JP5841377B2 - Pachinko machine control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gaming machine, and more particularly to a control device for a pachinko machine.

Conventionally, in a pachinko machine as an example of a gaming machine, a game provided at a start opening provided on a gaming board, centering on a CPU mounted on a control board constituting a main control device that controls the entire game. A so-called “big hit” determination process is performed based on an input from a detection switch that detects a sphere (hereinafter referred to as a sphere), and a display device configured by, for example, liquid crystal or dots based on the determination result The game progresses by operating a prize ball device or the like that pays out a prize ball for entering.
In general, the determination processing is one value from a counter (random number generation counter) in which a CPU that operates based on a predetermined clock signal periodically performs a counting operation using a predetermined clock signal triggered by an input from the detection switch. This is executed by determining whether or not the acquired value is a value corresponding to a so-called jackpot.
In recent years, a so-called goto act has been generated in which a malicious player illegally wins a big hit using the above-described method for determining whether or not the game is odd. This goto action, for example, obtains in advance information on values corresponding to jackpots from counters that operate periodically, and in addition, the pachinko machine is equipped with an unauthorized device that reads the above-mentioned counter period called the sensory sensor from the outside. It is an act of adjusting the timing of launching the ball by attaching it, and detecting the ball with a detection switch at a time when the probability that a value corresponding to the big hit is acquired is high. This will result in unexpected damage to other players.

The detection switch employed in the pachinko machine to detect the sphere is a proximity switch, and as shown in FIG. 5, a pulse signal having a width corresponding to the detection time is sent to the CPU side via the input port. Since the detection time depends on the passing speed of the sphere passing through the detection switch, a pulse signal having a different width is output to the CPU side each time depending on the passing speed of the sphere, as shown by S1 and S2. The Rukoto.
On the other hand, the CPU takes in the signal from the detection switch through the input port at a predetermined cycle (for example, 4 msec) indicated by T1 to Tn, and if there is a detection signal input at the take-in time (active high in the case of illustration). In this configuration, the above-described determination processing and the control processing of the display device or the prize ball device are started. In the case of the illustrated example, the detection signal S1 is read at the rising time point of T2, but the detection signal S2 is not read at any time point of T8 and T9 because the pulse width (detection time) is narrow. . In other words, despite the fact that the ball has entered the starting port, a situation (detection error) is caused in which the determination process that should be executed or the control process of the display device or the prize ball device is not executed. Become.

JP 2003-33534 A

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention reliably prevents an illegal game executed by illegally acquiring the value of the random number counter by a so-called got action, and even when the pulse width of the input signal is short, Provided is a control device for a pachinko machine that can reliably read the signal.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the control device according to the present invention includes a delay random number counter and a success / failure determination counter that operate in synchronization with a predetermined clock signal from the same oscillator, and a prize provided in the game area. A signal delay unit that captures the value of the delay random number counter based on the input signal from the winning ball detection sensor that detects the winning of the ball to the mouth, and delays and outputs the input signal for a time corresponding to the captured value. And a signal width modulation means for modulating and outputting the width of the signal output from the signal delay means to be equal to or greater than a predetermined width, and a counter for determining whether or not the signal is valid based on the input of the signal output from the signal width modulation means It is assumed that the apparatus includes a determination unit for determining whether or not to execute the determination based on the value .
According to this configuration, the signal delay means captures the value of the delay random number counter based on the input signal from the winning ball detection sensor, and delays and outputs the input signal for a time corresponding to the captured value. Since the input from the winning ball detection sensor and the output from the signal delay means are not synchronized, it is possible to reliably prevent an illegal act of adjusting the timing of launching the ball and obtaining an illegal jackpot. In addition, since the signal width modulation means modulates the width of the signal output from the signal delay means so as to be equal to or larger than a predetermined width, the signal is output even when the pulse width of the input signal is short. Can be incorporated.
As another configuration of the control device, when the signal width modulation means is narrower than the signal acquisition period of the CPU that operates in synchronization with a predetermined clock signal from the same oscillator , the width of the signal output from the signal delay means, Modulation is performed so as to have a predetermined width wider than the signal capture period, and the modulated signal is output to the CPU.
According to this configuration, even when the pulse width of the input signal is narrower than the signal capturing period of the CPU, the CPU can capture the signal more reliably.
The summary of the invention does not enumerate all necessary features of the present invention, and individual configurations constituting the feature group can also be the invention.

It is a control block diagram of a pachinko machine. It is a block diagram which shows a main control board. (A) is a timing chart showing signals output from the starting sphere detector and the random delay circuit, and (b) shows signals output from the random delay circuit and the pulse width modulation circuit, and a capture cycle by the CPU. It is a chart. It is a schematic front view of a pachinko machine. It is a timing chart which shows the output of the conventional starting ball detector, and the taking-in period of CPU.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are included in the invention. It is not always essential to the solution.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control system of a pachinko machine 1 as an example of a gaming machine, and FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the pachinko machine 1 seen from the front. The outline of the pachinko machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the control device of the pachinko machine 1 is mainly configured by a main control device 100 that controls overall game processing and an effect control device 200 that operates based on commands generated by the main control device 100. And control gaming devices connected to each control device.
A plurality of ball detectors such as a starting ball detector 30, a general ball detector 32, a big prize detector 34, and the like are connected to the input side of the main controller 100 via an interface not shown. In addition to the above-described detector, a pass-type gate switch (not shown) or the like is connected to the main control device 100, and a plurality of starting ball detectors 30 and large winning detectors 34 may be provided.
As shown in FIG. 4, on the game board 2 of the pachinko machine 1, a start winning port 4, a general winning port 6, and a big winning port 8 are individually arranged as winning components. The ball launched into the game area 2A surrounded by the guide rail 10 is guided to the bottom of the game board 2 by being guided downward by a nail or an obstacle (not shown) or without entering the winning hole. It is collected from the outlet 11 opened at the bottom.

  The starting ball detector 30, the general ball detector 32, and the big prize detector 34 are provided corresponding to the starting prize port 4, the general prize port 6, and the big prize port 8, respectively, for example, slightly more than the diameter of the sphere. A proximity sensor having a large-diameter detection hole, which outputs a pulse signal having a width corresponding to the passing time of the sphere to the main controller 100 side on the flow-down path of the sphere taken into each winning opening.

The main control device 100 performs a process of transmitting a control command to the effect control device 200, the payout control unit 300, and the launch control unit 400 based on the input from each detector, the special winning solenoid 40, and the special symbol display device. This is a so-called computer that executes a process of outputting a drive signal to 41. Main controller 100 includes a ROM that stores a predetermined program, a CPU that operates according to the program stored in the ROM, a RAM that temporarily stores data and commands necessary for the operation, and a communication (not shown). And is connected to each control unit such as the production control device 200 or the like or a driving component.
An external power supply is input to main controller 100 via power controller 150, and power controller 150 converts the voltage of power input from the outside into a voltage necessary for the operation of main controller 100. Supply.

  The effect control device 200 receives various commands from the main control device 100, and drives and controls the indicator lamp 47, the speaker 48, the hold lamp 49, and the effect symbol display device 50 shown in FIG. 4 according to the type of the command. The effect control device 200, like the main control device 100, temporarily stores a ROM that stores a predetermined program, a CPU that operates according to the program stored in the ROM, and data and commands necessary for the operation. A RAM and communication means (not shown) are provided, and drive control of the above-described gaming parts connected to the output side is performed as the game progresses.

  The payout control unit 300 drives and controls the payout mechanism 350 based on a payout command transmitted from the main control device 100, and a prize as a price for entering a ball into a plurality of winning parts arranged on the game board 2. Pay out the ball. The main control device 100 generates a payout command including information for paying out three prize balls, for example, triggered by an input from the starting ball detector 30 and transmits the payout command to the payout control unit 300. The number of winning balls is set in advance as, for example, 5 for entering the general winning opening 6 and 15 for entering the large winning opening 8.

  The launch control unit 400 drives and controls the launch mechanism 450 based on the launch permission command transmitted from the main control device 100, and continuously launches the ball onto the game board 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the launch mechanism 450 has a handle portion that can be rotated in both directions, and starts launching when the handle portion is rotated to the right, and is rotated to the left. This is a configuration in which the ejection is stopped. Further, the launch mechanism 450 incorporates a touch sensor (not shown) that senses the player's contact, and the launch control unit 400 prohibits the launch operation when there is no input from the touch sensor.

Hereinafter, the game flow of the pachinko machine 1 having the above-described configuration will be outlined.
When a ball launched on the game area 2A enters the start winning opening 4 disposed substantially at the center of the game board 2, the ball that has entered is detected by the start ball detector 30, and the start ball detection signal is the main signal. It is output to the control device 100 side. Main controller 100 is triggered by the input of the starting ball detection signal, as a trigger for special symbol success / failure determination processing (hereinafter referred to as special symbol determination processing), special symbol variation processing (hereinafter referred to as special symbol variation processing), and production. A symbol variation process and a payout control process are executed. Hereinafter, each process will be described.

  The special figure determination process is also referred to as a big hit determination process. The CPU of the main controller 100 takes in a value (random number) from the special figure determination judgment counter 104 shown in FIG. This is a process for determining whether the random number is a value corresponding to “win” or “out”. Specifically, in the ROM of the main controller 100, a determination table for determining whether or not there are a plurality of random numbers and a result corresponding to each random number ("winning" or "missing") is stored. Then, by comparing the random number read in response to the input of the start ball detection signal with the success / failure determination table, it is determined whether the acquired random number corresponds to “win” or “off”.

  The special symbol variation process and the effect symbol variation process are the special symbol displayed on the special symbol display device 41 and the effect displayed on the effect symbol display device 50 based on the result of the special symbol determination process described above. In this process, the symbols are variably displayed, and stopped in a predetermined manner indicating the result of the special figure determination process.

Specifically, when the result of the special symbol determination process is “winning”, the main control device 100 drives and controls the special symbol display device 41, and the 7-segment lamp and the LED lamp constituting the special symbol display device 41 Is changed for a predetermined time, and is stopped and displayed in a mode indicating that the result of the special figure determination process is “hit” (for example, a combination of the same numeral or symbol with a flat eye or a “hit” LED lamp). .
On the other hand, if the result of the special figure determination process is “out”, the result of the special figure determination process is “out” after the 7-segment lamp and the LED lamp constituting the special symbol display device 41 are changed for a predetermined time. (For example, a combination of numbers and symbols different from each other or a combination of LED lamps indicating “off”).

  The main control device 100 transmits a display control command to the effect control device 200 together with the drive control of the special symbol display device 41, and causes the effect control device 200 to execute drive control of the effect symbol display device 50. The display control command includes various information related to the variation time from the start of variation of the effect design to the stop of the change, the presence or absence of the notice effect, the presence or absence of the reach effect and its aspect, the stop symbol, etc. Upon receiving the display control command, the effect control device 200 analyzes the contents of the display control command, reads out necessary effect data and the like from the ROM according to the contents of the command, and drives and controls the effect symbol display device 50.

  The presence / absence or form of the notice effect or the reach effect, or the type of the stop symbol is, for example, a random number (variable time random number, notice time) obtained from various random number counters provided separately from the above-mentioned special figure determination judgment counter 104. Effect random number, reach effect random number, stop design random number) and a data table in which information associated with the random number is defined. Further, these random numbers are acquired in response to an input from the starting ball detector 30 as in the case of the validity determination random numbers.

  For example, when the result of the special figure determination process described above is “winning”, the effect control device 200 is configured to generate a plurality of effect symbols composed of numbers and specific characters for a predetermined time based on the display control command. (In the example shown, the number “7”) is scroll-displayed in the vertical direction, and among the three effect symbols, two effect symbols are stopped in advance with the same symbol to generate a reach state. Then, for example, after the so-called super reach effect, the remaining one effect symbol is stopped and displayed with the same symbol as the other two effect symbols, so that the result of the special figure determination process is “win” for the player. Notify that there is.

On the other hand, when the result of the special figure determination process is “out”, a plurality of effect symbols are scroll-displayed in the vertical direction, and the three effect symbols are stopped and displayed without generating or generating a reach state. The person is notified that the result of the special figure determination process is “out”.
When the reach state is generated, the remaining one effect symbol is stopped and displayed with a symbol different from the symbol that has generated the reach state without passing through the super reach effect.
In addition, the variation start time, variation display time, and variation stop time of the special symbol displayed on the special symbol display device 41 and the effect symbol displayed on the effect symbol display device 50 are substantially synchronized with each other. The result of the figure determination process is notified at substantially the same time by the special symbol and the effect symbol. The command transmitted from main controller 100 is not only a display control command, but also various commands for driving and controlling display lamp 47, speaker 48, and hold lamp 49 as the game progresses.

  After the result of the special symbol determination process is “winning” and the special symbol and the effect symbol are stopped and displayed in a manner indicating “winning”, the big hit game processing is executed. The big hit game is a game that is advantageous to a player in which the main control device 100 drives the big winning solenoid 40 to open the opening / closing body of the big winning component 8. When the opening / closing body is in the open state, the ball launched onto the game board 2 can enter the special winning component 8 and is detected by the special winning detector 34 disposed therein. The opening operation of the opening / closing plate once (one round) is performed under the condition that either the start of opening until 10 balls are detected by the big prize detector 34 or 24 seconds elapses from the start of opening. Continue until established. Then, by repeating the opening operation up to 15 times (15 rounds), a large amount of prize balls for the balls entered during that time (15 × 10 × 15 == 15 × 10 = 15 = 2250).

  Hereinafter, the main configuration of the main controller 100 of the pachinko machine 1 having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. On the main control board 100A constituting the main controller 100, an oscillator 101 that outputs a clock signal having a predetermined frequency, a frequency dividing circuit 102 that divides and outputs the frequency of the clock signal from the oscillator 101 into a predetermined ratio, and a frequency divider A random number counter 103 for delay and a counter 104 for determining whether or not to accept a special figure, a random delay circuit 105, and a pulse width modulation circuit 106 are mounted.

  The oscillator 101 is a so-called clock generator, and includes a crystal resonator, and outputs a clock signal CK having a predetermined frequency to the frequency dividing circuit 102. The frequency dividing circuit 102 divides the clock signal CK from the oscillator 101 into a predetermined ratio, and branches the clock signals CK1, CK2, and CK3 to the delay random number counter 103, the special figure determination / rejection determination counter 104, and the CPU, respectively. Supply.

  The random number counter 103 for delay and the counter 104 for determining whether or not the special figure is a so-called hardware counter that can take a value from 0 to 65535 in synchronization with CK1 and CK2 output via the frequency dividing circuit 102 (for example, 4 msec). is there. The value of the random number counter 103 for delay is taken in by the random delay circuit 105, and the value of the counter 104 for determining whether or not the special figure is accepted is taken in by the CPU. The clock signal CK3 is input as an operation clock for the CPU.

  The random delay circuit 105 delays the starting sphere detection signal output from the starting sphere detector 30 via an interface (not shown) based on the value of the delay random number counter 103 and outputs the delayed signal to the pulse width modulation circuit 106. Here, the delay time T from the input of the start ball detection signal to the output to the pulse width modulation circuit is set as 0 ≦ T ≦ T1 corresponding to the value of the delay random number counter 103. T1 is an arbitrary time. The random delay circuit 105 takes in the value (random number) obtained from the random number counter for delay 103 when the start ball detection signal is input, and delays the start ball detection signal by a delay time T corresponding to the value, thereby pulse width modulating the start ball detection signal. Output to the circuit 106.

FIG. 3A is a chart showing the timing of the output of the starting sphere detector 30 to the random delay circuit 105 and the output of the random delay circuit 105 to the pulse width modulation circuit 106.
As shown in the figure, the starting sphere detector 30 outputs a pulse signal (active high) as a starting sphere detection signal having a width corresponding to the passing time of the sphere to the random delay circuit 105. For example, when the starting ball detection signal S 1 is input to the random delay circuit 105, the random delay circuit 105 sets the delay time T corresponding to the value of the random number counter 103 for delay, and delays from the input to the random delay circuit 105. After time T, the starting sphere detection signal S1 ′ is output to the pulse width modulation circuit 106. For example, when the starting ball detection signal S2 is input to the random delay circuit 105, the random delay circuit 105 sets a delay time T (T = 0) corresponding to the value of the random number counter 103 for delay, and the random delay circuit 105 The starting sphere detection signal S2 ′ is output to the pulse width modulation circuit 106 without being delayed from the input to the circuit 105. For example, when the start ball detection signal S3 is input to the random delay circuit 105, the random delay circuit 105 corresponds to the value of the delay random number counter 103, and the delay time is shorter than the delay time T of the start ball detection signal S3. T is set, and after a delay time T from the input to the random delay circuit 105, the starting sphere detection signal S3 ′ is output to the pulse width modulation circuit 106.

As described above, the random delay circuit 105 is a circuit that makes the output timing of the start ball detection signal output to the CPU side different from the input timing of the start ball detector 30 almost every time. Are randomly set corresponding to the value of the delay random number counter 103.
When the circuit is mounted on the main control board 100A, a go-at action is performed to determine the timing of launching the ball after grasping the cycle of the special figure success / failure determination counter 104 using an unauthorized device. Even so, it is practically impossible to grasp the timing of entering the start winning opening 4 (input timing of the start ball detector 30) and the output timing of the start ball detection signal to the CPU side. Thus, it is possible to reliably prevent an illegal “hit” (big hit game) from being obtained based on the special figure determination judgment counter 104. Further, since the delay time T includes “0”, the delay time T can be set more randomly.

  The starting ball detection signal output from the random delay circuit 105 is input to the pulse width modulation circuit 106 and output to the CPU side via the input port 107. The pulse width modulation circuit 106 is a circuit (PWM) that modulates the pulse width according to the pulse width (input time) of the starting ball detection signal output from the random delay circuit 105.

FIG. 3B shows the output of the start ball detection signal to the pulse width modulation circuit 106 of the random delay circuit 105, the output of the start ball detection signal to the input port 107 of the pulse width modulation circuit 106, and the input port 107 by the CPU. It is a chart which shows the relationship with a taking-in period.
As shown in the figure, for example, when the starting sphere detection signal S1 ′ is output from the random delay circuit 105, the pulse width modulation circuit 106 increases the pulse width of the starting sphere detection signal S1 ′ larger than a predetermined threshold W. Based on the possession, the detection signal S1 ′ is output to the input port 107 without being modulated. Here, the threshold value W is set to a value larger than the capture period (for example, 2 msec to 4 msec) of the input port 107 by the CPU, and when the input start ball detection signal has a pulse width equal to or smaller than the threshold value W. , Modulated to a pulse width larger than the threshold W and output to the input port 107.

  For example, when the starting sphere detection signal S2 ′ is output from the random delay circuit 105, the pulse width modulation circuit 106 detects the detection signal S2 based on the fact that the starting sphere detection signal S2 ′ has a pulse width equal to or less than the threshold value W. ′ Is modulated, and a starting sphere detection signal S 2 ′ having a width pulse larger than the threshold W is output to the input port 107. For example, when the starting sphere detection signal S3 ′ is output from the random delay circuit 105, the pulse width modulation circuit 106 detects the detection based on the fact that the starting sphere detection signal S3 ′ has a pulse width equal to or less than the threshold value W. The signal S3 ′ is modulated, and a starting ball detection signal S3 ′ having a width pulse larger than the threshold value W is output to the input port 107.

  When the starting sphere detection signal is input from the pulse width modulation circuit 106 to the input port 107, the input state of the input port 107 rises from low (0) to high (1) for the time corresponding to the pulse width of the starting sphere detection signal. As shown in FIG. 3B, the input port 107 is accessed by the CPU at a constant capture cycle, and when there is a start ball detection signal input to the input port 107 during the access period, the start ball detection signal Is captured by the CPU.

As described above, the pulse width modulation circuit 106 modulates the width corresponding to the pulse width of the input start detection signal. When the input pulse width is less than or equal to the threshold W, the pulse width modulation circuit 106 Is a pulse signal having a large width. Since the circuit is mounted on the main control board 100A, the pulse width of the starting sphere detection signal output from the starting sphere detector 30 depending on the passing speed of the sphere is changed to the access period ( Even if it is shorter than the capture period), the width of the starting sphere detection signal after passing through the pulse width modulation circuit 106 is modulated and output to a pulse signal having a width larger than the access period, so that the passing speed of the sphere Regardless, it is possible to reliably detect the ball that has entered the start winning opening 4.
Therefore, it is possible to surely prevent a situation in which each game process such as the success / failure determination process, the special figure variation process, and the effect symbol variation process described above is not executed in spite of having entered the start winning opening 4. Based on the detection of the above-mentioned starting ball detection signal, the CPU fetches the value of the special figure success / failure determination counter 104 and executes the above-mentioned special figure determination process, and then the subsequent special figure variation process and effect symbol variation. A process or a big hit game process is executed.

  As described above, according to the control device configured as described above, the main control device 100 includes the random delay circuit 105 and the pulse width modulation circuit 106, thereby using an unauthorized device that reads the special figure success / failure determination counter 104. It is possible to reliably prevent the goto action and the detection error of the ball that has entered the start winning opening 4.

  The present invention has been described based on the embodiments. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and improvements can be made by combining the embodiments. Obviously in the trader. Further, it is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such various changes and improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, the pulse width modulation circuit 106 is not an indispensable configuration in order to surely prevent the goto action, and the random delay circuit 105 is not indispensable in order to prevent a sphere detection error. That is, the main controller 100 may be configured to include only the random delay circuit 105 or the pulse width modulation circuit 106. Further, the output of the starting sphere detection signal from the starting sphere detector 30 is input to the pulse width modulation circuit 106, the output from the pulse width modulation circuit 106 is input to the random delay circuit 105, and the random delay circuit 105 inputs to the input port 107. It is good also as a structure output to CPU side via this.

1 pachinko machine, 2 game board, 2A game area, 30 starting ball detector,
32 general ball detectors, 34 grand prize detectors,
100 main controller, 100A main control board,
101 oscillator, 102 frequency divider, 103 delay random number counter,
104 special figure success / failure counter, 105 random delay circuit,
106 pulse width modulation circuit, 107 input port, 200 effect control device.

Claims (2)

A delay random number counter and a success / failure determination counter that operate in synchronization with a predetermined clock signal from the same oscillator ;
The value of the delay random number counter is captured based on an input signal from a winning ball detection sensor that detects a winning of a ball at a winning opening provided in the game area, and the input corresponding to the fetched value is performed for a time corresponding to the fetched value. A signal delay means for delaying and outputting the signal;
A signal width modulation means for modulating and outputting the width of the signal output from the signal delay means to be a predetermined width or more;
A determination unit that obtains a value of the counter for determining whether or not the signal is correct based on an input of the signal output from the signal width modulation unit, and executes a determination for determining whether or not the signal is correct based on the value;
Control device for pachinko machine equipped with. The signal width modulation means is configured so that when the width of the signal output from the signal delay means is narrower than a signal reading period of a CPU operating in synchronization with a predetermined clock signal from the same oscillator , 2. The control device for a pachinko machine according to claim 1 , wherein the signal is modulated to have a wide predetermined width and the modulated signal is output to the CPU.

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