request balls = 125 is transmitted).

  According to such a configuration, the gaming device uses the communication number for checking whether or not the communication is properly performed by updating the number according to the repetition of data transmission / reception, and forcing the addition information You can send.

  (9-10) Error control means for performing control to shift to a predetermined error state when it is determined that the game machine cannot add points even after the forced addition process is performed ( (Error control means for performing control to shift to a predetermined error state when it is determined that points cannot be added in the gaming machine (for example, P machines) even after the forced addition process is performed) Including.

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to cope with an abnormality in which points cannot be added in the gaming machine even after the forced addition process is performed.

(9-11) The addition information transmitting means adds points in the gaming machine based on information returned from the gaming machine in response to transmission of the score adding information to the gaming machine. When it is determined that it has not been received, a retransmission process for repeatedly transmitting the point addition information to the gaming machine is repeatedly executed (FIG. 32; every time an operation response including an addition refusal NO is received, an addition request exists and an addition request The operation instruction including the number of balls = 125 is repeatedly transmitted)
The compulsory addition processing means still adds points when the retransmission processing by the addition information transmitting means is executed a predetermined number of times (FIG. 32; at the stage where the retransmission is performed twice). If not (FIG. 32; when an operation response including addition rejection ON is returned after the second retransmission), it is determined that the points cannot be added in the gaming machine, and the forcible addition process is executed. To do.

  According to such a configuration, the point addition information retransmission process is repeatedly executed again before the compulsory addition process is executed. Therefore, the score addition process is executed on the gaming machine side at the stage of the retransmission process. In this case, the addition of the points can be achieved without executing the forced addition process.

  (9-12) The score addition means deducts the value from the player-owned value information without waiting for a response from the gaming machine that has received the score addition information (FIG. 32; inserted) 1000 yen will be deducted from the prepaid balance of the card you have).

  According to such a configuration, in the case where a request for deducting the value within the range of the gaming value owned by the player and adding the score is generated, the player does not wait for a response from the gaming machine side to the request. The value can be quickly deducted from the value information of possession.

(10-1) A game that can be played with points, a gaming machine (pachinko machine 2) to which points are added according to the occurrence of a prize, and a player's own gaming value (prepaid balance, number of balls, Or a gaming system comprising a gaming device (card unit 3) that is connected to the gaming machine (connector wiring with connectors 330 and 20) and adds points by using the number of stored balls)
The gaming machine is
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in the number of points (addition balls, subtraction balls) depending on the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings,
Information transmitting means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device;
Sub-point storage means (game ball counter) for storing the points,
The gaming device is:
Main possession point storage means for storing the above points (RAM for storing “the number of game balls”);
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for receiving the update information;
A score update unit (control unit 323) for updating the score stored in the main score storage unit based on the update information;
Main possession point addition means for deducting a value within the range of game value owned by a player and adding the equivalent amount to the deduction point stored in the main possession point storage means (FIGS. 16 and 17; prepaid balance or A control unit 323) for adding the number of balls for the amount of money withdrawn from the holding ball to the game ball;
The point addition information (FIG. 16, FIG. 17; operation instruction including addition request present and number of balls required for addition = 125) for giving a point addition instruction corresponding to the point to be added is transmitted to the gaming machine. Adding information transmitting means (gaming machine communication unit 325),
The gaming machine further includes:
Addition information receiving means (ball control board 17) for receiving the point addition information;
Sub-point addition means (ball control board 17) for adding to the points stored in the sub-point storage means according to the point addition information;
Information on the score after the addition (FIGS. 16 and 17; the number of game balls as a result of calculating the number of game balls = 50 + 125 = 175) and the possession specified by the specifying means during the addition process to the score Addition response transmission means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information during addition processing (FIGS. 16 and 17; the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) capable of specifying the amount of change in points to the gaming device; Including
The main possession point update means updates the possession point stored in the main possession point storage means based on the transmitted addition process update information (FIG. 16; backup value, number of game balls = 50 (update Previous game ball number) +125 (addition request ball number) +0 (addition ball number) = 0 (subtraction ball number) = 175: FIG. 17; backup value, game ball number = 0 (pre-update game ball number) +125 (addition request ball number) +0 (addition ball number) = 0 (subtraction ball number) = 125)
Whether the gaming device is consistent by comparing the score after being updated based on the update information during addition processing and the information of the score after addition transmitted by the update information during addition processing (FIG. 16, FIG. 17; whether the number of game balls 175 or 125, which is the backup value after the correction, matches the number of game balls transmitted from the P units, is confirmed. Check if not).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Further, in response to the generation of a request for adding points, the gaming device transmits information on the point addition command to the gaming machine to cause the gaming machine to perform the adding process. The update information during the addition process that can specify the amount of change of the score specified by the specifying means is returned from the gaming machine, and the score on the gaming device side is updated based on the update information during the addition process. The subsequent score and the added score information transmitted from the gaming machine are compared to confirm whether or not they match. As a result, it is possible to check the consistency of the points after the addition on the gaming apparatus side and the gaming machine side, including the amount of change during the addition processing on the gaming machine side.

  (10-2) The main possession point adding means deducts the value from the player-owned value information without waiting for a response from the gaming machine that has received the score addition information (FIG. 16; inserted) A 1,000 yen is deducted from the prepaid balance of the card being held: FIG. 17; 125 balls are withdrawn from the holding ball of the inserted card).

  According to such a configuration, in the case where a request for deducting the value within the range of the gaming value owned by the player and adding the score is generated, the player does not wait for a response from the gaming machine side to the request. The value can be quickly deducted from the value information of possession.

(10-3) The addition information transmission means adds the score again every time a signal rejecting the addition of the score is returned from the gaming machine in response to the transmission of the score addition information to the gaming machine. A retransmission process for transmitting information to the gaming machine is executed (FIG. 32; an operation instruction including an addition request present and an addition request ball count = 125 is repeatedly transmitted each time an operation response including an addition rejection NO is received) ,
The addition response transmission means also includes information that can specify the amount of change of the holding point specified by the specifying means while the retransmission processing by the addition information transmission means is being executed, in the update information between addition processes. (FIG. 32; an operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls is transmitted together with addition rejection ON).

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to check the consistency of the score including the amount of change of the score on the gaming machine side during the execution of the retransmission process of the score addition information.

(10-4) A connection unit (connector 20) is provided for connecting to a gaming device that adds points using the remaining amount (prepaid balance) specified by the recording information of the recording medium so as to be communicable. A gaming machine (pachinko machine 2) that is capable of playing games and has points added in response to winnings,
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in the number of points (addition balls, subtraction balls) depending on the use of the game and the occurrence of winnings,
Information transmitting means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device;
A score storage means (game ball counter) that calculates and stores the current value of the score that changes in accordance with the use of the game and the occurrence of a prize;
Addition information receiving means (number of balls) for receiving from the gaming device point addition information for giving an instruction to withdraw the value within the range of the game value owned by the player and add the amount equivalent to the withdrawal to the point Control board 17),
A point addition means (ball control board 17) for adding to the points stored in the point storage means according to the point addition information;
Information on the score after the addition (FIGS. 16 and 17; the number of game balls as a result of calculating the number of game balls = 50 + 125 = 175) and the possession specified by the specifying means during the addition process to the score Addition response transmission means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information during addition processing (FIGS. 16 and 17; the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can specify the amount of change in points to the gaming device; Including.

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Also, when a request to add points is received, information on the point addition command is received from the gaming device, the points are added, and specified by specifying means during the addition process to the points In order to transmit the update information during the addition process that can specify the amount of change of the held points to the gaming apparatus, the gaming apparatus updates the points on the gaming apparatus side based on the update information during the addition process, It is possible to check whether or not the updated score and the score information after the addition sent from the gaming machine are consistent. As a result, it is possible to check the consistency of the points after the addition on the gaming apparatus side and the gaming machine side, including the amount of change during the addition processing on the gaming machine side.

(10-5) further including addition rejection reply means (FIG. 32; transmitting an operation response including addition rejection NO) for returning a signal rejecting addition of the score in response to reception of the score addition information;
The addition response transmitting means retransmits the score specified by the specifying means while the addition information receiving means receives the score addition information again every time a signal rejecting the addition of the score by the addition rejection reply means is received. Information that can identify the amount of change is also included in the update information during addition processing and transmitted to the gaming device (FIG. 32; an operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls is transmitted together with addition rejection ON).

  According to such a configuration, it is possible to check the consistency of the score including the amount of change of the score on the gaming machine side during the execution of the retransmission process of the score addition information.

(11-1) A game machine (pachinko machine 2) that generates game data (the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 and the number of starting ports 2) that changes according to the progress of the game, and the gaming machine A gaming device that is communicably connected (connected to the connectors 330 and 20) and uses a gaming value (prepaid balance, number of balls, or number of balls) owned by the player to enable gaming on the gaming machine. A gaming system comprising (card unit 3),
The gaming machine is
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for specifying the amount of change in the game data (the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls);
Information transmission means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device;
The gaming device is:
Game data storage means for storing the game data (“RAM for storing the number of game balls, the total of added balls, the total of subtracted balls, the total of starter 1 and the total of starter 2”);
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for receiving the update information;
Game data update means (control unit 323) for updating game data stored in the game data storage means based on the update information;
A recovery process (FIG. 39 to FIG. 46; recovery process) for recovering data consistency with the gaming machine by recovering from the communication disabled state when the gaming machine cannot communicate with the gaming machine. Recovery processing means (control unit 323) for
The gaming machine is unable to communicate by accumulating the amount of change of the game data specified by the specifying means from the time when the communication impossible state occurs until the recovery processing by the recovery processing means is executed. Time accumulation storage means (FIGS. 39 to 46; the number of balls to be added, the number of balls to be subtracted, and the start port from the time when the operation response sent immediately before the power-off of the CU is transmitted until the CU is activated and the recovery process is performed. 1 count, 2 times of start opening and number of game balls are memorized as the current number of balls, addition ball count counter, subtraction ball count counter, start port 1 count counter, start port 2 count counter and game ball count counter, and previous ball count Each data)
The information transmitting means receives the cumulative update information that can specify the cumulative change amount of the game data stored in the cumulative communication means when communication is disabled by performing the recovery processing by the recovery processing means. (FIGS. 39 to 46; the number of balls to be added, the number of balls to be subtracted, and the start port 1 from the time when the operation response sent immediately before the power-off of the CU is transmitted until the CU is activated and the recovery process is performed Recovery data including the number of times, the number of times of the start opening 2 and the number of game balls as a recovery response)
The game data update means updates the game data stored in the game data storage means based on the cumulative update information by performing the restoration process (FIGS. 39 to 46; game as a backup value) The number of balls, the cumulative number of added balls, the cumulative number of subtracted balls, the cumulative total of the starting port 1 and the cumulative total of the starting port 2 are updated).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Also, when a communication incapable state in which communication is not possible between the gaming device and the gaming machine has occurred and then the communication incapable state has been resolved and recovered, from the time when the communication incapable state has occurred until recovery processing is executed During this period, cumulative update information that can identify the amount of change in game data on the gaming machine side is sent to the gaming device, so the gaming machine side during the period from when the communication is disabled until it is restored It is possible to accurately manage game data that reflects the amount of change in game data.

(11-2) The gaming machine includes game prohibition means (FIG. 39 to FIG. 46; stop play upon detection of disconnection) for making a game with no points when the communication impossible state occurs. ,
The accumulated communication means when communication is impossible is performed from the time when the communication disabled state occurs until the game data cannot change after the game prohibition means becomes non-playable. The cumulative amount of change in the game data specified by the specifying means is stored in the game (FIGS. 39 to 46; the play stops after the transmission of the operation response immediately before the power-off of the CU and all floating balls are collected. The accumulated number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 times, the number of starting ports 2 times, and the number of game balls that have changed during the period are accumulated.

  According to such a configuration, during the period from when the incommunicable state occurs until the recovery process is executed, the game prohibition means does not play the game with the points due to the game prohibition means. The game data may change even after the game with the points is not performed, and the game data after the game cannot be performed with the points by the game prohibition means after the communication disabled state occurs. Since the accumulated update information that can specify the amount of change of the game data specified by the specifying means is transmitted to the gaming device until it reaches a state where it cannot change, the game data after the communication is disabled It is possible to accurately manage game data that reflects the amount of change in game data on the gaming machine side before reaching a state where it cannot change.

(11-3) The gaming machine can continue the game even after the incommunicable state occurs (when a power interruption at the CU or a communication interruption between the CU and the P unit is detected, P It may be controlled so that the game can be continued without stopping hitting on the base side).
The communication failure accumulative storage means accumulates and stores the amount of change of the game data specified by the specifying means until the restoration process is performed after the communication disabled state occurs (communication interruption occurs) The accumulated subtraction ball number and the number of times of the starting opening generated along with the game continued until the abnormality is recovered and started up are accumulated and stored on the P platform side).

  According to such a configuration, the game data can be continued even after the communication failure state occurs, and the game data changed with the game continued until the recovery process is performed after the communication failure state occurs. It is possible to accurately manage game data reflecting the amount of change.

(11-4) The communication failure accumulative storage means stores a backup amount transmitted immediately before, which is a change amount of game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the communication disabled state occurs. Cage (FIGS. 39 to 46; the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 and the number of starting ports 2)
The information transmission means includes immediately before update information that can identify the amount of change transmitted immediately before in the cumulative update information and transmits it to the gaming device (FIGS. 39 to 46; addition as the previous number of balls) Recovery data including the number of balls, the number of subtraction balls, 1 start port and 2 start ports is sent as a recovery response),
The gaming apparatus determines whether or not the communication disabled state has occurred before receiving the immediately transmitted update information included in the cumulative update information (FIG. 39 to FIG. 39). 46: determination based on whether or not the operation instruction is being transmitted and whether or not the SQNs match,
The game data updating means determines that the communication failure occurrence time determination means determines that the communication failure occurrence time is after reception of the immediately previous transmitted update information (FIG. 39; during operation instruction transmission and SQN is 40, FIG. 42, FIG. 44, FIG. 46; it is determined that the SQN on the P base side is one before the SQN on the CU side), and the previously transmitted update information from the cumulative update information While the game data stored in the game data storage means is updated based on the information excluding (the CU corrects the backup value based only on the backup data of the current number of balls), the communication failure occurrence time determination means Determines that the communication failure occurrence time is before the reception of the immediately previous transmitted update information (FIGS. 41, 43, and 45; the operation instruction is being transmitted and the SQNs match. Judgment), the game data stored in the game data storage means is updated based on the cumulative update information including the update information transmitted immediately before (CU is not only the backup data of the current number of balls but also the previous number of balls) The backup value is corrected based on the backup data including

  According to such a configuration, the immediately-preceding transmitted update information that can identify the immediately-sent change amount that is the change amount of the game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the incommunicable state occurs is included in the cumulative update information. Therefore, even if the change amount of the game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the incommunicable state occurs does not reach the gaming device, the gaming device The game data is updated including the immediately previous transmitted change amount specified by the immediately previous transmitted update information, and the change amount of the game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the communication disabled state is not Even in the case of arrival, it becomes possible to manage game data accurately.

(11-5) Connectable to a game machine (pachinko machine 2) that generates game data (the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 and the number of starting ports 2) that changes according to the progress of the game. A gaming device (card unit 3) comprising a connecting portion (connector 330) for enabling a game in the gaming machine using a gaming value owned by the player,
Game data storage means for storing the game data (“RAM for storing the number of game balls, the total of added balls, the total of subtracted balls, the total of starter 1 and the total of starter 2”);
Information receiving means (gaming machine communication unit 325) for receiving update information capable of specifying the amount of change in the gaming data from the gaming machine;
Game data update means (control unit 323) for updating game data stored in the game data storage means based on the update information;
A recovery process (FIG. 39 to FIG. 46; recovery process) for recovering data consistency with the gaming machine by recovering from the communication disabled state when the gaming machine cannot communicate with the gaming machine. Recovery processing means (control unit 323) for
The information receiving means receives from the gaming machine cumulative update information that can identify a cumulative change amount of gaming data that has changed between the occurrence of the incommunicable state and the execution of the recovery processing by the recovery processing means. Received (FIGS. 39 to 46; the number of balls to be added, the number of balls to be subtracted, and the number of start ports from the time when the operation response sent immediately before the power supply of the CU is transmitted until the CU is activated and the recovery process is performed. , Receiving recovery data including the number of times of the start port 2 and the number of game balls as a recovery response)
The game data update means updates the game data stored in the game data storage means based on the cumulative update information by performing the restoration process (FIGS. 39 to 46; game as a backup value) The number of balls, the cumulative number of added balls, the cumulative number of subtracted balls, the cumulative total of the starting port 1 and the cumulative total of the starting port 2 are updated).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Also, when a communication incapable state in which communication is not possible between the gaming device and the gaming machine has occurred and then the communication incapable state has been resolved and recovered, from the time when the communication incapable state has occurred until recovery processing is executed During this period, cumulative update information that can identify the amount of change in game data on the gaming machine side is sent to the gaming device, so the gaming machine side during the period from when the communication is disabled until it is restored It is possible to accurately manage game data that reflects the amount of change in game data.

(11-6) The information receiving means includes immediately-preceding transmitted update information capable of specifying an immediately-sent change amount that is a change amount of game data transmitted by the gaming machine immediately before the communication disabled state occurs. The cumulative update information is received (FIGS. 39 to 46; the recovery data including the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 and the number of starting ports 2 is received as a recovery response as the previous number of balls)
Communication failure occurrence time determining means for determining whether or not the communication disabled state has occurred before receiving the immediately previous transmitted update information included in the cumulative update information (FIGS. 39 to 46; operation instruction being transmitted) And whether or not the SQNs coincide with each other)
When the game data update means determines that the communication failure occurrence time is after the reception of the immediately previous transmitted update information by the communication failure occurrence time determination means, FIG. 40, FIG. 42, FIG. 44, FIG. 46; it is determined that the SQN on the P base side is one before the SQN on the CU side), and the immediately previous transmitted update information is obtained from the cumulative update information. While the game data stored in the game data storage means is updated based on the excluded information (the CU corrects the backup value based only on the backup data of the current number of balls), the communication failure occurrence time determination means When it is determined that the incommunicable occurrence time is before the reception of the immediately previous transmitted update information (FIGS. 41, 43, and 45; when an operation instruction is being transmitted and the SQNs match. The game data stored in the game data storage means is updated based on the cumulative update information including the update information transmitted immediately before (CU is not only the backup data of the current number of balls but also the previous number of balls). The backup value is corrected based on the backup data including

  According to such a configuration, the cumulative update information including the immediately previous transmitted update information that can identify the immediately previous transmitted change amount that is the change amount of the game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the communication disabled state occurs. Even if the amount of change in the game data received by the gaming device and transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the incommunicable state occurs does not reach the gaming device, the gaming device determines that, Since the game data is updated including the immediately previous transmitted change amount specified by the immediately previous transmitted update information, the change amount of the game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the incommunicable state has not been reached. Even in this case, it becomes possible to manage game data accurately.

(12-1) A connecting portion (connector) for connecting to a gaming device (card unit 3) that enables gaming using a gaming value (prepaid balance, holding ball or storage ball) owned by the player. 20), and a game machine (pachinko machine 2) that generates game data (the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 and the number of starting ports 2) that changes according to the progress of the game,
Specific means (microcomputer for gaming machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for specifying the amount of change in the game data (the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls);
Information transmitting means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls) that can identify the amount of change to the gaming device;
From when a communication incapable state where no signal is transmitted from the gaming device occurs until recovery processing is executed to recover from the communication incapable state and restore data consistency with the gaming machine In the inter-communication impossible accumulation storage means for accumulating and storing the change amount of the game data specified by the specification means (FIG. 39 to FIG. 46; CU after the transmission of the operation response transmitted immediately before the power supply of the CU is cut off) The number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 times, the number of starting ports 2 times and the number of game balls until the recovery process is started and the number of game balls is stored as the current number of balls. Counter, start port 1 time counter, start port 2 time counter and game ball counter, and previous ball count data),
The information transmitting means transmits to the gaming device cumulative update information capable of specifying the cumulative change amount of the game data stored in the cumulative communication means when communication is disabled when the restoration process is performed ( FIGS. 39 to 46: Number of balls to be added, number of balls to be subtracted, number of starting ports, number of starting ports, starting port after CU is activated and recovery processing is performed after transmission of operation response transmitted immediately before CU power is cut off Recovery data including 2 times and the number of game balls is transmitted as a recovery response).

  According to such a configuration, since the point management is performed on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine can be suppressed as much as possible. .

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  Also, when a communication incapable state in which communication is not possible between the gaming device and the gaming machine has occurred and then the communication incapable state has been resolved and recovered, from the time when the communication incapable state has occurred until recovery processing is executed During this period, accumulated update information that can specify the amount of change in game data on the gaming machine side is transmitted to the gaming device, so that the game on the gaming machine side during the period from when communication is disabled until recovery It is possible to manage game data accurately that reflects the amount of data change.

(12-2) further includes game prohibition means (FIGS. 39 to 46; stop play upon detection of disconnection) for making a game with no points when the communication impossible state occurs.
The accumulated communication means when communication is impossible is performed from the time when the communication disabled state occurs until the game data cannot change after the game prohibition means becomes non-playable. The cumulative amount of change in the game data specified by the specifying means is stored in the game (FIGS. 39 to 46; the play stops after the transmission of the operation response immediately before the power-off of the CU and all floating balls are collected. The accumulated number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 times, the number of starting ports 2 times, and the number of game balls that have changed during the period are accumulated.

  According to such a configuration, the game prohibition means does not play the game with the points during the period from when the communication impossible state occurs until the recovery process is executed. The game data may change even after the game is not performed, and the game data may change after the game prohibition means does not play the game with the holding points since the communication disabled state occurs. Accumulated update information that can specify the amount of change in the game data specified by the specifying means is transmitted to the gaming device until it reaches the state where there is no state, so that the game data may change after the communication is disabled. It is possible to accurately manage game data that reflects the amount of change in game data on the gaming machine side until it reaches the non-existing state.

(12-3) The cumulative communication means at the time of inability to communicate is stored in order to back up the amount of change transmitted immediately before, which is the amount of change of game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the incommunicable state occurs. Cage (FIGS. 39 to 46; the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls, the number of starting ports 1 and the number of starting ports 2) as the previous number of balls,
The information transmitting means includes
The update information transmitted immediately before including the amount of change transmitted immediately before is included in the cumulative update information and transmitted to the gaming device (FIGS. 39 to 46; the number of added balls, the number of subtracted balls as the previous number of balls) Recovery data including the number, the number of times of starting port 1 and the number of times of starting port 2)
Communication failure occurrence time determination information (SQN) for enabling the gaming device to determine whether or not the communication disabled state has occurred before the gaming device receives the immediately previous transmitted update information. Send to the gaming device.

  According to such a configuration, the immediately-preceding transmitted update information that can identify the immediately-sent change amount that is the change amount of the game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the incommunicable state occurs is included in the cumulative update information. Incompatibility occurrence time determination for enabling the gaming device to determine whether or not a communication impossible state has occurred before the gaming device receives the update information transmitted immediately before the gaming device. Since the game information is also transmitted to the gaming device, the gaming device, based on the information, changes the amount of game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the communication failure occurs to the gaming device. Even if it has not reached, it is possible to update the game data including the immediately-sent change amount specified by the immediately-sent update information, and immediately before the incommunicable state occurs. In the case of the transmitted game data amount of change unreachable device, it is possible to manage accurate game data.

  (12-4) The information transmission means updates the number each time data is transmitted / received to / from the gaming device, and confirms whether or not communication is properly performed. (SQN) is transmitted to the gaming device as information for determining when communication is impossible.

  According to such a configuration, on the gaming device side, each time data is transmitted / received, the number is updated, and the communication number is used to check whether communication is properly performed. It is possible to determine whether or not the change amount of the game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the disabled state has reached the gaming device.

(13-1) A connecting portion (connector) for communicably connecting to a gaming device (card unit 3) that enables a game using a player's own gaming value (prepaid balance, holding ball or storage ball) 20), a game machine (pachinko machine 2) that can be played with points, and that points are added according to the occurrence of a prize,
A score storage means (game ball counter) for storing the score;
A point discriminating unit (FIG. 20; detecting no balls on the P platform) for discriminating that the game cannot be continued as a result of the decrease of the point stored in the point storing unit;
Game prohibiting means (FIG. 20 to FIG. 24; driving stop of the hitting ball firing motor 18 by the ball number control board 17) for making the game by the holding point not performed,
The game prohibition means is:
When predetermined information (FIGS. 21 to 24; operation instructions including prohibition request presence) determined so that a game with a score is not performed is transmitted from the gaming device, a game with a score is performed. Predetermined information corresponding game prohibition means (FIG. 21 to FIG. 24; stop driving of the hitting ball motor 18 by the ball number control board 17),
A game prohibition means corresponding to a score (FIG. 20; the number of balls P is automatically set to prohibit the game) when it is determined that the game cannot be continued by the score determination means. The driving of the hitting ball launch motor 18 by the control board 17 is stopped).

  According to such a configuration, as a method of setting a game prohibition state in which a game with a score is not performed with a score-type game machine, when the score in the game machine decreases, the game machine side determines that fact. The game can be made in a state where the game with the points is not performed, and the game with the points is not performed even if the predetermined information which is determined so that the game with the points is not performed is transmitted from the gaming device. In order to enter the state, it is possible to respond to a command from the gaming device, and depending on the cause of the necessity of making the gaming prohibited state, the gaming machine itself makes the gaming prohibited state and the command from the gaming device Accordingly, it is possible to deal with both cases where the game is prohibited.

(13-2) The connection unit is connected to a gaming device having a point storage means for storing and managing points (FIG. 4; connected to a CU having a RAM for storing the number of game balls) Is)
Specific means (microcomputer for game machine control, addition ball counter, subtraction ball counter) for identifying the amount of change in points according to the use in the game and the occurrence of winnings,
Identifies the amount of change to the gaming device having a function of updating the points stored in the point storage means based on update information capable of specifying the amount of change in the points sent from the gaming machine It further includes information transmitting means (ball number control board 17) for transmitting possible update information (operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls).

  According to such a configuration, since it becomes possible to perform the point management on the gaming device side, it is not necessary to provide the point management function on the gaming machine side, and accordingly, the cost of the gaming machine is suppressed as much as possible. be able to.

  In particular, gaming machines tend to have a shorter replacement cycle in a game arcade than gaming devices in order to be able to provide more highly-oriented games quickly. For that reason, there is an advantage that the running cost of the game hall where the gaming machine is introduced can be reduced by holding the point management function not on the gaming machine side but on the gaming device side to reduce the cost of the gaming machine. is there.

  In addition, when the game cannot be continued as a result of the decrease in the number of points due to the point management performed on the game device side, the game is controlled so that the game is not performed by the point after waiting for a command from the game device side. When the method is adopted, it is possible to know that the score has decreased in the gaming device only after the score in the gaming machine is reduced and the reduced state is transmitted to the gaming device, and only the time lag during that time depends on the score Although there is a risk that the game will continue in spite of the timing of controlling to a state where the game is not performed and the points are lost, when the points in the gaming machine decrease, the game machine side will Since it is determined that the game by the points is not performed, inconvenience due to the time lag can be prevented. In addition, since predetermined information that is determined not to be played by the points is transmitted from the gaming device, the game from the points is not performed. Can also respond.

  (13-3) The information transmission means performs the point determination means from the previous transmission point of the update information after the control by which the game by the score is not performed by the score-corresponding game prohibition means is performed. The update information that can specify the amount of change specified by the specifying means is transmitted to the gaming device until the time point when it is determined that the game cannot be continued (FIG. 20; P devices are automatically played) In response to an operation instruction sent from the CU immediately after the prohibition, an operation response including the number of added balls and the number of subtracted balls is returned).

  According to such a configuration, the game device side can grasp the amount of change in the points between the time when the update information is transmitted and the time when it is determined that the game can no longer be continued, and the game with the points is performed. It becomes possible to manage the final points after becoming unintentional on the gaming device side.

(13-4) A front member (front frame 5, glass door 6) covering the front of the gaming machine so as to be opened and closed;
Locking means for locking the front member in the closed state (front frame opening solenoid 11, glass door opening solenoid 10, engagement protrusion 8, engagement hole 9, engagement receiving pieces 7a and 7b, engagement protrusions 6a and 6b); Further including
The predetermined information corresponding game prohibition means transmits release time information (FIGS. 22 to 24; operation instruction including prohibition request existence and glass opening request existence) when releasing the lock by the locking means from the gaming device. The game is controlled so that the game is not performed by the holding points when it comes (FIGS. 22 to 24; the driving of the hitting motor 18 by the ball number control board 17 is stopped).

  According to such a configuration, when unlocking and releasing the front member covering the front of the gaming machine so as to be openable and closable, a game with points is not performed in response to a command from the gaming device. Can be in a state.

  (13-5) The predetermined information-corresponding game prohibition means transmits end-time information (FIG. 21; operation instruction including prohibition request presence) when a signal requesting the end of the game is input from the gaming device. The game is controlled so that the game by the holding point is not performed (FIG. 21; stop driving of the hitting ball motor 18 by the ball number control board 17).

  According to such a configuration, when a signal requesting the end of the game is input, it is possible to enter a state in which a game with points is not performed in response to a command from the gaming device.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  2 Pachinko machine, 3 card unit, 4 wooden frame, 5 front frame, 6 glass door, 10 glass door opening solenoid, 11 front frame opening solenoid, 12 glass door closing detector, 13 front frame closing detector, 14 launch ball detection Device, 16 game control board, 17 ball control board, 18 hitting ball motor, 20 connection part, 26 game board, 309 card insertion slot, 312 display, 319 replay button, 321 lending button, 312 display, 322 return Button, 323 control unit, 324 external communication unit, 325 gaming machine communication unit, 327 card reader / writer, 330 connection unit.

Claims (6)

A game machine that generates game data that changes according to the progress of the game, and a game machine that is communicably connected to the game machine and that allows the game to be played on the game machine using the game value owned by the player A gaming system comprising devices,
The gaming machine is
Specifying means for specifying the amount of change in Yu technique data,
Information transmitting means capable of transmitting update information capable of specifying the amount of change to the gaming device ;
Gaming machine side storage means for storing game data;
Game machine side update means for updating the game data stored in the game machine side storage means according to the amount of change ,
The gaming device is:
A gaming device side storage means for storing Yu technique data,
Information receiving means capable of receiving the update information;
Game device side update means for updating game data stored in the game device side storage means based on the update information;
Determining means for determining consistency between the game data stored in the gaming device-side storage means and the game data stored in the gaming machine-side storage means ;
When it is determined as inconsistency by the determination means, predetermined inconsistency occurrence processing is executed,
The gaming machine, during a period from when the communication is non communication impossible state of the gaming device has occurred until recovery from the incommunicable state, the accumulated amount of change in the game data specified by the specifying means Including an accumulative storage means when communication is impossible,
The information transmitting means, when recovering from the incommunicable state , transmits cumulative update information capable of specifying the accumulated change amount of game data stored in the incommunicable cumulative storage means to the gaming device,
The gaming apparatus-side updating means updates gaming data stored in the gaming apparatus-side storage means based on the transmitted cumulative update information. The gaming machine includes game prohibition means for making a game with no points when the incommunicable state occurs,
The incommunicable during accumulation storage means, after the state had not performed game by lifting point by the game inhibiting means from when said incommunicable state occurs, to reach the state Yu technique data can not change The game system according to claim 1, wherein the game data change amount specified by the specifying means is accumulated and stored. The gaming machine can continue the game even after the incommunicable state occurs,
The accumulated communication means at the time of inability to communicate accumulates and stores the amount of change of game data specified by the specifying means during a period from the occurrence of the incommunicable state to recovery from the incommunicable state. The gaming system according to 1. The communication failure accumulation storage means stores a backup amount transmitted immediately before that is a change amount of game data transmitted to the gaming device immediately before the communication disabled state occurs,
The information transmission means includes immediately before update information that can identify the immediately transmitted change amount included in the accumulated update information, and transmits the accumulated update information to the gaming device.
The gaming device includes communication failure occurrence time determination means for determining whether or not the communication disabled state has occurred before receiving the immediately previous transmitted update information included in the cumulative update information,
The game device-side updating means determines from the accumulated update information when the communication failure occurrence time determination means determines that the time when the communication disabled state has occurred is after reception of the immediately previous transmitted update information. While the game data stored in the gaming device side storage means is updated based on the information excluding the update information transmitted immediately before transmission, the time when the communication disabled state is generated by the communication disabled occurrence time determining means is the previous time. When it is determined that it is before reception of the transmitted update information, the game data stored in the gaming device-side storage means is updated based on the cumulative update information including the immediately previous transmitted update information. The game system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A game that includes a connection unit for communicably connecting to a game machine that generates game data that changes in accordance with the progress of the game, and enables a game on the game machine using the game value owned by the player Device for
A gaming device side storage means for storing Yu technique data,
An information receiving unit capable of receiving from said game machine capable of specifying updates the amount of change in Yu technique data,
Game device side update means for updating game data stored in the game device side storage means based on the update information;
Determining means for determining consistency between the game data stored in the gaming device-side storage means and the game data stored in the gaming machine ;
When it is determined as inconsistency by the determination means, predetermined inconsistency occurrence processing is executed,
Said information receiving means, altered cumulative update information which can specify the cumulative change amount of the game data during the period until the communication is non communication impossible state of the gaming machine is restored from the incommunicable state from the time of occurrence Is received from the gaming machine,
The gaming apparatus-side updating means updates gaming data stored in the gaming apparatus-side storage means based on the received cumulative update information. The information receiving means receives the cumulative update information including immediately-preceding transmitted update information capable of specifying a change amount transmitted immediately before, which is a change amount of game data transmitted by the gaming machine immediately before the communication disabled state occurs. And
Further comprising communication failure occurrence time determination means for determining whether or not the communication disabled state has occurred before receiving the immediately previous transmitted update information included in the cumulative update information,
The game device-side updating means determines from the accumulated update information when the communication failure occurrence time determination means determines that the time when the communication disabled state has occurred is after reception of the immediately previous transmitted update information. While the game data stored in the gaming device side storage means is updated based on the information excluding the update information transmitted immediately before transmission, the time when the communication disabled state is generated by the communication disabled occurrence time determining means is the previous time. When it is determined that it is before reception of the transmitted update information, the game data stored in the gaming device-side storage means is updated based on the cumulative update information including the immediately previous transmitted update information. The gaming device according to claim 5.

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