JP7464082B2 - Gaming Machines - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to gaming machines such as pachinko machines.

2. Description of the Related Art Gaming machines have been proposed that aim to enhance a player's interest by implementing various effects .

JP 2007-252534 A

However, there is a demand for further improvement in the entertainment value of the gaming machine described above.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems exemplified above, and has an object to provide a gaming machine which can further improve entertainment value .

In order to achieve this object, the gaming machine described in claim 1 has: a discrimination means for executing a predetermined discrimination; a bonus granting means for granting a bonus based on a discrimination result of the discrimination means being a specific discrimination result; a game state setting means for setting a first game state in which the bonus is more likely to be granted and a second game state in which the bonus is more difficult to grant than the first game state; an effect execution means for executing an effect; and a specific period setting means for setting a specific period during which the specific effect is executed by the effect execution means, the effect execution means being capable of executing a suggestive effect indicating that the first game state has been set during the execution of the specific effect, The suggestive effect can be executed when the specific period is set and a discrimination game based on the discrimination is being played, and is not allowed to be executed when the specific period is not set or when a standby effect that can be executed because the discrimination game has not been played for a certain period is being played during the specific period ; the gaming machine is capable of playing a predetermined special effect, and the suggestive effect is not executed during the period when the special effect is being played, and is allowed to be executed when the specific period is set to continue after the period when the special effect is being played has ended .

According to the gaming machine of claim 1, the gaming machine has a determination means for executing a predetermined determination, a benefit granting means capable of granting a benefit based on the determination result of the determination means being a specific determination result, a game state setting means for setting a first game state in which the benefit is more likely to be granted and a second game state in which the benefit is more difficult to grant than the first game state, an effect execution means for executing an effect, and a specific period setting means for setting a specific period during which the specific effect is executed by the effect execution means, the effect execution means being capable of executing a suggestive effect indicating that the first game state is set during execution of the specific effect, and the suggestive effect is executed when the specific period is set. The suggestion effect can be executed when a discrimination game based on the discrimination is being played in a state where the specific period is not set, or when a standby effect that can be executed because the discrimination game has not been played for a certain period is being played during the specific period, and the suggestion effect can be made not to be executed ; the gaming machine is capable of playing a predetermined special effect, the suggestion effect is not executed during the period when the special effect is being played, and the suggestion effect can be executed when the specific period is set to continue after the period when the special effect is played has ended, thereby having the effect of increasing interest.

1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to a first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view of the game board of a pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the game board and the operating unit. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the panel and the panel lower unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the lower panel unit. 15A is a front view of the base member, the first outlet, the second outlet, the left lower plate member and the right lower plate member, and FIG. 15B is a cross-sectional view of the base member and the left lower plate member taken along line XVb-XVb in FIG. 15A. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the vertical movement unit. FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the vertical movement unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the vertical movement unit. FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of the vertical movement unit. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the combined action unit. FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the combined action unit. FIG. 2 is a front exploded perspective view of the combined action unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the composite action unit. FIG. 2 is a front exploded perspective view of the telescopic performance device. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the telescopic performance device. 4A and 4B are front views of a rotating arm member and a rotating crank member. 4A and 4B are front views of a rotating arm member and a rotating crank member. 4A and 4B are front views of a rotating arm member and a rotating crank member. FIG. 4 is a front view of the pivot arm member and the pivot crank member. 4A and 4B are front views of a rotating arm member and a rotating crank member. 4A and 4B are front views of a rotating arm member and a rotating crank member. 4A and 4B are front views of a rotating arm member and a rotating crank member. 4A and 4B are front views of a rotating arm member and a rotating crank member. 1 is a graph showing the distance of a protrusion from a reference horizontal line. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a tilting operation unit and a sliding operation unit. FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view of the tilting operation unit and the sliding operation unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded front perspective view of the slide operation unit. FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of the slide operation unit. FIG. 2 is a front exploded perspective view of the tilt operation unit. FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the tilting operation unit. 1 is a front exploded oblique view of the performance member and the second drive device. FIG. 13A and 13B are front views of a transmission member and a torsion spring. 13A and 13B are front views of a transmission member and a torsion spring. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the swing angle of the performance member relative to the swing angle of the transmission member; FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of the tilting motion unit and the sliding motion unit. FIG. 4 is a front view of the tilting motion unit and the sliding motion unit. 13A and 13B are front views of a transmission member and a torsion spring according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13A and 13B are front views of a transmission member and a torsion spring according to a third embodiment. 13A is a rear perspective view of a transmission member in the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 13B is a rear perspective view of a moving contact member. 1A and 1B are rear perspective views of the transmission member, and 1C and 1D are top views of the transmission member. This is a schematic front view showing the main body member of the performance component. FIG. FIG. 13 is a front view of a combined action unit according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. FIG. FIG. 69(a) is a partial front view of a rotating arm member in the sixth embodiment, (b) is a partial top view of the rotating arm member as viewed in the direction of arrow LXIXb in FIG. 69(a), and (c) is a partial front view of the rotating arm member. 1A and 1B are front perspective views of a switching device. 1A and 1B are front views of a composite action unit. 13A and 13B are front views of a tilting motion unit according to a seventh embodiment. A diagram showing a schematic configuration of various counters, a special pattern reserved ball storage area, a special pattern reserved ball execution area, and a normal pattern reserved ball storage area in the first control example. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the ROM of the main control device in the first control example, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the RAM of the main control device in the first control example. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the first winning random number table set in the ROM of the main control device in the first control example, (b) is a schematic diagram showing the first winning type selection table set in the ROM of the main control device in the first control example, and (c) is a schematic diagram showing the second winning random number table set in the ROM of the main control device in the first control example. (a) is a diagram showing typically the contents of the variation pattern selection table set in the ROM of the main control device in the first control example, (b) is a diagram showing typically the variation pattern table for a jackpot set within the variation pattern selection table, (c) is a diagram showing typically the variation pattern table for a miss (normal), and (d) is a diagram showing typically the variation pattern table for a miss (high probability). (a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the ROM of the voice lamp control device in the first control example, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the RAM of the voice lamp control device in the first control example. A diagram showing a schematic diagram of the contents of the goal performance selection table in the first control example. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic electrical configuration of a display control device in a first control example. 1A is a diagram showing a schematic representation of the contents of a work RAM of a display control device in a first control example, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a schematic representation of the contents of a correction information table in the first control example. 13 is a diagram showing setting coordinates of a display area in a first control example. FIG. 6A to 6C are diagrams showing an example of a display mode when power is turned on in a first control example. 13A to 13B are figures showing an example of a display mode displayed by the third pattern display device in the first control example. 13A is an explanatory diagram illustrating a rear surface A in a first control example, and FIG. 13B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a rear surface B. FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a display data table in the first control example. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a transfer data table in the first control example. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a drawing list in a first control example. 13 is an example of a timing chart of the variable display mode during time-saving play in the first control example. (a) to (b) are examples of display modes displayed on the third pattern display device during time reduction in the first control example. (a) to (b) are examples of display modes displayed on the third pattern display device during time reduction in the first control example. 13 is a timing chart in which time presentation is set in the first control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a timer interrupt process executed by the MPU in the main control device in the first control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a special pattern change process executed by the MPU in the main control device in the first control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a special pattern variation start process executed by the MPU in the main control device in the first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing a stop setting process executed by an MPU in a main control device in a first control example. A flowchart showing the start winning processing executed by the MPU in the main control device in the first control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a read-ahead process executed by an MPU in a main control device in a first control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the normal pattern change processing executed by the MPU in the main control device in the first control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a through-gate passing process executed by an MPU in a main control device in a first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing an NMI interrupt process executed by an MPU in a main control device in a first control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a start-up process executed by an MPU in a main control device in a first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing a main process executed by an MPU in a main control device in a first control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the jackpot control process executed by the MPU in the main control device in the first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing the start-up process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing a time setting process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing the main processing executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing a command determination process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a first control example. A flowchart showing the variation pattern reception processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the first control example. A flowchart showing the variable display setting process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in the first control example. A flowchart showing the variation pattern selection process executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing the advance notification selection process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a first control example. A flowchart showing the synchronous performance management processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the first control example. A flowchart showing the extended performance setting process executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the first control example. A flowchart showing the specific time performance processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the first control example. A flowchart showing the winning ball performance setting process executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing a main process executed by an MPU in the display control device in the first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing a boot process executed by an MPU in the display control device in the first control example. 1A is a flowchart showing command interrupt processing executed by an MPU in a display control device in a first control example, and FIG. 1B is a flowchart showing V interrupt processing executed by an MPU in a display control device in a first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing a command determination process executed by an MPU in the display control device in the first control example. (a) is a flowchart showing the variation pattern command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first control example, and (b) is a flowchart showing the stop type command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the special effect correction processing executed by an MPU in a display control device in the first control example. A flowchart showing the jackpot-related command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first control example. (a) is a flowchart showing the opening command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first control example, and (b) is a flowchart showing the round number command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first control example. (a) is a flowchart showing the ending command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first control example, and (b) is a flowchart showing the preview command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first control example. (a) is a flowchart showing the scoring effect command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first control example, and (b) is a flowchart showing the specific time effect command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first control example. (a) is a flowchart showing the presentation mode change command interrupt processing executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first control example, and (b) is a flowchart showing the stop command processing executed by the MPU in the display control device in the first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing an error command process executed by an MPU in the display control device in the first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing a display setting process executed by an MPU in the display control device in the first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing a warning image setting process executed by an MPU in the display control device in the first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing a pointer update process executed by an MPU in the display control device in the first control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the performance information correction process executed by an MPU in a display control device in the first control example. (a) is a flowchart showing the transfer setting process executed by an MPU in a display control device in a first control example, and (b) is a flowchart showing the resident image transfer setting process executed by an MPU in a display control device in a first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing a normal image transfer setting process executed by an MPU in the display control device in the first control example. 11 is a flowchart showing a drawing process executed by an MPU in the display control device in the first control example. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating control of a stepping motor in a first control example. 6A and 6B are diagrams showing whether or not detection is possible by the slide position detection sensor for each positional relationship between the slide position detection sensor and a light blocking plate. A diagram showing the positional relationship between the tilt origin sensor and the sensor shielding portion when the performance member is in the origin position. (a) is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the tilt origin sensor and the sensor shielding part when the performance member oscillates to the left when viewed from the front, and (b) is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the tilt origin sensor and the sensor shielding part when the performance member oscillates to the right when viewed from the front. A block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a pachinko machine in a second control example. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the ROM of the voice lamp control device in the second control example, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the RAM of the voice lamp control device in the second control example. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the operation scenario table defined in the ROM of the voice lamp control device in the second control example, (b) is a schematic diagram showing the defined contents of the slide operation table included in the operation scenario table in the second control example, and (c) is a schematic diagram showing the defined contents of the tilt operation table included in the operation scenario table in the second control example. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the specified contents of the initial operation table included in the operation scenario table in the second control example, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the specified contents of the swivel area table specified in the ROM of the voice lamp control device in the second control example. A diagram showing the correspondence between the number of motion steps of the slide motion and the swivel direction of the performance member in the second control example. 13 is a diagram showing a correspondence relationship between the number of motion steps of a swing motion and the number of motion steps of a slide motion in a second control example. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the start-up process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the origin return processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the second control example. 11 is a flowchart showing the main processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the second control example. A flowchart showing the reel operation setting process executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a command determination process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing execution command processing executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the initial operation processing executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the initial operation processing executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing additional operation processing executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a tilt direction setting process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing an abnormality detection process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a second control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a slide operation process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a second control example. FIG. 13 is a front view of a pachinko machine in a third control example. A block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a pachinko machine in a third control example. (a) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the ROM of the voice lamp control device in the third control example, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the RAM of the voice lamp control device in the third control example. A schematic diagram showing the contents of the timing performance selection table defined in the ROM of the voice lamp control device in the third control example. A schematic diagram showing the configuration of a press duration table defined in the ROM of a voice lamp control device in a third control example. A schematic diagram showing the prescribed contents of the table for early stage difficulty level 3 included in the press period table in the third control example. (a) is a diagram showing an example of the display content on the sub-display device during a timing effect, and (b) is a diagram showing an example of the display content when the player successfully presses the frame button during the timing effect. (a) is a diagram showing an example of the display content when a player fails to press the frame button during a timing effect, and (b) is a diagram showing an example of the display content on the sub-display device when a high difficulty level presentation mode is selected as the timing effect. (a) is a diagram showing the display content of the sub-display device when a player achieves the quota in the timing effect, and (b) is a diagram showing the display content of the sub-display device when a player fails to achieve the quota in the timing effect. A schematic diagram showing the change in the form of a variable presentation in which a timing presentation is set in the third control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the main processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the third control example. A flowchart showing the frame button input monitoring and presentation processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the third control example. A flowchart showing the timing performance processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the third control example. A flowchart showing the mid-stage setting process executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the third control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the final setting process executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the third control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the notification mode setting process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a third control example. A flowchart showing variable display setting process 2 executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a third control example. A schematic diagram showing the contents of the RAM of the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example. 13A is an exploded front perspective view of the rotating lighting unit in the fourth control example, and FIG. 13B is a side view of the rotating lighting unit in the fourth control example. 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating lighting states in which the visual quality deteriorates when the rotating member is rotating at a low speed in a fourth control example. 13A to 13C are diagrams illustrating lighting states with good visual quality when the rotating member is rotating at a low speed in a fourth control example. 13A to 13E are diagrams showing an example of lighting control when a rotating member is rotating at high speed in a fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the main processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the lighting control process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing low-speed processing executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing a rotation speed identification process executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing the acceleration processing executed by the MPU in the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example. 13 is a flowchart showing high-speed processing executed by an MPU in a voice lamp control device in a fourth control example. A front view of the game board of a pachinko machine when the rotating lighting unit is in the retracted position in the fourth control example. A front view of the game board of a pachinko machine when the rotating lighting unit is in the extended position in the fourth control example.

First Embodiment
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 57, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a pachinko game machine (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "pachinko machine") 10 will be described as a first embodiment. Fig. 1 is a front view of the pachinko machine 10 in the first embodiment, Fig. 2 is a front view of the game board 13 of the pachinko machine 10, and Fig. 3 is a rear view of the pachinko machine 10.

As shown in Figure 1, the pachinko machine 10 has an outer frame 11, whose outer shell is formed by wooden frames assembled into a roughly rectangular shape, and an inner frame 12, which is formed to roughly the same external shape as the outer frame 11 and is supported so as to be openable and closable relative to the outer frame 11. Metal hinges 18 are attached to the outer frame 11 at two locations, top and bottom, on the left side when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), in order to support the inner frame 12, and the inner frame 12 is supported so as to be openable and closable towards the front, with the side where the hinges 18 are provided serving as the axis for opening and closing.

A game board 13 (see FIG. 2) having numerous nails and winning holes 63, 64, etc. is attached to the inner frame 12 so that it can be detached from the back side. A pinball game is played by balls (game balls) flowing down the front of the game board 13. The inner frame 12 is also fitted with a ball launching unit 112a (see FIG. 4) that launches balls into the front area of the game board 13, and a launch rail (not shown) that guides the balls launched from the ball launching unit 112a to the front area of the game board 13.

On the front side of the inner frame 12, there is a front frame 14 that covers the upper front side, and a lower tray unit 15 that covers the lower side. Metal hinges 19 are attached to two places, top and bottom, on the left side when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), to support the front frame 14 and the lower tray unit 15, and the front frame 14 and the lower tray unit 15 are supported so that they can be opened and closed toward the front side, with the side where the hinges 19 are provided serving as the axis for opening and closing. The locks on the inner frame 12 and the front frame 14 can be released by inserting a special key into the keyhole 21 of the cylinder lock 20 and performing a specified operation.

The front frame 14 is fitted with decorative resin parts and electrical parts, and has a window 14c formed in a roughly elliptical shape at its approximate center. A glass unit 16 having two glass plates is disposed on the rear side of the front frame 14, and the front of the game board 13 can be seen from the front side of the pachinko machine 10 through the glass unit 16.

The front frame 14 has an upper tray 17 for storing balls, which is formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top and extends out to the front, and prize balls and loan balls are discharged into this upper tray 17. The bottom of the upper tray 17 is formed with a downward slope to the right when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), and this slope guides balls dropped into the upper tray 17 to the ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4). In addition, a frame button 22 is provided on the top surface of the upper tray 17. This frame button 22 is operated by the player, for example, when changing the stage of the performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 (see Figure 2) or when changing the content of the Super Reach performance.

The front frame 14 is provided with various light-emitting means such as lamps around its periphery (for example, corners). These light-emitting means change and control the light-emitting state by lighting or blinking in response to changes in the game state such as when a jackpot is hit or when a certain reach is reached, and play a role in enhancing the presentation effect during the game. The periphery of the window portion 14c is provided with illumination units 29-33 incorporating illumination units such as LEDs. In the pachinko machine 10, these illumination units 29-33 function as presentation lamps such as jackpot lamps, and when a jackpot is hit or when a reach is reached, each illumination unit 29-33 lights up or blinks due to the built-in LEDs lighting up or blinking, thereby notifying that a jackpot is being hit or that a reach is being reached just before a jackpot. In addition, the upper left corner of the front frame 14 when viewed from the front (see Figure 1) is provided with an indicator lamp 34 incorporating an illumination unit such as an LED that can indicate when prize balls are being paid out and when an error has occurred.

A small window 35 is formed by attaching transparent resin to the underside of the right-side illumination section 32 from the back side so that the back side of the front frame 14 can be seen, and the certificate stamps and the like affixed to the attachment space K1 (see Figure 2) on the front of the game board 13 can be seen from the front of the pachinko machine 10. In addition, in order to create a more dazzling appearance, a plated member 36 made of chrome-plated ABS resin is attached to the area around the illumination sections 29-33 in the pachinko machine 10.

Below the window 14c, a ball lending operation unit 40 is provided. The ball lending operation unit 40 is provided with a number display unit 41, a ball lending button 42, and a return button 43. When the ball lending operation unit 40 is operated with bills, cards, etc. inserted into the card unit (ball lending unit) (not shown) arranged on the side of the pachinko machine 10, balls are lent out according to the operation. Specifically, the number display unit 41 is an area where the remaining balance information of the card, etc. is displayed, and the built-in LED is lit to display the remaining balance in numbers as the remaining balance information. The ball lending button 42 is operated to obtain loan balls based on the information recorded on the card, etc. (recording medium), and loan balls are supplied to the upper tray 17 as long as there is a remaining balance on the card, etc. The return button 43 is operated when requesting the return of the card, etc. inserted into the card unit. In addition, in pachinko machines where balls are directly dispensed from a ball dispensing device to the upper tray 17 without going through a card unit, i.e., in so-called cash machines, the ball dispensing operation unit 40 is not necessary, but in this case, a decorative sticker or the like may be added to the installation part of the ball dispensing operation unit 40 to make the parts configuration common. It is possible to standardize pachinko machines that use a card unit and cash machines.

The lower tray unit 15, located below the upper tray 17, has a lower tray 50 in the center formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top for storing balls that cannot be stored in the upper tray 17. An operating handle 51 is provided on the right side of the lower tray 50, which is operated by the player to shoot the ball into the front of the game board 13.

The operating handle 51 contains a touch sensor 51a for permitting the operation of the ball launching unit 112a, a launch stop switch 51b for stopping the launch of balls while the switch is being pressed, and a variable resistor (not shown) for detecting the amount of rotation (rotation position) of the operating handle 51 by changes in electrical resistance. When the operating handle 51 is rotated clockwise by the player, the touch sensor 51a is turned on and the resistance value of the variable resistor changes in response to the amount of rotation, and the ball is launched with a strength (launch strength) corresponding to the resistance value of the variable resistor, thereby hitting the ball into the front of the game board 13 with a flight amount corresponding to the player's operation. When the operating handle 51 is not being operated by the player, the touch sensor 51a and the launch stop switch 51b are turned off.

A ball removal lever 52 is provided on the lower front part of the lower tray 50 to be operated when discharging the balls stored in the lower tray 50 downward. This ball removal lever 52 is always biased to the right, and by sliding it to the left against this bias, the bottom opening formed on the bottom surface of the lower tray 50 opens, and the balls fall naturally from the bottom opening and are discharged. This ball removal lever 52 is usually operated with a box (commonly called a "senryo box") placed below the lower tray 50 to receive the balls discharged from the lower tray 50. As mentioned above, the operating handle 51 is disposed on the right side of the lower tray 50, and an ashtray 53 is attached to the left side of the lower tray 50.

2, the game board 13 is constructed by assembling a number of nails (not shown) for guiding balls, a windmill, rails 61, 62, a general winning opening 63, a first winning opening 64, a second winning opening 640, a first variable winning device 65, a second variable winning device 650, a through gate 67, a variable display unit 80, etc., on a base plate 60 machined into a roughly square shape when viewed from the front, and the peripheral portion is attached to the back side of the inner frame 12 (see FIG. 1). The base plate 60 is made of a light-transmitting resin material, and is formed so that the player can see various structures arranged on the rear side of the base plate 60 from the front side. The general winning opening 63, the first winning opening 64, the second winning opening 640, the second variable winning device 650, and the variable display unit 80 are arranged in through holes formed in the base plate 60 by router processing, and are fixed from the front side of the game board 13 by tapping screws or the like.

The central front portion of the game board 13 can be seen from the front side of the inner frame 12 through the window portion 14c (see FIG. 1) of the front frame 14. The configuration of the game board 13 will be described below mainly with reference to FIG. 2. The first variable winning device 65 is disposed in a through hole formed in the base member 310 of the board lower unit 300 by router processing, and is fixed from the front side of the game board 13 by tapping screws or the like.

An outer rail 62 formed by bending a strip-shaped metal plate into an approximately arc shape is set up on the front of the game board 13, and an inner rail 61 formed of a strip-shaped metal plate like the outer rail 62 is set up inside the outer rail 62. The inner rail 61 and the outer rail 62 surround the front outer periphery of the game board 13, and the game board 13 and the glass unit 16 (see Figure 1) surround the front and back, forming a game area in front of the game board 13 where games are played based on the behavior of the ball. The game area is an area (where prize holes and the like are arranged and where shot balls flow down) that is partitioned in front of the game board 13 and is formed by the two rails 61, 62 and the resin outer edge member 73 that connects the rails.

The two rails 61, 62 are provided to guide the ball launched from the ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4) to the top of the game board 13. A return ball prevention member 68 is attached to the tip of the inner rail 61 (upper left in Figure 2), which prevents a ball that has been guided to the top of the game board 13 from returning back into the ball guide passage. A return rubber 69 is attached to the tip of the outer rail 62 (upper right in Figure 2) at a position corresponding to the maximum flight part of the ball, and a ball launched with a certain amount of force or more hits the return rubber 69 and bounces back toward the center while its force is reduced.

At the lower left side of the game area when viewed from the front (lower left side of FIG. 2), the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B are provided, each equipped with a plurality of LEDs as light-emitting means and a seven-segment display. The first pattern display devices 37A and 37B display information according to the controls performed by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and mainly display the game status of the pachinko machine 10. In this embodiment, the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B are configured to be used differently depending on whether the ball has entered the first winning hole 64 or the second winning hole 640. Specifically, when the ball has entered the first winning hole 64, the first pattern display device 37A is activated, while when the ball has entered the second winning hole 640, the first pattern display device 37B is activated.

The first symbol display devices 37A and 37B also use LEDs to indicate whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a special mode, a time-saving mode, or a normal mode, whether it is fluctuating, whether the stopped symbol corresponds to a special mode jackpot, a normal jackpot, or a miss, and the number of reserved balls, while the seven-segment display device displays the number of rounds during a jackpot and any errors. The multiple LEDs are configured to emit different colors (e.g., red, green, blue), and the combination of these colors can indicate various game states of the pachinko machine 10 with a small number of LEDs.

In addition, in this pachinko machine 10, a lottery is held when a prize is won in the first winning slot 64 and the second winning slot 640. In the lottery, the pachinko machine 10 determines whether or not there is a jackpot (jackpot lottery), and if it determines that there is a jackpot, it also determines the type of jackpot. The jackpot types determined here include jackpot A (16R guaranteed jackpot), jackpot B (16R time-limited jackpot), and jackpot C (2R guaranteed jackpot with no time-limited jackpot). The first symbol display devices 37A and 37B not only show whether the result of the lottery is a jackpot or not as the stopping symbol after the fluctuation ends, but also show a symbol according to the type of jackpot if there is a jackpot.

Here, a "16R guaranteed jackpot" is a jackpot that transitions to a high probability state (guaranteed jackpot state) for special symbols and a time-saving state for normal symbols after a jackpot with a maximum of 16 rounds, and a "2R guaranteed jackpot with no time-saving state" is a jackpot that transitions to a high probability state (guaranteed jackpot state) for special symbols and a time-saving state for normal symbols after a jackpot with a maximum of 2 rounds, but does not grant a time-saving state for normal symbols. Also, a "16R time-saving jackpot" is a jackpot that transitions to a low probability state for special symbols and a time-saving state for a specified number of changes (100 changes in this embodiment) after a jackpot with a maximum of 16 rounds.

In addition, the "high probability state (probability change state) of the special pattern" refers to a state in which the probability of a subsequent jackpot is increased as an added value after the end of the jackpot, that is, a so-called probability change state (probability change state), in other words, a game state in which it is easy to transition to a special game state. In this embodiment, the high probability state (probability change state) includes a game state in which the probability of a hit of the normal pattern (second pattern) described later is increased and the ball is likely to enter the second winning hole 640. The "low probability state of the special pattern" refers to a time when the probability of a hit is not a probability change state, and refers to a state in which the probability of a hit is normal, that is, a state in which the probability of a hit is lower than in the probability change state. In addition, the time-saving state (during time-saving) of the normal pattern refers to a game state in which the probability of a hit of the normal pattern (second pattern) is increased and the ball is likely to enter the second winning hole 640. On the other hand, the normal state of the pachinko machine 10 is a game state in which the special symbol is not in a special probability state, nor is the normal symbol in a time-saving state (a state in which neither the probability of a jackpot for a special symbol nor the probability of a jackpot for a normal symbol (second symbol) is increased).

During the time-saving state for normal symbols, not only does the probability of winning a normal symbol (second symbol) increase, but the time that the electric device 640a associated with the second winning port 640 is opened is also changed, and a longer opening time is set compared to normal. When the electric device 640a is in an open state (open state), it is easier for a ball to win the second winning port 640 than when the electric device 640a is in a closed state (closed state). Therefore, during the time-saving state, it is easier for a ball to win the second winning port 640, and the number of times the jackpot lottery is held can be increased.

In addition, during the time-saving state of the normal pattern, instead of changing the opening time of the electric role 640a associated with the second winning port 640, or in addition to changing the opening time, the number of times the electric role 640a opens with one hit may be increased compared to normal. Also, during the time-saving state of the normal pattern, the probability of winning the normal pattern (second pattern) may not be changed, and at least one of the time during which the electric role 640a associated with the second winning port 640 is opened and the number of times the electric role 640a opens with one hit may be changed. Also, during the time-saving state of the normal pattern, the time during which the electric role 640a associated with the second winning port 640 is opened and the number of times the electric role 640a opens with one hit may not be changed, and only the probability of winning the normal pattern (second pattern) may be changed to be increased compared to normal.

In the play area, there are arranged a plurality of general winning holes 63 through which 5 to 15 balls are paid out as prize balls when a ball enters the winning hole. In addition, a variable display unit 80 is arranged in the center of the play area. The variable display unit 80 is provided with a third pattern display device 81 consisting of a liquid crystal display (hereinafter simply abbreviated as "display device") that performs a variable display of a third pattern while synchronizing with the variable display in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, triggered by the winning (initial winning) in the first winning hole 64 and the second winning hole 640, and a second pattern display device (not shown) consisting of an LED that displays a variable display of a normal pattern (second pattern) triggered by the passage of a ball through the through gate 67. In addition, a center frame 86 is arranged in the variable display unit 80 so as to surround the outer periphery of the third pattern display device 81.

The third symbol display device 81 is composed of a 12-inch liquid crystal display, and the display contents are controlled by the display control device 114 (see FIG. 4), so that, for example, three symbol rows, top, middle, and bottom, are displayed. Each symbol row is composed of multiple symbols (third symbols), and these third symbols are scrolled horizontally for each symbol row, so that the third symbols are variably displayed on the display screen of the third symbol display device 81. The third symbol display device 81 of this embodiment performs decorative display according to the display of the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B, while the display of the game state in accordance with the control of the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4) is performed by the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B. Note that the third symbol display device 81 may be configured using, for example, reels instead of a display device.

The second symbol display device performs a variable display in which a "circle" and an "x" symbol are alternately lit for a predetermined period of time as display symbols (second symbol (not shown)) each time the ball passes through the through gate 67. In the pachinko machine 10, when it is detected that the ball has passed through the through gate 67, a winning lottery is held. If the winning lottery results in a winning lottery, the second symbol display device displays a static "circle" symbol after the normal symbol (second symbol) is displayed in a variable manner. If the winning lottery results in a losing lottery, the second symbol display device displays a static "x" symbol after the third symbol is displayed in a variable manner.

The pachinko machine 10 is configured so that when the variable display in the second pattern display device stops at a predetermined pattern (in this embodiment, a "circle" pattern), the electric device 640a attached to the second winning port 640 is activated (opened) for a predetermined period of time.

The time it takes for the normal symbol (second symbol) to change display is set to be shorter during a special bonus or time-saving mode than when the game is in a normal state. As a result, during the time-saving mode of the normal symbol, the normal symbol (second symbol) changes display in a short time, so more winning draws can be held than during normal mode. This increases the chances of winning in the winning draw, giving the player more opportunities for the electric device 640a of the second winning slot 640 to be in an open state. Therefore, during the time-saving mode, it is possible to create a state in which it is easier for the ball to win the second winning slot 640.

In addition, if the state is made such that the ball is more likely to enter the second winning slot 640 during the time-saving state by increasing the probability of winning, increasing the opening time or number of times the electric device 640a is opened for one win, or by other methods, the time it takes for the normal pattern (second pattern) to be displayed in a variable manner may be kept constant regardless of the game state. On the other hand, if the time it takes for the normal pattern (second pattern) to be displayed in a variable manner is set shorter during the time-saving state of the normal pattern than during the normal state, the probability of winning the normal pattern may be kept constant regardless of the game state, and the opening time or number of times the electric device 640a is opened for one win may be kept constant regardless of the game state.

The through gate 67 is attached to the game board on the right side of the lower area of the variable display unit 80, and is configured to allow some of the balls that are launched onto the game board and flow down the right side of the game board to pass through. When a ball passes through the through gate 67, a winning lottery for a normal pattern (second pattern) is held. After the winning lottery, a variable display is performed on the second pattern display device, and if the winning lottery results in a winning lottery, a "○" pattern is displayed as the stopping pattern of the variable display, and if the winning lottery results in a losing lottery, an "X" pattern is displayed as the stopping pattern of the variable display.

The number of times that a ball passes through the through gate 67 can be reserved up to a maximum of four times in total, and the number of reserved balls is displayed by the above-mentioned first pattern display devices 37A, 37B, and is also displayed by lighting the second pattern reserved lamp (not shown). There are four second pattern reserved lamps, the maximum number of reserved balls, and they are arranged symmetrically below the third pattern display device 81.

The variable display of the normal pattern (second pattern) may be performed by switching on and off a plurality of lamps in the second pattern display device as in this embodiment, or may be performed using a part of the first pattern display device 37A, 37B and the third pattern display device 81. Similarly, the second pattern reserved lamp may be lit by a part of the third pattern display device 81. In addition, the maximum number of reserved balls for the passage of the ball through the through gate 67 is not limited to four times, but may be set to three times or less, or five times or more (e.g., eight times). In addition, the number of the through gates 67 to be assembled is not limited to one, but may be multiple (e.g., two). In addition, the assembly position of the through gate 67 is not limited to the right of the variable display device unit 80, but may be, for example, the left of the variable display device unit 80. In addition, since the number of reserved balls is indicated by the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, the second pattern reserved lamp may not be lit.

A first winning hole 64 into which a ball can enter is disposed below the variable display unit 80. When a ball enters this first winning hole 64, a first winning hole switch (not shown) provided on the back side of the game board 13 turns on. When the first winning hole switch turns on, a lottery for a jackpot is held by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and a display according to the lottery result is shown on the first symbol display device 37A.

On the other hand, to the right of the first winning hole 64 when viewed from the front, there is a second winning hole 640 into which a ball can enter. When a ball enters this second winning hole 640, a second winning hole switch (not shown) provided on the back side of the game board 13 turns on, and when the second winning hole switch turns on, a lottery for a jackpot is held by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and a display according to the lottery result is shown on the first symbol display device 37B.

The first winning port 64 and the second winning port 640 are also each one of the winning ports through which five balls are paid out as prize balls when a ball enters the winning port. In this embodiment, the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the first winning port 64 is the same as the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the second winning port 640, but the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the first winning port 64 and the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the second winning port 640 may be different numbers, for example, the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the first winning port 64 may be three, and the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the second winning port 640 may be five.

An electric device 640a is attached to the second winning opening 640. This electric device 640a is configured to be able to open and close, and is usually in a closed state (reduced state), making it difficult for the ball to win the second winning opening 640. On the other hand, when the second pattern display device displays a "○" pattern as a result of the variable display of the second pattern, which is triggered by the passage of the ball through the through gate 67, the electric device 640a opens (expands), making it easier for the ball to win the second winning opening 640.

As mentioned above, during the special rate and time-saving period, the probability of the second symbol winning is higher than during normal play, and the time it takes for the second symbol to change is also shorter, so the "○" symbol is more likely to appear in the change display of the second symbol, and the number of times the electric device 640a is in the open state (expanded state) increases. Furthermore, during the special rate and time-saving period, the time that the electric device 640a is open is also longer than during normal play. Therefore, during the special rate and time-saving period, it is possible to create an environment in which the ball is more likely to win the second winning slot 640 than during normal play.

The first winning opening 64 does not have an electric device like the second winning opening 640, and balls can always win. On the other hand, the second winning opening 640 is provided with an electric device 640a, and under normal circumstances (when not in a time-saving mode), the electric device 640a is difficult to open, making it difficult to insert game balls into the second winning opening 640.

Therefore, during normal play, the electric device 640a associated with the second winning port 640 is often in a closed state, making it difficult to win at the second winning port 640. Therefore, it is more advantageous for the player to aim for a big win by shooting the ball toward the first winning port 64, which does not have the electric device 640a, so that the ball passes to the left of the variable display unit 80 (the so-called "left shot") and having the ball win at the first winning port 64, thereby gaining more opportunities to win the big win lottery.

On the other hand, during the special bonus period or the time-saving period, the electric device 640a associated with the second winning slot 640 is likely to be opened by passing the ball through the through gate 67, making it easier to win at the second winning slot 640. Therefore, it is more advantageous for the player to aim for a jackpot by shooting the ball toward the second winning slot 640 so that it passes to the right of the variable display device 80 (the so-called "right hit"), passing through the through gate 67 to open the electric device 640a, and having the ball win at the second winning slot 640, thereby increasing the chances of winning the jackpot lottery.

In this way, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment allows the player to change the way the ball is shot between "left hit" and "right hit" depending on the game state of the pachinko machine 10 (whether it is in a special mode, a time-saving mode, or a normal mode). This allows the player to have more fun playing the game because it allows them to change the way they hit the ball.

The first variable winning device 65 is disposed on the lower right side of the first winning port 64, and the first specific winning port 65a is provided in the approximate center. The second variable winning device 650 is disposed on the left side of the variable display device 80, and the second specific winning port 650a, which is a circular shape of approximately the same size as the other winning ports 63, 64, 640, is provided in the approximate center. In the pachinko machine 10, when the jackpot lottery performed due to the winning of the first winning port 64 or the second winning port 640 becomes a jackpot, after a predetermined time (variable time) has elapsed, the first pattern display device 37A or the first pattern display device 37B is turned on to become the jackpot stop pattern, and the stop pattern corresponding to the jackpot is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 to indicate the occurrence of the jackpot. After that, the game state transitions to a special game state (jackpot) in which the ball is more likely to win. In this special game state, the specific winning holes 65a, 650a, which are normally closed, are opened for a predetermined time (for example, until 30 seconds have passed or until 10 balls have won).

The specific winning opening 65a, 650a is closed after a predetermined time has elapsed, and after the closure, the specific winning opening 65a, 650a is opened again for a predetermined time. The opening and closing operation of the specific winning opening 65a, 650a can be repeated up to, for example, 16 times (16 rounds). The state in which this opening and closing operation is taking place is one form of a special game state that is advantageous to the player, and the player is paid out a larger number of prize balls than usual as an addition of game value (game value).

The first variable winning device 65 specifically comprises a horizontally long rectangular opening plate that covers the first specific winning opening 65a, and a large opening solenoid 65b (see FIG. 15, only the outline is shown) that drives the opening and closing plate to the right, with the lower edge of the opening and closing plate as an axis. The first specific winning opening 65a is normally in a closed state in which balls cannot or do not win. In the event of a jackpot, the large opening solenoid 65b is driven to tilt the opening and closing plate to the front, temporarily creating an open state in which it is easier for balls to win the first specific winning opening 65a, and it operates to alternate between this open state and the normal closed state.

The second variable winning device 650 specifically comprises an opening/closing plate that is triangular when viewed from the front and is disposed to the left of the second specific winning opening 650a, and a large opening solenoid (not shown) that drives the opening/closing plate to open and close to the left, with the lower edge of the opening/closing plate as the axis. The second specific winning opening 650a is normally in a closed state in which balls cannot or do not easily win. In the event of a big win, the small opening solenoid is driven to tilt the opening/closing plate to the left, temporarily creating an open state in which it is easier for balls to win the second specific winning opening 650a, and the device operates to alternate between this open state and the normal closed state.

In this embodiment, it is possible to make the ball enter the second variable winning device 650 by hitting it from the left, eliminating the hassle of having to switch between hitting from the left and hitting from the right each time the game state changes.

The special game state is not limited to the above-mentioned form. A large opening that opens and closes separately from the specific winning opening 65a, 650a is provided in the game area, and when the LED corresponding to the big win is lit in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, the specific winning opening 65a, 650a is opened for a predetermined time, and while the specific winning opening 65a, 650a is open, a ball enters the specific winning opening 65a, 650a, triggering the large opening provided separately from the specific winning opening 65a, 650a to be opened for a predetermined time and a predetermined number of times, which may be formed as a special game state. Also, the specific winning opening 65a, 650a is not limited to one, and one or more than two (for example, three) may be arranged, and the arrangement position is not limited to the lower right side of the first winning opening 64 or the left side of the variable display device 80, but may be, for example, below the first winning opening 64.

The right corner of the lower side of the game board 13 is provided with an attachment space K1 for attaching stamps, identification labels, etc., and the stamps, etc. attached to the attachment space K1 can be seen through a small window 35 in the front frame 14 (see Figure 1).

The game board 13 is provided with a first outlet 314 and a second outlet 315. Balls flowing down the game area that do not win in any of the winning holes 63, 64, 65a, 640, 650a are guided through the first outlet 314 or the second outlet 315 to a ball discharge path (not shown). The first outlet 314 is disposed below and to the left of the first winning hole 64, while the second outlet 315 is disposed below and to the right of the first winning hole 64. In other words, the second outlet 315 is disposed on the opposite side of the first outlet 314 across the first winning hole 64.

Therefore, balls flowing down the play area that reach the bottom end of the play area (inner rail 61 or outer edge member 73) to the right of the first winning opening 64 when viewed from the front (right side in Figure 2) flow down along the slope of the inner rail 61 or outer edge member 73 and are guided through the second outlet 315 to the ball discharge path, while balls that reach the bottom end of the play area (inner rail 61) to the left of the first winning opening 64 when viewed from the front flow down along the slope (curve) of the inner rail 61 and are guided through the first outlet 314 to the ball discharge path.

The game board 13 has many nails planted in it to appropriately distribute and adjust the direction in which the balls fall, and various parts (gimmicks) such as windmills are also arranged on it.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rear side of the pachinko machine 10 is mainly equipped with control board units 90, 91 and a back pack unit 94. The control board unit 90 is unitized with a main board (main control device 110), a voice lamp control board (voice lamp control device 113), and a display control board (display control device 114). The control board unit 91 is unitized with a payout control board (payout control device 111), a launch control board (launch control device 112), a power supply board (power supply device 115), and a card unit connection board 116.

The back pack unit 94 is a unit consisting of the back pack 92, which forms the protective cover, and the payout unit 93. In addition, each control board is equipped with an MPU as a one-chip microcomputer that controls each part, ports for communicating with various devices, a random number generator used in various lotteries, a clock pulse generating circuit used for time counting and synchronization, etc. as necessary.

The main control device 110, the voice lamp control device 113 and the display control device 114, the payout control device 111 and the launch control device 112, the power supply device 115, and the card unit connection board 116 are each stored in the board boxes 100-104. The board boxes 100-104 each include a box base and a box cover that covers the opening of the box base, and the box base and the box cover are connected to each other to store the respective control devices and boards.

The board box 100 (main control device 110) and the board box 102 (dispensing control device 111 and launch control device 112) are connected to the box base and box cover by a sealing unit (not shown) so that they cannot be opened (connected by a crimping structure). A sealing seal (not shown) is attached to the connection between the box base and the box cover, spanning the box base and the box cover. This sealing seal is made of a brittle material, and if you try to peel off the sealing seal to open the board box 100, 102 or forcefully open the board box 100, 102, it will be cut into the box base side and the box cover side. Therefore, by checking the sealing unit or sealing seal, you can know whether the board box 100, 102 has been opened.

The payout unit 93 is equipped with a tank 130 located at the top of the back pack unit 94 and opening upward, a tank rail 131 connected to the bottom of the tank 130 and gently sloping toward the downstream side, a case rail 132 connected vertically to the downstream side of the tank rail 131, and a payout device 133 provided at the most downstream part of the case rail 132, which pays out balls using a specified electrical configuration of a payout motor 216 (see Figure 4). The tank 130 is successively replenished with balls supplied from the island equipment of the game hall, and the payout device 133 pays out the required number of balls as appropriate. A vibrator 134 is attached to the tank rail 131 to impart vibration to the tank rail 131.

The payout control device 111 is also provided with a state recovery switch 120, the firing control device 112 with a variable resistor control knob 121, and the power supply device 115 with a RAM erase switch 122. The state recovery switch 120 is operated to clear ball jams (return to normal state) when a payout error occurs, such as ball jamming in the payout motor 216 (see FIG. 4). The control knob 121 is operated to adjust the firing force of the firing solenoid. The RAM erase switch 122 is operated when the power is turned on to return the pachinko machine 10 to its initial state.

Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10.

The main control device 110 is equipped with an MPU 201, which is a one-chip microcomputer that is an arithmetic device. The MPU 201 contains a ROM 202 that stores various control programs and fixed value data executed by the MPU 201, a RAM 203 that is a memory for temporarily storing various data when executing the control programs stored in the ROM 202, and various other circuits such as an interrupt circuit, a timer circuit, and a data transmission/reception circuit. In the main control device 110, the MPU 201 executes the main processes of the pachinko machine 10, such as the jackpot lottery, the display settings on the first pattern display devices 37A, 37B and the third pattern display device 81, and the lottery for the display results on the second pattern display device.

In addition, in order to instruct the sub-control devices such as the dispensing control device 111 and the voice lamp control device 113 to operate, various commands are sent from the main control device 110 to the sub-control devices via a data transmission/reception circuit, but such commands are sent only in one direction, from the main control device 110 to the sub-control devices.

RAM 203 has various areas, counters, and flags, as well as a stack area in which the contents of the internal registers of MPU 201 and the return addresses of control programs executed by MPU 201 are stored, and a work area (working region) in which various flags, counters, I/O values, etc. are stored. Note that RAM 203 is configured so that it can retain (back up) data by receiving a backup voltage from power supply device 115 even after power to pachinko machine 10 is cut off, and all data stored in RAM 203 is backed up.

When the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, the stack pointer and the values of each register at the time of the power outage (including the occurrence of a power outage; the same applies below) are stored in the RAM 203. On the other hand, when the power is turned on (including the power turned on after the power outage is resolved; the same applies below), the state of the pachinko machine 10 is restored to the state before the power outage based on the information stored in the RAM 203. Writing to the RAM 203 is performed by the main processing (see FIG. 102) when the power supply is turned off, and the restoration of each value written to the RAM 203 is performed during the start-up processing (see FIG. 101) when the power supply is turned on. Note that the NMI terminal (non-maskable interrupt terminal) of the MPU 201 is configured to receive a power outage signal SG1 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 when the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, and when the power outage signal SG1 is input to the MPU 201, the NMI interrupt processing (FIG. 100) is immediately executed as a processing during a power outage.

The MPU 201 of the main control device 110 is connected to an input/output port 205 via a bus line 204 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input/output port 205 is connected to the payout control device 111, the sound lamp control device 113, the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, the second pattern display device, the second pattern reservation lamp, and solenoids 209 consisting of a large opening solenoid for driving the opening and closing of the specific winning port 65a to the front side around the lower edge of the opening and closing plate as an axis, and a solenoid for driving the electric role device, and the MPU 201 transmits various commands and control signals to these via the input/output port 205.

The input/output port 205 is also connected to various switches 208, which are made up of a group of switches (not shown) and a group of sensors including a slide position detection sensor S and a rotation position detection sensor R, and a RAM erase switch circuit 253 (described below) provided in the power supply device 115. The MPU 201 executes various processes based on the signals output from the various switches 208 and the RAM erase signal SG2 output from the RAM erase switch circuit 253.

The payout control device 111 drives the payout motor 216 to control the payout of prize balls and loan balls. The MPU 211, which is a calculation device, has a ROM 212 that stores the control program executed by the MPU 211, fixed value data, etc., and a RAM 213 that is used as a work memory, etc.

The RAM 213 of the payout control device 111, like the RAM 203 of the main control device 110, has a stack area in which the contents of the internal registers of the MPU 211 and the return addresses of the control programs executed by the MPU 211 are stored, and a work area (working area) in which the values of various flags, counters, I/O, etc. are stored. The RAM 213 is configured to be able to retain (back up) data by receiving backup voltage from the power supply device 115 even after the power supply of the pachinko machine 10 is cut off, and all data stored in the RAM 213 is backed up. Note that, like the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, the NMI terminal of the MPU 211 is also configured to receive a power outage signal SG1 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 when the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, and when the power outage signal SG1 is input to the MPU 211, an NMI interrupt process (not shown) is immediately executed as a power outage process.

The MPU 211 of the payout control device 111 is connected to an input/output port 215 via a bus line 214 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The main control device 110, payout motor 216, launch control device 112, etc. are each connected to the input/output port 215. In addition, although not shown, a prize ball detection switch for detecting the paid-out prize balls is connected to the payout control device 111. Note that the prize ball detection switch is connected to the payout control device 111, but is not connected to the main control device 110.

When the main control device 110 issues an instruction to launch a ball, the launch control device 112 controls the ball launch unit 112a so that the strength of the ball launch corresponds to the amount of rotation of the operating handle 51. The ball launch unit 112a is equipped with a launch solenoid and electromagnet (not shown), and the launch solenoid and electromagnet are permitted to operate when certain conditions are met. Specifically, the touch sensor 51a detects that the player is touching the operating handle 51, and on condition that the launch stop switch 51b for stopping the launch of the ball is off (not operated), the launch solenoid is excited in response to the amount of rotation (rotation position) of the operating handle 51, and the ball is launched with a strength corresponding to the amount of rotation of the operating handle 51.

The audio lamp control device 113 controls the output of audio from the audio output device (such as a speaker not shown) 226, the output of turning on and off the lamp display device (such as the illumination units 29-33 and the display lamp 34) 227, and the setting of the display mode of the third pattern display device 81 performed by the display control device 114, such as variable performance (variable display) and advance notice performance. The MPU 221, which is a calculation device, has a ROM 222 that stores the control program executed by the MPU 221, fixed value data, etc., and a RAM 223 used as a work memory, etc.

An input/output port 225 is connected to the MPU 221 of the audio/lamp control device 113 via a bus line 224 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input/output port 225 is connected to the main control device 110, the display control device 114, the audio output device 226, the lamp display device 227, other devices 228, the frame button 22, and the like. The other devices 228 include a vertical drive motor 431, an opening/closing drive motor 466, and other drive motors 531, 561, 631, 661, and 751.

Here, various drive motors (up and down drive motor 431, opening and closing drive motor 466, other drive motors 531, 561, 631, 661, 751) will be described. These various drive motors are, for example, composed of known stepping motors, and are provided in multiple numbers corresponding to each role in order to operate each role mounted on the pachinko machine 10. These various drive motors are driven by corresponding motor control ICs (motor drivers). Specifically, the MPU 221 of the sound lamp control device 113 outputs a command to the motor control IC (motor driver) that includes at least the number of rotation steps, the direction of rotation (positive or negative direction), and the rotation speed. The control IC (motor driver) drives the corresponding various drive motors based on the output command. Note that the motor control IC (motor driver) may be one that can set the operation for multiple drive motors with a single IC, or multiple motor control ICs (motor drivers) may be provided to operate the drive motors corresponding to different roles. When using a motor control IC (motor driver) that can set the operation for multiple drive motors, the command for transmitting the number of rotation steps, etc. can be output with information included to identify the type of drive motor.

Here, the operation of the drive motor will be described using the up/down drive motor 431 as an example. When the control IC (motor driver) operates the up/down drive motor 431 based on the set command, a signal (execution signal) is output to the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 to notify that the operation has been executed each time one step of the operation is executed. This execution signal allows the MPU 221 to grasp the progress of the set operation. In addition, a step counter (not shown) is provided in the RAM 223 of the voice lamp control device 113. This step counter is provided for each role and counts how many steps each role has operated from the origin (retraction) position. That is, the origin (retraction) position is set as the position of 0 steps, and the value is updated by one each time an execution signal is received from the control IC. More specifically, the value is increased by one each time the role operates one step in the direction (positive direction) from the origin (retraction) position to the end (extension) position. In addition, the value is subtracted by one each time the robot moves one step in the negative direction from the end point (extended) position to the origin (retracted) position. Therefore, the operating position of each part can be easily determined based on the value of the step counter.

Here, the origin position refers to a specific arrangement set for each reel, and is the position to which it moves when it returns to the origin when the power is turned on. Specifically, each reel is provided with an origin sensor (not shown) to detect whether it is in the origin position, and if the origin sensor is not on when the power is turned on, the reel is moved (i.e., various drive motors are driven) until the origin sensor detects that it is on. This origin position becomes the reference position for the operation of each reel. The step counter mentioned above is reset to 0 when the reel returns to the origin position (i.e., when the origin sensor detects that it is on). Then, as mentioned above, the value of the step counter is updated by one based on the execution signal output from the motor control IC.

Next, an example of the control of various drive motors (here, the vertical drive motor 431) by a motor control IC (motor driver) will be described with reference to FIG. 135. To make the explanation easier to understand, a stepping motor that rotates 90 degrees in one step (i.e., one rotation in four steps) will be used as an example, but the actual vertical drive motor 431 is configured so that the rotation angle of one step can be set more precisely. Specifically, it is configured to rotate one degree in one step.

First, FIG. 135(a) shows an overview of the vertical drive motor 431, which is composed of a stepping motor. The vertical drive motor 431 is configured so that the parts corresponding to the excitation control data are excited by sending excitation control data from the voice lamp control device 113 to the corresponding motor control IC. Specifically, the motor control IC excites the parts by the excitation control data composed of four-digit binary numbers corresponding to "A, B, C, D" shown in FIG. 135(a). Specifically, if the excitation control data corresponding to each part (i.e., any of A, B, C, and D) of the vertical drive motor 431 is "1", the part is excited, and if the excitation control data is "0", the part is not excited. For example, if the excitation control data is "1100", A and B are excited, and C and D are not excited. This excitation control data is specified in the excitation table (see FIG. 135(b)) provided in the ROM 222 of the voice lamp control device 113.

The voice lamp control device 113 is also provided with an excitation counter used to select and set one excitation control data from among multiple excitation control data defined in the excitation table (see FIG. 135 (b)). This excitation counter can be updated one by one in the positive direction starting from "0", and is a loop counter whose value returns to "0" when the excitation counter value is updated after it reaches "3". Each time this excitation counter value is updated, the corresponding excitation control data is read out and set. When the excitation control data is set, excitation of each part based on the excitation control data is performed immediately (i.e., the vertical drive motor 431 operates without any time lag from the setting of the excitation control data). Furthermore, the excitation counter can also be updated in the negative direction. In other words, the value can be updated in the order of "0" → "3" → "2" → "1" → "0" starting from "0". When updating in the negative direction, the rotation direction of the vertical drive motor 431 is opposite to that when updating in the positive direction. The direction in which the excitation counter is updated (positive or negative) and the frequency with which the excitation counter is updated are predetermined for each type of part for which an action is set. The maximum value of this excitation counter changes according to the number of steps of the drive motor. Specifically, for example, in the case of a drive motor that rotates once per step (i.e., it takes 360 steps for the motor to rotate once), the excitation counter is a loop counter that is updated within the range of "0" to "359."

Next, specific examples of excitation control data for exciting each part of the vertical drive motor 431 will be described with reference to FIG. 135(b). FIG. 135(b) is a diagram showing the correspondence between an excitation table that specifies the excitation control data, and the state of the vertical drive motor 431 excited based on the excitation control data specified in the excitation table. As shown in FIG. 135(b), the excitation table specifies excitation control data for each value of the excitation counter.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 135(b), the excitation control data of "1100, 0110, 0011, 1001" are specified as sequence data corresponding to the vertical drive motor 431 in the order of excitation counter "0" to "3". When "1100", which is sequence data corresponding to the excitation counter value "0", is set, the positions A and B of the vertical drive motor 431 are excited. When "0110", which is sequence data corresponding to the excitation counter value "1", is set, the positions B and C of the vertical drive motor 431 are excited, so that the motor rotates 90 degrees clockwise from the state where the excitation counter value is "0". When "0011", which is sequence data corresponding to the excitation counter value "2", is set, the positions C and D of the vertical drive motor 431 are excited, so that the motor rotates 90 degrees clockwise from the state where the excitation counter value is "1". Furthermore, when "1001", which is sequence data corresponding to an excitation counter value of "3", is set, positions A and D of the vertical drive motor 431 are excited, causing the motor to rotate 90 degrees clockwise from the excitation counter value of "2". Thus, in the example shown in FIG. 135, the vertical drive motor 431 rotates 90 degrees clockwise each time the excitation counter value is updated by 1 in the positive direction. Note that, as described above, when the excitation counter value is updated in the negative direction, the vertical drive motor 431 rotates 90 degrees counterclockwise.

As described above, the control of the vertical drive motor 431 has been explained using a simplified operating model, but the vertical drive motor 431 actually used in this embodiment can rotate one degree per step (i.e., each time the excitation counter is updated). In other words, when changing each of the reels, the value of the excitation counter is updated by one a number of times according to the number of steps to be changed, and the excitation control data corresponding to the excitation counter is set each time the excitation counter is updated, thereby allowing each reel to be changed accurately.

In this way, in this embodiment, by setting commands to the motor driver, various drive motors can be driven at the rotation speed, rotation direction, and number of rotation steps specified by the command. This makes it possible to realize a variety of dramatic actions using props.

Each gadget has its own unique operating pattern that corresponds to the performance. This operating pattern specifies the commands to be set for the motor control IC (motor driver) mentioned above for each elapsed time.

In addition, in this embodiment, whether or not the various drive motors have completed their operations based on the commands set to the motor driver is determined based on the number of steps in which the various drive motors have operated. In other words, whether or not the operations set to the various drive motors have completed is determined based on the number of steps set by the command and the number of times an execution signal is received that is output from the motor driver each time the motor driver sets the operation of one step, but this is not limited to this. For example, it may be configured to measure the elapsed time since the commands for operating the various drive motors were set, and to determine whether or not the operations of the various drive motors have completed based on that elapsed time.

Here, the control of the up/down drive motor 431 and the opening/closing drive motor 466, which are controlled in coordination in this embodiment, will be described. Details will be described in the first control example below, but in this embodiment, as a performance (falling role scenario) in which the up/down operation unit device (falling role) 400 moves, a performance is provided in which the lens member 460 and the door member 470 of the up/down operation unit device (falling role) 400 are moved downward (falling direction) when viewed from the front by the drive of the up/down drive motor 431. In this performance (falling role scenario), after the lens member 460 and the door member 470 are moved downward (falling direction) when viewed from the front, a performance is provided in which the door member 470 is opened by the opening/closing drive motor 466, and a performance in which it is not opened.

When the performance (falling role scenario) in which the door element 470 is opened is being executed, the audio lamp control device 113 in this embodiment controls (stops power supply control) the opening/closing drive motor 466 for opening and closing the door element 470 so that excitation is turned off for all positions A to D (see S1706 in FIG. 108). When excitation is turned off for all positions, the static torque (so-called detent torque) of the opening/closing drive motor 466, i.e., the torque that keeps the door element 470 in the closed state, is minimized. In this case, the up/down drive motor 431 is driven to move the slide element 450 in the falling direction, and when the movement is completed, an inertial force is generated on the door element 470 in a downward direction as viewed from the front.

Here, in this embodiment, the torque (static torque) that maintains the door member 470 in the closed state described above is configured to be smaller than the inertial force generated in the door member 470. As a result, when the slide member 450 is moved in the downward direction (falling direction) as viewed from the front, the door member 470 can be opened by the inertial force acting on the door member 470, even without driving the opening/closing drive motor 466 to open the door member 470. In other words, when the door member 470 finishes moving in the downward direction as viewed from the front together with the slide member 450 (i.e., when the arm member 440 and the lens member 460 are placed in the extended position), an inertial force in the downward direction as viewed from the front (i.e., a force that tries to continue moving in the downward direction as viewed from the front) acts on the door member 470, and the door member 470 is in the open state. Therefore, the power consumption for driving the opening/closing motor 466 can be reduced.

If the inertial force generated in the door member 470 due to the movement of the slide member 450 is not sufficient to open the door member 470, the opening/closing drive motor 466 may be driven to open the door member 470. In this case, by using the inertial force generated in the door member 470 due to the movement of the slide member 450, the driving torque of the opening/closing drive motor 466 can be reduced, thereby reducing power consumption and making the opening/closing drive motor 466 more compact.

In addition, depending on the presentation pattern, it is possible to switch between driving the opening/closing motor 466 to open the door element 470 and opening the door element 470 without driving the opening/closing motor 466. For example, when a presentation pattern with high expectations is executed, the opening/closing motor 466 may be driven to open the door element 470 in order to ensure that the door element 470 is opened, and on the other hand, when a presentation pattern with low expectations is executed, the door element 470 may be opened without driving the opening/closing motor 466. This can prevent the door element 470 from not being opened despite the presentation pattern with high expectations.

Furthermore, when the up/down drive motor 431 is driven and the slide member 450 is not moved in the falling direction, i.e., when no inertial force acts on the door member 470, the torque (static torque) that maintains the door member 470 in the closed state is configured to be sufficient to maintain the door member 470 in the closed state. Therefore, even during periods when the falling role scenario is not being executed, there is no need to excite the opening/closing drive motor 466 to maintain the door member 470 in the closed state, and power consumption can be reduced. Note that, if the torque (static torque) that maintains the door member 470 in the closed state is insufficient to maintain the door member 470 in the closed state, for example, a magnet may be provided at the tip of the door member 470 to reduce the torque required to maintain the door member 470 in the closed state.

On the other hand, when a performance (falling role scenario) is being performed in which the door element 470 is not opened, the opening/closing drive motor 466 for opening and closing the door element is excited so that it does not rotate. Specifically, by continuing to excite the relevant parts (A to D) based on the current excitation counter in the above-mentioned excitation table (Figure 135 (b)) for a certain period of time, a torque (so-called holding torque) that tries to keep the opening/closing drive motor 466 in a stopped position is generated, and the door element 470 is maintained in a closed state. As a result, even if the performance is such that the door element 470 is not opened, it is possible to reliably prevent (suppress) the door element 470 from being opened due to the momentum (inertia force) of the sliding member 450 when it is moved in the falling direction.

If the above-mentioned opening/closing control of the door element 470 and the opening/closing state of the door element 470 controlled by the opening/closing control do not match, the performance to be executed thereafter may be changed.

Specifically, when a performance based on a falling role scenario in which the door element 470 is opened is being executed, the opening/closing drive motor 466 is controlled to stop supplying electricity, and then the door element 470 is opened, making the lens element 460 located on the rear side of the door element 470 visible. The player can then see the word "Super Hot" displayed on the third pattern display device 81 through the lens element 460. By viewing the display on the third pattern display device 81 through the lens element 460, the display is enlarged and displayed, making the display appear more impressive to the player.

On the other hand, if the opening/closing drive motor 466 is controlled to stop supplying electricity but the door element 470 is not opened, the impression is given that a malfunction has occurred in that the door element 470 is not opened, even though the word "Super Hot" is displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and even though the door element 470 is opened and the lens element 460 is visible. Therefore, in this performance, the door element 470 detects that the door element 470 has not been opened by an origin sensor or the like that can detect the state of the door element 470, even though the opening/closing drive motor 466 is controlled to stop supplying electricity but the door element 470 has not been opened, and in that case, the performance is changed so that the word "Super Hot" is not displayed on the third pattern display device 81 after that. As a result, even if the door element 470 is not opened, the word "Super Hot" is not displayed on the third pattern display device 81, so that the player can recognize that a performance in which the door element 470 is not opened has been executed, and the impression that the above-mentioned malfunction has not occurred can be prevented. In this case, an employee may be notified that a malfunction has occurred by turning on a specific LED or by notifying the hall computer through an external output terminal.

In addition, as a scenario for dropping the lens member 460 and the door member 470 of the up-down operation unit device (falling role) 400, a scenario for moving them from the retracted position to the extended position in one operation, and a scenario for moving them from the retracted position to the extended position in multiple operations (e.g., two times) may be provided. In this way, even if the door member 470 is not opened after the opening/closing drive motor 466 has been controlled to stop supplying power, and the door member 470 is opened by a second operation, it is possible to give the player the impression that the door member 470 has moved from the retracted position to the extended position by two operations, and this does not cause a sense of discomfort to the player.

Furthermore, the drive speed of the up/down drive motor 431 may be changed between a falling role scenario in which the door member 470 is opened and a falling role scenario in which the door member 470 is not opened, and the inertial force acting on the door member 470 may be changed. Specifically, in a falling role scenario in which the door member 470 is opened, the drive speed of the up/down drive motor 431 is increased so that the inertial force acting on the door member 470 is increased, while in a falling role scenario in which the door member 470 is not opened, the drive speed of the up/down drive motor 431 is decreased so that the inertial force acting on the door member 470 is decreased. This allows the opening and closing of the door member 470 to be controlled with precision. The drive speed of the up/down drive motor 431 is not limited to being changed according to the scenario of the falling role, and even in the same falling role scenario, the drive speed of the up/down drive motor 431 may be changed, for example, when moving upward and when moving downward.

In addition, depending on the presentation pattern, it is possible to switch between driving the opening/closing motor 466 to open the door element 470 and opening the door element 470 without driving the opening/closing motor 466. For example, when a presentation pattern with high expectations is executed, the opening/closing motor 466 is driven to open the door element 470 in order to ensure that the door element 470 is opened, whereas when a presentation pattern with low expectations is executed, the door element 470 is opened without driving the opening/closing motor 466. This makes it possible to prevent the door element 470 from not being opened despite the presentation pattern with high expectations.

In this embodiment, an RTC (real-time clock) 292 is connected to the input/output port 225. This RTC 292 is used as a clocking means for measuring time, and is equipped with a dedicated internal power source (a battery in this embodiment), so that it can continue measuring time even when power is not being supplied to the pachinko machine 10. When manufacturing pachinko machines 10, the same time (for example, the current time) can be set in the clocking means, making it possible to obtain the same time information in multiple pachinko machines 10.

By configuring in this way, a special type of performance (time performance) according to the elapsed time can be periodically (for 5 minutes every hour) synchronously executed by the multiple pachinko machines 10, apart from the normal performance, regardless of the game status of each pachinko machine 10. In addition, at a specific time (every minute after the start of the time performance) during the period during which this time performance is executed (displayed) (hereinafter referred to as the time performance period), a specific time performance suggesting the game status of the pachinko machine 10 is executed. Specifically, the specific time performance (countdown performance) is a total of 20 seconds of performance in which a total of four countdown characters ("3", "2", "1", "0") are displayed in order for 3 seconds each (total of 12 seconds), followed by a character image (such as an image of a girl) being displayed for 8 seconds, and the display (performance) mode is set according to the elapsed time from the start of the performance. For example, at the start of the performance (0 seconds after the start of the performance), a display (performance) mode is set in which "3" is displayed as the countdown character. In addition, when six seconds have elapsed since the start of the performance, a display (performance) mode is set in which the number "1" is displayed as the countdown character. In this specific time performance (countdown performance), if the game state of the pachinko machine 10 is in a high probability state and is not in a time-saving state (so-called latent high probability state), the countdown characters ("3, 2, 1...") are displayed in red (if not in a latent high probability state, they are displayed in black). Details will be explained in detail in the first control example.

Here, when the game state is a probability change state and not a time-saving state (so-called latent probability change state), the probability of winning a special symbol is increased, and it is a game state in which it is easy to transition to a special game state (i.e., a state advantageous to the player). On the other hand, since the latent probability change state is not a time-saving state, the probability of winning a normal symbol is the same as in the normal state, and as mentioned above, the electric device 640a associated with the second winning port 640 is often in a closed state, making it difficult to win in the second winning port 640. In this case, as in the normal state, it is more advantageous for the player to shoot a ball toward the first winning port 64 without the electric device 640a so that the ball passes to the left of the variable display unit 80 (so-called "left shot"), and aim to win the jackpot by winning the first winning port 64 and getting more opportunities to win the jackpot lottery. In this way, the latent probability change state operates (plays) in the same way as the normal state, except that the probability of hitting the jackpot increases as an internal state of the pachinko machine 10, making it difficult for the player to tell whether the current game state is the normal state or the latent probability change state. Also, as will be described in detail later, in the latent probability change state, the same effects as in the normal state are selected and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, making it difficult for the player to tell from the effects displayed on the third pattern display device 81 whether the current game state is the normal state or the latent probability change state.

In this embodiment, as described above, in the specific time performance that is executed when there is a latent probability change state during the time performance period, the displayed countdown text ("3, 2, 1...") is displayed in a different color (red) than in the normal state. This allows the player to easily recognize that the game state in the specific time performance is a latent probability change state, which is an advantageous state for the player. As a result, it is possible to arouse the player's interest in the performance content of the specific time performance, and to increase the player's interest.

In addition, in order to improve the accuracy of the timekeeping by the timekeeping means (RTC), a correction means (such as GPS or a radio clock) may be provided to correct the time information from outside.

In addition, the time information may be corrected each time power is supplied to the pachinko machine 10 (started up) using a correction means (such as a GPS or radio clock) for correcting the time information from outside. This allows the time information from the clocking means to be updated each time power is supplied to the pachinko machine 10 (started up) without the need for a dedicated internal power source (a battery in this embodiment), thereby reducing the manufacturing costs and maintenance costs of the clocking means (such as replacement costs due to deterioration of the internal power source). Note that the correction of the time information by the correction means is not limited to each time power is supplied to the pachinko machine 10 (started up), but may be performed periodically (for example, every hour).

The voice lamp control device 113 determines the display mode of the third symbol display device 81 based on various commands (variation pattern command, stop type command, etc.) received from the main control device 110, and notifies the display control device 114 of the determined display mode by commands (display variation pattern command, display stop type command, etc.). The voice lamp control device 113 also monitors input from the frame button 22, and when the frame button 22 is operated by the player, instructs the display control device 114 to change the stage displayed on the third symbol display device 81 or change the performance content during a super reach. When the stage is changed, a rear image change command including information about the changed stage is sent to the display control device 114 so that the third symbol display device 81 displays a rear image corresponding to the changed stage. Here, the rear image refers to an image displayed on the rear side of the third symbol, which is the main image to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81. The display control device 114 displays various images on the third symbol display device 81 according to the command sent from this voice lamp control device 113.

The voice lamp control device 113 also receives a command (display command) from the display control device 114 that indicates the display content of the third pattern display device 81. Based on the display command received from the display control device 114, the voice lamp control device 113 outputs a voice corresponding to the display content of the third pattern display device 81 from the voice output device 226 in accordance with the display content, and also controls the turning on and off of the lamp display device 227 in accordance with the display content.

The display control device 114 is connected to the sound lamp control device 113 and the third pattern display device 81, and controls the display of the third pattern display device 81, such as the variable performance of the third pattern, based on commands received from the sound lamp control device 113. The display control device 114 also transmits display commands to the sound lamp control device 113 as appropriate, notifying the display contents of the third pattern display device 81. The sound lamp control device 113 can match the display of the third pattern display device 81 with the sound output from the sound output device 226 by outputting sound from the sound output device 226 in accordance with the display contents indicated by the display commands.

Here, the display contents displayed on the third pattern display device 81 by the display control device 114 will be explained. The third pattern is composed of main patterns of the numbers "0" to "9". Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment, if the result of the lottery for the special pattern performed by the main control device 110 described below is a jackpot, a variable display in which the same main patterns line up is performed, and the jackpot occurs after the variable display has ended. On the other hand, if the result of the lottery for the special pattern is a miss, a variable display in which the same main patterns do not line up is performed.

For example, if the special symbol lottery result is "Big Win A" or "Big Win C", a variable display will be displayed in which the odd-numbered main symbols "1, 3, 4, 7, 9" are lined up and stopped. Also, if it is "Big Win B", a variable display will be displayed in which the even-numbered main symbols "0, 2, 4, 6, 8" are lined up.

The display screen of the third pattern display device 81 is roughly divided into two parts, top and bottom, with the top 2/3 being the main display area Dm which displays the changing third pattern, and the remaining bottom 1/3 being the secondary display area Ds which displays preview effects, characters, number of reserved balls, etc.

The main display area Dm is divided into three display areas Dm1 to Dm3, left, center, and right, and three pattern columns Z1, Z2, and Z3 are displayed in each of the three display areas Dm1 to Dm3. The above-mentioned third pattern is displayed in a specified order in each pattern column Z1 to Z3. That is, the main patterns are arranged in ascending numerical order in each pattern column Z1 to Z3, and the display is changed by scrolling from top to bottom with periodicity for each pattern column Z1 to Z3. The approximate center of this main display area Dm is set as the pay line L1, and the third pattern is stopped and displayed on the pay line L1 in the order of left pattern column Z1 → right pattern column Z3 → center pattern column Z2 during each game. If the third pattern stops on the pay line L1 and a combination of jackpot patterns (in this embodiment, a combination of the same main patterns) is lined up, a jackpot video is displayed as a jackpot.

On the other hand, the secondary display area Ds is elongated horizontally below the primary display area Dm, and is further divided equally in the left-right direction into three small areas Ds1 to Ds3. Of these, small area Ds1 is an area that displays the number of reserved balls, which is the number of balls (reserved balls) that have entered the first winning opening 64 but have not yet been changed, small area Ds2 is an area that displays a preview performance image, and small area Ds3 is an area that displays the number of reserved balls, which is the number of balls (reserved balls) that have entered the second winning opening 640 but have not yet been changed.

On the actual display screen, a total of three main symbols of the third design are displayed in the main display area Dm. Note that when the display changes, in addition to the main symbol displayed in the center, the main symbols located before and after it are also displayed visible, so a total of up to nine main symbols may be displayed. In the secondary display area Ds, one "●" symbol is displayed for each reserved ball, and reserved symbols are displayed for special symbol 1 and special symbol 2 in correspondence with up to four reserved balls each. In other words, a maximum of eight reserved symbols are displayed in the secondary display area Ds.

In this embodiment, the same reserved pattern (design) is used for special pattern 1 and special pattern 2, but this is not limited to this, and they may be configured to be displayed with different patterns (for example, a "●" pattern for special pattern 1 and a white square pattern for special pattern 2).

This allows the reserved balls in the first winning slot 64 and the second winning slot 640, i.e., the reserved balls with special pattern 1 and special pattern 2, to be displayed in an easily identifiable manner. In addition, because the display mode of the reserved ball that entered the second winning slot 640 is displayed differently depending on the type of normal pattern hit, the player can easily tell that the reserved ball is a ball that has been generated by a long-term hit.

In this embodiment, in addition to the main pattern and reserved pattern, the main display area Dm and the sub-display area Ds of the third pattern display device 81 appropriately display text displays, character preview displays, total number of changes, etc. In addition, when a reserved pattern is not displayed, it indicates that the number of reserved balls is 0, that is, there are no reserved balls.

In this embodiment, the balls entering the first winning hole 64 are configured to be reserved up to four times, but the maximum number of reserved balls is not limited to four times, and may be set to three or less, or five or more times (e.g., eight times). Also, instead of displaying the reserved ball number pattern in the small area Ds1 or small area Ds3, the reserved ball number may be displayed in a part of the third pattern display device 81 as a number, or the four divided areas may be displayed in a different manner (e.g., color or lighting pattern) according to the number of reserved balls. Also, since the number of reserved balls is indicated by the first pattern display device 37, the third pattern display device 81 may not display the number of reserved balls. Furthermore, the variable display device unit 80 may be provided with four reserved lamps indicating the number of reserved balls, the number being the maximum number of reserved balls, and the number of reserved balls may be displayed according to the number of reserved lamps that are lit.

The display control device 114 is also connected to a sub-display device 690. The sub-display device 690 is a display device (e.g., a liquid crystal panel) with a different resolution from that of the third pattern display device 81. Specifically, the resolution of the third pattern display device 81 is (800 pixels (pixels) horizontally x 600 pixels (pixels) vertically), and the resolution of the sub-display device 690 is (400 pixels (pixels) horizontally x 300 pixels (pixels) vertically) (see FIG. 82). The resolutions of the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690 may be different from those described above, or the resolution of the sub-display device 690 and the third pattern display device 81 may be the same resolution, or the resolution of the sub-display device 690 may be higher than that of the third pattern display device 81. In addition, the display method that can be adopted as the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690 is not limited to a method using a liquid crystal panel, and any type of display (e.g., a PDP type, a CRT type, an organic EL type, a MEMS shutter type, etc.) may be adopted.

Details will be described later with reference to FIG. 81, but in this embodiment, the display control device 114 controls the display of the third pattern display device 81 and the sub display device 690 using one piece of image data (in this embodiment, image data with a resolution of 1200 pixels (pixels) horizontally by 600 pixels (pixels) vertically) that includes the images to be displayed on each of the third pattern display device 81 and the sub display device 690. Of that one piece of image data, the image data of the part that corresponds to the resolution of the third pattern display device 81 (an area of 800 pixels (pixels) horizontally by 600 pixels (pixels) vertically) is displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and the image data of the remaining part that corresponds to the resolution of the sub display device 690 (an area of 400 pixels (pixels) horizontally by 300 pixels (pixels) vertically) is displayed on the sub display device 690. The remaining data (an area of 400 pixels (pixels) horizontally by 300 pixels (pixels) vertically) is unused.

This makes it easier to synchronize the display contents displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690, thereby preventing the display contents from becoming misaligned between the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690.

The power supply unit 115 has a power supply unit 251 for supplying power to each unit of the pachinko machine 10, a power failure monitoring circuit 252 for monitoring power interruption due to a power failure or the like, and a RAM erase switch circuit 253 provided with a RAM erase switch 122 (see FIG. 3). The power supply unit 251 is a device that supplies the necessary operating voltage to each of the control devices 110-114, etc. through a power supply path not shown. In summary, the power supply unit 251 takes in an externally supplied 24-volt AC voltage, generates a 12-volt voltage for driving various switches such as the various switches 208, solenoids such as the solenoid 209, motors, etc., a 5-volt voltage for logic, a backup voltage for RAM backup, etc., and supplies the necessary voltages to each of the control devices 110-114, etc.

The power failure monitoring circuit 252 is a circuit for outputting a power failure signal SG1 to each NMI terminal of the MPU 201 of the main control unit 110 and the MPU 211 of the dispensing control unit 111 when the power is cut off due to a power failure or the like. The power failure monitoring circuit 252 monitors the voltage of 24 volts DC, which is the maximum voltage output from the power supply unit 251, and when this voltage falls below 22 volts, it determines that a power failure (power failure, power cut) has occurred and outputs a power failure signal SG1 to the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111. By outputting the power failure signal SG1, the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111 recognize the occurrence of a power failure and execute NMI interrupt processing. The power supply unit 251 is configured to maintain the output of the 5 volt voltage, which is the drive voltage of the control system, at a normal value for a sufficient time to execute the NMI interrupt processing, even after the voltage of 24 volts DC becomes less than 22 volts. Therefore, the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111 can execute and complete the NMI interrupt processing (not shown) normally.

The RAM clear switch circuit 253 is a circuit for outputting a RAM clear signal SG2 to the main control device 110 to clear the backup data when the RAM clear switch 122 (see FIG. 3) is pressed. When the main control device 110 inputs the RAM clear signal SG2 when the pachinko machine 10 is powered on, it clears the backup data and sends a payout initialization command to the payout control device 111 to clear the backup data in the payout control device 111.

Next, the game board 13 and the operating unit 200 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 12. First, the structure for housing each of the units 300 to 700 in the rear case 210 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7.

Figure 5 is an exploded front perspective view of the game board 13 and the operation unit 200, and Figures 6 and 7 are exploded front perspective views of the operation unit 200 viewed from the front. Note that Figure 7 illustrates the composite operation unit 500 attached to the rear case 210.

As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the operating unit 200 includes a rear case 210 formed in a box shape with one side (the front side of the paper in Figure 6) open from a bottom wall portion 211 and an outer wall portion 212 erected from the outer edge of the bottom wall portion 211. The rear case 210 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front by forming a rectangular opening 211a in the center of the bottom wall portion 211. The opening 211a is formed to a size that corresponds to the external shape of the third pattern display device 81 (see Figure 2) (i.e., large enough to accommodate the third pattern display device 81).

The operation unit 200 is configured as one unit by housing the up/down operation unit 400, the combined operation unit 500, the tilt operation unit 600, and the slide operation unit 700 in the internal space of the rear case 210.

Specifically, the composite action unit 500 is disposed in the upper right part of the area formed by the inner surface of the outer wall portion 212 of the rear case 210 (see FIG. 7). In contrast to the state shown in FIG. 7, the tilt action unit 600 and the slide action unit 700 are disposed in the lower part of the area formed by the inner surface of the outer wall portion 212 of the rear case 210. Also, in the state shown in FIG. 7, the up/down action unit 400 is disposed in a stacked state on the front side of the composite action unit 500, and is housed in the rear case 210 (see FIG. 5).

In this manner, in this embodiment, a specific operation unit (e.g., the composite operation unit 500) is stacked with other operation units (e.g., the up-down operation unit 400) on the front side, so that the specific operation unit can be shielded by the other operation units when viewed from the front.

In other words, when the game board 13 (see FIG. 2) is made of a light-transmitting material and the operation units arranged on the back side of the game board 13 are visible to the player, it is possible to allow the player to see only the necessary parts of a specific operation unit, with the other parts being shielded from the player by the other operation units. This allows for greater freedom in design, as there is no need to design specific performance components that are shielded by other operation units with the assumption that they will be visible in their entirety to the player.

Next, referring to Figures 8 to 10, an outline of the operation modes of the up/down operation unit 400, the combined operation unit 500, the tilt operation unit 600, and the slide operation unit 700 will be described. In the explanation of Figures 8 to 10, Figures 5 to 7 will also be referred to as appropriate.

Figures 8 to 10 are front views of the operation unit 200. Note that Figure 8 shows the arm member 440 (see Figure 18) of the up-down operation unit 400 in the extended position, Figure 9 shows the extension performance device 540 (see Figure 26) of the composite operation unit 500 in the extended state, and Figure 10 shows the tilt operation unit 600 in the approximate center in the width direction.

As shown in FIG. 8, the up-down operation unit 400 operates the arm member 440 (see FIG. 18) between the retracted position shown in FIG. 5 and the extended position shown in FIG. 8. In the retracted position shown in FIG. 5, the arm member 440 is retracted above the opening 211a of the rear case 210 and is not visible to the player (see FIG. 2). On the other hand, in the extended position shown in FIG. 8, the arm member 440 is lowered and the lens member 460 (see FIG. 18) is positioned in the center of the opening 211a of the rear case 210 (i.e., in front of the third pattern display device 81, see FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 9, the composite operation unit 500 can form an extended state in which the pivot arm member 550 (see FIG. 22) is positioned in a protruding position extending downward and the front plate member 546 is disposed in the center of the opening 211a of the rear case 210 (i.e., in front of the third pattern display device 81, see FIG. 2), and a contracted state (see FIG. 5) in which the pivot arm member 550 is positioned in a retracted position retracted upward and the front plate member 546 is retracted above the opening 211a of the rear case 210. In the contracted state shown in FIG. 5, the front plate member 546 is retracted above the opening 211a of the rear case 210 and is not visible to the player (see FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 10, the tilting motion unit 600 can be moved between the retracted position shown in FIG. 5 and the extended position shown in FIG. 10 by sliding the support member 720 (see FIG. 47) of the sliding motion unit 700 left and right. In the retracted position shown in FIG. 5, the tilting motion unit 600 is retracted to the outside right of the opening 211a of the rear case 210 and is visible to the player inside the center frame 86 (see FIG. 2). On the other hand, in the extended position shown in FIG. 10, the tilting motion unit 600 is positioned in the center of the opening 211a of the rear case 210 (i.e., in front of the third pattern display device 81, see FIG. 2).

In addition, FIG. 10 illustrates a state in which the first curtain member 624 and the second curtain member 625 (see FIG. 46) are opened, and the sub-display device 690 inside is visible. In other words, when the tilt operation unit 600 is positioned as in FIG. 10, the player can see both the effects displayed on the third pattern display device 81 (see FIG. 2) visible through the opening 211a, and the effects displayed on the sub-display device 690 inside the tilt operation unit 600.

Each of these operating units 400-700 is formed so that it can operate independently, and as described above, they are arranged in a superimposed (stacked) state, so that operating units 400-700 arranged in different layers can be operated simultaneously even if the operating members protrude inward from the opening 211a of the rear case 210. In other words, as shown in Figures 8 to 10, not only can each of the operating units 400-700 be operated individually, but these operations can also be combined, enhancing the presentation effect.

Figure 11 is a front view of the operation unit 200. In Figure 11, the telescopic performance device 540 (see Figure 22) of the composite operation unit 500 is in an extended state, the arm member 440 and the lens member 460 of the vertical operation unit 400 are positioned in the extended position, and the door member 470 is in an open state.

As shown in FIG. 11, the front plate member 546 of the combined operation unit 500 is visible through the lens member 460 of the vertical operation unit 400. Since the lens member 460 is formed with a magnifying lens as described below, the front plate member 546 is viewed in a magnified manner.

That is, from the state shown in FIG. 11, when the rotating plate 520 (see FIG. 24) of the composite operation unit 500 is swung about the first shaft portion 512 (see FIG. 24) and the front plate member 546 is moved to a position (see FIG. 39) where it is separated from the lens member 470 of the up-down operation unit 400 when viewed from the front, the front plate member 546 is viewed at normal size. This makes it possible to switch between a state where the front plate member 546 is viewed at normal size and a state where it is enlarged (see FIG. 11), improving the presentation effect.

Figure 12 is a front view of the motion unit 200. Note that Figure 12 illustrates a state in which the telescopic performance device 540 (see Figure 22) of the composite motion unit 500 is in an extended state, the tilt motion unit 600 is in a retracted position and in a tilted state, and the tilt motion unit 600 and the front plate member 546 are immediately before coming into contact with each other. The tilt motion unit 600 is further tilted, causing the tilt motion unit 600 and the front plate member 546 to come into contact with each other. In this case, by swinging the composite motion unit 500 clockwise as viewed from the front (see Figure 39), it is possible to perform a performance in which it appears as if the tilt motion unit 600 is applying force to the composite motion unit 500 (the motions of the units can be associated to perform a more complex performance). This can improve the performance effect.

Next, the board lower unit 300 will be described with reference to Figures 13 to 15. Figure 13 is an exploded front perspective view of the board 13 and the board lower unit 300. As shown in Figure 13, a receiving opening 13a is formed at the bottom of the game board 13, which opens along the lower edge of the inner rail 61 and through which the board lower unit 300 is inserted.

Figure 14 is an exploded front perspective view of the board lower unit 300. As shown in Figure 14, the board lower unit 300 mainly comprises a base member 310 that is fitted and fixed to the receiving opening 13a of the game board 13, a left lower plate member 320 that is arranged on the lower left side of the base member 310 when viewed from the front and guides the ball to the first outlet 314, a right lower plate member 330 that is arranged on the lower right side of the base member 310 when viewed from the front and guides the ball to the second outlet 315, and a front cover member 340 that is fastened and fixed to the base member 310 from the front and supports the left lower plate member 320 and the right lower plate member 330 with an insertion shaft 343.

The base member 310 mainly comprises a plate-shaped main body 311 formed with a cross-sectional shape that is approximately the same as the shape of the receiving opening 13a of the game board 13 and slightly smaller than the receiving opening 13a, a decorative front panel 312 formed in a thin plate shape that covers the front side of the main body 311, a movable performance member 313 attached to approximately the center in the width direction of the decorative front panel 312, a first outlet 314 which is a rectangular hole formed on the left side of the movable performance member 313 when viewed from the front, and a second outlet 315 which is a rectangular hole formed on the right side of the movable performance member 313 when viewed from the front.

The movable performance member 313 is disposed at the lower center edge of the width direction of the game board 13 and includes a rotating performance member 313a that is rotated by a drive device (not shown). Here, if an outlet is disposed at the lower center edge of the width direction of the game board 13, the movable performance member 313 cannot be disposed at the lower center edge of the width direction of the game board 13. In this embodiment, an outlet is not disposed at the lower center edge of the width direction of the game board 13, and the first outlet 314 and the second outlet 315 are disposed at positions spaced apart to the left and right from the center of the game board 13, thereby securing space to dispose the movable performance member 313 at the lower center edge of the width direction of the game board 13.

The shapes of the first outlet 314, the second outlet 315, the lower left plate member 320, and the lower right plate member 330 will be described with reference to Figure 15. Figure 15(a) is a front view of the base member 310, the first outlet 314, the second outlet 315, the lower left plate member 320, and the lower right plate member 330, and Figure 15(b) is a cross-sectional view of the base member 310 and the lower left plate member 320 taken along line XVb-XVb in Figure 15(a). Figure 15(a) also shows the outer shape of the front cover member 340 that is fastened and fixed to the base member 310, and the nails formed above the first outlet 314 and the second outlet 315.

The first outlet 314 and the second outlet 315 are openings through which balls are discharged from the play area. Compared to the first outlet 314, the second outlet 315 is formed with a shorter widthwise length. The reason for this will be described later. In addition, a guide rib 315a is formed on the upper inner surface of the second outlet 315, extending in the front-to-rear direction. This guide rib 315a can reduce the resistance applied to the ball when the ball flowing into the second outlet 315 bounces high and collides with the upper bottom surface of the second outlet 315. In addition, the flow of balls discharged from the second outlet 315 can be adjusted in the front-to-rear direction, reducing variation in the direction of the discharged balls.

The buffer rib 322 of the lower left plate member 320, which will be described later, is formed higher toward the widthwise center of the game board 13 (see FIG. 13) (see FIG. 15(a)). This does not impair the effect of suppressing the rebound of a ball falling on the lower left plate member 320, even in this embodiment in which the vertical width of the play area increases toward the widthwise center of the game board 13. In other words, the closer to the widthwise center of the game board 13, the higher the ball will fall, so there is a risk of a large impact if the falling ball collides with the lower left plate member 320. In contrast, the buffer rib 322 is formed higher toward the widthwise center of the game board 13, so the closer to the widthwise center of the game board 13, the more the buffer rib 322 bends, thereby increasing the degree of the cushioning effect that softens the impact of the fall.

Here, we will explain the relationship between the aspect ratio of the buffer ribs 322, 332 and the frequency with which falling balls land. For example, if the balls that land on the buffer ribs 322, 332 fall from a high height, but the frequency with which balls reach that position is extremely low, there may be cases in which not suppressing the rebound of the balls will hinder the discharge of other balls. If the aspect ratio of the buffer ribs 322, 332 is made large even in this case, the space of the play area will be unnecessarily suppressed. Therefore, it is preferable that the aspect ratio of the buffer ribs 322, 332 is set not only in accordance with the fall height of the balls, but also in accordance with the relationship between the fall height and the frequency with which balls land at that position.

As shown in Figure 15, a ball flowing down above the buffer ribs 322, 332 starts on paths c1, c2, then passes through multiple branches b1-b10 before reaching landing areas z0-z4. In the following explanation, we will assume that the probability of the ball flowing down is equal (1/2) for paths c1 and c2, and that the probability of branching to the left or right at branches b1-b10 is equal (1/2) for each. We will also assume that the ball will never flow down from the upper right.

The probability that the ball will reach the landing area z0 will be explained. To reach the landing area z0, it is necessary to flow down the left side at branch b5 and reach path c11. To reach branch b5, it is possible to reach it from path c1 via branch b1, or from path c2. Therefore, the probability that the ball will reach path c11 and reach the landing area z0 is expressed as the sum of the probability of the ball flowing down from path c1, 1/8 (= 1/2 x (1/2)^2), and the probability of the ball flowing down from path c2, 1/4 (= 1/2 x 1/2), so it is 3/8 ("^" means exponentiation). In other words, each probability is expressed as the product of the probability 1/2 that the ball will flow down paths c1 and c2, and the number of branches b1 to b10 through which the ball will pass before reaching the landing area z0, raised to the power of 1/2.

The probability that the ball will reach landing zone z1 will be explained. To reach landing zone z1, the ball must flow down the left side at branch b3 to reach path c15, or flow down the left side at branch b4 to reach path c16, or flow down the right side at branch b6 to reach path c14, or flow down the right side at branch b7 to reach path c13.

Up to branch b3, only the case where the ball flows down from path c1 is possible, and there are three branches before the ball reaches path c15, so the probability that the ball reaches path c15 is 1/16 (= 1/2 x (1 x 2)^3). Also, up to branch b4, only the case where the ball flows down from path c1 is possible, and there are four branches before the ball reaches path c16, so the probability that the ball reaches path c16 is 1/32 (= 1/2 x (1 x 2)^4). Also, up to branch b6, only the case where the ball flows down from path c1 is possible, and there are three branches before the ball reaches path c14, so the probability that the ball reaches path c14 is 1/16 (= 1/2 x (1 x 2)^3).

Up to branch b7, the ball may flow down both from path c1 and path c2, and there are cases where the ball has four branches before it reaches path c13 from path c1, and cases where it has three branches. There are two branches before the ball reaches path c13 from path c2. Therefore, the probability that the ball will reach path c13 is 7/32, which is the sum of the probability of the ball flowing down from path c1, 3/32 (= 1/2 x (1/2)^4 + 1/2 x (1/2)^3), and the probability of the ball flowing down from path c2, 1/8 (= 1/2 x (1/2)^2).

Here, the probability that the ball will reach the landing zone z1 is the sum of the probabilities that the ball will reach the above-mentioned paths c13 to c16, so it is 12/32.

The probability that the ball will reach landing zone z2 will be explained. The probability that the ball will reach landing zone z2 can be expressed as the probability that the ball will reach path c12, which is equal to the probability that a ball that has reached branch b7 will reach path c13. Therefore, the probability that the ball will reach landing zone z2 is 7/32.

The probability that the ball will reach landing area z3 will be explained. To reach landing area z3, the ball must flow down the left side at branch b9 to reach path c17, or flow down the left side at branch b10 to reach path c18.

Up to branch b9, only the case where the ball flows down from path c1 is possible, and since there are six branches before the ball reaches path c17, the probability that the ball will reach path c17 is 1/128 (= 1/2 x (1 x 2)^6). Also, up to branch b10, only the case where the ball flows down from path c1 is possible, and since there are seven branches before the ball reaches path c18, the probability that the ball will reach path c18 is 1/256 (= 1/2 x (1 x 2)^7).

The probability that the ball will reach the landing zone z3 is the sum of the probabilities that the ball will reach the above-mentioned paths c17 and c18, so it is 3/256.

The probability of a ball reaching landing area z4 will be explained. To reach landing area z4, the ball needs to flow down the right side of branch b10 and reach path c19. Note that all balls that flow down the right side of branch b10 will flow down path c19. The probability of a ball reaching path c19 is equal to the probability that a ball that has reached branch b10 will reach path c18. Therefore, the probability of a ball reaching landing area z4 is 1/256 (= 1/2 x (1 x 2)^7).

Because of this, the ratio of the ball reaching each of the landing zones z0 to z4 is (z0:z1:z2:z3:z4) = (96:96:56:3:1). This ratio correlates with the cushioning ribs 322, 332.

For example, when comparing landing zone z1 and landing zone z3, the height of the balls that fall in each landing zone z1 and z3 is the same, but the aspect ratio of the buffer ribs 322, 332 in landing zone z3 is smaller than that in landing zone z1. This is because the rate at which balls reach landing zone z3 is 1/32 of the rate at which balls reach landing zone z1. In other words, even if the bounce of the falling ball is not suppressed as much as in landing zone z1, there is little risk of the discharge of the ball being delayed in landing zone z3. Therefore, by making the aspect ratio of the buffer rib 332 smaller in landing zone z3 than in landing zone z1, the position of the second outlet 315 can be lowered downward.

For example, when comparing landing zone z2 and landing zone z4, the falling distance of the ball into landing zone z4 is longer than the falling distance into landing zone z2, but the aspect ratio of the buffer ribs 322, 332 of landing zone z2 is larger than that of landing zone z4. This is because the rate at which balls reach landing zone z4 is 1/56 of the rate at which balls reach landing zone z2. In other words, even if the bounce of the falling ball is not suppressed as much as in landing zone z2, there is little risk of the discharge of the ball being delayed in landing zone z4. Therefore, by making the aspect ratio of the buffer rib 332 smaller in landing zone z4 than in landing zone z2, the position of the second outlet 315 can be lowered downward.

In the above explanation, the probability of the ball branching out at branches b1 to b10 is equal (1/2) on both sides, but by changing the width of the nails, it is possible to adjust the probability of the ball branching out at branches b1 to b10. For example, by reducing the spacing between the nails in the flow path through which the left arrow of branch b1 passes to about the same size as the diameter of the ball, it is possible to increase the probability that the ball will flow down along the right arrow in branch b1 to more than 1/2. The probability of the ball branching out at the other branches b2 to b10 can be adjusted in a similar manner.

This allows the frequency at which the ball reaches paths c11 to c19 to be adjusted, improving the design freedom of the aspect ratio of the buffer rib 322.

The upper surface of the buffer rib 322 is formed so that it slopes downward toward the rear (see FIG. 15(b)). This allows the balls to flow faster toward the first outlet 314.

Returning to FIG. 14, the left lower plate member 320 mainly comprises a long plate-shaped main body 321, buffer ribs 322 each formed of a thin plate connected in the left-right direction on the upper surface of the main body 321 and extending in the front-rear direction, a connecting front plate 323 formed in a manner that connects the front faces of the buffer ribs 322, a step 324 formed by protruding upward at the left end of the main body 321 as viewed from the front, a ball flow rail portion 325 extending from the step 324 to the left as viewed from the front, and a shaft support hole 326 drilled in the front-rear direction at the right end of the main body 321 as viewed from the front.

The buffer rib 322 is a portion through which balls pass heading toward the first outlet 314, and prevents balls falling in the vertical direction from bouncing back in the vertical direction. That is, the buffer rib 322 is formed from a thin plate connected in the left-right direction, so when it is hit by a falling ball, it flexes in the thickness direction, thereby softening the impact of the collision. Also, when a ball moves left-right on the upper surface of the buffer rib 322, the ball gets stuck between the buffer ribs 322, and is braked. The buffer rib 322 is formed with a larger height and aspect ratio the further it moves to the right when viewed from the front (inward in the width direction of the game board 13 (see Figure 2)).

The connecting front plate 323 connects the buffer ribs 322 together, improving their strength.

The step portion 324 is a raised portion for allowing balls flowing down from the ball flow rail portion 325 to fall in the vertical direction. This makes it possible to suppress the load in the left-right direction from being applied to the buffer rib 322 by the balls flowing down the ball flow rail portion 325. This makes it possible to prevent the buffer rib 322 from bending in the left-right direction when subjected to a load in the left-right direction.

In other words, since the buffer rib 322 is formed from a thin wall portion extending in the front-rear direction, there is a risk of it breaking when a load is applied in the left-right direction. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the ball that rolls on the upper surface of the ball flow rail 325, which has a left-right speed and may apply a left-right load to the buffer rib 322, is formed in such a manner that it falls vertically from the step portion 324 onto the buffer rib 322. As a result, the position where the ball lands on the buffer rib 322 can be shifted further to the right in the width direction the faster the ball's left-right speed is.

As a result, the load applied to the buffer rib 322 in the left-right direction when the ball lands on it can be made smaller as it moves to the left (outside) in the width direction. As a result, the risk of the buffer rib 322 breaking due to the left-right load of the ball decreases as it moves to the left in the width direction of the buffer rib 322, and the aspect ratio of the buffer rib 322 can be made smaller than that on the right in the width direction. In this case, the bottom surface of the buffer rib 322 can be formed along the curved surface formed on the bottom surface of the game board 13, so the position at which the buffer rib 322 is disposed can be made lower compared to when the buffer rib 322 has the same length in the width direction.

Here, it is also possible to form the underside of the buffer rib 322 along the curved surface formed on the underside of the game board 13 while keeping the aspect ratio of the buffer rib 322 constant from left to right in the width direction (with the upper surface of the buffer rib 322 formed with the same curve as the lower surface of the buffer rib 322). However, in this case, the position of the step 324 will be higher, and the position of the ball flow rail portion 325, which is formed with a downward incline toward the step 324, will also be higher. In this case, the dead space between the ball flow rail portion 325 and the inner rail 61 (see Figure 13) will be larger, and the play area will be reduced.

On the other hand, the larger the aspect ratio of the buffer rib 322, the greater the effect of slowing down the momentum of the ball (deceleration effect). Therefore, the buffer rib 322 is formed in such a way that the aspect ratio increases from the vicinity of the step portion 324 toward the center of the play area.

It is also possible to form the upper surface of the buffer rib 322 up to just before the step 324 with the same curve as the curve of the lower surface of the buffer rib 322 (so that the height is maximized halfway in the left-right direction of the buffer rib 322) so as not to affect the formation height of the step 324. However, in this case, the ball that reaches the landing area z1 is prevented from rolling to the left. As a result, the ball is more likely to remain in the landing area z1, making it difficult to discharge the ball smoothly.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the variation in height of the upper surface of the buffer rib 322 in the width direction of the buffer rib 322 is small, so that the ball that reaches the landing area z1 can easily roll to the left (toward the landing area z2). Therefore, the ball can be diverted to the landing area z2 before it becomes stuck in the landing area z1, so that the ball can be discharged smoothly.

The step 324 also functions to block the ball flowing down above the buffer rib 322 and to the left. This prevents the ball from bouncing back beyond the width of the first outlet 314 after colliding with the front cover member 340 (see FIG. 13).

The shaft support hole 326 is the portion through which the insertion shaft 343 of the front cover member 340 is inserted and supported.

The lower right plate member 330 mainly comprises a long plate-shaped main body 331, a buffer rib 332 formed by connecting thin wall portions in the left-right direction on the upper surface of the main body 331 and extending in the front-rear direction, a connecting front plate 333 formed in a manner that connects the front faces of the buffer rib 332, a recessed portion 324 formed by recessing downward at the right end of the main body 331 as viewed from the front, a ball flow rail portion 335 extending from the recessed portion 324 to the right as viewed from the front, and a shaft support hole 336 drilled in the front-rear direction at the left end of the main body 331 as viewed from the front.

The configuration of the lower right plate member 330 and the lower left plate member 320 are largely the same. That is, the main body portion 331 is the same as the main body portion 321, the buffer rib 332 is the same as the buffer rib 322, the connecting front plate 333 is the same as the connecting front plate 323, the ball flow rail portion 335 is the same as the ball flow rail portion 325, and the shaft support hole 336 is the same as the shaft support hole 326. Therefore, the explanation of the common parts will be omitted.

The buffer rib 332 is formed with a shorter width on the left and right sides compared to the buffer rib 322. This allows the width on the left and right sides of the second outlet 315 to be shortened, and the position of the second outlet 315 can be lowered compared to the first outlet 314, so that more space can be secured for the large opening solenoid 65b of the first variable winning device 65 (the position of the first variable winning device 65 can be lowered).

The reason why the width of the buffer rib 332 can be made shorter than that of the buffer rib 322 is because it restricts the path of the balls flowing down to the second outlet 315. That is, as shown in FIG. 14, the first variable winning device 65 is disposed on the upper right side of the second outlet 315 when viewed from the front, so that when the opening and closing plate is opened, the balls flow into the first specific winning port 65a, and when the opening and closing plate is closed, the balls fall vertically downward on the front side of the first variable winning device 65. This makes it possible to prevent the balls from flowing down from the upper right side when viewed from the front into the second outlet 315. In other words, a non-flowing area is formed in the upper right part of the second outlet 315, where the flow of the balls is restricted.

Therefore, the direction in which balls can flow down onto the lower right plate member 330 is limited to vertical falls and flowing down from the width direction (from the ball flow rail section 335) (flowing down from the diagonally upper right is restricted). Therefore, since there is no inflow of balls from the diagonally upper right, the direction in which the balls bounce can be restricted, and the formation width of the buffer rib 332 can be narrowed as well as the formation width of the second outlet 315. As a result, it is possible to secure the installation space for the first variable winning device 65.

The recessed portion 334 is a depression for bouncing balls that flow down the ball flow rail portion 335. Therefore, the width of the recessed portion 334 is set to a width that allows a ball to be placed thereon without coming into contact with the adjacent buffer rib 332.

The balls that flow down the ball flow rail section 335 fall into the recessed section 334, bounce off when they come into contact with the upper surface of the recessed section 334, and fall onto the buffer rib 332. This prevents the buffer rib 332 from being subjected to a load in the width direction, and prevents the buffer rib 332 from breaking.

The recessed portion 334 is formed in front of the fastening hole B through which the fastening screw for fastening the base member 310 to the game board 13 is inserted. This makes it easier to use a fastening tool such as a screwdriver when screwing the fastening screw into the fastening hole B to fasten the board lower unit 300 to the game board 13. In other words, the recessed portion 334 has both the effect of preventing the buffer rib 332 from breaking and the effect of making it easier to fasten the base member 310.

The front cover member 340 mainly comprises a plate-shaped main body 341 with the first winning hole 64 formed at the top, an opening 342 formed in the center of the main body 341 that allows the rotating performance member 313a to be viewed, and a pair of insertion shafts 343 that are inserted into the shaft support holes 326, 336.

The main body 341 is formed against the lower edge of the play area, and the side wall limits the direction in which the balls can flow down. That is, a ball that hits the main body 341 from the right cannot penetrate to the left, and on the other hand, a ball that hits the main body 341 from the left cannot penetrate to the right.

The insertion shaft 343 is the part that is inserted into the shaft support holes 326 and 336. Therefore, the diameter of the insertion shaft 343 is formed to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the shaft support holes 326 and 336.

Next, the vertical operation unit 400 will be described with reference to Figures 16 to 21. Figure 16 is a front perspective view of the vertical operation unit 400, and Figure 17 is a rear perspective view of the vertical operation unit 400. Note that Figures 16 and 17 show the arm member 440 of the vertical operation unit 400 in a retracted position.

Figure 18 is an exploded front oblique view of the vertical movement unit 400, and Figure 19 is an exploded rear oblique view of the vertical movement unit 400. As shown in FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, the vertical operation unit 400 mainly includes a base member 410 having a vertical groove portion 414 on the right side when viewed from the rear, the vertical groove portion 414 being recessed from the rear side to the front side and extending in the vertical direction, a rotating crank member 420 that rotates around a connecting hole 413 of the base member 410, a drive unit 430 that generates a driving force for the rotating crank member 420, an arm member 440 that receives a driving force from the rotating crank member 420 and swings around a shaft portion 412 of the base member 410, a slide member 450 that is disposed on the opposite side of the vertical groove portion 414 of the base member 410 and is formed so as to be able to slide in the vertical direction in conjunction with the swinging of the arm member 440, a lens member 460 that is suspended from a sliding hole 443 formed at the tip of the arm member 440 and is formed so as to be able to slide in the vertical direction in conjunction with the swinging of the arm member 440, and a pair of door members 470 that are pivotally supported by the lens member 460.

The base member 410 mainly comprises a main body 411 formed in a long plate shape on the left and right, a shaft 412 that protrudes cylindrically from the right end of the main body 411 toward the front side and supports the shaft support hole 442 of the arm member 440, a connecting hole 413 that is drilled in a circular shape in the front-rear direction and connects the rotating crank member 420 and the transmission gear 432, a vertical groove 414 that is a recess formed from the back side to the front side on the right side of the main body 411 when viewed from the back and extends in the vertical direction, and recessed portions 415 that are recessed from the front side to the back side on both the left and right outer sides of the vertical groove 414.

The upper and lower grooves 414 are the portions on the rear side where the telescopic performance device 540 of the composite operation unit 500 is housed in the assembled state (see FIG. 2). As described below, the more the telescopic performance device 540 approaches the contracted state, the more the swing angle of the telescopic performance device 540 is suppressed, so that the telescopic performance device 540 is prevented from swinging and colliding with the left and right inner sides of the upper and lower grooves 414. The recessed portions 415 are the portions where the slide guide portions 452 of the slide members 450 are guided.

The rotating crank member 420 mainly comprises a plate-shaped main body 421, a sliding protrusion 422 that protrudes cylindrically from one end of the main body 421 toward the front side and is inserted into the insertion portion 444 of the arm member 440, and an engagement portion 423 that engages with the fitting portion 432a of the transmission gear 432 to disable relative rotation between the transmission gear 432 and the rotating crank member 420.

When the sliding protrusion 422 is inserted into the insertion portion 444 of the arm member 440 and rotated, the driving force of the drive unit 430 is transmitted to the arm member 440, and the arm member 440 is swung around the shaft portion 412.

The driving device 430 mainly comprises an up-down driving motor 431 fastened to the base member 410, a driving gear 431a that is driven to rotate by the up-down driving motor 431, a transmission gear 432 that meshes with the driving gear 431a, and a fitting portion 432a that is formed on the front side of the transmission gear 432 with an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the connecting hole 413 and whose inner side surface fits into the engagement portion 423 of the rotating crank member 420.

The fitting portion 432a is a portion with a recess having a cross-sectional shape in which a circle is arranged at each apex of a triangle, and is inserted into the connecting hole 413 of the base member 410, and the engagement portion 423 of the rotating crank member 420 is fitted at its tip side so that it cannot rotate relative to the base member 410. As a result, the main body portion 411 of the base member 410 is sandwiched between the transmission gear 432 and the rotating crank member 420, and as described above, the transmission gear 432 and the rotating crank member 420 cannot rotate relative to each other, so that the transmission gear 432 and the rotating crank member 420 rotate synchronously. That is, the driving force of the vertical drive motor 431 is transmitted to the rotating crank member 420 via the transmission gear 432.

The arm member 440 mainly comprises a main body 441 formed in a long rod shape, a shaft support hole 442 drilled on the base end side (right side when viewed from the front) and pivotally supported by the shaft 412, a sliding hole 443 drilled as a long hole on the swing end side, which is the end opposite the base end side, through which the sliding protrusion 463 of the lens member 460 is inserted, and a bottomed hole-shaped insertion portion 444 through which the sliding protrusion 422 of the rotating crank member 420 is inserted.

The shape of the insertion portion 444 is set so that the rotating crank member 420 can rotate once with the sliding protrusion portion 422 inserted into the insertion portion 444. Therefore, the arm member 440 can perform a swinging motion regardless of the rotation direction of the rotating crank member 420.

The slide member 450 mainly comprises a rectangular plate-shaped main body 451, slide guide portions 452 extending rearward from both the left and right ends of the main body 451 and guided in the recesses 415 so as to be vertically slidable, a central guide recess 453 which is a recess formed on the front surface at the center of the width of the main body 451 and extends in the vertical direction, through which the sliding protrusion 463 of the lens member 460 is inserted, and both end guide recesses 454 which are recesses formed on the front surface at both the left and right ends of the main body 451 and extend in the vertical direction, through which the stable slide portion 464 of the lens member 460 is guided.

The lens member 460 mainly includes a plate-shaped main body 461 with a circular opening in the center, a magnifying lens 462 with a magnifying lens processing formed to fit into the opening of the main body 461, a sliding protrusion 463 that protrudes toward the rear side at the center upper end of the width direction of the main body 461 and is inserted into the sliding hole 443 of the arm member 440 so as to be slidable up and down, a stable slide portion 464 that protrudes toward the rear side at both ends of the width direction of the main body 461 and is inserted into the guide recesses 454 at both ends of the slide member 450 so as to be slidable up and down, a pair of rotating cylinders 465 that are arranged axially rotatable on the lower left side of the main body 461 when viewed from the front, and through which the lower shaft portion 473 and the upper shaft portion 474 of the door member 470 are inserted, and an opening/closing drive motor 466 that rotates the pair of rotating cylinders 465 in opposite directions to each other by a transmission mechanism not shown.

The movement operation of the vertical operation unit 400 will be described with reference to Figure 20. Figure 20 is a front view of the vertical operation unit 400. Note that Figure 20 illustrates the closed state of the door member 470 when the arm member 440 of the vertical operation unit 400 is placed in the extended position.

When the arm member 440 is swung from the retracted position (see FIG. 16) to the extended position (see FIG. 20), the sliding protrusion 463 (see FIG. 18) of the lens member 460, which is journaled in the sliding hole 443 on the swing end side of the arm member 440, slides in the central guide recess 453 of the slide member 450. The lens member 460 is guided in the vertical direction by the guide recesses 454 at both ends of the slide member 450, and the slide member 450 is guided in the vertical direction by the recesses 415 of the base member 410, so that the lens member 460 slides in the vertical direction due to the swing of the arm member 440.

Referring back to Figures 18 and 19, the door member 470 is formed by dividing a circular plate into two parts, an upper part and an lower part, and mainly comprises a lower main body part 471 formed on the lower side, an upper main body part 472 formed on the upper side of the lower main body part 471, a lower shaft part 473 which is cylindrically protruding from the lower end part of the lower main body part 471 towards the rear side and is inserted into the rotating cylinder 465 of the lens member 460 so as not to rotate relative to the lens member 460, and an upper shaft part 474 which is cylindrically protruding from the lower end part of the upper main body part 472 towards the rear side and is inserted into the rotating cylinder 465 of the lens member 460 so as not to rotate relative to the lens member 460.

The lower body 471 has a guide protrusion 471a protruding from the side surface that comes into contact with the upper body 472, and the upper body 472 has a receiving recess 472a recessed into the side surface that comes into contact with the lower body 471. By fitting the guide protrusion 471a and the receiving recess 472a together, the lower body 471 and the upper body 472 can be aligned relative to each other in the closed state. In this embodiment, the guide protrusion 471a protrudes in a tapered shape, so that the guide protrusion 471a can be reliably fitted into the receiving recess 472a.

The operation of the door member 470 will be described with reference to Figure 21. Figure 21 is a front view of the vertical movement unit 400. Note that Figure 21 illustrates the open state of the door member 470 when the arm member 440 of the vertical movement unit 400 is positioned in the extended position.

The lower shaft portion 473 and the upper shaft portion 474 (see FIG. 19) are rotated by the rotation of the rotating cylinder 465 (see FIG. 18) of the lens member 460. The pair of rotating cylinders 465 are rotated in opposite directions by the driving force of the opening/closing drive motor 466 (see FIG. 19), so that when the door member 470 is changed from the closed state (see FIG. 20) to the open state (see FIG. 21), the lower main body portion 471 and the upper main body portion 472 can be swung outward (in opposite directions) from each other. Also, when the door member 470 is changed from the open state (see FIG. 21) to the closed state (see FIG. 20), the lower main body portion 471 and the upper main body portion 472 can be swung inward from each other.

This allows the time required to swing the lower body part 471 and the upper body part 472 to be halved compared to when a single cover member is swung to cover the front side of the lens member 460.

Next, the composite operation unit 500 will be described with reference to Figures 22 to 45. The composite operation unit 500 is a unit that positions the telescopic performance device 540 on the front side of the third pattern display device 81 by swinging the rotating arm member 550 from a retracted position (see Figure 22) to an extended position (see Figure 9). In addition, the telescopic performance device 540 is formed so as to be able to swing around the first axis portion 512 (see Figure 24) of the base member 510.

Figure 22 is a front perspective view of the combined action unit 500, and Figure 23 is a rear perspective view of the combined action unit 500. Note that Figures 22 and 23 show the state in which the pivot arm member 550 is positioned in a retracted position, which is a terminal position formed outside the third pattern display device 81 (see Figure 2).

Figure 24 is an exploded front perspective view of the combined action unit 500, and Figure 25 is an exploded rear perspective view of the combined action unit 500.

As shown in Figures 24 and 25, the composite operation unit 500 is a unit that performs effects by sliding and swinging an extension performance device 540, and includes a base member 510 that forms a skeleton, a rotating plate 520 that is formed so as to be rotatable around a first shaft portion 512 of the base member 510, a first drive unit 530 that is fastened and fixed to the base member 510 and generates a driving force for the rotating plate 520, an extension performance device 540 that is fastened and fixed to the front of the rotating plate 520 and is formed so as to be extendable and contractible in the radial direction of the rotating plate 520, and a first end portion of the extension performance device 540. The device mainly comprises a rotating arm member 550 to which the other end on the opposite side is connected and pivoted to the base member 510, and which forms the extending and retracting motion of the telescopic performance device 540 by swinging motion, a second drive unit 560 which is fastened and fixed to the base member 510 and generates the driving force of the rotating arm member 550, a rotating crank member 570 which transmits the driving force of the second drive unit 560 to the rotating arm member 550, and a front cover 580 which is fastened and fixed from the front of the base member 510 and hides the mechanism parts on the rotating shaft side such as the rotating arm member 550 and the rotating crank member 570.

The base member 510 is mainly composed of a rectangular plate-shaped main body 511, a cylindrical first shaft 512 protruding forward from approximately the center lower part of the width direction of the main body 511, three rows of arc-shaped holes 513 drilled along an arc centered on the first shaft 512, a first through hole 514 drilled adjacent to a second arc-shaped hole 513b of the three rows of arc-shaped holes 513, a cylindrical second shaft 515 protruding forward from the main body 511 approximately halfway between the shaft 512 and the right end of the main body 511, a second through hole 516 drilled adjacent to the second shaft 515, a cylindrical third shaft 517 protruding forward from the lower right end of the main body 511 when viewed from the front, and a bent wall portion 518 bent forward from the edge of the main body 511.

The first shaft portion 512 is inserted into the shaft support hole 522 of the rotating plate 520 and serves as the rotating shaft of the rotating plate 520. Therefore, the diameter of the first shaft portion 512 is formed to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the shaft support hole 522 of the rotating plate 520.

The arc-shaped hole 513 includes, from the side closest to the first shaft portion 512, a first arc-shaped hole 513a, a second arc-shaped hole 513b, and a third arc-shaped hole 513c.

The first arc-shaped hole 513a and the third arc-shaped hole 513c are elongated holes through which the insertion shaft 525 of the rotating plate 520 is inserted and which guide the rotation of the rotating plate 520. This reduces the load on the first shaft portion 512 when the rotating plate 520 is rotated, and improves the durability of the rotating plate 520. Note that while Figures 24 and 25 show a state in which a collar is fastened to the tip of the insertion shaft 525, the first arc-shaped hole 513a and the third arc-shaped hole 513c are disposed between the collar and the main body portion 521 (they are inserted before the collar is fastened).

The second arc-shaped hole 513b is an elongated hole in which the arc-shaped rack 526 of the rotating plate 520 is placed and moved. The upper side of the approximate center is open, and the drive gear 532 of the first drive unit 530 is placed in the open portion. This allows the meshing portion between the drive motor 531 of the first drive unit 530 and the arc-shaped rack 526 of the rotating plate 520 to be arranged in the plate thickness portion of the main body 511, thereby reducing the thickness dimension of the composite operation unit 500 (front-to-back dimension in Figure 22).

The first through hole 514 and the second through hole 516 are through holes through which the drive gear 532 of the first drive device 530 and the drive gear 562 of the second drive device 560 are inserted, respectively.

The second shaft portion 515 is a cylindrical portion to which the cover portion 575 of the rotating crank member 570 is fastened and fixed on the front side, and which serves as the central axis of rotation of the main body portion 571. Therefore, the diameter of the second shaft portion 515 is formed to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the main body portion 571 of the rotating crank member 570.

The third shaft portion 517 is inserted into the shaft support hole 552 of the pivot arm member 550 and serves as the central shaft for the pivot arm member 550 to rotate. Therefore, the diameter of the third shaft portion 517 is formed to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the shaft support hole 552 of the pivot arm member 550. A torsion spring 517a is wound around the third shaft portion 517 to generate a biasing force that moves the pivot arm member 550 toward the retracted position.

The torsion spring 517a is formed in such a manner that arms extend from both ends of the coil portion wound around the third shaft portion 517. One arm is fixed to the lower right portion of the folded wall portion 518 in a front view (near the first stopper portion 518a), and the other arm on the opposite side of the one arm is engaged with the engaging portion 555 of the pivot arm member 550.

The bent wall portion 518 mainly comprises a first stopper portion 518a adjacent to the third shaft portion 517, a second stopper portion 518b formed to the right of the first shaft portion 512, and a third stopper portion 518c formed to the left of the first shaft portion 512.

The first stopper portion 518a is a portion that restricts the rotation of the pivoting arm member 550. That is, when the pivoting arm member 550 is lowered to the extended position (see FIG. 9), it abuts against the first stopper portion 518a, and the descent is stopped.

As shown in FIG. 24, the second stopper portion 518b is disposed lower than the third stopper portion 518c. The lower surface of the rotating plate 520 is formed symmetrically with respect to the shaft support hole 522 (see FIG. 37), so the rotating plate 520 can rotate at a larger rotation angle in the direction toward the second stopper portion 512b. In other words, the telescopic performance device 540 described later is formed so that the maximum angle of swinging clockwise when viewed from the front is larger than the maximum angle of swinging counterclockwise when viewed from the front.

The rotating plate 520 mainly comprises a fan-shaped main body 521, a shaft support hole 522 that is bored in a circular shape in the thickness direction at the base of the main body 521, a rail receiving groove 523 that is linearly recessed in the front of the main body 521 with a width slightly larger than the inner diameter of the shaft support hole 522, a pair of expansion stoppers 524 that are formed by protruding forward on both sides of the lower end of the rail receiving groove 523, multiple insertion shafts 525 (three in this embodiment) that protrude from the back of the main body 521, and an arc-shaped rack 526 that protrudes from the back of the main body 521 in an arc shape centered on the shaft support hole 522 and has gear teeth engraved on its outer periphery.

The first shaft portion 512 of the base member 510 is inserted into the shaft support hole 522. Therefore, the rotating plate 520 swings around the first shaft portion 512.

The rail receiving groove 523 is the portion to which the slide rail 545 of the telescopic performance device 540 is fastened and fixed, and the telescopic performance device 540 telescopically moves along the extension direction of the rail receiving groove 523. Therefore, the direction of movement of the telescopic performance device 540 changes depending on the position of the rotating plate 520.

The telescopic stopper 524 is a part that abuts against the inner surface of the slide plate 544 of the telescopic performance device 540 in the vertical direction and restricts the movement width of the slide plate 544. It is formed on both sides of the rail receiving groove 523 and abuts against the inner surface of the slide plate 544 on both sides, thereby preventing the slide rail 545 from receiving a load in a direction perpendicular to the telescopic direction, thereby improving durability.

The insertion shaft 525 is a part that is inserted through the first and third arc-shaped holes 513a and 513c of the base member 510 to guide the rotation of the rotating plate 520, and is formed with a diameter slightly smaller than the width dimensions of the first and third arc-shaped holes 513a and 513c. In addition, a collar member with a diameter larger than the width dimensions of the first and third arc-shaped holes 513a and 513c is fastened and fixed to the tip, so that the rotating plate 520 is connected to the base member 510 in an unremovable manner.

The arc-shaped rack 526 is inserted into the second arc-shaped hole 513b of the base member 510 and meshes with the drive gear 532 of the first drive unit 530. Since the meshing portion between the arc-shaped rack 526 and the first drive unit 530 is formed in an area that includes the thickness of the base member 510, the thickness dimension of the composite operation unit 500 can be reduced.

The first drive device 530 mainly comprises a drive motor 531 fastened to the base member 510, and a drive gear 532 that is inserted into the first through hole 514 of the base member 510 and rotated about its axis by the drive motor 531.

Next, the telescopic performance device 540 will be described with reference to Figures 26 and 27. Figure 26 is an exploded front perspective view of the telescopic performance device 540, and Figure 27 is an exploded rear perspective view of the telescopic performance device 540.

As shown in FIG. 26 and FIG. 27, the telescopic performance device 540 includes a main body member 541 forming a skeleton, a first guide member 542 and a second guide member 543 that are fastened to the back surface of the main body member 541 and through which a main body portion 551 of a pivot arm member 550 is inserted between the first guide member 542 and the second guide member 543, a slide plate 544 that is axially slidably arranged along the extension direction of the insertion holes 542d, 543d of the first guide member 542 and the second guide member 543, and a slide plate 544 that is axially slidably arranged along the extension direction of the insertion holes 542d, 543d of the first guide member 542 and the second guide member 543. 4 and the rotating plate 520, and one end of which is fitted into the rail receiving groove 523 and fastened; a front plate member 546 which is raised and fastened to the front side of the main body member 541; a connecting slide member 547 which is slidably supported by the support part 546c of the front plate member 546; and a decorative member 548 which is fastened to the connecting slide member 547 and has a front flap part 548b which is formed so as to be movable in front of the main body member 541.

The main body member 541 mainly comprises a plate-shaped main body portion 541a forming a framework, a cylindrical protrusion portion 541b protruding toward the rear side at the center of the width direction of the main body portion 541a, a first raising fastening portion 541c protruding in a pair above and below on the left side of the protrusion portion 541b when viewed from the rear, a second raising fastening portion 541d protruding in a pair above and below on the right side of the protrusion portion 541b when viewed from the rear, a guide fastening portion 541e protruding from the upper left part of the main body portion 541a when viewed from the rear, and fastening holes 541f formed in multiple places (three places in this embodiment) on the front side of the main body portion 541a to which the front plate member 546 is fastened and fixed.

The protrusion 541b is the part that is inserted into the arc-shaped hole 554 of the pivot arm member 550. Therefore, the diameter of the protrusion 541b is formed to be slightly smaller than the width dimension of the inner peripheral surface of the arc-shaped hole 554. In addition, since the protrusion 541b is inserted into the arc-shaped hole 554, the main body member 541 can be moved in conjunction with the pivot arm member 550 by swinging it.

The first raising fastening portion 541c is a portion that fastens the first guide member 542, and the second raising fastening portion 541d is a portion that fastens the second guide member 543. The second raising fastening portion 541d is longer in the vertical direction than the first raising fastening portion 541c because it is arranged at a position that does not interfere with the rotating arm member 550. Here, in this embodiment, the rotating arm member does not pass through the lower left of the main body member 541 in the front view in its rotation trajectory (see Figures 37, 40, and 44). Therefore, it is possible to widen the arrangement interval of the pair of second raising fastening portions 541d compared to the first raising fastening portion 541c, and the rigidity of the second raising fastening portion 541d can be improved.

The guide fastening portion 541e is the portion to which the auxiliary fastening portion 542e of the first guide member 542 is fastened and fixed, and is the portion to which the upper surface of the pivoting arm member 550 is guided when the telescopic performance device 540 is in the extended state. In other words, even if the protrusion portion 541b is not guided by the arc-shaped hole 554 of the pivoting arm member 550, the guide fastening portion 541e is guided by the upper surface of the pivoting arm member 550 when the pivoting arm member 550 rotates upward, so that the pivoting arm member 550 and the telescopic performance member 540 operate in conjunction with each other.

The fastening hole 541f is a through hole through which the fastening portion 546b of the front plate member 546 is fastened and fixed.

The first guide member 542 mainly comprises a fastening plate portion 542a fastened to the first raising fastening portion 541c, a rear regulating portion 542b extending upward from a position raised one step toward the rear side on the upper surface of the fastening plate portion 542a, guide rail portions 542c protruding from both the left and right sides of the rear regulating portion 542b toward the rear like a wall, an insertion hole 542d formed in the upper end of the rear regulating portion 542b protruding toward the rear side in the vertical direction, and an auxiliary fastening portion 542e extending from the rear regulating portion 542b and fastened to the guide fastening portion 541e.

The rear surface restriction portion 542b is a portion disposed on the rear surface of the pivot arm member 550, and prevents the pivot arm member 550 from moving to the rear surface and causing the protrusion portion 541b to fall out of the arc-shaped hole 554.

The guide rail portion 542c is a portion that guides the movement of the rail receiving portion 544d of the slide plate 544 when the telescopic performance device 540 telescopically operates, and prevents the position of the slide plate 544 from shifting relative to the first guide member 542.

The insertion hole 542d is a hole through which the slide bar 544e of the slide plate 544 is inserted. The inner diameter of the insertion hole 542d is slightly larger than the diameter of the slide bar 544e, so that the slide plate 544 is formed to be slidable relative to the first guide member 542.

The second guide member 543 mainly comprises a fastening plate portion 543a fastened to the second raised fastening portion 541d, a rear regulating portion 543b extending upward from a position one step above the upper surface of the fastening plate portion 543a toward the rear side, guide rail portions 543c protruding from both the left and right sides of the rear regulating portion 543b toward the rear like a wall, and an insertion hole 543d formed in the upper end of the rear regulating portion 543b protruding toward the rear side in the vertical direction.

The rear surface restriction portion 543b is a portion disposed on the rear surface of the pivot arm member 550, and prevents the pivot arm member 550 from moving to the rear surface and causing the protrusion portion 541b to fall out of the arc-shaped hole 554.

The guide rail portion 543c is a portion that guides the movement of the rail receiving portion 544d of the slide plate 544 when the telescopic performance device 540 telescopically operates, and prevents the position of the slide plate 544 from shifting relative to the first guide member 543.

The insertion hole 543d is a hole through which the slide bar 544e of the slide plate 544 is inserted. The inner diameter of the insertion hole 543d is slightly larger than the diameter of the slide bar 544e, so that the slide plate 544 is formed to be slidable relative to the first guide member 543.

The slide plate 544 mainly comprises a main body 544a formed in a rectangular plate shape, a recessed portion 544b in which a wide recess extending in the vertical direction is formed on the back surface of the main body 544a, recessed portions 544c at both ends in which recesses extending in the vertical direction are formed on the front surface on both the left and right sides of the recessed portion 544b, rail receiving portions 544d protruding in a semicircular shape toward the front side at the upper and lower ends of the recessed portions 544c at both ends, a cylindrical slide rod 544e extending in the vertical direction inside the recessed portions 544c at both ends, a performance support wall 544f protruding toward the front surface at approximately the center in the vertical direction of the main body 544a, and stopper portions 544g protruding toward the back surface at both the left and right ends of the upper and lower ends of the recessed portion 544b.

The recessed portion 544b is a portion that guides the slide plate 544 relative to the expansion stopper 524 of the rotating plate 520. Therefore, the width of the inner surface of the recessed portion 544b is formed slightly larger than the width dimension of the expansion stopper 524.

The recesses 544c at both ends are portions that accommodate the protrusions through which the insertion holes 542d, 543d of the guide members 542, 543 are drilled. This allows the protrusions through which the insertion holes 542d, 543d of the guide members 542, 543 are drilled to be guided from the outside.

The rail receiving portion 544d is the portion that is accommodated in the guide rail portions 542c and 543c of the guide members 542 and 543. This makes it possible to suppress wobbling of the guide members 542 and 543 relative to the slide plate 544.

The slide rod 544e is a cylindrical rod that is inserted into the insertion holes 542d, 543d of the guide members 542, 543. This allows the guide members 542, 543 to be slidably moved in the extension direction of the slide rod 544e (the up-down direction in FIG. 26).

The performance assistance part 544f is a part that comes into contact with the hanging part 548c of the decorative member 548 when the telescopic performance device 540 is in the extended state, and moves the decorative member 548. This allows the appearance of the telescopic performance device 540 to be changed.

The stopper portion 544g abuts against the extendable stopper 524 of the rotating plate 520 and defines the upper and lower movement ends of the sliding plate 544.

The slide rail 545 is a commercially available mini rail member. One end is fastened along the rail receiving groove 523 of the rotating plate 520, and the other end opposite the one end is fastened to the recessed portion 544b of the slide plate 544.

The front plate member 546 is a presentation part visible to the player, and mainly comprises a plate-shaped main body portion 546a formed in approximately the same shape as the main body member 541 when viewed from the front, a fastening portion 546b protruding from the main body portion 546a toward the rear side in accordance with the formation position of the fastening hole 541f, and a pair of shaft support portions 546c protruding from the upper end portion of the main body portion 546a toward the rear side.

The fastening portion 546b is a portion that secures the front plate member 546 to the main body member 541, and is fastened by screwing through the fastening hole 541f.

The pivot support portion 546c is a portion that pivotally supports the connecting sliding member 547 so that it can slide. Therefore, the diameter of the pivot support portion 546c is formed to be slightly smaller than the width of the inner peripheral surface of the sliding slot 547b of the connecting sliding member 547.

The connecting sliding member 547 mainly comprises a plate-shaped main body 547a, a pair of sliding long holes 547b formed as long holes extending vertically and drilled in the front-rear direction, and a pair of insertion holes 547c drilled in the vertical direction.

The sliding long hole 547b is a portion through which the pivot support portion 546c of the front plate member 546 is inserted. Therefore, the width of the inner peripheral surface of the sliding long hole 547b is formed slightly larger than the pivot support portion 546c. A collar member having an outer diameter larger than the width of the inner peripheral surface of the sliding long hole 547b is fastened and fixed to the tip of the pivot support portion 546c, so that the connecting sliding member 547 is pivotally supported by the front plate member 546 so that it cannot be pulled out. The insertion hole 547c is a circular hole through which a fastening screw that fastens and fixes the decorative member 548 is inserted.

The decorative member 548 mainly comprises a main body 548a formed in a plate shape to which the connecting sliding member 547 is fastened and fixed from below, a front hanging portion 548b formed hanging downward from the front side of the main body 548a, and a rear hanging portion 548c formed hanging downward from the rear side of the main body 548a.

When the connecting sliding member 547 moves relative to the front plate member 546, the front hanging portion 548b can be in a state where it covers the front plate member 546 (see FIG. 43) or in a state where it is separated from the front plate member 546 and is visible (see FIG. 37). This allows the appearance of the expandable performance member 540 to be changed, improving the performance effect.

The hanging back portion 548c is the portion that comes into contact with the auxiliary wall 544f of the slide plate 544 as the telescopic performance device 540 telescopically extends and retracts, and the decorative member 548 moves relative to the front plate member 546 as the hanging back portion 548c comes into contact with the auxiliary wall 544f.

24 and 25. The pivot arm member 550 mainly comprises a main body 551 formed in a long rod shape, a shaft support hole 552 drilled in the front-rear direction at one end of the main body 551, an irregularly shaped long hole 553 which is a specially shaped long hole with a bottom formed on the back side of the main body 551 close to the shaft support hole 552, an arc-shaped hole 554 which is a long hole with a bottom in an arc shape formed on the front side of the other end opposite the one end, and a locking portion 555 which protrudes toward the back side near the shaft support hole 552 of the main body 551, has a tip bent into a hook shape, and locks the other arm of the torsion spring 517a.

The shaft support hole 552 is a circular hole through which the third shaft portion 517 of the base member 510 is inserted. Therefore, the inner diameter of the shaft support hole 552 is formed slightly larger than the diameter of the third shaft portion 517, so that the pivot arm member 550 is formed to be pivotable around the third shaft portion 517.

The irregularly shaped long hole 553 is the portion through which the sliding protrusion 574 of the rotating crank member 570 is inserted. The shape of the irregularly shaped long hole 553 will be described later.

The arc-shaped hole 554 is a long hole through which the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 is inserted. Therefore, the width dimension of the arc-shaped hole 554 is formed slightly larger than the diameter of the protrusion 541b. In addition, the arc formed by the arc-shaped hole 554 coincides with the arc formed by the protrusion 541b when the telescopic performance device 540 is in the extended state and swung around the first shaft portion 512 (see Figures 37 to 39).

The arc-shaped hole 554 also opens to the tip of the other end of the rotating arm member 550 and has a mouth portion 554a that widens at the tip.

The second drive unit 560 is a device that generates a drive force to rotate the rotating crank member 570, and mainly comprises a drive motor 561 that is fastened to the base member 510, and a drive gear 562 that is inserted into the second through hole 516 of the base member 510 and rotated about its axis by the drive motor 561.

The drive gear 562 is meshed with the transmission gear teeth 572 of the rotating crank member 570. As a result, when the drive gear 562 rotates, the rotating crank member 570 rotates accordingly.

The rotating crank member 570 is a member that transmits a driving force to the rotating arm member 550, and mainly comprises a ring-shaped main body portion 571 journaled on the second shaft portion 515, transmission gear teeth 572 engraved on the outer peripheral surface of the main body portion 571, a restricting umbrella portion 573 formed in such a manner as to cover the front side of the transmission gear teeth 572, a sliding protrusion portion 574 protruding from the front side at a position eccentric to the center of the main body portion 571, and a lid portion 575 formed with a diameter larger than the inner peripheral diameter of the main body portion 571 and fastened and fixed to the front side of the second shaft portion 515.

The transmission gear teeth 572 mesh with the drive gear 562 of the second drive device 560. This transmits the driving force of the drive motor 561 to the rotating crank member 570.

The restricting umbrella portion 573 prevents the drive gear 532 from shifting out of position toward the front side of the transmission gear teeth 572. This allows the meshing relationship between the drive gear 532 and the transmission gear teeth 572 to be optimized.

The sliding protrusion 574 is the part that is inserted into the irregularly shaped long hole 553 of the rotating arm member 550. In other words, the relationship between the shape of the sliding protrusion 574 and the rotating arm member 550 determines whether or not the driving force is transmitted.

The lid portion 575 is a part that is used to attach the main body portion 571 to the base member 510 so that it cannot be pulled out.

The relationship between the swing of the pivot arm member 550 and the rotation of the pivot crank member 570 will be described with reference to Figures 28 to 31. First, the shape of the irregular elongated hole 553 of the pivot arm member 550 will be described with reference to Figures 28(a) and 29(a).

28(a) and 29(a) are front views of the pivot arm member 550 and the pivot crank member 570. Note that FIG. 28(a) illustrates the pivot arm member 550 in a retracted position, and FIG. 29(a) illustrates the pivot arm member 550 in a protruding position. In FIGS. 28(a) and 29(a), the irregularly shaped elongated hole 553 and the sliding protrusion 574 are shown in hidden lines, and the front plate member 546 and the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 are shown in imaginary lines.

As shown in FIG. 28(a), when the pivot arm member 550 is in the retracted position, an upwardly orthogonal state is formed in which the straight line connecting the rotation axis of the pivot crank member 570 and the sliding protrusion 574 is perpendicular to the straight line connecting the rotation axis of the pivot crank member 570 and the shaft support hole 552.

As shown in FIG. 29(a), when the rotating arm member 550 is in the extended position, a downward orthogonal state can be formed in which a straight line connecting the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570 and the sliding protrusion 574 is perpendicular to a straight line connecting the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570 and the shaft support hole 552. Note that FIG. 29(a) illustrates a state in which the rotating crank member 570 has been rotated a predetermined angle counterclockwise when viewed from the front from the downward orthogonal state described above.

The irregularly shaped long hole 553 mainly comprises a transmission groove 553a through which the driving force is transmitted to the pivot arm member 550 by the movement of the sliding protrusion 574, a first non-transmission wall 553b connected to the upper end of the transmission groove 553a, a second non-transmission wall 553c connected to the lower end of the transmission groove 553a, and a selection wall 553d connecting the first non-transmission wall 553b and the second non-transmission wall 553c.

As shown in FIG. 28(a), the transmission groove 553a is a recessed groove that extends linearly to the left from the sliding protrusion 574 of the rotating crank member 570 in the upward orthogonal state. The transmission groove 553a is formed with a length that allows the sliding protrusion 574 of the rotating crank member 570 to move from the upward orthogonal state to the downward orthogonal state, and the width of the inner circumferential surface is formed slightly larger than the diameter of the sliding protrusion 574. Therefore, while the sliding protrusion 574 moves through the transmission groove 553a, the driving force is transmitted from the rotating crank member 570 to the rotating arm member 550.

As shown in FIG. 28(a), the first non-transmitting wall portion 553b is a wall portion formed along a circumscribing circle of the sliding protrusion portion 574 centered on the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570 from the upper wall surface of the right end portion of the transmitting groove portion 553a in the upward orthogonal state. In other words, when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise as viewed from the front from the upward orthogonal state, the rotating crank member 570 spins freely relative to the rotating arm member 550, and the driving force is not transmitted from the rotating crank member 570 to the rotating arm member 550.

When the rotating arm member 550 is rotated counterclockwise in front view from the state where the rotating arm member 550 is disposed in the retracted position (see FIG. 28(a)), the direction of movement of the first non-transmitting wall portion 553b is directed toward the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570. Therefore, when the sliding protrusion portion 574 is disposed opposite the first non-transmitting wall portion 553b, the load applied to the sliding protrusion portion 574 by the rotation of the rotating arm member 550 is directed toward the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570. Therefore, when the sliding protrusion portion 574 is disposed opposite the first non-transmitting wall portion 553b, rotation of the rotating arm member 550 is prevented.

29(a), when the rotating arm member 550 is in the extended position, the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c is a wall portion formed along a circumscribing circle of the sliding protrusion portion 574 centered on the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570 from the lower wall surface of the right end of the transmission groove portion 553a. That is, when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front from the downward orthogonal state (a state in which the rotating crank member 570 is rotated a predetermined amount clockwise as viewed from the state of FIG. 29(a)), the rotating crank member 570 spins freely relative to the rotating arm member 550, and the driving force is not transmitted from the rotating crank member 570 to the rotating arm member 550.

When the rotating arm member 550 is rotated clockwise as viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 29(a), the direction of movement of the second non-transmitting wall portion 553b is directed toward the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570. Therefore, when the sliding protrusion portion 574 is arranged opposite the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c (see FIG. 29(b)), the load applied to the sliding protrusion portion 574 by the rotation of the rotating arm member 550 is directed toward the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570. Therefore, when the sliding protrusion portion 574 is arranged opposite the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c, rotation of the rotating arm member 550 is prevented.

The selection wall portion 553d is a wall portion formed from a smooth curved surface connecting the right end portion of the first non-transmission wall portion 553b when viewed from the front and the right end portion of the second non-transmission wall portion 553c when viewed from the front, and is formed above the curved line extending from the first non-transmission wall portion 553b.

The selection wall 553d is disposed opposite the right side of the second non-transmission wall 553c, and is formed in such a manner that the distance from the second non-transmission wall 553c increases toward the left end of the selection wall 553d. Therefore, for example, when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise as viewed from the front from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 28(a)), in the clearance portion D (see FIG. 32(b)) between the sliding protrusion 574 passing the first non-transmission wall 553b and reaching the second non-transmission wall 553c, no driving force is transmitted to the rotating arm member 550, and no restriction of rotation occurs. In other words, no driving force is transmitted from the rotating crank member 570 to the rotating arm member 550, and no restriction of rotation of the rotating arm member 550 occurs due to the sliding protrusion 574.

The right end of the second non-transmission wall portion 553c is formed along an arc S1 centered on the shaft support hole 552 (the angle formed with the arc S1 is small), while the right end of the selection wall portion 553d is formed in such a manner that it intersects with an arc S2 centered on the shaft support hole 552 at an angle larger than the angle formed between the right end of the second non-transmission wall portion 553c and the arc S1.

In this case, when the distance between the sliding protrusion 574 and the shaft support hole 552 changes, the amount of swing of the rotating arm member 550 required to accommodate the change changes. That is, the amount of swing of the rotating arm member 550 when the distance between the sliding protrusion 574 and the shaft support hole 552 changes by a predetermined amount when the sliding protrusion 574 and the right end of the selection wall portion 553d are in contact with each other is smaller than the amount of swing of the rotating arm member 550 when the distance changes by a predetermined amount when the sliding protrusion 574 and the right end of the second non-transmission wall portion 553c are in contact with each other. Therefore, the swing speed of the rotating arm member 550 relative to the speed of the rotating crank member 570 can be changed depending on whether the sliding protrusion 574 rotates along the second non-transmission wall portion 553c or along the selection wall portion 553d.

Returning to Fig. 28 to Fig. 31, Fig. 28 to Fig. 31 are front views of the pivot arm member 550 and the pivot crank member 570, illustrating the swing of the pivot arm member 550 and the rotation of the pivot crank member 570 in chronological order. Note that Fig. 28(a) shows the upward orthogonal state described above (the pivot arm member 550 is placed in the retracted position), and Figs. 28 to 31 sequentially show the state in which the pivot crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front, with the irregular elongated hole 553 and a part of the pivot crank member 570 shown in hidden lines, and the front plate member 546 and the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 shown in imaginary lines.

In addition, in Figures 28 to 31, the telescopic performance device 540 is detected by a position detection sensor (not shown) as it telescopically extends and retracts in the vertical direction, and its swinging is stopped in that position. That is, in Figures 28 to 31, the protrusion 541b moves only in the vertical direction. In this case, the swinging of the telescopic performance device 540 is prevented by the resistance between it and the drive gear 532 of the first drive device 530 (see Figure 25).

In the state shown in FIG. 28(a), the rotating crank member 570 is in an upward orthogonal state. In this case, the reference horizontal line O is set at a position vertically downward by a distance h1 from the protrusion 541b. In other words, when the rotating crank member 570 is in an upward orthogonal state, the protrusion 541b is positioned at a position vertically upward by a distance h1 from the reference horizontal line O.

28(a) from the state, when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front (rotated counterclockwise by an angle T1 from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 28(a))), the sliding protrusion 574 is moved through the transmission groove 553a of the irregular elongated hole 553, and the protrusion 541 reaches a state (see FIG. 28(b)) in which it is positioned vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O by a distance h2 (h2<h1). During this time, the inner circumferential surface of the irregular elongated hole 553 is positioned in the direction of movement of the sliding protrusion 574 and abuts against each other, so that the driving force is transmitted from the sliding protrusion 574 to the rotating arm member 550 (transmission region). In other words, the rotating arm member 550 is swung.

When the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 28(b) (rotated counterclockwise from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 28(a)) by an angle T2 (T2 ≈ 180 degrees > T1)), the sliding protrusion 574 is moved through the transmission groove 553a of the irregular elongated hole 553 (transmission region) and enters the region facing the second non-transmission wall portion 553c, and the protrusion 541 reaches a position vertically above the reference horizontal line O by a distance h3 (h3 < h2) (see FIG. 29(a)). In other words, the rotating arm member 550 is swung.

28(c) from the state of FIG. 28(c) when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front (rotated counterclockwise by an angle T3 (T3>T2) from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 28(a))), the sliding protrusion 574 slides on the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c of the irregular long hole 553, and the state of FIG. 29(b) is reached. During this time, since the inner circumferential surface of the irregular long hole 553 is not positioned in the moving direction of the sliding protrusion 574, the sliding protrusion 574 rotates freely with respect to the rotating arm member 550, and the driving force is not transmitted from the sliding protrusion 574 to the rotating arm member 550 (non-transmitting region), and the protrusion 541 is maintained at a position spaced vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O by a distance h3.

When the rotating arm member 550 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 29(a) and FIG. 29(b), the sliding protrusion 574 is pushed by the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c toward the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570. In this case, the movement of the sliding protrusion 574 is restricted, thereby restricting the swing of the rotating arm member 550. Therefore, the rotating arm member 550 is prevented from rotating clockwise when viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 29(a) and FIG. 29(b).

Here, stopping the rotating crank member 570 is one method of stopping the rotation of the pivoting arm member 550 in the state shown in FIG. 29(a). However, if the performance speed of the pivoting arm member 550 is kept high until just before it reaches the extended position and the pivoting crank member 570 is suddenly stopped, a load is placed on the second drive device 560, and if the speed reduction of the pivoting crank member 570 is made gradual, it is not possible to improve the performance effect.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 28 and 29, the rotation of the rotating arm member 550 can be stopped in the state of Fig. 29(a) by rotating the rotating crank member 570 to the state of Fig. 29(b) without stopping it in the state of Fig. 29(a) (the protrusion 541 can be stopped at a position vertically upwardly spaced by a distance h3 from the reference horizontal line O). This allows the speed of the rotating crank member 570 to be maintained until the rotating arm member 550 reaches the extended position, and then the rotating crank member 570 can be decelerated from the state of Fig. 29(a) to the state of Fig. 29(b). Therefore, it is not necessary to suddenly stop the rotating crank member 570. Therefore, it is possible to achieve both an improvement in the performance effect of the rotating arm member 550 and an improvement in the durability of the second drive device 560.

29(b) from the state of the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front (rotated counterclockwise by angle T4 (T4 ≈ 270 degrees > T3) from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 28(a))), the sliding protrusion 574 slides on the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c of the irregular long hole 553, and the state of FIG. 30(a) is reached. During this time, since the inner circumferential surface of the irregular long hole 553 is not positioned in the moving direction of the sliding protrusion 574, the sliding protrusion 574 rotates freely with respect to the rotating arm member 550, and the driving force is not transmitted from the sliding protrusion 574 to the rotating arm member 550 (non-transmitting region), and the protrusion 541 is maintained at a position spaced vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O by a distance h3.

That is, while the rotating crank member 570 rotates 1/4 revolution counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 29(a), the rotating arm member 550 is maintained in the same posture and the protrusion 541b is maintained in the same position. In this embodiment, the length during which the rotating arm member 550 is maintained in the same posture and the protrusion 541b is maintained in the same position is set to the length during which the rotating crank member 570 rotates 1/4 revolution, but it is not necessary to be limited to this. The length during which the front plate member 546 continues to be positioned in the lower position can be changed by changing the length of the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c (see FIG. 28(a)) of the irregular elongated hole 553. For example, by making the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c longer than in this embodiment, the length during which the front plate member 546 continues to be positioned in the lower position can be made longer than in this embodiment.

When the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 30(a) (rotated counterclockwise by an angle T5 (T5>T4) from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 28(a))), the sliding protrusion 574 pushes up the selected wall portion 553d of the irregular elongated hole 553, and the protrusion 541 reaches a state (see FIG. 30(b)) in which it is positioned vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O by a distance h2 (h2>h3). During this time, the inner circumferential surface of the irregular elongated hole 553 is positioned in the direction of movement of the sliding protrusion 574 and abuts against each other, so that the driving force is transmitted from the sliding protrusion 574 to the rotating arm member 550 (transmission region).

In other words, when the pivot arm member 550 and the pivot crank member 570 are rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front, the selection wall portion 553d comes into contact with the sliding protrusion portion 574, and the driving force is transmitted to the pivot arm member 550 (transmission region).

When the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 30(b) (rotated counterclockwise from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 28(a)) by an angle T6 (T6>T5)), the sliding protrusion 574 enters the region facing the first non-transmitting wall portion 553b of the irregular elongated hole 553, and the protrusion 541 reaches a state (see FIG. 31) in which it is positioned vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O by a distance h1 (h1>h2). During this time, the inner circumferential surface of the irregular elongated hole 553 is positioned in the direction of movement of the sliding protrusion 574 and they abut against each other, so that the driving force is transmitted from the sliding protrusion 574 to the rotating arm member 550 (transmission region).

When the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 31, the sliding protrusion 574 moves through the area facing the first non-transmitting wall portion 553b of the irregular elongated hole 553, and reaches the state shown in FIG. 28(a). During this time, since the inner circumferential surface of the irregular elongated hole 553 is not positioned in the direction of movement of the sliding protrusion 574, the sliding protrusion 574 rotates freely relative to the rotating arm member 550, and no driving force is transmitted from the sliding protrusion 574 to the rotating arm member 550 (non-transmitting area).

When the rotating arm member 550 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 31, the sliding protrusion 574 is pushed by the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c toward the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570. In this case, the movement of the sliding protrusion 574 is restricted, thereby restricting the swing of the rotating arm member 550. Therefore, the rotating arm member 550 is prevented from rotating counterclockwise as viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 31.

Here, stopping the rotating crank member 570 is one method of stopping the rotation of the rotating arm member 550 in the state shown in FIG. 31. However, if the performance speed of the rotating arm member 550 is kept high until just before it reaches the retracted position and the rotating crank member 570 is suddenly stopped, a load is placed on the second drive device 560, and if the speed reduction of the rotating crank member 570 is made gradual, it is not possible to improve the performance effect.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, the rotation of the pivoting arm member 550 can be stopped in the state of FIG. 31 by rotating the pivoting crank member 570 to the state of FIG. 28(a) without stopping it in the state of FIG. 31. This allows the speed of the pivoting crank member 570 to be maintained until the pivoting arm member 550 reaches the extended position, and then the pivoting crank member 570 can be decelerated from the state of FIG. 31 to the state of FIG. 28(a). Therefore, it is not necessary to suddenly stop the pivoting crank member 570. Therefore, it is possible to improve the performance effect of the telescopic performance device 540 linked to the pivoting arm member 550 and improve the durability of the second drive device 560 at the same time.

As shown in Figures 28 to 31, by rotating the rotating crank member 570 once in the same direction, the rotating arm member 550 can be swung back and forth between the retracted position and the extended position.

From these facts, when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise at a uniform speed as shown in Figures 28 to 31, the protrusion 541b is moved downward from a position separated vertically upward by a distance h1 from the reference horizontal line O to a position separated by a distance h3 (h3 < h1) in half the period of the rotation cycle of the rotating crank member 570. During the subsequent 1/4 period of the rotation cycle, the protrusion 541b is maintained at a position separated vertically upward by a distance h3 from the reference horizontal line O, and during the subsequent 1/4 period of the rotation cycle, the protrusion 541b is moved upward from a position separated vertically upward by a distance h3 from the reference horizontal line O to a position separated by a distance h1 (h1 > h3). As a result, even when the rotating crank member 570 is moved at a uniform speed, the moving speed of the protrusion 541b (moving speed in the extension direction of the extension performance device 540) can be doubled.

Here, when the pivot arm member 550 is in the retracted position, the pivot arm member 550 and the pivot crank member 570 can form an upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 28(a)), and when the pivot arm member 550 is in the extended position, the pivot arm member 550 and the pivot crank member 570 can form a downward orthogonal state (see FIG. 29(a)). Note that the downward orthogonal state can be formed by rotating the pivot crank member 570 a predetermined amount clockwise when viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 29(a).

Therefore, in this embodiment, the rotating crank member 570 is rotated half a revolution (180 degrees) to swing the rotating arm member 550 from the retracted position to the extended position. Therefore, when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated at a constant speed, the time required for the rotating arm member 550 to be swung from the retracted position to the extended position (see FIG. 28(a) to FIG. 29(a)) can be made equal to the time required for the rotating arm member 550 to be swung from the retracted position to the extended position (see FIG. 29(a) to FIG. 31 to FIG. 28(a)).

The relationship between the swing of the pivot arm member 550 and the rotation of the pivot crank member 570 will be described with reference to Figures 32 to 35. Figures 32 to 35 are front views of the pivot arm member 550 and the pivot crank member 570, illustrating the swing of the pivot arm member 550 and the rotation of the pivot crank member 570 in chronological order. Note that Figures 32 to 35 illustrate the state in which the pivot crank member 570 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front, with the irregular elongated hole 553 and a part of the pivot crank member 570 shown in hidden lines, and the front plate member 546 and the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 shown in imaginary lines.

In FIG. 32(a), the above-mentioned upward orthogonal state is formed (the pivoting arm member 550 is placed in the retracted position), and in FIG. 32(b) to FIG. 35, the states in which the pivoting arm member 550 and the pivoting crank member 570 have been rotated a predetermined amount from FIG. 32(a) are shown in chronological order.

In the state shown in FIG. 32(a), the rotating crank member 570 is in an upward orthogonal state. In this case, the protrusion 541b is positioned at a distance h1 vertically above the reference horizontal line O.

When the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 32(a) (rotated clockwise by an angle T11 from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 32(a))), the sliding protrusion 574 moves through the area facing the first non-transmitting wall portion 553b of the irregular elongated hole 553, and reaches the state shown in FIG. 32(b). During this time, since the inner circumferential surface of the irregular elongated hole 553 is not positioned in the direction of movement of the sliding protrusion 574, the sliding protrusion 574 rotates freely relative to the rotating arm member 550, and no driving force is transmitted from the sliding protrusion 574 to the rotating arm member 550 (non-transmitting area), and the protrusion 541 is maintained at a position spaced vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O by a distance h1.

When the rotating arm member 550 is rotated counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 32(b) as viewed from the front, the movement of the sliding protrusion 574 is restricted, so that the swinging of the rotating arm member 550 is restricted. Therefore, the rotating arm member 550 is prevented from rotating counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 32(b) as viewed from the front.

When the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 32(b) when viewed from the front (rotated clockwise by an angle T12 (T12>T11) from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 32(a))), the sliding protrusion 574 is slightly separated from the inner peripheral surface of the irregularly shaped long hole 553 as shown in FIG. 33(a), and the rotating arm member 550 is swung downward by the action of gravity. In this case, in the clearance portion D between the state shown in FIG. 32(b) and the time when the sliding protrusion 574 passes over the first non-transmitting wall portion 553b and reaches the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c, no driving force is transmitted to the rotating arm member 550 (non-transmitting region), and the protrusion 541 is positioned at a distance h4 (h4<h1) vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O.

33(a) from the state of the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front (rotated clockwise by angle T13 (T13>T12) from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 32(a))), as shown in FIG. 33(b), the sliding protrusion 574 abuts against the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c of the irregular elongated hole 553 of the rotating arm member 550, which swings downward due to the action of gravity. That is, from the state of FIG. 33(b) to the state of FIG. 34(a), the driving force is transmitted to the rotating arm member 550 (transmitting region). In the state of FIG. 33(b), the protrusion 541 is positioned at a distance h5 (h5<h4) vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O.

When the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 33(b) when viewed from the front (rotated clockwise by an angle T14 (T14 ≈ 90 degrees > T13) from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 32(a))), the sliding protrusion 574 is accommodated in the right end of the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c of the irregular elongated hole 553, and the protrusion 541 reaches a state (see FIG. 34(a)) in which it is positioned vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O by a distance h3. During this time, the inner circumferential surface of the irregular elongated hole 553 abuts against the direction of movement of the sliding protrusion 574, and the driving force is transmitted to the rotating arm member 550 (transmission region).

The rotation of the rotating crank member 570 shown in Figures 32(b) to 34(a) and the rotation of the rotating crank member 570 shown in Figures 30(a) to 31 differ in the direction of rotation of the rotating crank member 570, but the rotation area (phase) of the rotating crank member 570 is the same.

In this case, when the rotating crank member 570 shown in Figures 32(b) to 34(a) rotates, the driving force is not transmitted to the rotating arm member 550 while the inner surface of the irregular elongated hole 553 is not in contact with the direction of movement of the sliding protrusion 574 of the rotating crank member 570 (non-transmission region), whereas when the rotating crank member 570 rotates as shown in Figures 30(a) to 31, the driving force is constantly transmitted to the rotating arm member 550 (transmission region).

The manner in which the driving force is transmitted to the pivoting arm member 550 can therefore be changed by changing the direction of rotation of the pivoting crank member 570. This allows the pivoting arm member 550 to produce two different performance patterns by reversing the direction of rotation of the pivoting crank member 570.

In other words, in this embodiment, when the sliding protrusion 574 of the rotating crank member 570 rotates between FIG. 32(a) and FIG. 34(a), when the rotating crank member 570 rotates clockwise as viewed from the front, the rotating arm member 550 is swung by free fall depending on the gravitational acceleration until the sliding protrusion 574 abuts against the inner circumferential surface of the irregular elongated hole 553 (non-transmission region). On the other hand, when the rotating crank member 570 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the front, the rotating arm member 550 is swung at a speed depending on the rotation speed of the rotating crank member 570 (transmission region).

As a result, even if the rotation speed of the rotating crank member 570 is constant, by reversing the rotation direction of the rotating crank member 570, it is possible to increase the variation in the swing speed of the rotating arm member 550 when the rotating crank member 570 is arranged in the same phase.

In addition, the increased variation in the swing speed of the pivot arm member 550 is achieved by the shape of the irregular elongated hole 553 (the formation of the clearance portion D), which eliminates the need for other components such as a changeover switch for changing the manner in which the driving force is transmitted to the pivot arm member 550, thereby reducing component costs.

In this embodiment, the clearance portion D is formed on the pivot hole 552 side of the rotating arm member 550. Therefore, compared to when the clearance portion D is formed on the opposite side of the pivot hole 552 with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570, the distance that the protrusion portion 541b moves downward while the sliding protrusion portion 574 passes a predetermined distance through the clearance portion D can be made longer. Therefore, while restricting the range in which the clearance portion D of the rotating crank member 570 is formed, the change in the operation of the rotating arm member 550 when the rotation direction of the rotating crank member 570 is changed can be made more noticeable.

34(a) from the state of the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front (rotated clockwise by angle T15 (T15>T14) from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 32(a))), the sliding protrusion 574 slides on the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c of the irregular long hole 553, and the state of FIG. 34(b) is reached. During this time, since the inner circumferential surface of the irregular long hole 553 is not positioned in the moving direction of the sliding protrusion 574, the sliding protrusion 574 rotates freely with respect to the rotating arm member 550, and the driving force is not transmitted from the sliding protrusion 574 to the rotating arm member 550 (non-transmitting region), and the protrusion 541 is maintained at a position spaced vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O by a distance h3.

When the rotating arm member 550 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 34(b), the sliding protrusion 574 is pushed by the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c toward the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570. In this case, the movement of the sliding protrusion 574 is restricted, and therefore the swinging of the rotating arm member 550 is restricted. Therefore, the rotating arm member 550 is prevented from rotating clockwise when viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 34(b).

34(b), when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front (rotated clockwise by angle T16 (T16 ≈ 180 degrees > T15) from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 32(a))), the sliding protrusion 574 slides against the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c of the irregular elongated hole 553, and the state of FIG. 35(a) is reached. During this time, since the inner circumferential surface of the irregular elongated hole 553 is not positioned in the direction of movement of the sliding protrusion 574, the sliding protrusion 574 rotates freely relative to the rotating arm member 550, and no driving force is transmitted from the sliding protrusion 574 to the rotating arm member 550 (non-transmitting region), and the protrusion 541 is maintained at a position spaced vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O by a distance h3.

When the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 35(a) (rotated clockwise by an angle T17 (T17>T16) from the upward orthogonal state (see FIG. 32(a))), the sliding protrusion 574 is moved through the transmission groove 553a (transmission area), and the protrusion 541 reaches a state (see FIG. 35(b)) where it is positioned vertically above the reference horizontal line O at a distance h2 (h2>h3). In other words, the rotating arm member 550 is swung.

Here, if the rotation of the rotating crank member 570 and the swinging of the rotating arm member 550 are constantly linked, it is difficult to shift the timing of starting the rotating crank member 570 and the rotating arm member 550. Therefore, when starting the rotating crank member 570 and the rotating arm member 550, it is necessary to generate a large force that is the stiffness of the force that overcomes the inertia of each member. This requires a drive device with a large driving force, and there is a risk that the drive device will become large.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, the timing of starting the rotating crank member 570 and the rotating arm member 550 can be shifted. That is, for example, only the rotating crank member 570 is rotated from the state of FIG. 34(b) to the state of FIG. 35(a), and the rotating arm member 550 can be started by linking it with the rotating crank member 570 when it reaches the state of FIG. 35(b) from the state of FIG. 35(a).

As a result, the momentum of the rotating crank member 570 can be used to start the rotating arm member 550, so the driving force required for the second drive unit 560 can be reduced. Therefore, the second drive unit 560 can be made smaller.

When the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise as viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 35(b), the sliding protrusion 574 is moved along the transmission groove 553a, and reaches the state shown in FIG. 32(a). During this time, the inner circumferential surface of the irregularly shaped elongated hole 553 is positioned in the direction of movement of the sliding protrusion 574 and abuts against each other, so that the driving force is transmitted from the sliding protrusion 574 to the rotating arm member 550 (transmission region). In other words, the rotating arm member 550 is swung.

From these facts, when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise at a constant speed as shown in Figures 32 to 35, the protrusion 541b is moved downward from a position separated vertically upward by a distance h1 from the reference horizontal line O to a position separated by a distance h3 (h3 < h1) in a period of 1/4 of the rotation period of the rotating crank member 570. During the subsequent period of 1/4 of the rotation period, the protrusion 541b is maintained at a position separated vertically upward by a distance h3 from the reference horizontal line O, and during the subsequent period of half the rotation period, the protrusion 541b is moved upward from a position separated vertically upward by a distance h3 from the reference horizontal line O to a position separated by a distance h1 (h1 > h3). As a result, even when the rotating crank member 570 is moved at a constant speed, the movement speed of the protrusion 541b (the movement speed in the extension direction of the extension performance device 540) can be doubled.

In addition, the movement speed of the rotating arm member 550 is partially accelerated by the acceleration of gravity when moving downward, while when moving upward, the speed is always in line with the rotation speed of the rotating crank member 570. This allows the manner in which the speed of the protrusion 541b (extendable performance device 540) changes depending on the direction of movement of the protrusion 541b (extendable performance device 540).

Referring to Figure 36, we will explain the change in distance of the protrusion 541b (extendable performance device 540) from the reference horizontal line O when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise.

Figure 36 is a graph showing the distance of the protrusion 541b (see Figure 28(a)) from the reference horizontal line O. The graph shown in Figure 36 shows the swing angle on the horizontal axis, which increases from the upper orthogonal state of the rotating crank member 570 (see Figure 28(a)) at the left end to the right, and the distance of the protrusion 541b from the reference horizontal line O on the vertical axis.

In FIG. 36, the distance of the protrusion 541b from the reference horizontal line O when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise is shown by the curve CC1, and the distance of the protrusion 541b from the reference horizontal line O when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise is shown by the curve CW1. Note that the curves CC1 and CW1 correspond to the states of the protrusion 541b in FIG. 28 to FIG. 35, respectively, and a curve obtained by inverting the curve CC1 from left to right is shown by an imaginary line as the curve CC2 for comparison of the respective curves when the rotating crank member 570 is arranged in the same phase. By comparing the curves CC1 and CW1, as described above, the rotation direction of the rotating crank member 570 is inverted, and the rising speed and falling speed of the protrusion 541b moved up and down by the rotating arm member 550 can be changed.

For comparison with curve CW1, curve CW2 is shown by a dashed line as the case where the rotating arm member 550 (see FIG. 28(a)) is placed in the retracted position until the sliding protrusion 574 abuts against the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c (see FIG. 28(a)) when the rotating crank member 570 rotates clockwise. This corresponds to the case where the biasing force of the torsion spring 517a (see FIG. 23) to swing the rotating arm member 550 upward is set large. In this case, the period during which the rotating arm member 550 is placed in the retracted position can be made longer.

In curves CC1 and CW1, in angle range N1 where the distance of protrusion 541b (see FIG. 28(a)) from horizontal reference line O is maintained unchanged, a non-transmission area is formed where no driving force is transmitted between pivot crank member 570 and pivot arm member 550 (see FIG. 28(a)). Note that the width of this angle range N1 can be adjusted by the width of the second non-transmission wall portion 553c (see FIG. 28(a)).

In addition, in the angle range N2 of the curve CW1 until the sliding protrusion 574 of the rotating crank member 570 (see FIG. 28(a)) abuts against the irregular elongated hole 553 (see FIG. 28(a)) of the rotating arm member 550, a non-transmission area is formed in which no driving force is transmitted between the rotating crank member 570 and the rotating arm member 550. The width of this angle range N2 can be adjusted by the width of the first non-transmission wall portion 553b (see FIG. 28(a)).

As shown in Figure 36, when the rotating crank member 570 (see Figure 28 (a)) is arranged in the same phase, between angle T11 to angle T14 and angle T4 to angle T6, the shapes of curves CW1 and CC1 are different (curve CW1 does not overlap with curve CC2, which is the left-right inverse of curve CC1).

In other words, when the rotating crank member 570 (see FIG. 28(a)) rotates in a manner lifting the rotating arm member 550 (see FIG. 28(a)) between angles T4 and T6, the curve is gentler than when the rotating crank member 570 rotates in a manner pushing down the rotating arm member 550 between angles T11 and T14.

This is because, on curve CW1, the sliding protrusion 574 (see FIG. 28(a)) abuts against the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c (see FIG. 28(a)) of the irregular elongated hole 553, causing the pivot arm member 550 (see FIG. 28(a)) to rotate, and, on curve CC1, the sliding protrusion 574 abuts against the selected wall portion 553d (see FIG. 28(a)) of the irregular elongated hole 553, causing the pivot arm member 550 to rotate.

Returning to FIG. 28(a), as described above, in the irregular elongated hole 553, the right end of the second non-transmission wall portion 553c is formed along an arc S1 centered on the shaft support hole 552 (the angle formed with the arc S1 is small), while the right end of the selection wall portion 553d is formed in a manner that intersects with an arc S2 centered on the shaft support hole 552 at an angle larger than the angle formed with the right end of the second non-transmission wall portion 553c and the arc S1.

In this case, when the distance between the sliding protrusion 574 and the pivot hole 552 changes, the amount of swing of the pivot arm member 550 required to accommodate the change changes. That is, the amount of swing of the pivot arm member 550 when the distance between the sliding protrusion 574 and the pivot hole 552 changes by a predetermined amount when the sliding protrusion 574 is in contact with the right end of the selection wall 553d is smaller than the amount of swing of the pivot arm member 550 when the distance changes by a predetermined amount when the sliding protrusion 574 is in contact with the right end of the second non-transmission wall 553c.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 36, even if the rotating crank member 570 is rotated at a constant speed, the movement speed of the protrusion 541b when the rotating crank member 570 is positioned in the same phase can be changed depending on the rotation direction of the rotating crank member 570.

28 to 35, the case where the rotating crank member 570 rotates in one direction has been described, but it is also possible to reverse the direction of rotation of the rotating crank member 570 midway. The timing for reversing the direction of rotation of the rotating crank member 570 is preferably when the sliding protrusion 574 is positioned opposite the first non-transmitting wall portion 553b (see, for example, Figures 28(a), 31, 32(a) and 32(b), the rotating arm member 550 is positioned in the retracted position) or when the sliding protrusion 574 is positioned opposite the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c (see, for example, Figures 29(a), 29(b), 34(b) and 35(a), the rotating arm member 550 is positioned in the extended position).

In this case, the pivot arm member 550 is not abutted against the rotational direction of the pivot crank member 570, so that the resistance applied from the pivot arm member 550 to the pivot crank member 570 when the rotational direction of the pivot crank member 570 is reversed can be suppressed. In addition, in this embodiment, a position detection sensor (not shown) is provided that detects whether the pivot arm member 550 is in the retracted position or the extended position, so that it is easy to control the reversal of the rotational direction of the pivot crank member 570 when the pivot arm member 550 is in the retracted position or the extended position.

By reversing the direction of rotation of the rotating crank member 570, the variation in the up and down reciprocating motion of the telescopic performance device 540 can be increased.

For example, from a state in which the pivot arm member 550 is disposed in the retracted position (see FIG. 28(a)), the pivot crank member 570 is rotated a half revolution counterclockwise (see FIG. 29(a)), and then the direction of rotation of the pivot crank member 570 is reversed and rotated a half revolution clockwise, thereby disposing the pivot arm member 550 in the retracted position (see FIG. 28(a)). That is, this is the case in which the sliding protrusion 574 is moved on the opposite side of the shaft support hole 552.

In this case, the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 moves downward from a position spaced a distance h1 vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O to a position spaced a distance h3 (h3<h1) from the reference horizontal line O in a period that is half the rotational period of the rotating crank member 570. In this case, the protrusion 541b moves downward along a curve CC1 (see FIG. 36) whose horizontal axis is from 0 degrees to 180 degrees. Next, the protrusion 541b moves upward from a position spaced a distance h3 vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O to a position spaced a distance h1 (h1>h3) from the reference horizontal line O in a period that is half the rotational period of the rotating crank member 570. In this case, the protrusion 541b moves upward along a curve CW1 (see FIG. 36) whose horizontal axis is from 180 degrees to 360 degrees.

As a result, when the rotating crank member 570 rotates at a constant speed, the period during which the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 moves downward a predetermined distance (h1-h3) can be made the same as the period during which it moves upward a predetermined distance (h1-h3).

In addition, for example, from a state in which the pivot arm member 550 is disposed in the retracted position (see FIG. 32(a)), the pivot crank member 570 is rotated 1/4 revolution clockwise (see FIG. 34(a)), and then the direction of rotation of the pivot crank member 570 is reversed and rotated 1/4 revolution counterclockwise, thereby disposing the pivot arm member 550 in the retracted position (see FIG. 32(a)). In other words, this is the case in which the sliding protrusion 574 moves to the side closest to the shaft support hole 552.

In this case, the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 moves downward from a position spaced a distance h1 vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O to a position spaced a distance h3 (h3<h1) from the reference horizontal line O in a period of 1/4 of the rotation period of the rotating crank member 570. In this case, the protrusion 541b moves downward along a curve CW1 (see FIG. 36) whose horizontal axis is from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. Next, the protrusion 541b moves upward from a position spaced a distance h3 vertically upward from the reference horizontal line O to a position spaced a distance h1 (h1>h3) from the reference horizontal line O in a period of 1/4 of the rotation period of the rotating crank member 570. In this case, the protrusion 541b moves upward along a curve CC1 (see FIG. 36) whose horizontal axis is from 270 degrees to 360 degrees.

As a result, when the rotating crank member 570 rotates at a constant speed, the period during which the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 moves downward a predetermined distance (h1-h3) can be made the same as the period during which it moves upward a predetermined distance (h1-h3), and the predetermined period can be made shorter than when the sliding protrusion 574 moves on the opposite side of the shaft support hole 552.

In addition, when the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 moves downward, it can be partially in a free fall (from angle T11 to angle T13), while when the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 moves upward, it is always moved at a speed that matches the rotation speed of the rotating crank member 570. Therefore, even if the rotation speed of the rotating crank member 570 is the same, the movement mode (degree of speed change) of the telescopic performance device 540 when the rotating crank member 570 is arranged in the same phase can be changed depending on the movement direction of the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540. In other words, the curve CW1 and the curve CC2 in the range from angle T11 to angle T13 in FIG. 36 can be made different.

Next, we will explain the difference in the swing angle due to the difference in the stretching state of the stretching performance device 540. First, we will explain the swing angle when the stretching performance device 540 forms an extended state.

37 to 39 are front views of the composite operation unit 500. Note that, in Figs. 37 to 39, the case where the telescopic performance device 540 forms an extended state (when the rotating arm member 550 is placed in the extended position) is illustrated. Also, in Fig. 37, the state where the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 is placed on the vertical line of the first shaft portion 512 of the base member 510 is illustrated, in Fig. 38, the state where the protrusion 541 is moved counterclockwise in front view from the state of Fig. 37, and in Fig. 39, the state where the protrusion 541 is moved clockwise in front view from the state of Fig. 37. Note that the posture of the rotating arm member 550 illustrated in Figs. 37 to 39 is the same as the posture of the rotating arm member 550 illustrated in Fig. 29(a). Therefore, in Figs. 37 to 39, the front plate member 546 is positioned at a distance h3 above the reference horizontal line O.

37 to 39, when the telescopic performance device 540 forms an extended state, the swing trajectory of the protrusion 541b is formed in an arc shape centered on the first shaft portion 512 and follows the extension direction of the arc hole 554 of the rotating arm member 550. In other words, the arc hole 554 extends along the swing trajectory of the protrusion 541b. Therefore, the inner surface of the arc hole 554 is not positioned facing the swing direction of the protrusion 541b, and the arc hole 554 does not act as a stopper to stop the swing of the protrusion 541b. Therefore, the swing angle of the protrusion 541b depends on the manner in which the swing of the rotating plate 520 is regulated. That is, the rotating plate 520 can be swung until it abuts against the third stopper portion 518c, the protrusion portion 541b can be swung counterclockwise in a front view up to a swing angle of θ1, and the rotating plate 520 can be swung until it abuts against the second stopper portion 518b, and the protrusion portion 541b can be swung clockwise in a front view up to a swing angle of θ2.

As shown in FIG. 39, when the protrusion 541b is swung to the left side when viewed from the front at a swing angle of θ2, the protrusion 541b moves away from the arc-shaped hole 554 of the rotating arm member 550. In this case, the telescopic performance device 540 moves in the telescopic direction independently of the rotating arm member 550, and the protrusion 541b cannot return to the arc-shaped hole 554, which may cause malfunction.

In contrast, in this embodiment, even when the protrusion 541b is separated from the arc-shaped hole 554 of the rotating arm member 550, the first raising fastening portion 541c and the guide fastening portion 541e of the telescopic performance device 540 are arranged to be engageable with the rotating arm member 550, so that the protrusion 541b can be aligned with the arc-shaped hole 554. In other words, the telescopic performance device 540 can be prevented from moving in the telescopic direction independently of the rotating arm member 550.

This makes it possible to shorten the length of the pivot arm member 550 while eliminating the defect in which the protrusion 541b cannot return to the arc-shaped hole 554. This reduces the area required for the pivot arm member 550, thereby making it possible to secure an area for the other movable members. In addition, the material cost of the pivot arm member 550 can be reduced.

Furthermore, if the pivot arm member 550 pivots with the protrusion 541b spaced away from the arc-shaped hole 554 (see FIG. 39), the positional relationship between the protrusion 541b and the arc-shaped hole 554 will shift, making it difficult for the protrusion 541b to return to the arc-shaped hole 554, which may result in malfunction. In contrast, in this embodiment, the sliding protrusion 574 abuts against the irregular elongated hole 553, preventing the pivot arm member 550 from pivoting (see FIG. 39).

In addition, the movement trajectory of the point on the farthest side from the rotation axis of the sliding protrusion 574 (the point farthest from the rotation axis) is formed along the side surface of the irregularly shaped elongated hole 553 that abuts against the sliding protrusion 574 (see FIG. 39), so that the rotating crank member 570 can be rotated counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 39 while maintaining the posture of the rotating arm member 550.

Now consider the case where, for example, as shown in Figures 28 to 31, when the rotating crank member 570 rotates counterclockwise, the protrusion 541b moves away from the arc-shaped hole 554 immediately after the rotating arm member 550 is placed in the extended position (see Figure 29(a)), and then the protrusion 541b returns to the arc-shaped hole 554 before the rotating crank member 570 is placed in the state shown in Figure 30(a). If the protrusion 541b has returned to the arc-shaped hole 554, even if the rotating crank member 570 is further rotated and the rotating arm member 550 swings to the state shown in Figure 30(b), there will be no malfunction in which the protrusion 541b cannot return to the arc-shaped hole 554.

In this case, when the rotating arm member 550 and the telescopic performance device 540 are each caused to swing, there is no need to control the stopping or starting of the rotating crank member 570 in accordance with the positional relationship between the protrusion 541b and the arc-shaped hole 554, and the rotating crank member 570 can continue to rotate. In other words, it is only the timing of the swing of the telescopic performance device 540 that needs to be controlled, and there is no need to control the rotating crank member 570, which can be allowed to continue rotating. Therefore, the control burden of the complex operation of swinging the telescopic performance device 540 and the rotating arm member 550 at different timings can be reduced.

In this embodiment, a tip portion 554a is formed that widens the width of the arc-shaped hole 554 as it approaches the opening end of the arc-shaped hole 554 (the left end in FIG. 39). This allows for a large tolerance to misalignment (misalignment in the direction of extension and retraction of the telescopic performance device 540) when the protrusion 541b returns to the arc-shaped hole 554, and ensures a large clearance between the first raising fastening portion 541c and the guide fastening portion 541e and the rotating arm member 550.

Next, the swing angle when the telescopic performance device 540 forms an intermediate state between the extended state and the contracted state will be described. By swinging the rotating arm member 550 clockwise from the state in which the telescopic performance device 540 is in the extended state (see FIG. 37), the protrusion 541b moves in correspondence with the arc-shaped hole 554, and the telescopic performance device 540 forms the intermediate state.

Figures 40 to 42 are front views of the composite operation unit 500. Note that Figures 40 to 42 show the case where the telescopic performance device 540 forms an intermediate state (where the pivoting arm member 550 is positioned halfway between the extended position and the retracted position). In this case, the radius formed by the swinging trajectory of the protrusion 541b is shorter than when the telescopic performance device 540 forms an extended state (see Figures 37 to 39). In other words, the swinging trajectory of the protrusion 541b changes depending on the state of the telescopic performance device 540 in the telescopic direction.

In addition, FIG. 40 illustrates a state in which the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 is positioned on the vertical line of the first shaft portion 512 of the base member 510, FIG. 41 illustrates a state in which the protrusion 541 is moved counterclockwise when viewed from the front from the state of FIG. 40, and FIG. 42 illustrates a state in which the protrusion 541 is moved clockwise when viewed from the front from the state of FIG. 40.

The posture of the pivoting arm member 550 shown in Figures 40 to 42 is the same as the posture of the pivoting arm member 550 shown in Figure 28 (b). Therefore, in Figures 40 to 42, the front plate member 546 is positioned at a distance h2 above the reference horizontal line O.

At this time, the front plate member 546 moves in conjunction with the arc-shaped hole 554 moving upward as a result of the pivoting of the pivoting arm member 550. Therefore, the arc-shaped hole 554 has both the function of changing the pivot angle of the protrusion 541b, as described below, and the function of linking the pivoting arm member 550 and the front plate member 546. This allows for the integration of functions.

As shown in Figures 40 to 42, when the telescopic performance device 540 forms an intermediate state, the swing trajectory of the protrusion 541b and the shape of the arc-shaped hole 554 of the rotating arm member 550 have different radii of curvature and postures, although the central axes of the radii of curvature of both coincide at the upper side. The swing trajectory of the protrusion 541b and the arc-shaped hole 554 intersect at a formation angle α1 (see Figure 42), so the arc-shaped hole 554 acts as a stopper that stops the swing of the protrusion 541b (see Figure 42).

As shown in FIG. 41, when the rotating plate 520 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the front, the protrusion 541b does not come into contact with the arc-shaped hole 554. In other words, the rotating plate 520 is allowed to swing until it comes into contact with the third stopper portion 518c, and therefore the protrusion 541b is allowed to swing counterclockwise as viewed from the front up to a swing angle θ3 (angle θ3 = angle θ1).

As shown in FIG. 42, when the rotating plate 520 rotates clockwise when viewed from the front, the protrusion 541b abuts against the first stopper surface 554b of the arc-shaped hole 554. In this state, the guide fastening portion 541e abuts against the upper surface of the rotating arm member 550, preventing the state of the telescopic performance device 540 from changing in the telescopic direction, so that the swinging of the telescopic performance device 540 is stopped in the state shown in FIG. 42.

That is, the rotating plate 520 does not swing until it abuts against the third stopper portion 518c, and the protrusion portion 541b can swing clockwise in a front view up to a swing angle θ4 (angle θ4 < angle θ2). Therefore, the swing angle of the protrusion portion 541b can be changed depending on the state of the extension direction of the extension performance device 540. This makes it possible to increase the variation in the swing angle of the extension performance device 540 by varying the extension state of the extension performance device 540. Note that in the state shown in FIG. 42, the guide fastening portion 541e abuts against the main body portion 551 of the rotating arm member 550.

Next, the swing angle when the telescopic performance device 540 forms a contracted state will be described. By swinging the rotating arm member 550 clockwise from a state in which the telescopic performance device 540 is in an intermediate state (see FIG. 40), the protrusion 541b moves in correspondence with the arc-shaped hole 554, and the telescopic performance device 540 forms a contracted state.

Figures 43 to 45 are front views of the composite action unit 500. Note that Figures 43 to 45 show the case where the telescopic performance device 540 forms a contracted state (where the pivoting arm member 550 is placed in the retracted position). In this case, the radius formed by the swinging trajectory of the protrusion 541b is shorter than when the telescopic performance device 540 forms an intermediate state (see Figures 40 to 42). In other words, the swinging trajectory of the protrusion 541b changes depending on the state of the telescopic performance device 540 in the telescopic direction.

In addition, FIG. 43 shows a state in which the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 540 is positioned on the vertical line of the first shaft portion 512 of the base member 510, FIG. 44 shows a state in which the protrusion 541 is moved counterclockwise in a front view from the state of FIG. 43, and FIG. 45 shows a state in which the protrusion 541 is moved clockwise in a front view from the state of FIG. 43. Note that the posture of the pivot arm member 550 shown in FIGS. 43 to 45 is the same as the posture of the pivot arm member 550 shown in FIG. 28(a). Therefore, in FIGS. 43 to 45, the front plate member 546 is positioned at a distance h1 above the reference horizontal line O.

At this time, the front plate member 546 moves in conjunction with the arc-shaped hole 554 moving upward as a result of the pivoting of the pivoting arm member 550. Therefore, the arc-shaped hole 554 has both the function of changing the pivot angle of the protrusion 541b and the function of linking the pivoting arm member 550 and the front plate member 546. This allows for the integration of functions.

As shown in Figures 43 to 45, when the telescopic performance device 540 forms a contracted state, the swing trajectory of the protrusion 541b and the shape of the arc-shaped hole 554 of the rotating arm member 550 are different from each other, and the central axis of the radius of curvature is reversed. That is, the central axis of the radius of curvature of the swing trajectory of the protrusion 541b is below the protrusion 541b, and the central axis of the radius of curvature of the arc-shaped hole 554 is located above the arc-shaped hole 554. In this case, the swing trajectory of the protrusion 541b and the arc-shaped hole 554 intersect at the formation angle α2 (angle α2 > angle α1), and the arc-shaped hole 554 acts as a stopper that stops the swing of the protrusion 541b (see Figures 44 and 45).

As shown in FIG. 44, when the rotating plate 520 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front, the protrusion 541b abuts against the second stopper surface 554c of the arc-shaped hole 554. In this case, the rotating plate 520 does not swing until it abuts against the third stopper portion 518c (see FIG. 41), and the protrusion 541b can swing counterclockwise as viewed from the front up to a swing angle θ5 (angle θ5 < angle θ1 = angle θ3).

As shown in FIG. 45, when the rotating plate 520 rotates clockwise when viewed from the front, the protrusion 541b abuts against the third stopper surface 554d of the arc-shaped hole 554. In this case, the rotating plate 520 does not swing until it abuts against the third stopper portion 518c, and the protrusion 541b can swing up to a swing angle θ6 in a clockwise direction when viewed from the front (angle θ6 < angle θ4 < angle θ2). Therefore, the swing angle of the protrusion 541b can be changed depending on the state of the extension direction of the telescopic performance device 540. This allows the variation in the swing width of the telescopic performance device 540 to be increased.

Here, the angle α2 formed between the movement trajectory of the protrusion 541b in the reduced state and the arc-shaped hole 554 is greater than the angle α1 formed between the movement trajectory of the protrusion 541b in the intermediate state and the arc-shaped hole 554.

In the relationship between the swing trajectory of the protrusion 541b and the arc-shaped hole 554, if the angle is 90 degrees, the protrusion 541b swings in a manner that crosses the arc-shaped hole 554, and the swing angle of the protrusion 541b is minimized. On the other hand, in the relationship between the swing trajectory of the protrusion 541b and the arc-shaped hole 554, if the angle is 0 degrees (see Figures 37 to 39), the protrusion 541b swings along the extension direction of the arc-shaped hole 554, and the swing angle of the protrusion 541b is maximized. Therefore, the swing angle of the protrusion 541b in the reduced state (forming angle α2) can be made smaller than the swing angle of the protrusion 541b in the intermediate state (forming angle α1) (forming angle α1 < forming angle α2).

As described above, the swing angle of the protrusion 541b is changed by changing the extension state of the telescopic performance device 540, and at that time, the inner circumferential surface of the arc-shaped hole 554 (first stopper surface 554b, second stopper surface 554c, and third stopper surface 554d) functions as a stopper that regulates the swing angle of the telescopic performance device 540. This allows the inner circumferential surface of the arc-shaped hole 554 to double as a part that regulates the swing angle of the protrusion 541b in each case where the extension state of the telescopic performance device 540 is different. Therefore, the space required for arranging the stopper that regulates the swing angle of the protrusion 541b can be reduced.

In addition, the stopper that regulates the swing angle of the telescopic performance device 540 is retracted from the front side of the third pattern display device 81 when the pivoting arm member 550 is placed in the retracted position. Therefore, unlike the case where a fixed stopper is arranged on the front side of the third pattern display device 81, the stopper can be prevented from remaining on the front side of the third pattern display device 81 even when the pivoting arm member 550 is placed in the retracted position. As a result, when the pivoting arm member 550 is placed in the retracted position, other members can be placed in front of the third pattern display device 81, so that protruding space for other movable members (for example, the support member 720 of the slide operation unit 700) can be secured.

The arc-shaped hole 554 of the pivoting arm member 550 also functions as a stopper that restricts the swing angle of the telescopic performance device 540, and as a transmission device that transmits the driving force of the second drive device 560 to the telescopic performance device 540 by swinging the pivoting arm member 550, causing the telescopic performance device 540 to perform a telescopic operation. This allows for the integration of functions and a reduction in the number of parts.

The tilting motion unit 600 and the sliding motion unit 700 will be described with reference to Figures 46 to 57. The tilting motion unit 600 is a unit that causes the performance member 620 to swivel (tilt) (see Figure 12), and the sliding motion unit 700 is a unit that causes the tilting motion unit 600 to slide left and right. Figure 46 is a front perspective view of the tilting motion unit 600 and the sliding motion unit 700, and Figure 47 is a rear perspective view of the tilting motion unit 600 and the sliding motion unit 700. Note that Figures 46 and 47 show the state in which the support members 720 (see Figure 47) of the tilting motion unit 600 and the sliding motion unit 700 are arranged in the retracted position.

Figure 48 is an exploded front perspective view of the slide operation unit 700, and Figure 49 is an exploded rear perspective view of the slide operation unit 700. Note that in Figures 48 and 49, the tilt operation unit 600 is not shown disassembled to facilitate understanding.

The sliding operation unit 700 mainly comprises a base member 710 formed in a long plate shape in the left-right direction, a support member 720 having one end fastened to a slide plate 711 of the base member 710 and formed so as to be slidable in the left-right direction, a slide rail 730 having one end fastened to the support member 720 and the other end to which the base member 610 of the tilting operation unit 600 is fastened and formed so as to be expandable in the up-down direction, a connecting member 740 formed so as to be slidable on the rear rail portion 716 of the main body portion 710 and pivoted to the pivot support protrusion 612 of the tilting operation unit 600, a driving device 750 that generates a driving force for moving the support member 720 in the left-right direction, and a rear cover member 760 formed on the rear side of the driving device 750 and fastened to the base member 710.

The base member 710 is a member forming the framework of the sliding operation unit 700, and includes a slide plate 711 formed so as to be slidable in the left-right direction and to which the support member 720 is fastened and fixed from the rear side, a shaft support hole 712 formed in a circular cross section in the lower left part of the base member 710 as viewed from the rear and supporting the fixed shaft portion 753a, a slide shaft support hole 713 formed in an elongated hole shape extending in the left-right direction in the lower right part of the base member 710 as viewed from the rear, which is aligned with the shaft support hole 712 in the up-down position and supports the moving shaft portion 754a in a slidable manner, a lever member 714 formed so as to be swingable up and down by a solenoid and which restricts the movement of the locking portion 725 of the support member 720 in the left-right direction, and the base member 710. The base member 710 is mainly provided with a front rail portion 715 that protrudes from the upper end of the base member 710 in a cross-sectionally downwardly arc shape toward the front side and on which the upper rolling member 742 of the connecting member 740 rolls, a rear rail portion 716 that is recessed from the rear side into the front rail portion 715 in a cross-sectionally arc shape and through which the insertion plate portion 741b of the connecting member 740 is inserted, a slide origin detection sensor 717 that is disposed on the right side of the shaft support hole 712 in a position that matches the vertical position of the shaft support hole 712 in the lower left corner as viewed from the rear of the base member 710, and a slide origin detection sensor 718 that is disposed on the left side of the slide shaft support hole 713 in a position that matches the vertical position of the slide shaft support hole 713 in the lower right corner as viewed from the rear of the base member 710.

The lever member 714 restricts the left-right sliding movement of the support member 720 fastened to the slide plate 711, making it possible to eliminate the need for the driving force of the drive device 750 when maintaining the tilting operation unit 600 in the retracted position.

Here, in this embodiment, the tilting motion unit 600 is moved along the formation direction (arc track) of the front rail portion 715 and the back rail portion 716, so that the support member 720 connected to the tilting motion unit 600 can slide left and right due to the action of gravity applied to the tilting motion unit 600. For example, when the tilting motion unit 600 is placed in the retracted position (see FIG. 46), the movement direction of the tilting motion unit 600 is directed diagonally downward along the shape of the front rail portion 715. Therefore, even if the movement direction of the support member 720 connected to the tilting motion unit 600 is the left and right direction along the movement direction of the slide plate 711, there is a risk that the support member 720 will move due to gravity. In this embodiment, the lever member 714 is swung downward to engage with the locking portion 725 of the support member 720, and the movement of the support member 720 in the left and right direction is restricted, so that the support member 720 can be maintained in the retracted position even if the driving force of the drive device 750 is not required. This improves the durability of the drive unit 750.

The slide origin detection sensor 717 is used to detect whether the support member 720 is located at the origin position (retracted position) of the slide movement. The slide origin detection sensor 717 has a pair of light emitting units and light receiving units, which are arranged in the front-rear direction of the pachinko machine 10. Specifically, the light emitting unit is arranged to irradiate light from the rear side to the front side of the pachinko machine 10, and the light receiving unit is arranged with a gap of 10 mm on the front side of the light emitting unit so that the light irradiated from the light emitting unit can be received (detected). Although details will be described later, when the support member 720, which is movable in the left-right direction, is moved to the origin position (retracted position), the lower end of the support member 720 is configured to be located between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the slide origin detection sensor 717. Therefore, when the support member 720 is located at the origin position (retracted position), the light traveling from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit is blocked by the lower end of the support member 720. This makes it possible to determine whether the support member 720 is located at the origin position (retracted position) by determining whether the light irradiated from the light-emitting portion of the slide origin detection sensor 717 to the light-receiving portion is blocked.

The slide position detection sensor 718 is used to detect whether the support member 720 is located at the extension position of the slide movement. The slide position detection sensor 718 has a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit in the same positional relationship as the slide origin sensor 717. Although details will be described later, when the support member 720, which is movable in the left-right direction, is moved to the extension position, the lower end of the support member 720 is configured to be located between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the slide position detection sensor 718. Therefore, when the support member 720 is located at the extension position, the light traveling from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit is blocked by the lower end of the support member 720. As a result, by determining whether the light irradiated from the light emitting unit of the slide position detection sensor 718 to the light receiving unit is blocked, it is possible to determine whether the support member 720 is located at the extension position.

The support member 720 includes a main body 721 formed in a plate shape long in the vertical direction, a first fastening portion 722 that is connected to the lower end of the main body 721 in the left-right direction and drilled in the front-rear direction, and through which a screw that is fastened and fixed to the slide plate 711 of the base member 710 is inserted, a second fastening portion 723 that is connected to the left end of the main body 721 in the vertical direction and drilled in the front-rear direction, and through which a slide rail 730 is fastened and fixed, a slide hole 724 that is an elongated hole that extends in a direction parallel to the connecting direction of the second fastening portion 723 and is formed on the right side of the main body 721 in the front view, and a second fastening portion 723 that is connected to the left end of the main body 721 in the front view. It mainly comprises a hook-shaped locking portion 725 that protrudes upward from the lower right end of the main body 721 and engages with the lever member 714, a lower cover portion 726 that is fastened to the underside of the main body 721 and sandwiches the belt 755 of the drive unit 750 between the main body 721 and the lower cover portion 726, a rolling portion 727 that protrudes from the rear side of the lower end of the main body 721 and is formed so as to be able to roll on the inner circumferential surface of the slide recessed portion 764 of the rear cover member 760, and a coil spring 728 that is suspended downward and forward from the upper end of the main body 721 and is connected at its lower end to the hook-shaped portion 617 of the base member 610.

The slide rail 730 is fastened and fixed to the support member 720 in a position that allows it to expand and contract in the direction of the connection of the second fastening portion 723.

The slide hole 724 is an elongated hole extending in a direction parallel to the direction in which the second fastening portion 723 is connected, and is an elongated hole through which the auxiliary member 615 of the tilting motion unit 600 is inserted. Therefore, the slide hole 724 can suppress deviation in the left-right posture of the tilting motion unit 600 that moves up and down (relative rotation of the tilting motion unit 600 with respect to the support member 720).

The lower cover portion 726 has teeth formed on the upper surface thereof, which extend in the front-rear direction. These teeth are shaped to mesh with teeth formed on the inner peripheral surface of the belt 755 of the drive device 750. This makes it possible to prevent the support member 720 from slipping relative to the belt 755 of the drive device 750.

In addition, the lower cover 726 is provided with a shielding portion 726a on the underside for shielding light emitted from the light emitting portion of the slide origin detection sensor 717 or the slide position detection sensor 718. The shielding portion 726a has a rectangular shape that is long horizontally in the sliding direction (left-right direction) of the support member 720 (and the tilting operation unit 600), and is formed so that its thickness in the vertical direction to the movable direction is thinner (about 1 mm) than the gap (about 10 mm) between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion of the slide origin detection sensor 717 or the slide position detection sensor 718. This shielding portion 726a is movable between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion of the slide origin detection sensor 717 or the slide position detection sensor 718 by moving the support member 720 in the left-right direction. When the support member 720 (and the tilting motion unit 600) is at the origin position (retracted position), the shielding portion 726a is located between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion of the slide origin detection sensor 717, and the light irradiated from the light-emitting portion of the slide origin detection sensor 717 to the light-receiving portion is shielded. When the support member 720 (and the tilting motion unit 600) is at the extended position, the shielding portion 726a is located between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion of the slide position detection sensor 718, and the light irradiated from the light-emitting portion of the slide position detection sensor 718 to the light-receiving portion is shielded. As a result, when it is detected that the light-receiving portion (or the light-emitting portion) of the slide origin detection sensor 717 is shielded by the shielding portion 726a, it can be determined that the tilting motion unit 600 is disposed at the origin position (retracted position). Furthermore, if it is detected that the light receiving portion (or light emitting portion) of the slide position detection sensor 718 is blocked by the blocking portion 726a, it can be determined that the tilting operation unit 600 is positioned in the extended position.

The rolling portion 727 is rotatably inserted into the slide recess 764 of the rear cover 760, thereby suppressing frictional resistance and suppressing tilt in the front-rear direction around the lower end of the support member 720.

The coil spring 728 provides a biasing force that moves the tilt motion unit 600 upward. The biasing force from the coil spring 728 is constantly applied to the tilt motion unit 600, so that the tilt motion unit 600 is prevented from falling downward due to gravity.

The connecting member 740 mainly comprises a triangular plate-shaped main body member 741 rotatably supported on the pivot support protrusion 612 of the tilting operation unit 600, a pair of cylindrical upper rolling members 742 supported on a rolling shaft 741c protruding from the main body member 741 and rolling on the upper surface of the front rail portion 715 of the base member 710, a front cover member 743 fastened to the rolling shaft 741c of the main body member 741 from the front side and arranged in a manner covering the front side of the front rail portion 715, and a cylindrical lower rolling member 744 arranged on the lower back side of the front cover member 743, with its lower half fitted and held by the front cover member 743 and its upper half rolling on the underside of the front rail portion 715.

The main body member 741 is a triangular plate-shaped member, and mainly comprises a support portion 741a, which is a circular recess recessed from the back surface at the upper end and rotatably supported by the support protrusion 612 of the tilting operation unit 600, a plate-shaped member protruding toward the front side at the lower end and inserted slidably into the rear rail portion 716 of the base member 710, and a pair of rolling shafts 741c, which protrude in a cylindrical shape toward the front side from positions that are symmetrical with respect to the perpendicular line drawn from the support portion 741a to the insertion plate portion 741b, and on which the upper rolling member 742 is rotatably supported.

The insertion plate portion 741b is inserted into the rear rail portion 716 of the base member 710, so that the connecting member 740 is formed to be movable along the rear rail portion 716. Therefore, the tilting operation unit 600 pivotally supported by the pivot support portion 741a is also formed to be movable along the rear rail portion 716.

The rolling shafts 741c are formed in a pair at positions that are linearly symmetrical with respect to a perpendicular line drawn from the pivot support portion 741a to the insertion plate portion 741b. Therefore, when the pair of rolling shafts 741c abut against the front rail portion 715, which is formed in an arc shape, via the upper rolling portion 742, the load (force in the normal direction of the arc) applied to the connecting member 740 from the upper surface of the front rail portion 715 passes through the pivot support portion 741a. Therefore, the pivot support protrusion 612 of the tilting operation unit 600 can be stably held by the connecting member 740.

The upper rolling member 742 is rotatably supported by the support portion 741a and abuts against the upper surface of the front rail portion 715. That is, when the connecting member 740 slides along the front rail portion 715, the upper rolling member 742 rolls on the upper surface of the front rail portion 715. This reduces the frictional resistance that occurs when the connecting member 740 slides, and suppresses the driving force required for the sliding movement.

The lower half of the lower rolling member 744 is rotatably fitted onto the lower part of the front cover member 743, and the upper end abuts against the underside of the front rail portion 715. In other words, when the connecting member 740 slides along the front rail portion 715, the lower rolling portion 744 rolls on the underside of the front rail portion 715. This reduces the frictional resistance generated between the connecting member 740 and the front rail portion 715 when the connecting member 740 slides, and suppresses the driving force required for the sliding movement.

In this manner, in this embodiment, the upper rolling member 742 rolls on the upper surface of the front rail portion 715, and the lower rolling member 744 rolls on the lower surface of the front rail portion 715. This makes it possible to maintain the upper and lower surfaces of the front rail portion 715 sandwiched between the upper rolling member 742 and the lower rolling member 744 of the connecting member 740 while suppressing frictional resistance.

As described below, the tilting motion unit 600 has a center of gravity formed at the top, so there is a risk of it tilting in the front-to-rear direction. In this case, the connecting member 740 sandwiches the top and bottom surfaces of the front rail portion 715 between the upper rolling member 742 and the lower rolling member 744, so it is possible to generate resistance to the tilting motion unit 600 tilting in both the front and rear directions. This makes it easier to maintain the posture of the tilting motion unit 600.

The front cover member 743 is supported from the front side of the rolling shaft 741c of the connecting member 740, thereby supporting the upper rolling member 742 so that it cannot be pulled out.

The driving device 750 mainly includes a driving motor 751 that is fastened to the base member 710 and generates a driving force that slides the support member 720, a driving gear 752 that is axially supported by the driving motor 751, a fixed shaft gear 753 that is meshed with the driving gear 752 and has a belt 755 wound around it, a shaft moving gear 754 that is disposed at a distance from the fixed shaft gear 753 and has a belt 755 wound around it and is formed so that the rotating shaft 754a can slide, the belt 755 that is wound around the fixed shaft gear 753 and the moving shaft gear 754 and is moved by the rotation of the fixed shaft gear 753, and a coil spring 756 that generates a biasing force that moves the moving shaft gear 754 in a direction away from the fixed shaft gear 753.

The shaft fixed gear 753 is a cylindrical member serving as a rotating shaft and has a fixed shaft portion 753a that is inserted into the shaft support hole 712 of the base member 710. The shaft moving gear 754 is a cylindrical member serving as a rotating shaft and has a moving shaft portion 754a that is inserted into the slide shaft support hole 713 of the base member 710.

The shaft fixed gear 753 and the shaft moving gear 754 are formed as gears of the same shape. The inner peripheral surface of the belt 755 is formed with teeth that mesh with the gear teeth of the shaft fixed gear 753 and the shaft moving gear 754. This suppresses slippage between the belt 755 and the shaft fixed gear 753 and the shaft moving gear 754, and ensures that the amount of rotation of the shaft fixed gear 753 is transmitted to the belt 755.

One end of the coil spring 756 is fixed to a hook-shaped portion formed on the right side of the slide shaft support hole 713n of the base member 710 when viewed from behind, and the other end is fixed to a case that covers the shaft moving gear 754. This generates a biasing force that moves the shaft moving gear 754 to the opposite side of the shaft support hole 712, and provides an appropriate tension to the belt 755, preventing the belt 755 from falling off the shaft fixed gear 753 and the shaft moving gear 754.

The rear cover member 760 is a member that covers the drive unit 750 on the rear side of the base member 710, and mainly comprises a main body portion 761 formed in a box shape with an open front side, a recessed portion 762 that is a recess on the bottom surface of the main body portion 761 to receive the fixed shaft portion 753a, a moving recessed portion 763 that is an extension of the same shape as the slide shaft support hole 713 and is an recess to receive the moving shaft portion 754a, and a sliding recessed portion 764 that is an extension in the left-right direction and is an recess to receive the rolling portion 727.

The slide recess 764 is a recess in which the rolling portion 727 rolls on its upper and lower inner surfaces. This suppresses the frictional resistance of the sliding movement of the support member 720 and also suppresses tilting of the support member 720 in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, when the support member 720 tilts in the front-to-rear direction, the rolling portion 727 abuts against either the upper inner surface or the lower inner surface of the slide recess 764. This makes it possible to suppress tilting of the support member 720 in the front-to-rear direction.

Next, the tilting motion unit 600 will be described with reference to Figures 50 and 51. Figure 50 is an exploded front perspective view of the tilting motion unit 600, and Figure 51 is an exploded rear perspective view of the tilting motion unit 600.

The tilting operation unit 600 mainly comprises a plate-shaped base member 610 fastened to the other end of the slide rail 730, a box-shaped performance member 620 whose lower end is pivotally supported on the base member 610 so as to be swingable, a first drive unit 630 that generates a driving force for swinging the performance member 620, a transmission member 640 that transmits the driving force of the first drive unit 630 to the performance member 620, a torsion spring 650 that abuts against the transmission member 640 and generates a biasing force that moves the transmission member 640, and a second drive unit 660 that generates a driving force for opening and closing the first curtain member 624 and second curtain member 625 of the performance member 620.

The base member 610 is composed of a main body 611 to which the slide rail 730 is fastened and formed into a long vertical plate shape, a support protrusion 612 that protrudes cylindrically from the front side of the main body 611 and supports the support part 741a of the connecting member 740, a first support hole 613 that is a circular hole drilled in the front-rear direction vertically above the support protrusion 612 and supports the swing shaft part 626 of the performance member 620 so that it can swing, and a circular hole drilled in the front-rear direction vertically above the first support hole 613. It mainly comprises a second shaft support hole 614 in which the cylindrical portion 642 of the member 640 is pivotally supported, an auxiliary member 615 formed on the back surface of the main body 611 and inserted into the slide hole 724 of the support member 720 so as to be able to slide up and down, an insertion hole 616 through which the drive shaft of the first drive unit 630 is inserted, a hook-shaped portion 617 extending from the lower end of the main body 611 toward the back surface, and a tilt origin sensor 618 equipped with a pair of light emitters and light receivers disposed on the upper left of the back surface of the main body 611.

The second shaft support hole 614 is provided with a lower support plate 614a that protrudes from its lower edge toward the front side with an arc-shaped cross section. The lower support plate 614a guides the rotation of the cylindrical portion 642 of the transmission member 640. The lower support plate 614a is formed with a left-right width and a length that is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 642 (see FIG. 53(a)).

By inserting the auxiliary member 615 through the slide hole 724, the tilt of the base member 610 in the left-right direction can be suppressed, allowing the base member 610 to slide smoothly in the up-down direction.

The hook-shaped portion 617 is the portion to which one end of the coil spring 728 is hooked and to which the biasing force is applied.

The performance member 620 and the second drive unit 660 will be described with reference to FIG. 52. FIG. 52 is an exploded front perspective view of the performance member 620 and the second drive unit 660. Note that the sub-display device 690 disposed inside the performance member 620 is shown in phantom lines, and FIG. 50 and FIG. 51 will be referred to as appropriate for the description of the performance member 620 and the second drive unit 660.

The performance member 620 is a box-shaped member in which the sub-display device 690 is arranged, and is made up of a rectangular plate-shaped main body member 621, upper and lower cover members 622 that extend forward from the top and bottom of the main body member 621 and are bent so as to cover the main body member 621, left and right cover members 623 that are plate-shaped members attached to both sides of the upper and lower cover members 622 and form a rectangular box shape with an opening at the front together with the upper and lower cover members 622, a first curtain member 624 that opens and closes the opening at the front and is connected to and moved by a fitting hole 665a of the second drive unit 660, and The main components are a second curtain member 625 that opens and closes the front opening together with the first curtain member 624 and is moved by being pulled by the first curtain member 624, a cylindrical swing shaft portion 626 that protrudes from the lower back surface of the main body member 621, and a sensor shielding portion 627 that is located at the lower left side of the back surface of the main body member 621 and that is positioned to block light irradiated from the light emitting portion of the tilt origin sensor 618 to the light receiving portion when the performance member 620 is positioned at the origin position, and the center of gravity G (see FIG. 53) is formed above (at a higher position) than the swing shaft portion 626. Note that the center of gravity G is formed on a straight line that passes through the sliding shaft portion 621a and the swing shaft portion 626 (see FIG. 53) in the inverted state (see FIG. 53).

The main body member 621 has a cylindrical sliding shaft portion 621a (see FIG. 51) that protrudes from the rear side vertically above the swing shaft portion 626. The sliding shaft portion 621a is slidably inserted into the sliding hole 643 of the transmission member 640 (see FIG. 51).

The upper and lower cover members 622 are members that house the first curtain member 624 and the second curtain member 625 inside when the first curtain member 624 and the second curtain member 625 are opened by the driving force of the drive device 660.

The left and right cover members 623 have slide grooves 623a formed in the inner surfaces, through which the slide protrusions 625c of the second curtain member 625 can slide.

The slide groove 623a is a linear groove extending vertically, and curved grooves formed in an arc shape are connected to the upper and lower ends of the linear groove. This allows the second curtain member 625 to slide in a manner in which linear movement and curved movement occur in sequence along the shape of the slide groove 623a.

The first curtain member 624 is a member that is swung in the vertical direction around the opening/closing shaft 664 of the second drive device 660, and mainly comprises a main body portion 624a having a shape in which a plate material is bent into a C-shape in cross section, an engagement portion 624b that protrudes in the left-right direction from an end of the main body portion 624a and engages with an engagement hole 665a of the second drive device 660 so as not to rotate relative to the main body portion 624a, and a connecting member 624c, one end of which is pivotally supported by the main body portion 624 near the engagement portion 624b and the other end of which is connected to a connecting protrusion 625b of the second curtain member 625.

The second curtain member 625 is a member that is pulled by the first curtain member 624 and moved in the vertical direction, and mainly comprises a main body portion 625a formed in a plate shape with a C-shaped cross section, a connecting protrusion 625b that protrudes in the left-right direction from the end of the C-shaped cross section of the main body portion 624a and connects to the other end of the connecting member 624c, and a slide protrusion 625c that protrudes outward in the left-right direction from near the bent portion of the main body portion 625a and is inserted into the slide groove 623a of the left and right cover members 623.

The second drive unit 660 mainly comprises a drive motor 661 fastened to the rear side of the performance member 620, a drive gear 662 axially supported by the drive motor 661, a pair of transmission gears 663, one of which is meshed with the drive gear 662 and rotates in opposite directions, an opening/closing shaft 664 that is inserted into the transmission gear 663 so as not to rotate relative to the front side of the main body member 621 of the performance member 620 by a shaft support mechanism not shown, and transmission members 665 fixed to both ends of the pair of opening/closing shafts 664 so as not to rotate relative to each other.

The transmission member 665 has a fitting hole 665a into which the fitting portion 624b of the first curtain member 624 is fitted so as not to rotate relative to the transmission member 665. This allows the first curtain member 624 to swing up and down around the opening/closing shaft 664.

Referring back to Figures 50 and 51, the first drive device 630 mainly comprises a drive motor 631 whose drive shaft is inserted through the insertion hole 616 of the base member 610 and fastened to the base member, a worm 632 in the shape of a screw gear that is fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor 631, and a worm wheel 633 in the shape of a helical gear that meshes with the worm 632.

The worm 632 is formed with a double-thread thread. In this embodiment, the number of teeth of the worm wheel 633 that meshes with the worm 632 is approximately 20, so that the worm wheel 633 rotates once for every 10 rotations of the worm 632. This makes it possible to significantly reduce the rotation angle of the worm wheel 633 and the transmission member 640 when the drive motor 631 is operated at the minimum unit of control resolution.

The worm wheel 633 is provided with a locking projection 633a that protrudes from the center of the rotation axis, is inserted into the second shaft support hole 614 of the base member 610, and is locked to the cylindrical portion 643 of the transmission member 640 so that it cannot rotate relative to the worm wheel 633. The transmission of the driving force between the worm 632 and the worm wheel 633 is limited to one direction from the worm 632 to the worm wheel 633 due to the structure (when the worm wheel 633 actively rotates, the force is applied in the axial direction of the worm 632). This reduces the load on the drive motor 631 when the worm wheel 633 is stopped. In addition, the worm wheel 633 and the transmission member 640 can be stopped when the power of the drive motor 631 is cut off, and the power consumption of the drive motor 631 can be reduced.

The transmission member 640 and the torsion spring 650 will be described with reference to FIG. 53. FIG. 53(a) and FIG. 53(b) are front views of the transmission member 640 and the torsion spring 650. In FIG. 53(a) and FIG. 53(b), the outer shapes of the base member 610 and the performance member 620 are illustrated by imaginary lines, and FIG. 50 and FIG. 51 are appropriately referred to for the explanation of the transmission member 640 and the torsion spring 650. In addition, FIG. 53(a) illustrates an inverted state in which the sliding hole 643 of the transmission member 640 is disposed vertically above the cylindrical portion 642, and in this state, the biasing force of the torsion spring 650 is balanced in the swing direction of the transmission member 640. In FIG. 53(b), a state in which the transmission member 640 is swung a predetermined amount counterclockwise when viewed from the front from the inverted state of FIG. 53(a) and the performance member 620 is swung a predetermined amount is illustrated.

The transmission member 640 is a member that is swung by the rotation of the worm wheel 633 (see FIG. 50), and mainly comprises a main body 641 formed in a long rectangular rod shape, a cylindrical portion 642 that extends in the front-rear direction at one end of the main body 641 and engages with the locking protrusion 633a of the first drive device 630, a sliding hole 643 that is drilled as a long hole extending in the axial radial direction of the cylindrical portion 642 at the other end of the main body 641, abutment portions 644 that are arranged spaced apart on both sides of the swing direction of the main body 641, a front arc plate portion 645 that has a certain arc shape that connects the abutment portion 644 to the front side surface of the main body 641, and a rear arc plate portion 646 that has a certain arc shape that connects the abutment portion 644 to the rear side surface of the main body 641.

As shown in FIG. 53, the abutment portion 644, the front arc plate portion 645, and the rear arc plate portion 646 are arranged in such a manner as to surround the biasing arm portion 652 of the torsion spring 650. This makes it possible to prevent the torsion spring 650 from falling off (disengaging) from the transmission member 640.

The cylindrical portion 642 is supported by the second shaft support hole 614 (see FIG. 50) of the base member 610 and is engaged with the locking protrusion 633a (see FIG. 50) of the first driving device 630 so that it cannot rotate relative to the first driving device 630.

The sliding shaft portion 621a of the performance member 620 is inserted into the sliding hole 643. As a result, when the transmission member 640 is swung around the second shaft support hole 614 (see FIG. 50) by the driving force of the first drive unit 630 (see FIG. 50), the performance member 620 is swung around the first shaft support hole 613 while the sliding shaft portion 621a of the performance member 620 is slid (slid in the axial direction) in the sliding hole 643.

By swinging the performance member 620 in this way, the swing angle of the performance member 620 when the drive motor 631 is rotated in the smallest unit of the control resolution of the first drive unit 630 can be suppressed. For example, as a method of swinging the performance member 620, a method of directly connecting a gear to the swing shaft portion 626 of the performance member 620 and transmitting the driving force of the drive motor to the gear can be considered. However, in this case, when the drive motor is rotated at the smallest unit angle P0 of the control resolution (see FIG. 53(a) (note that for ease of understanding, the angle is illustrated several times larger than the actual angle P0), the amount of movement X1 by which the center of gravity G of the performance member 620 shifts left and right from the inverted state becomes larger as the center of gravity G of the performance member 620 is separated from the swing shaft portion 626. Therefore, the farther the center of gravity G of the performance member 620 is from the oscillating shaft portion 626, the more difficult it becomes to adjust the position of the center of gravity G of the performance member 620, and the more difficult it becomes to keep the performance member 620 stationary in an inverted state in which the center of gravity G of the performance member 620 is positioned directly above the oscillating shaft portion 626.

In contrast, in this embodiment, a transmission member 640 that transmits the driving force of the drive motor 631 to the performance member 620 is connected to the sliding shaft portion 621a of the performance member 620. The length from this sliding shaft portion 621a to the cylindrical portion 642, which is the swing shaft of the transmission member 640, is formed shorter than the length from the sliding shaft portion 621a to the swing shaft portion 626, which is the swing shaft of the performance member 620.

Therefore, even if the performance member 620 is long in the radial direction of the oscillating shaft portion 626, the amount of movement X2 of the center of gravity G of the performance member 620 when the first driving device 630 is operated at angle P0, the smallest unit of control resolution of the first driving device 630 (see FIG. 53(a) (for ease of understanding, the angle is illustrated as being several times larger than the actual angle P0), can be suppressed. This makes it easy to stop the performance member 620 in an inverted state in which the center of gravity G of the performance member 620 is positioned directly above the oscillating shaft portion 626, which is the oscillating shaft.

As another method of swinging the performance member 620, it is possible to form gear teeth on an arc centered on the swing shaft 626 on the performance member 620, and rotate a gear that meshes with the gear teeth using a drive motor to swing the performance member 620. However, in this case, the larger the swing range of the performance member 620, the larger the range required to form the gear teeth on the arc in the left-right direction of the performance member 620 becomes. Therefore, if the performance member 620 is formed with a shape that is thin in the swing direction, the gear teeth on the arc will protrude from the performance member 620, hindering the performance effect. This reduces the design freedom of the performance member 620.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, the transmission member 640 that transmits the driving force of the drive motor 631 to the performance member 620 has a cylindrical portion 642 that is the swing axis arranged vertically above the swing axis portion 626 that is the swing axis of the performance member 620, and is connected to the swing axis portion 621a at the left-right center of the performance member 620. Since the performance member 620 swings following the transmission member 640, the formation range of the transmission member 640 relative to the swing range of the performance member 620 can be limited to near the left-right center of the performance member 620. As a result, even if the performance member 620 is made thin in the left-right direction, it is possible to prevent the transmission member 640 from protruding from the performance member 620, and the design freedom of the performance member 620 can be improved.

The lower surface of the sliding shaft portion 621a of the performance member 620 abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the sliding hole 643 of the transmission member 640. As a result, the weight of the performance member 620 is applied not only to the oscillating shaft portion 626 but also to the transmission member 640. In other words, a force opposing the weight of the performance member 620 can be generated not only from the oscillating shaft portion 626 but also from the cylindrical portion 642 of the transmission member 640. Therefore, the performance member 640 can be supported at two points, the oscillating shaft portion 626 and the cylindrical portion 642, and the radial force applied to the oscillating shaft portion 626 and the cylindrical portion 642 can be suppressed.

Here, the inverted state shown in FIG. 53(a) is considered to be the normal state of the performance member 620, so it is desirable that the transmission member 640 can quickly return to the inverted state after being swung a predetermined amount from the inverted state.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 53(b), when the transmission member 640 is swung counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 53(a) by a swing angle φ1 when viewed from the front, the performance member 620 is swung by a swing angle φ2 (φ2<φ1).

In other words, the swing angle of the performance member 620 is made smaller than the swing angle of the transmission member 640, which is swung by the driving force of the first drive unit 630 (see FIG. 50). This makes it easier to return the performance member 620 to the inverted state (see FIG. 53(a)).

In this embodiment, a long-hole-shaped sliding hole 643 is formed in the axial direction of the transmission member 640, and the sliding shaft portion 621a of the performance member 620 is inserted into the sliding hole 643. The swing axes of the transmission member 640 and the performance member 620 are different, and the sliding hole 643 of the transmission member 640 has a shorter swing radius than the sliding shaft portion 621a of the performance member 620. Therefore, the more the transmission member 640 is swung, the farther the sliding shaft portion 621a is from the swing axis of the transmission member 640. Therefore, the arm length R1 from the sliding shaft portion 621a of the performance member 620 to the cylindrical portion 642 of the transmission member 640 in the inverted state (see FIG. 53(a)) is shorter than the arm length R2 from the sliding shaft portion 621a of the performance member 620 to the cylindrical portion 642 of the transmission member 640 in the state where it has been swung a predetermined amount from the inverted state (see FIG. 54(b)).

In other words, the closer to the inverted state, the shorter the arm length of the transmission member 640 becomes, and the swing angle of the performance member 620 when the transmission member 640 swings a predetermined angle can be made smaller the closer to the inverted state, compared to when the arm length of the transmission member 640 is constant. Therefore, even without changing the rotation speed of the drive motor 631, the operating speed of the performance member 620 can be increased near a predetermined stopping position, while the operating speed of the performance member 620 can be decreased near the inverted state, making it easier to stop the performance member 620 in the inverted state (it is easier to stop and control the performance member 620 when the center of gravity of the performance member 620 is positioned vertically above the first shaft support hole 613).

Referring to Figure 55, we will explain how the swing angle of the performance member 620 changes relative to the swing angle of the transmission member 640 by changing the arm length from the sliding shaft portion 621a of the performance member 620 to the cylindrical portion 642 of the transmission member 640.

Figure 55 is a schematic diagram showing the swing angle of the performance member 620 (see Figure 53(a)) relative to the swing angle of the transmission member 640 (see Figure 53(a)). In Figure 55, the rotation axis M1 corresponds to the swing axis portion 626 (see Figure 53(a)), which is the rotation axis of the performance member 620, and the rotation axis M2 corresponds to the cylindrical portion 642 (see Figure 53(a)), which is the swing axis of the transmission member 640. The straight lines a1 to a4 are a schematic representation of the arrangement of the transmission member 640, and are straight lines drawn radially from the rotation axis M2, with the straight line a1 passing through the rotation axis M1, and the straight lines a2 to a4 being formed in such a way that the angles they form with the straight line a1 are added in sequence by 15 degrees each. In other words, the angles formed between adjacent straight lines a1 to a4 are 15 degrees each.

The arc drawn with a radius equal to arm length R1 (see FIG. 53(a)) centered on rotation axis M2 is shown as arc SR1, and the arc drawn with a radius equal to arm length R2 (see FIG. 54(b)) centered on rotation axis M2 is shown as arc SR2. Arc SR0 is an arc drawn with rotation axis M1 as its center, and has a radius equal to arm length R1 plus the distance between rotation axis M1 and rotation axis M2.

These arcs are assumed to be the trajectory of the connection position between the performance member 620 and the transmission member 640 (see FIG. 53(a)). In this embodiment, a sliding shaft portion 621a (see FIG. 53(a)) as the connection position protrudes from the performance member 620, and the connection position between the performance member 620 and the transmission member 640 moves along the arc SR0. Note that when the connection position between the performance member 620 and the transmission member 640 moves along the arc SR1 or SR2, it is assumed that a long hole is formed in the performance member 620 in the axial direction, and an axis is protruded from the transmission member 640 to be inserted into the long hole.

Also, as shown in FIG. 55, the intersection of the straight line a1 and the arc SR0 is illustrated as intersection P10, the intersection of the straight line a1 and the arc SR1 is illustrated as intersection P11, and the intersection of the straight line a1 and the arc SR2 is illustrated as intersection P12.

Similarly, the intersection of the line a2 and the arc SR0 is illustrated as intersection P20, the intersection of the line a2 and the arc SR1 is illustrated as intersection P21, and the intersection of the line a2 and the arc SR2 is illustrated as intersection P22. The intersection of the line a3 and the arc SR0 is illustrated as intersection P30, the intersection of the line a3 and the arc SR1 is illustrated as intersection P31, and the intersection of the line a3 and the arc SR2 is illustrated as intersection P32. The intersection of the line a4 and the arc SR0 is illustrated as intersection P40, the intersection of the line a4 and the arc SR1 is illustrated as intersection P41, and the intersection of the line a4 and the arc SR2 is illustrated as intersection P42. Note that the intersections P10 and P11 are located at the same position, and the intersections P40 and P42 are located at the same position.

As shown in FIG. 55, the angle formed by the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P10 and the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P20 is illustrated as angle A10, the angle formed by the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P11 and the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P21 is illustrated as angle A11, and the angle formed by the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P12 and the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P22 is illustrated as angle A12.

Similarly, the angle formed by the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P20 and the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P30 is illustrated as angle A20, the angle formed by the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P21 and the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P31 is illustrated as angle A21, the angle formed by the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P22 and the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P32 is illustrated as angle A22. The angle formed by the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P30 and the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P40 is illustrated as angle A30, the angle formed by the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P31 and the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P41 is illustrated as angle A31, and the angle formed by the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P32 and the line passing through the rotation axis M1 and the intersection point P42 is illustrated as angle A32. These angles correspond to the swing angles of the performance member 620.

Here, in this embodiment, the ratio of (distance between rotation axis M1 and rotation axis M2: arm length R1: arm length R2) is (1:2.32:2.54). When the angles are actually measured, angle A32 is 11.07 degrees, angle A31 is 10.77 degrees, and angle A30 is 11.37 degrees. In other words, when the transmission member 640 is swung between line a4 and line a3, the swing angle of the performance member 640 is largest when the transmission member 640 and the performance member 620 are connected along the arc SR0, and is formed when the transmission member 640 and the performance member 620 are connected along the arc SR2 or more (angle A30 is closer to angle A32 than angle A31).

Angle A22 is 10.87 degrees, angle A21 is 10.59 degrees, and angle A20 is 10.82 degrees. In other words, when the transmission member 640 is swung between line a3 and line a2, the swing angle when the transmission member 640 and performance member 620 are connected along arc SR0 is lower than when the transmission member 640 and performance member 620 are connected along arc SR2. In this case, the difference between angle A22 and angle A20 is smaller than the difference between angle A20 and angle A21 (angle A20 is closer to angle A22 than angle A21).

Angle A12 is 10.78 degrees, angle A11 is 10.50 degrees, and angle A10 is 10.53 degrees. In other words, when transmitting member 640 is oscillated between line a2 and line a1, the oscillating angle when transmitting member 640 and performance member 620 are connected along arc SR0 exceeds the oscillating angle when transmitting member 640 and performance member 620 are connected along arc SR1. In this case, the difference between angle A12 and angle A10 is greater than the difference between angle A10 and angle A11 (angle A10 is closer to angle A11 than angle A12).

From this, it can be seen that by making the trajectory of the connection position between the transmission member 640 and the performance member 620 (see Figure 53 (a)) an arc SR0, for example, when the transmission member 640 oscillates at a constant speed, the degree of freedom in adjusting the angular velocity of the performance member 620 can be improved. In other words, the angular velocity when the transmission member 640 is positioned on the straight line a4 can be made to approach the angular velocity (higher speed side) when the trajectory of the connection position between the transmission member 640 and the performance member 620 is an arc SR2, and the angular velocity when the transmission member 640 is positioned on the straight line a1 can be made to approach the angular velocity (lower speed side) when the trajectory of the connection position between the transmission member 640 and the performance member 620 is an arc SR1.

Calculating the ratio of each angle, angle A22/angle A32 is 0.98, and angle A12/angle A22 is 0.99. Angle A21/angle A31 is 0.98, and angle A11/angle A21 is 0.99. In other words, when the trajectory of the connection position between transmission member 640 and performance member 620 (see FIG. 53(a)) is the arc SR1, SR2, the deceleration ratio of the angular velocity of performance member 620 when transmission member 640 is swung toward the inverted state at a constant speed is small at 1-2%.

On the other hand, angle A20/angle A30 is 0.95, and angle A10/angle A20 is 0.97. That is, when the trajectory of the connection position between transmission member 640 and performance member 620 (see FIG. 53(a)) is an arc SR0 (an arc centered on rotation axis M1), the deceleration ratio of the angular velocity of performance member 620 when transmission member 640 is swung toward the inverted state at a constant speed can be set to 3 to 5%. That is, the deceleration ratio of the angular velocity of performance member 620 can be made larger compared to when the trajectory of the connection position is an arc SR1, SR2 (an arc centered on rotation axis M2).

As shown in FIG. 53(a), in the inverted state, the sliding shaft portion 621a of the performance member 620 abuts against the lower end of the sliding hole 643 of the transmission member 640. In the inverted state, the center of gravity G of the performance member 620 is formed vertically above the oscillating shaft portion 626 of the performance member 620 and the cylindrical portion 642 of the transmission member 640, so the force due to the weight of the performance member 620 is applied vertically downward to the oscillating shaft portion 626 and the cylindrical portion 642. Therefore, since no force component in the direction of oscillating the performance member 620 is generated due to the weight of the performance member 620, the posture of the performance member 620 can be maintained in the inverted state even if the power of the first drive unit 630 is cut off. This improves the durability of the first drive unit 630.

In addition, because the force of the weight of the performance member 620 is applied vertically downward to the oscillating shaft portion 626 and the cylindrical portion 642, the rotational resistance of the oscillating shaft portion 626 and the cylindrical portion 642 can be increased, making it easier for the performance member 620 to maintain its position in an inverted state.

The torsion spring 650 is an elastic spring that generates a biasing force in the direction of rewinding the coil portion 651 (the direction of pushing the transmission member 640 back) as the transmission member 640 swings, and mainly comprises a coil portion 651 wound around the swing shaft portion 626 of the performance member 620, a biasing arm portion 652 extending along both sides of the body portion 641 of the transmission member 640 in the swing direction, and a connecting arm portion 653 that connects the end of the coil portion 651 and the end of the biasing arm portion 652 through between the tubular portion 642 and the swing shaft portion 626.

The coil portion 651 is formed with an inner diameter approximately three times the diameter of the swing shaft portion 626 of the performance member 620. Therefore, when the biasing arm portion 652 is swung and a load is generated that causes the coil portion 651 to deform in a reduced diameter, the amount of deformation of the coil portion 651 can be secured, and the concentration of deformation in the biasing arm portion 652 and the connecting arm portion 653 can be suppressed.

The biasing arm 652 is surrounded by the main body 641, the abutment portion 644, the front arc plate portion 645, and the rear arc plate portion 646 of the transmission member 640. This prevents the biasing arm 652 from falling off (disengaging) from the transmission member 640.

The biasing arm 652 is also formed so that it can come into contact with the lower receiving plate 614a on the plane on which the transmission member 640 swings. Therefore, a biasing force that pushes back the transmission member 640 is generated from the biasing arm 652 that is arranged in the swinging direction of the transmission member 640, and the biasing arm 652 that is arranged on the opposite side of the swinging direction of the transmission member 640 is prevented from moving toward the lower receiving plate 614a. As a result, the torsion spring 650 is formed so that it can generate a biasing force in a direction that pushes back the transmission member 640 regardless of the swinging direction of the transmission member 640.

At the connection portion between the biasing arm 652 and the connecting arm 653, a bent portion 653a is formed that is bent to the opposite side of the transmission member 640. In this case, as described below, the contact portion 644 of the transmission member 640 is pressed against the bent portion 653a of the torsion spring 650, thereby stretching the bent portion 653a (see FIG. 54(b)). As a result, the contact position between the biasing arm 652 of the torsion spring 650 and the main body portion 641 of the transmission member 640 becomes farther away from the cylindrical portion 642, and the moment loaded from the torsion spring 650 to the transmission member 640 can be increased.

Referring to Figure 54, the change in the biasing force generated by torsion spring 650 and pushing back transmission member 640 will be described. Figures 54(a) and 54(b) are front views of transmission member 640 and torsion spring 650. Note that in Figures 54(a) and 54(b), the outlines of base member 610 and performance member 620 are shown by imaginary lines, and Figure 53 will be referred to as appropriate to explain the change in the biasing force generated by torsion spring 650.

Figure 54(a) shows a state in which the transmission member 640 is further rotated counterclockwise from the state shown in Figure 53(b) when viewed from the front, and the biasing arm 652 on the left side when viewed from the front begins to be pressed against the inner surface of the abutment portion 644 of the transmission member 640, and Figure 54(b) shows a state in which the transmission member 640 is further rotated counterclockwise from the state shown in Figure 54(a) when viewed from the front, and the bent portion 653a of the torsion spring 650 is stretched.

In the state shown in FIG. 54(a), a biasing force that pushes back against the transmission member 640 is generated in the biasing arm 652 on the left side of the torsion spring 650 when viewed from the front. This biasing force is the sum of the biasing force generated from the coil portion 651 as the starting point and the biasing force generated from the bent portion 653a as the starting point.

In other words, in the state shown in FIG. 53(b), the transmission member 640 is not pressed against the bent portion 653a that is located on the left side as viewed from the front, of the pair of bent portions 653a. Therefore, the only force that pushes back the transmission member 640 is the force that originates from the coil portion 651, which is generated in the biasing arm portion 652 on the left side as viewed from the front of the torsion spring 650.

On the other hand, in the state of FIG. 54(a), in addition to the biasing force originating from the coil portion 651, a biasing force is generated by the deformation of the biasing arm portion 652 originating from the bent portion 653a. Therefore, the spring constant of the biasing arm portion 652 can be increased. Note that the deformation of the biasing arm portion 652 originating from the bent portion 653a shortens the length of the portion subjected to deformation compared to the deformation originating from the coil portion 651, so the biasing force generated per unit deformation of the transmission member 640 can be made larger.

54(b), the bent portion 653a of the torsion spring 650 is pushed by the abutment portion 644 of the transmission member 640, widening the angle between the biasing arm 652 and the connecting arm 653. As a result, compared to the abutment position length L1, which is the distance between the abutment position of the main body 641 of the transmission member 640 and the biasing arm 652 of the torsion spring 650 and the cylindrical portion 642 in the state of FIG. 54(a), the similar abutment position length L2 in the state of FIG. 54(b) is moved away from the cylindrical portion 642 of the transmission member 640. In other words, the abutment position length is extended. As a result, the arm length of the torsion spring 650 that pushes back the transmission member 640 is lengthened, so that the moment loaded from the torsion spring 650 to the transmission member 640 can be increased.

Therefore, for example, if the biasing force generated by the torsion spring 650 is approximately the same in the state of FIG. 54(a) and the state of FIG. 54(b), the moment loaded on the transmission member 640 can be made larger in FIG. 54(b). This makes it easier to push back the transmission member 640 and the performance member 620.

As shown in Figures 53 and 54, the biasing force of the torsion spring 650 pushing back the transmission member 640 is small while the swing angle of the transmission member 640 (performance member 620) from the retracted position is small, and increases elastically as the swing angle increases, increasing beyond the elastic increase once the state of Figure 54(a) is reached. Therefore, when the biasing force of the torsion spring 650 required when the performance member 620 is at its maximum swing angle (see Figure 54(b)) has been determined, the biasing force when the swing angle is small can be set smaller (a softer spring can be used) compared to when the torsion spring only increases elastically.

This reduces the degree to which the operating speed of the performance member 620 when it starts to swing is slowed down by the biasing force of the torsion spring 650, and makes it possible to increase the operating speed of the performance member 620 when it starts to move.

In addition, since the biasing force increases beyond the elastic increase from the state shown in FIG. 54(a), the deceleration acceleration of the performance member 620 can be increased when the swing angle of the performance member 620 is set to be equal to or greater than the state shown in FIG. 54(a). This makes it possible to delay the timing at which the performance member 620 starts to decelerate during the swing operation of the performance member 620. Therefore, the swing angle at which the performance member 620 can be swung at high speed can be increased, improving the performance effect of the tilting operation unit 600.

Next, the sliding operation of the tilting operation unit 600 and the sliding operation unit 700 will be described with reference to FIG. 56. FIG. 56 is a front view of the tilting operation unit 600 and the sliding operation unit 700. Note that in FIG. 56, the state in which the tilting operation unit 600 is placed in the retracted position is shown by imaginary lines, and the state in which the tilting operation unit 600 has been slid a predetermined distance from the retracted position is shown by solid lines.

As shown in FIG. 56, the connecting member 740 that connects the tilting motion unit 600, which is formed so as to be able to slide in the vertical direction, and the sliding motion unit 700 is formed so as to be able to move in the extension direction of the front rail portion 715. Here, the weight of the tilting motion unit 600 is loaded onto the connecting member 740, so when the tilting motion unit 600 is placed in the retracted position, the tilting motion unit 600 is urged by gravity along the front rail portion 715 to the left as viewed from the front. Therefore, in order to maintain the tilting motion unit 600 in the retracted position, it is considered to fix the driving device 750.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the lever member 714 is formed so as to be able to swing up and down, and when the lever member 714 is swung downward, it engages with the locking portion 725 of the support member 720, restricting the sliding movement of the support member 720 in the left-right direction.

This makes it possible to mechanically maintain the tilt motion unit 600 in the retracted position, so that when the tilt motion unit 600 is placed in the retracted position, the tilt motion unit 600 can be maintained in the retracted position with the drive device 750 stopped. This improves the durability of the drive device 750.

When the tilting operation unit 600 is in the retracted position, the lever member 714 can be swung upward and the drive device 750 can be operated to move the support member 720, allowing the tilting operation unit 600 to slide left and right.

As shown in FIG. 56, when the tilt motion unit 600 is placed in an inverted, retracted position, the pivot support portion 741a of the connecting member 740 is positioned vertically below the center of gravity G of the tilt motion unit 600.

Here, the direction of the sliding movement of the tilting motion unit 600 is along the front rail portion 715, so in FIG. 56, the movement of the tilting motion unit 600 while it is sliding a predetermined amount from the retracted position (see imaginary line in FIG. 56) always has an up-down component.

Therefore, if the center of gravity G of the tilting motion unit 600 and the pivot support 741a of the connecting member 740 are misaligned in the vertical direction, there is a risk that a load will be applied from the connecting member 740 in a direction that rotates the tilting motion unit 600. This also applies when the tilting motion unit 600 slides in the opposite direction.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the pivot support 741a of the connecting member 740 is positioned vertically below the center of gravity G, so that the vertical component of the force applied from the connecting member 740 to the tilting motion unit 600 is formed on the same line as the center of gravity G. This makes it possible to prevent the connecting member 740 from applying a load in a direction that rotates the tilting motion unit 600, and to stabilize the posture of the tilting motion unit 600.

Next, referring to FIG. 57, the effect that the tilting motion (swinging motion) of the tilting motion unit 600 has on the sliding motion of the sliding motion unit 700 will be described. FIG. 57 is a front view of the tilting motion unit 600 and the sliding motion unit 700. Note that FIG. 57 illustrates the state in which the performance member 620 of the tilting motion unit 600 has been swung to the state shown in FIG. 54(b).

As shown in FIG. 57, when the performance member 620 is swung counterclockwise as viewed from the front, the center of gravity G of the performance member 620 is located to the left of the connecting member 740 as viewed from the front. Therefore, the acceleration to the left as viewed from the front that is applied to the connecting member 740 is increased.

In this case, the driving force required to slide the tilting motion unit 600 from the retracted position can be reduced, so the driving motor 751 of the driving device 750 can be made smaller.

Second Embodiment
Next, a tilting operation unit 2600 in the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the first embodiment, the contact surface of the main body 641 of the transmission member 640 with the torsion spring 650 is a flat surface. In the second embodiment, the tilting operation unit 2600 has a main body 2641 of the transmission member 2640 that is provided with an abutment portion 2641a that contacts the tip of the biasing arm 652 of the torsion spring 650. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figures 58(a), 58(b) and 59 are front views of the transmission member 2640 and the torsion spring 650 in the second embodiment. In addition, in Figures 58(a), 58(b) and 59, the outer shapes of the base member 610 and the performance member 620 are illustrated by imaginary lines. Also, Figure 58(a) illustrates an inverted state in which the sliding hole 643 of the transmission member 2640 is disposed vertically above the cylindrical portion 642, Figure 58(b) illustrates a state in which the transmission member 2640 is swung a predetermined amount counterclockwise from the inverted state of Figure 58(a) and the lower surface of the abutment portion 2641a is abutted against the tip of the biasing arm portion 652 of the torsion spring 650, and Figure 59 illustrates a state in which the transmission member 2640 is further swung counterclockwise from the state of Figure 58(b) when viewed from the front.

As shown in FIG. 58, when the transmission member 2640 is swung from the inverted state (see FIG. 58(a)), the main body 2641 is pressed against the biasing arm 652 of the torsion spring 650, and the torsion spring 650 generates a biasing force that swings the main body 2641 in a direction returning it to the inverted state. When the transmission member 2640 is swung and the biasing arm 652 is deformed, the coil 651 is deformed by reducing its diameter by the connecting arm 653 that is connected to the biasing arm 652 on the deformed side. In other words, the more the coil 651 is reduced in diameter, the greater the biasing force that swings the transmission member 2640 in a direction returning it to the inverted state.

As shown in FIG. 58, due to the difference in the swing angle between the biasing arm 652 of the torsion spring 650 and the transmission member 2640, the contact position between the main body 2641 of the transmission member 2640 and the biasing arm 652 (the tip position of the biasing arm 652) is changed by the swing of the transmission member 2640. That is, the more the transmission member 2640 swings, the more the tip of the biasing arm 652 moves toward the tip side of the main body 2641 (the side closer to the sliding hole 643).

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 58(b), when the lower surface of the abutment portion 2641a is in contact with the tip of the urging arm portion 642, if the transmission member 2640 is further rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front, the abutment portion 2641a restricts the urging arm portion 642 from moving toward the tip of the main body portion 2641.

As shown in FIG. 59, when the transmission member 2640 is swung while the movement of the transfer arm 642 is restricted by the abutment portion 2641a, the torsion spring 650 is deformed as a whole. That is, the base side (the bent portion 653a side) of the biasing arm 642 is moved downward by the amount that the biasing arm 642 is restricted from moving toward the tip side of the main body portion 2641. This causes the connecting arm 653 to move in a direction that reduces the diameter of the coil portion 651 (a direction in which the biasing force of the torsion spring 650 increases).

In other words, the biasing force of the torsion spring 650 can be increased when the transmission member 2640 is swung to the state shown in FIG. 59, compared to when there is no abutment portion 2641a. This allows the degree of change in the biasing force generated by the torsion spring 650 (the rate of increase in the biasing force relative to the swing angle of the transmission member 2640) to be increased in the state shown in FIG. 59 compared to the state shown in FIG. 58. Therefore, when the swing angle of the transmission member 2640 is small, the biasing force of the torsion spring 650 is suppressed, and the starting speed of the transmission member 2640 is increased, while when the swing angle is large (see FIG. 59), the biasing force of the torsion spring 650 is increased nonlinearly (more than elastic change), and a biasing force sufficient to return the transmission member 2640 to the inverted state can be obtained.

Third Embodiment
Next, a tilting operation unit 3600 in the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In the first embodiment, the contact surface of the main body 641 of the transmission member 640 with the torsion spring 650 has a constant width. However, in the tilting operation unit 3600 in the third embodiment, the main body 3641 of the transmission member 3640 has an inclined side surface 3641a on the side surface that contacts the tip of the torsion spring 650, which is inclined in such a way that the width becomes wider as it approaches the tip. Note that the same parts as in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figures 60(a) and 60(b) are front views of the transmission member 3640 and torsion spring 650 in the third embodiment. In Figures 60(a) and 60(b), the outlines of the base member 610 and performance member 620 are shown by imaginary lines. Also, Figure 60(a) shows an inverted state in which the sliding hole 643 of the transmission member 3640 is positioned vertically above the cylindrical portion 642, while Figure 60(b) shows a state in which the transmission member 3640 has been swung a predetermined amount counterclockwise when viewed from the front from the inverted state of Figure 60(a).

As shown in FIG. 60, when the transmission member 3640 is swung from the inverted state (see FIG. 60(a)), the main body 3641 is pressed against the biasing arm 652 of the torsion spring 650, and the torsion spring 650 generates a biasing force that swings the main body 3641 in a direction that returns it to the inverted state.

60(a) to the state shown in FIG. 60(b), due to the difference in the swing angle between the biasing arm 652 of the torsion spring 650 and the transmission member 3640, the contact position between the main body 3641 of the transmission member 3640 and the biasing arm 652 (the tip position of the biasing arm 652) is changed by the swing of the transmission member 3640. That is, the larger the swing angle from the inverted state of the transmission member 3640 (see FIG. 60(a)), the more the tip of the biasing arm 652 moves toward the tip side of the main body 3641 (the side closer to the sliding hole 643).

Therefore, the tip of the biasing arm 652 slides along the inclined side surface 3641a of the main body 3641. That is, when the transmission member 3640 is swung, the torsion spring 650 is deformed due to the swing angle of the transmission member 3640, as well as the width of the transmission member 3640 being expanded by the inclined side surface 3641a. In this case, the width of the transmission member 3640 is expanded more toward the tip of the transmission member 3640, so that the larger the swing angle of the transmission member 3640 from the inverted state (see FIG. 60(a)), the larger the deformation of the torsion spring 650 due to the width of the transmission member 3640 being expanded by the inclined side surface 3641a. Therefore, as the swing angle of the transmission member 3640 increases, the rate of increase in the biasing force generated by the torsion spring 650 (the change in the biasing force of the torsion spring 650 relative to the swing angle of the transmission member 3640) can be increased.

Fourth Embodiment
Next, a tilting operation unit 4600 in the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the first embodiment, the contact portion 644 of the transmission member 640 is fixed. In the tilting operation unit 4600 in the fourth embodiment, the transmission member 4640 includes, in addition to the contact portion 644, a moving contact member 4647 that is shorter in width than the contact portion 644. The same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figure 61 (a) is a rear perspective view of the transmission member 4640 in the fourth embodiment, and Figure 61 (b) is a rear perspective view of the moving contact member 4647. Note that in Figure 61 (a), the moving contact member 4647 is omitted from the illustration.

As shown in FIG. 61(a), the front arc plate portion 4645 of the transmission member 4640 has guide holes 4645a that are arranged symmetrically in the left-right direction at intervals shorter than the intervals between the abutting portions 644 and drilled in the front-rear direction. The guide holes 4645a are through holes that guide the pair of rear projections 4647b of the moving abutting member 4647 so that they can move in the front-rear direction.

As shown in FIG. 61(b), the movable contact member 4647 mainly comprises a main body 4647a formed in a long plate shape, a pair of rear projections 4647b protruding from both ends of the main body 4647a toward the rear side, and a front projection 4647c protruding from approximately the center of the main body 4647 toward the front side with a hemispherical tip.

One end of the coil spring 4648 is fixed to the side opposite the front projection 4647c of the main body 4647a, and the other end of the coil spring 4648 is fixed to the main body 641b (see Figures 62(c) and 62(d)). For ease of understanding, the coil spring 4648 is omitted from Figures 61(a), 61(b), 62(a) and 62(b).

The rear projection 4647b is a portion that is inserted from the front side into the guide hole 4645a of the transmission member 4640, and is formed in such a manner that a sufficient length (length that can abut against the biasing arm 652 of the torsion spring 650) protrudes from the front arc plate portion 4645 when inserted. The rear projection 4647b is formed at an angle that makes a surface (line) abutment with the biasing arm 652 of the torsion spring 650 (see FIG. 64(b)). This reduces the load applied to the biasing arm 652 (stress concentration is suppressed) compared to when the biasing arm 652 and the rear projection 4647b abut at a point, and the durability of the biasing arm 652 can be improved.

The front protrusion 4647c is a part that abuts against the main body member 4621 (see FIG. 63) of the performance member 4620, and in relation to the escape opening 4621a formed in the main body member 4621, the moving abutment member 4647 is moved away from the front arc plate portion 4645 (see FIG. 62(c)) or moved close to the front arc plate portion 4645 (see FIG. 62(d)). In addition, since the tip of the front protrusion 4647c is formed in a hemispherical shape, it is possible to easily cause the front protrusion 4647c to ride up onto the surface of the main body member 4621 from the escape opening 4621a.

62(a) and 62(b) are rear perspective views of the transmission member 4640, and 62(c) and 62(d) are top views of the transmission member 4640. Note that 62(a) and 62(c) show a state in which the moving contact member 4647 is separated from the front arc plate portion 4645, and 62(b) and 62(d) show a state in which the moving contact member 4647 is brought close to the front arc plate portion 4645.

Figure 63 is a front schematic diagram showing the main body member 4621 of the performance member 4620. Note that the transmission member 4640 that forms an inverted state with respect to the main body member 4621 is shown by imaginary lines as the center state 4640C, the state in which the transmission member 4640 is swung counterclockwise when viewed from the front is shown by imaginary lines as the counterclockwise swing state 4640L, and the state in which the transmission member 4640 is swung clockwise when viewed from the front is shown by imaginary lines as the clockwise swing state 4640R. Also, in order to make it easier to understand, the abutment portion 644, the front arc plate portion 4645, and the rear arc plate portion 646 are omitted from the illustration in the center state 4640C, the counterclockwise swing state 4640L, and the clockwise swing state 4640R.

The main body member 4621 has an escape opening 4621a drilled in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 63, the escape opening 4621a is formed in the area (between the center state 4640C and the counterclockwise swing state 4640L) where the front protrusion 4647c (see FIG. 62) moves when the transmission member 4640 is swung counterclockwise when viewed from the front.

When the front projection 4647c of the transmission member 4640 overlaps with the escape opening 4621a in a front view, the front projection 4647c is inserted into the escape opening 4621a, and the moving abutment member 4647 is moved away from the main body 641 of the transmission member 4640 by the elastic force of the coil spring 4648 (see FIG. 62(c)). On the other hand, when the front projection 4647c does not overlap with the escape opening 4621a (overlaps with the main body member 4621), the front projection 4647c abuts against the side surface on the rear side of the main body member 4621 of the performance member 4620, and the moving abutment member 4647 is brought close to the main body 641 of the transmission member 4640 (see FIG. 62(d)).

That is, the rear projection 4647b of the movable contact member 4647 is extended to a position where it can come into contact with the biasing arm 652 of the torsion spring 650 when the transmission member 4640 is swung clockwise from the inverted state as viewed from the front. Therefore, when the transmission member 4640 is swung clockwise from the inverted state as viewed from the front, the rate of increase in the biasing force generated by the biasing arm 652 of the torsion spring 650 (the degree of increase in the biasing force relative to the swing angle) can be increased compared to when the transmission member 4640 is swung counterclockwise from the front.

64(a) and 64(b) are front views of the transmission member 4640 and the torsion spring 650. In addition, in FIG. 64(a) and FIG. 64(b), the outer shapes of the base member 610 and the performance member 4620 are shown by imaginary lines, and the main body portion 4647a of the moving abutment member 4647 is omitted for ease of understanding. Also, FIG. 64(a) shows an inverted state in which the sliding hole 643 of the transmission member 4640 is positioned vertically above the cylindrical portion 642, and FIG. 64(b) shows a state in which the transmission member 4640 has been swung a predetermined amount clockwise from the inverted state of FIG. 64(a) and the biasing arm portion 652 on the left side in front view is abutted against the rear projection portion 4647b.

As shown in FIG. 64(b), while the swing angle of the transmission member 4640 is small, the biasing arm 652 can be made to abut from the opposite side (the abutment portion 644 side) of the main body 641 of the transmission member 4640, thereby increasing the biasing force generated by the torsion spring 650 when the transmission member 4640 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front.

This makes it possible to increase the starting speed when the transmission member 4640 is swung counterclockwise when viewed from the front, while improving the biasing force when the transmission member 4640 is swung clockwise when viewed from the front. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the performance member 4620 from colliding with the inner surface of the rear case 210.

In other words, when the tilting operation unit 4600 is in the retracted position and the performance member 4620 is in an inverted state, the inner surface of the rear case 210 is brought into close proximity with the performance member 4620 (see FIG. 5). Here, if the performance member 4620 is swung from a state in which it is swung counterclockwise when viewed from the front (see FIG. 57) to an inverted state with force, the performance member 4620 cannot be decelerated sufficiently, and there is a risk that the performance member 4620 will collide with the inner surface of the rear case 210.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the rear protrusion 4647b is protruded (see FIG. 62(d)) at the timing when the performance member 4620 is swung clockwise as viewed from the front from the inverted state, and the biasing force of the torsion spring 650 can be increased. This allows the performance member 4620 to be sufficiently decelerated when tilting clockwise as viewed from the front from the inverted state while maintaining a high operating speed when tilting counterclockwise as viewed from the front from the inverted state.

In addition, a biasing force is generated in a direction that pushes back the rear protrusion 4647b (counterclockwise when viewed from the front in FIG. 64(b)) at the contact point between the rear protrusion 4647b and the biasing arm 652, which are arranged on the opposite side of the swing direction of the transmission member 4640. This makes it possible to push back the transmission member 4640 with a greater biasing force than when the transmission member 4640 is pushed back only by the biasing arm 652 arranged on the side that is close to the transmission member 4640 (right side in FIG. 64(b)). On the other hand, it is also possible to improve the biasing force generated by the biasing arm 652 arranged on the side that is close to the transmission member 4640.

That is, as shown in FIG. 64, the distance from the lower support plate 614a to the bent portion 653a is shorter than the distance from the position where the abutment portion 644, which is located on the opposite side to the side approaching the transmission member 4640, and the biasing arm portion 652 abut to the lower support plate 614a. In this case, it is easy to move the bent portion 653a by the force from the abutment portion 644, with the lower support plate 614 as the fulcrum, but the reverse is difficult (because there is a difference in the distance from the fulcrum to the point of action).

Therefore, the biasing force generated by the deformation of the biasing arm 652 on the left side as viewed from the front, which occurs when the abutment portion 644 and the biasing arm 652 abut against each other, is generated by the deformation of the entire torsion spring 650. That is, the deformation in which the bent portion 653a on the left side as viewed from the front is moved to the left as viewed from the front (in the direction narrowing the inner diameter of the coil portion 651) with the lower receiving plate portion 641a as a fulcrum when the biasing arm 652 on the left side as viewed from the front is abutted against the rear protrusion portion 4647b, causes deformation of the connecting arm 653, the coil portion 651, and the biasing arm 652 on the right side as viewed from the front. In this case, since the coil portion 651 is deformed to reduce its inner diameter, a biasing force is generated in the coil portion 651 and the connecting arm 653 in the direction to increase the inner diameter of the coil portion 651, and the biasing arm 652 on the right side as viewed from the front (the swing direction side of the transmission member 4640) can improve the biasing force that pushes back the transmission member 640.

Fifth Embodiment
Next, a composite action unit 5500 in the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the first embodiment, when the rotating arm member 550 is disposed in the extended position, the second non-transmitting wall portion 553c is shaped along a circle centered on the rotation axis of the rotating crank member 570. However, in the fifth embodiment, the rotating arm member 5550 includes a recessed portion 5556 in which the non-transmitting wall portion 5553c is recessed in a direction away from the rotating crank member 570. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

Figures 65 to 68 are front views of the composite action unit 5500 in the fifth embodiment. In addition, FIG. 65 shows a state in which the rotating arm member 5550 is disposed in the extended position and the sliding protrusion 574 of the rotating crank member 570 is disposed near the left end of the second non-transmission wall portion 5553c. FIG. 66 shows a state in which the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front from the state of FIG. 65 and the sliding protrusion 574 is accommodated in the first recessed portion 5556 from the left end of the second non-transmission wall portion 5553c. FIG. 67 shows a state in which the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front from the state of FIG. 66 to a position where the sliding protrusion 574 is removed from the recessed portion 5556. FIG. 68 shows a state in which the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front from the state of FIG. 67 and the sliding protrusion 574 is accommodated in the two recessed portions 5556 from the left end of the second non-transmission wall portion 5553c.

As shown in Figures 65 to 68, the second non-transmitting wall portion 5553c of the composite action unit 5550 has a recessed portion 5556 recessed in a direction away from the rotating crank member 570.

The recessed portion 5556 mainly comprises a first wall portion 5556a having an arc shape (about 1/4 of a circle) formed on the left side as viewed from the front, and a second wall portion 5556b having an arc shape (about 1/4 of a circle) formed on the right side as viewed from the front, and is shaped to allow the sliding protrusion portion 574 of the rotating crank member 570 to slide. In other words, the recessed depth of the recessed portion 5556 from the second non-transmitting wall portion 5553c is set to be equal to or less than the radius of the sliding protrusion portion 574, and the connecting portion between the recessed portion 5556 and the second non-transmitting wall portion 5553c is formed from a smooth curved surface.

When the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 65 to the state shown in FIG. 66, a gap is created between the sliding protrusion 574 and the second non-transmitting wall portion 5553c, and the rotating arm member 5550 is swung until it abuts against the sliding protrusion 574 due to the biasing force generated by the torsion spring 517a. In this case, as the rotating crank member 570 is rotated, the first wall portion 5556a of the first recessed portion 5556 from the left end of the second non-transmitting wall portion 5553c is slid against the sliding protrusion 574, and the rotating arm member 5550 is swung.

In other words, between the state shown in FIG. 65 and the state shown in FIG. 66, the rotating arm member 5550 is merely swung by the biasing force of the torsion spring 517a, and is not swung by the driving force of the second drive unit 560. Therefore, when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front and the sliding protrusion portion 574 of the rotating crank member 570 is positioned opposite the first wall portion 5556a, the rotating arm member 5550 and the rotating crank member 570 form a non-transmitting state.

When the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 66 to the state shown in FIG. 67, the sliding protrusion 574 is pressed against the second wall portion 5556b of the first recessed portion 5556 from the left end of the second non-transmitting wall portion 5553c, and the rotating arm member 5550 is again swung (pushed down) to the extended position. In other words, between the state shown in FIG. 66 and the state shown in FIG. 67, the second wall portion 5556b is pushed forward and moved by the sliding protrusion portion 574, causing the rotating arm member 5550 to sway, so that the driving force of the second driving device 560 is transmitted to the rotating arm member 5550 via the rotating crank member 570.

Therefore, when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front and the sliding protrusion 574 of the rotating crank member 570 is positioned opposite the second wall portion 5556b, the rotating arm member 5550 and the rotating crank member 570 form a transmission state.

When the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front from the state shown in FIG. 67 to the state shown in FIG. 68, a gap is created between the sliding protrusion 574 and the second non-transmitting wall portion 5553c, and the rotating arm member 5550 is swung until it abuts against the sliding protrusion 574 due to the biasing force generated by the torsion spring 517a. In this case, as the rotating crank member 570 is rotated, the first wall portion 5556a of the second recessed portion 5556 from the left end of the second non-transmitting wall portion 5553c is slid against the sliding protrusion 574, and the rotating arm member 5550 is swung.

In other words, between the state shown in FIG. 67 and the state shown in FIG. 68, the rotating arm member 5550 is merely swung by the biasing force of the torsion spring 517a, and is not swung by the driving force of the second drive unit 560. Therefore, when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise when viewed from the front and the sliding protrusion portion 574 of the rotating crank member 570 is positioned opposite the first wall portion 5556a, the rotating arm member 5550 and the rotating crank member 570 form a non-transmitting state.

As shown in Figures 65 to 68, when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front, if the sliding protrusion 574 is positioned opposite the first wall portion 5556a, a non-transmitting state is formed between the rotating crank member 570 and the rotating arm member 5550, and if the sliding protrusion 574 is positioned opposite the second wall portion 5556b, a transmitting state is formed between the rotating crank member 570 and the rotating arm member 5550.

If the rotation direction of the rotating crank member 570 is reversed, the relationship between the first wall portion 5556a and the second wall portion 5556b is reversed. That is, when the rotating crank member 570 is rotated clockwise when viewed from the front, a transmission state is formed between the rotating crank member 570 and the rotating arm member 5550 when the sliding protrusion portion 574 is arranged opposite the first wall portion 5556a, and a non-transmission state is formed between the rotating crank member 570 and the rotating arm member 5550 when the sliding protrusion portion 574 is arranged opposite the second wall portion 5556b.

As shown in Figures 65 to 68, in this embodiment, in addition to the swinging motion in which the pivot arm member 5550 swings between the retracted position (see Figure 22) and the extended position, it is possible to form a swinging motion in which the pivot arm member 5550 swings in a narrow width manner (in a manner in which the lower end of the front plate member 546 moves between positions U1 and U2) near the extended position without switching the swinging direction of the pivot crank member 570.

This allows the rotating arm member 5550 to produce a swinging motion that is difficult to achieve by switching the drive direction of the drive unit 560. In other words, it is possible to cause the rotating arm member 5550 to perform a swinging motion with a small amplitude near the extended position by repeatedly switching the drive direction of the drive unit 560 at short intervals. However, in this case, the amplitude of the swinging motion depends on the speed at which the drive direction of the drive unit 560 is switched. Furthermore, even if the drive direction of the drive unit 560 is switched when the swinging motion speed of the rotating arm member 5550 is high, the inertia of the drive unit 560 and the rotating arm member 5550 is large and the drive direction cannot be switched instantly, and there is a risk that the time required to switch the drive direction will be long.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the swinging motion of the pivot arm member 5550 near the extended position does not require switching the rotation direction of the pivot crank member 570, eliminating the time required to switch the drive direction.

The speed at which the pivot arm member 5550 is swung clockwise when viewed from the front (upward swinging motion) depends on the biasing force generated by the torsion spring 517a, and the speed at which the pivot arm member 5550 is swung counterclockwise when viewed from the front (downward swinging motion) depends on the rotation speed of the pivot crank member 570. Therefore, by increasing the biasing force of the torsion spring 517a and increasing the rotation speed of the pivot crank member 570, the swing speed of the pivot arm member 5550 near the extended position can be increased.

This allows for both faster swinging motion near the extended position of the pivot arm member 5550 and shorter swing direction switching time.

Sixth Embodiment
Next, a composite action unit 6500 in the sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the first embodiment, the pivoting arm member 550 of the composite operating unit 500 is integrally molded. In the sixth embodiment, however, the pivoting arm member 6550 is formed by connecting two members. The two members are swung relative to one another to change the position of the arc-shaped hole 554 formed at the other end. Note that the same parts as those in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

69(a) and 69(c) are partial front views of the pivot arm member 6550 in the sixth embodiment, and FIG. 69(b) is a partial top view of the pivot arm member 6550 as viewed in the direction of the arrow LXIXb in FIG. 69(a). Note that FIG. 69(a) illustrates a state in which a first position is formed in which the tip of the tip pivot member 6556 is directed upward, and FIG. 69(b) illustrates a state in which a second position is formed in which the tip of the tip pivot member 6556 is directed downward.

As shown in FIG. 69(a), the pivot arm member 6550 mainly comprises a main body 6551 pivotally supported by the third shaft 517 (see FIG. 71), a tip swing member 6556 connected to the other end of the main body 6551, and a switching device 6590 fixed to the upper surface of the other end of the main body 6551 and switching the position of the tip swing member 6556. An arc-shaped hole 6554 is formed in the tip swing member 6556.

The main body 6551 has a shaft support hole 6551a drilled in the front-rear direction at the other end, which serves as the swing center of the tip swing member 6556.

The tip oscillating member 6556 is formed such that the end connected to the main body 6551 sandwiches the main body 6551 from the front and rear, and mainly comprises an axle support hole 6556a drilled as the swing center of the tip oscillating member 6556, a support rod 6556b which is a rod inserted into the axle support hole 6556a and the axle support hole 6551a of the tip oscillating member 6556, and a sliding shaft 6556c which protrudes in the front-rear direction from the end of the extension part which extends from the axle support hole 6556a to the opposite side of the arc-shaped hole 6554 and is connected to the guide long hole 6591d of the switching device 6590.

The arc-shaped hole 6554 has a return portion 6554a that protrudes from the upper inner surface. The return portion 6554a is the portion that slides over the protrusion portion 541b of the telescopic performance member 6540, and is a protrusion with an asymmetric shape that reduces resistance when sliding from the tip side of the arc-shaped hole 6554, but increases sliding resistance when sliding in the opposite direction.

Figures 70(a) and 70(b) are front perspective views of the switching device 6590. Note that Figure 70(a) illustrates a pushed-up state in which the C-shaped member 6591 is pushed up by the switch member 6592, and Figure 70(b) illustrates a pushed-down state in which the C-shaped member 6591 is pushed down against the switch member 6592. The pushed-up state corresponds to the state in Figure 69(c), and the pushed-down state corresponds to the state in Figure 69(a).

The C-shaped member 6591 mainly comprises a long plate-like main body 6591a having a hole in the center with an inner diameter through which the movable cylinder 6592a can be inserted, a cylindrical guide 6591b protruding in a cylindrical shape with an inner diameter equal to the inner diameter of the hole in the main body 6591a and having a groove formed on its inner circumferential surface, a pair of arms 6591c extending downward from both ends of the main body 6591a in the longitudinal direction and arranged opposite each other in the front-rear direction of the main body 6551, and a guide long hole 6591d drilled on the tip side of the arms 6591c and serving as a long hole through which the sliding shaft 6556c of the tip swinging member 6556 is guided.

The groove formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical guide portion 6591b is for forming a knock mechanism in relation to the moving column portion 6592a of the switch member 6592. This groove causes the C-shaped member 6591 to switch between a pushed-up state and a pushed-down state each time it is pushed in the direction in which it is pressed against the switch member 6592. Note that illustrations of other members such as spring members that form the biasing force required to form the knock mechanism are omitted, and in this embodiment, the cylindrical guide portion 6591b is pushed into the push-in portion 6541a (see FIG. 71) of the telescopic performance device 6540.

The switch member 6592 mainly comprises a movable cylindrical portion 6592a having a protrusion protruding from the outer peripheral surface thereof that is inserted into the cylindrical guide portion 6591a and can move in a groove on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical guide portion 6591a, and a fixed plate portion 6592b to which the movable cylindrical portion 6592a is rotatably connected and which is fixed to the upper surface of the main body portion 6551 of the rotating arm member 6550.

Here, in the knock mechanism, the tubular member and the cylindrical member guided on the inner periphery of the tubular member rotate relative to each other, switching their relative positions in the axial direction. In other words, if the tubular member and the cylindrical member do not rotate relative to each other, it is difficult to switch their relative positions in the axial direction.

In contrast, the movable cylindrical portion 6592a of the switch member 6592 is rotatably connected to the fixed plate portion 6592b. Therefore, when the C-shaped member 6591 is moved in a direction approaching the switch member 6592 (when pressed downward in FIG. 70(a)), the movable cylindrical portion 6592a is allowed to rotate relative to the cylindrical guide portion 6591b, and the knock mechanism functions.

Therefore, the push-up state and the push-down state can be switched without rotating the fixed plate portion 6592b fixed to the main body portion 6551 of the pivot arm member 6550 relative to the C-shaped member 6591. Therefore, the state of the switching device 6590 can be switched between the push-up state and the push-down state while maintaining the state in which the sliding shaft 6556c of the tip pivot member 6556 is inserted into the guide elongated hole 6591d of the C-shaped member 6591.

Figures 71(a) and 71(b) are front views of the composite action unit 6500. Figure 71(a) illustrates a state in which the pivot arm member 6550 is placed in the extended position and the switching device 6590 is in the pushed-up state, while Figure K4 illustrates a state in which the pivot arm member 6550 is placed in the extended position and the switching device 6590 is in the pushed-down state. Note that in Figures 71(a) and 71(b), the telescopic performance device 6540 is placed in a position where it has been swung to the left end of its swingable range.

As shown in Figures 71(a) and 71(b), when the rotating arm member 6550 is positioned in the extended position, the maximum swing angle of the telescopic performance device 540 in the clockwise direction as viewed from the front can be changed by switching the state of the switching device 6590.

In other words, when the switching device 6590 is in the pushed-up state (see FIG. 71(a)), the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance member 6540 abuts against the upper inner surface of the arc-shaped hole 6554, limiting the swing angle of the telescopic performance device 6540.

In this position, the inner surface of the arc-shaped hole 6554 and the return portion 6554a function as a stopper, and even if the swing speed of the telescopic performance device 6540 is high, the telescopic performance device 6540 can be suddenly stopped in the position shown in FIG. 71(a) (the movement trajectory RI of the protrusion portion 541b abuts against the return portion 6554a).

In contrast, when the switching device 6590 forms a pressed-down state (see FIG. 71(b)), the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 6540 does not collide with the arc-shaped hole 6554 and the return portion 6554a (the movement trajectory RI of the protrusion 541b does not abut against the return portion 6554a). Therefore, the protrusion 541b of the telescopic performance device 6540 moves along the arc-shaped hole 6554, and the protrusion 541b is released to the outside from the tip portion 554a of the arc-shaped hole 6554.

Therefore, the telescopic performance device 6540 swings clockwise when viewed from the front until the rotating plate 520 abuts against the second stopper portion 518b (see FIG. 71(b)). In this position, the second stopper portion 518b functions as a stopper, and the telescopic performance device 540 can be stopped suddenly even if the swing speed of the telescopic performance device 6540 is high.

This allows the telescopic performance device 6540 to swing clockwise when viewed from the front, and multiple swing angles (two in this embodiment) can be formed when performing a performance in which the telescopic performance device 6540 suddenly stops, thereby increasing the variety of performances. The state of the switching device 6590 is switched by the telescopic performance member 6540 swinging counterclockwise when viewed from the front, and the cylindrical guide portion 6591b of the switching device 6590 is pushed forward by the pushing portion 6541a extending rightward from the upper right part of the main body member 6541a when viewed from the front, as a result. Therefore, the second driving device 560 that causes the telescopic performance member 6540 to swing is also used as a driving device that swings the tip swinging member 6556, so the number of driving devices can be reduced.

In addition, in Figures 71(a) and 71(b), the tip swinging member 6556 can be slightly swung to change the swing range of the telescopic performance device 6540. In this case, since the swing angle is small, it is difficult for the player to notice the change.

Here, if the rotating arm member 6550 is in a state where it is visible to the player (see FIG. 71), and the swing angle of the telescopic performance device 6540 can be understood from the change in the state of the rotating arm member 6550, the player's anticipation for the operation of the telescopic performance device 6540 will fade, and the attention paid to the telescopic performance device 6540 will decrease.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the angle at which the tip swinging member 6556 swings to change the swing angle of the telescopic performance device 6540 is small, making it difficult for the player to notice the change. This can heighten the sense of anticipation for the operation of the telescopic performance device 6540, and can increase the attention that the telescopic performance device 6540 will attract.

Seventh Embodiment
Next, a tilting operation unit 7600 in the seventh embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In the first embodiment, a long hole-shaped sliding hole 643 is formed at the end of the transmission member 640, and the performance member 620 is supported in a guideable manner in the sliding hole 643. In the seventh embodiment, however, the tilting operation unit 7600 has a shaft support hole 7643 formed at the end of the transmission member 7600, and the performance member 620 is supported in the shaft support hole 7643. Note that the same parts as in the above-mentioned embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

72(a) and 72(b) are front views of the tilting operation unit 7600 in the seventh embodiment. In FIG. 72(a), an inverted state in which the shaft support hole 7643 of the transmission member 7640 is disposed vertically above the cylindrical portion 642 is illustrated, and in FIG. 72(b), a state in which the transmission member 7640 is swung counterclockwise a predetermined angle from the inverted state is illustrated. Note that in FIG. 72(a) and FIG. 72(b), in order to facilitate understanding, the outline of the performance member 620 is illustrated with imaginary lines, the transmission member 7640 and the base member 7610 on the back side are visible, and the torsion spring 650 and the shaft support protrusion 612 are omitted from illustration.

As shown in FIG. 72(a), the base member 7610 has a sliding hole 7613 drilled in the front-rear direction vertically below the second shaft support hole 614 of the main body 611. The sliding hole 7613 is an elongated hole through which the oscillating shaft 626 of the performance member 620 is inserted, and the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole is formed along the up-down direction. The oscillating shaft 626 is supported in the sliding hole 7613 so as to be able to slide.

The transmission member 7640 has a shaft support hole 7643 drilled in the end opposite the end where the cylindrical portion 642 of the main body 641 is formed. The shaft support hole 7643 is a part that supports the sliding shaft portion 621a of the performance member 620 so that it can swing, and is drilled with an inner diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the sliding shaft portion 621a.

The swinging motion of the performance member 620 occurs when the transmission member 7640 swings around the second shaft support hole 614 due to the rotation of the drive motor 631 of the first drive unit 630 (see FIG. 51).

In this embodiment, the sliding shaft portion 621a is supported by the shaft support hole 7643, so when the transmission member 7640 swings, the sliding shaft portion 621a of the performance member 620 moves along the swing trajectory of the transmission member 7640 (the sliding shaft portion 621a does not move in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 641). On the other hand, since the swing shaft portion 626 is inserted through the sliding hole 7613, when the transmission member 7640 swings, the swing shaft portion 626 slides relative to the base member 7610.

Here, the difference between the swing angle of the transmission member 7640 and the swing angle of the performance member 620 will be explained. As shown in FIG. 72(b), when the transmission member 7640 swings from the inverted state by a transmission swing angle φ71, the performance member 620 swings by a performance swing angle φ72 (performance swing angle φ72 < transmission swing angle φ71). Therefore, when swinging the transmission member 7640 in the smallest unit of resolution of the drive motor 631, the swing angle of the performance member 620 can be made smaller than the swing angle of the transmission member 7640. This improves the accuracy of the adjustment of the swing angle of the performance member 620.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, it will be explained that the swing angle of the performance member 620 when the transmission member 7640 swings from the inverted state by the transmission swing angle φ71 can be made smaller than in the first embodiment.

The connecting line J1 shown in FIG. 72(b) is a line drawn from the sliding shaft portion 621a to the oscillating shaft portion 626. The imaginary connecting line J2 is a line of the same length as the connecting line J1, drawn from a line passing through the cylindrical portion 642 in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 641 to the center of the oscillating shaft portion 626 when the oscillating shaft portion 626 is disposed above the sliding hole 7613 (see FIG. 72(a)). Note that the imaginary angle φ73, which is the oscillating angle of the imaginary connecting line J2, corresponds to the oscillating angle of the performance member 620 that oscillates when the transmission member 640 of the first embodiment oscillates by the transmission oscillating angle φ71 when the first shaft support hole 613 of the first embodiment is formed above the sliding hole 7613.

As shown in FIG. 72(b), the performance swing angle φ72 is set smaller than the virtual angle φ73, and according to the tilting operation unit 7600 of the seventh embodiment, the swing angle of the performance member 620 when the transmission member 7640 is swung a predetermined angle can be made smaller than that of the first embodiment. Therefore, when the transmission member 7640 is swung in the smallest unit of the resolution of the drive motor 631 (see FIG. 51), the swing amount of the performance member 620 can be made smaller, and the accuracy of the adjustment of the swing angle of the performance member 620 can be improved.

<First control example>
Next, control examples in each of the above-mentioned embodiments will be described with reference to Fig. 73 to Fig. 134. In this first control example, the control process (process related to the control of the game such as display performance) executed in the pachinko machine 10 described in the first embodiment will be described. In this control example, the display image used when the power is turned on is corrected and used during normal performance. This allows the same display image to be used when the power is turned on and during normal performance, so that the capacity of the character ROM 234 (see Fig. 79) in the display control device 114 can be saved.

In this control example, in a performance in which a specific role (the telescopic performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) or the tilting operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9)) is movable, control is performed to correct the content of the performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690. As a result, in a performance in which a specific role is movable, for example, if the third pattern display device 81 becomes difficult to see, the display content that was being displayed on the third pattern display device 81 can be displayed on the sub-display device 690, making it possible to create a gaming machine in which the display content is easy for the player to see.

In this control example, inertial force is used to open the door element 470 attached to the vertical movement unit (falling role) 400. As will be described in detail later, in the performance in which the door element 470 is opened after the door element 470 attached to the vertical movement unit 400 is moved, the opening and closing drive motor 466 that maintains the door element 470 in a closed state is controlled not to be excited (power supply stop control). Then, when the door element 470 attached to the vertical movement unit (falling role) 400 has finished moving in the falling direction, the door element 470 is opened by the inertial force generated in the door element 470. In this way, the door element 470 can be opened without driving the opening and closing drive motor 466, so power consumption can be reduced.

In this control example, a preview effect is displayed in the variable display, suggesting the likelihood that the variable display will result in a jackpot. This preview effect includes an effect that includes the same type of display mode (countdown) as the specific time effect that suggests the game state described above. Specifically, it includes a countdown preview effect, which is an effect in which countdown characters ("3, 2, 1...") are displayed followed by an image (such as an image of a girl) indicating the likelihood of a jackpot. If the specific time effect (countdown effect) that suggests the game state, which is an effect that includes the same type of display mode (countdown), and the countdown preview effect, which is one of the preview effects that suggests the likelihood of a jackpot, are executed at the same time, there is a risk that the player will be confused.

In this control example, when a countdown preview effect is executed (displayed) as a preview effect suggesting the likelihood of a jackpot, a specific time effect (countdown effect), which is an effect including the same type of display mode (countdown), is restricted (avoided) from being executed until the variable display in which the countdown preview effect is executed ends. This makes it possible to restrict (avoid) the execution (display) of an effect so that when a countdown preview effect is executed during a time performance period, a specific time effect (countdown effect) including the same type of display mode (countdown) as the countdown preview effect is not executed (displayed). As a result, it is possible to suppress a problem in which effects including the same type of display mode (countdown) are executed in the same time performance period, confusing the player.

In this control example, the ball entry effect, which is displayed based on the ball entering the winning hole, is displayed in each of the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d of the third pattern display area in sequence. This makes it possible to extend the period during which the ball entry effect is displayed even when the interval between game balls entering the winning hole is short, resulting in a gaming machine that makes it easier for players to see the ball entry effect.

This control example is not limited to the pachinko machine 10 described in the first embodiment, but may be executed in any of the pachinko machines 10 of the above-mentioned embodiments, or in a pachinko machine 10 that combines the above-mentioned embodiments.

<Electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example>
First, the RAM 203 provided in the main control device 110 will be described with reference to Fig. 73 to Fig. 76. The main control device 110 executes the main processes of the pachinko machine 10, such as drawing a lottery for a special symbol, drawing a lottery for a normal symbol, setting the display in the first symbol display device 37, setting the display in the second symbol display device 83, and setting the display in the third symbol display device 81. The RAM 203 is provided with various counters for controlling these processes.

Now, referring to FIG. 73, we will explain the counters and the like provided in the RAM 203 of the main control device 110. These counters and the like are used by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110 to perform the drawing of special symbols, the drawing of normal symbols, the display settings of the first symbol display device 37, the display settings of the second symbol display device 83, and the display settings of the third symbol display device 81, etc.

The first winning random number counter C1 used for the special pattern drawing and the display settings of the first pattern display device 37 and the third pattern display device 81 are used to draw the special pattern, the first winning type counter C2 used to select the big winning type of the special pattern, the stop type selection counter C3 used to select the stop type of the losing special pattern, the first initial value random number counter CINI1 used to set the initial value of the first winning random number counter C1, and the fluctuation type counter CS1 used to select the fluctuation pattern. In addition, the second winning random number counter C4 is used for drawing the normal pattern, and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 is used to set the initial value of the second winning random number counter C4. Each of these counters is a loop counter that adds 1 to the previous value each time it is updated and returns to 0 after reaching the maximum value.

Each counter is updated, for example, at 2 millisecond intervals, which is the execution interval of the timer interrupt process (see FIG. 92), and some counters are updated irregularly during the main process (see FIG. 102), and the updated values are appropriately stored in the counter buffer 203y of the RAM 203. The RAM 203 is provided with a special symbol 1 reserved ball storage area 203a and a special symbol 2 reserved ball storage area 203b, which are each composed of one execution area and four reserved areas (reserved areas 1 to 4). In each of these areas, the values of the first winning random number counter C1, the first winning type counter C2, and the stop type selection counter C3 are stored in accordance with the timing of the ball entering the first winning hole 64 and the second winning hole 640, respectively. Additionally, the RAM 203 is provided with a normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c, which consists of one execution area and four reserved areas (reserved areas 1 to 4), and the value of the second winning random number counter C4 is stored in each of these areas in accordance with the timing at which the ball passes through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67.

Each counter will be explained in detail. The first hit random number counter C1 is configured to increment by one within a predetermined range (e.g., 0 to 399) and return to 0 after reaching a maximum value (e.g., 399 for a counter that can take values from 0 to 399). In particular, when the first hit random number counter C1 goes around once, the value of the first initial value random number counter CINI1 at that time is read as the initial value of the first hit random number counter C1.

The first initial value random number counter CINI1 is configured as a loop counter that is updated within the same range as the first hit random number counter C1. That is, for example, if the first hit random number counter C1 is a loop counter that can take values from 0 to 399, the first initial value random number counter CINI1 is also a loop counter with a range of 0 to 399. This first initial value random number counter CINI1 is updated once each time the timer interrupt process (see FIG. 92) is executed, and is repeatedly updated within the remaining time of the main process (see FIG. 102).

The value of the first winning random number counter C1 is updated periodically (once for each timer interrupt process in this embodiment), for example, and is stored in the special symbol 1 reserved ball storage area 203a or the special symbol 2 reserved ball storage area 203b of the RAM 203 at the timing when the ball enters the first winning slot 64 or the second winning slot 640. The value of the random number that results in a jackpot for the special symbol is set by the first winning random number table 202a (see FIG. 75(a)) stored in the ROM 202 of the main control device 110, and when the value of the first winning random number counter C1 matches the value of the random number that results in a jackpot set by the first winning random number table 202a, it is determined that the special symbol is a jackpot. In addition, this first winning random number table 202a is divided into two types: one for when the probability of a special symbol is low (a period in which the special symbol is in a low probability state) and one for when the probability of a jackpot for the special symbol is higher than that at the low probability (a period in which the special symbol is in a high probability state). That is, the first winning random number table 202a (see FIG. 75(a)) is composed of a first winning random number table for low probability and a first winning random number table for high probability, and the number of random numbers that result in a jackpot included in each table is different. In this way, by making the number of random numbers that result in a jackpot different, the probability of a jackpot changes when the special pattern has a low probability and when the special pattern has a high probability. The first winning random number table 202a for low probability of a special pattern and the first winning random number table 202a for high probability of a special pattern are provided in the ROM 202 of the main control device 110.

The first winning type counter C2 determines the display mode of the first symbol display device 37 when a special symbol jackpot occurs, and is configured to be incremented by one within a predetermined range (e.g., 0 to 99) and return to 0 after reaching a maximum value (e.g., 99 in the case of a counter that can take values from 0 to 99). The value of the first winning type counter C2 is updated, for example, periodically (once for each timer interrupt process in this embodiment), and is stored in the special symbol 1 reserved ball storage area 203a or the special symbol 2 reserved ball storage area 203b of the RAM 203 when a ball enters the first winning slot 64 or the second winning slot 640.

Here, if the value of the first winning random number counter C1 stored in the special pattern 1 reserved ball storage area 203a or the special pattern 2 reserved ball storage area 203b is not a random number that results in a jackpot for the special pattern, in other words, if it is a random number that results in a miss for the special pattern, the display mode corresponding to the stopped pattern displayed on the first pattern display device 37 will be that for a miss for the special pattern.

On the other hand, if the value of the first winning random number counter C1 stored in the special pattern 1 reserved ball storage area 203a or the special pattern 2 reserved ball storage area 203b is a random number that results in a special pattern jackpot, the display mode corresponding to the stopped pattern displayed on the first pattern display device 37 will be that of the special pattern jackpot. In this case, the specific display mode at the time of the jackpot will be the display mode indicated by the value of the first winning type counter C2 stored in the same special pattern 1 reserved ball storage area 203a or special pattern 2 reserved ball storage area 203b.

The first win random number counter C1 in the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment is configured as a 2-byte loop counter with a range of 0 to 399. In this first win random number counter C1, when the probability of a special symbol is low, there is one random number value that results in a jackpot for the special symbol, and this random number value "0" is stored in the first win random number table 202a for low probability (see Figure 75 (a)). In this way, when the probability of a special symbol is low, the total number of random numbers that result in a jackpot is 1 out of a total of 400, so the probability of a jackpot for a special symbol is "1/400".

In addition, in this embodiment, as a type of special pattern miss, a miss type (small win) is provided in which the specific winning port (large opening port) 65a is opened, although it is not a big win for the special pattern. When this small win occurs, the specific winning port (large opening port) 65a is opened for a predetermined time (until 0.2 seconds have passed or until 10 balls have won), and then the opening and closing operation is repeated twice. In other words, the same opening and closing operation as in the case of a big win C (a big win without 2R special time reduction) is performed. When the probability of a special pattern is low, the first winning random number table 202a (see FIG. 75(a)) specifies two random numbers (judgment values) for a small win, "10, 11". Out of the total number of random numbers 400, the total number of random numbers for a small win is 2, so the probability of a small win for the first special pattern is "2/400".

Since a small win is a type of miss, the game state does not change before or after the small win. For example, if a small win occurs during a special pattern probability state, the special pattern probability state continues even after the small win ends, and if a small win occurs in a normal state (a low probability state of a special pattern and a normal state of a normal pattern), the normal state continues even after the small win ends. As described above, this small win is the same as when the opening and closing operation of the specific winning port 65a results in a 2R probability variable time-saving non-jackpot jackpot, so a small win occurs in the normal state, and a player who sees the opening and closing operation of the specific winning port (large opening port) 65a can expect a 2R probability variable time-saving non-jackpot jackpot. Therefore, every time a small win occurs in the normal state, it can be expected that the player has transitioned to a special pattern probability state that is more advantageous than the normal state, so that it is possible to prevent (suppress) the game in the normal state from becoming monotonous. In addition, even if the special symbol does not result in a big win, the opening and closing of the specific winning port 65a can be performed on some of the misses (small wins), increasing the chances for the player to win prize balls. This prevents (suppresses) the player from losing too many balls under normal conditions, which would put the player at an excessive disadvantage.

On the other hand, when the probability of a special symbol is high, there are 10 random number values that result in a jackpot for the special symbol, and the values "0 to 9" are stored in the first jackpot random number table 202a for high probability (see FIG. 75(a)). Thus, when the probability of a special symbol is high, the total number of random number values that result in a jackpot is 10 out of a total of 400, so the probability of a jackpot for a special symbol is "1/40". Also, only "10" is specified as the random number value (judgment value) that results in a small jackpot in the first jackpot random number table 202a (see FIG. 75(a)). The total number of random number values that result in a small jackpot is 1 out of a total of 400, so the probability of a small jackpot is "1/400".

The reason why the probability of a small win when the special symbol is highly probable is configured to be lower than when the special symbol is low probable is that when the special symbol is highly probable, the number of rounds is large and the opening period of the specific winning port 65a is long (a 16R jackpot in which the action of opening the port 65a until 30 seconds have passed or until 10 balls have entered is repeated 16 times), and the player plays in the hope of winning a large number of prize balls, so a small win is just annoying. In other words, in the normal state, a small win can give the player a sense of expectation that it may have become a 2R non-time-limited jackpot (the player may move to a favorable jackpot state after the opening and closing action of the specific winning port 65a), but when the jackpot state is already in a jackpot state, whether it is a small win or a 2R non-time-limited jackpot, the player will not get many prize balls and the current state (the jackpot state) will simply be maintained. Therefore, in this embodiment, the probability of a small win is low when the special symbol is highly probable. This can further increase the player's interest in playing when there is a high probability of a special symbol.

The value of the first winning type counter C2 in the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment is configured as a loop counter in the range of 0 to 99, and the type of jackpot is determined based on the value of this first winning type counter C2 and the first winning type selection table 202b (see FIG. 75(b)) provided in the ROM 202. Specifically, if the value of the first winning type counter C2 is "0 to 39", jackpot A (16R guaranteed jackpot) is selected, if it is "40 to 79", jackpot B (16R time-saving jackpot) is selected, and if it is "80 to 99", jackpot C (2R guaranteed jackpot with no time-saving jackpot) is selected.

In this embodiment, the jackpot types set in the first jackpot type selection table 202b (see FIG. 75(b)) are three types: jackpot A, jackpot B, and jackpot C, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured so that four or more jackpot types are selected, or two or less types, for example, only one jackpot type, may be selected. In addition, the types and ratios of jackpot types selected for a jackpot with special pattern 1 and a jackpot with special pattern 2 may be set to be different.

The stop type selection counter C3 is configured to be incremented by one within the range of, for example, 0 to 99, and to return to 0 after reaching the maximum value (i.e., 99). In this embodiment, the stop type selection counter C3 selects the stop type displayed on the third symbol display device 81 when a miss occurs, and selects two stop (performance) patterns: a "miss reach" (for example, in the range of 90 to 99) in which the final stop symbol stops with a symbol other than the reach symbol after a reach occurs, and a "complete miss" (for example, in the range of 0 to 89) in which no reach occurs. The value of the stop type selection counter C3 is updated, for example, periodically (in this embodiment, once for each timer interrupt process), and is stored in the special symbol 1 reserved ball storage area 203a or the special symbol 2 reserved ball storage area 203b of the RAM 203 at the timing when the ball enters the first winning hole 64 or the second winning hole 640.

The random number value for determining the stop type of the special symbol from the value (random number value) of the stop type selection counter C3 is set by a stop type selection table (not shown), and this table is provided in the ROM 202 of the main control device 110. In this embodiment, the table is divided into one for when the special symbol has a high probability and one for when the special symbol has a low probability, and the range of random numbers set for each losing stop type is changed depending on the table. This is to change the selection ratio of the stop type depending on whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a high probability state for a special symbol or a low probability state for a special symbol.

For example, in a high probability state, since a jackpot is likely to occur, a table for high probability with a wide range of random numbers from 0 to 89 corresponding to the stop type of "complete miss" is selected so that reach effects are not selected more than necessary, making it easier for "complete miss" to be selected. Also, in a low probability state, a table for low probability with a narrow range of random numbers from 0 to 79 corresponding to the stop type of "complete miss" is selected to ensure time for the ball to enter the first winning slot 64, making it harder for "complete miss" to be selected.

The variation type counter CS1 is configured to be incremented by one within the range of, for example, 0 to 198, and to return to 0 after reaching the maximum value (i.e., 198). The variation type counter CS1 determines the rough display mode, such as the so-called normal reach and super reach. Specifically, the display mode is determined by determining the variation time of the pattern variation. Based on the variation time determined by the variation type counter CS1, the voice lamp control device 113 and the display control device 114 determine the reach type and detailed pattern variation mode of the third pattern displayed on the third pattern display device 81. The value of the variation type counter CS1 is updated once each time the main processing (see FIG. 102) described later is executed once, and is repeatedly updated during the remaining time in the main processing. Note that a variation pattern table (see FIG. 76) that stores random numbers that determine one variation time of the pattern variation from the value (random number) of the variation type counter CS1 is provided in the ROM 202 of the main control device 110.

Here, the fluctuation pattern table 202d will be described with reference to FIG. 76. As shown in FIG. 76(a), this fluctuation pattern table 202d has at least a jackpot fluctuation pattern table 202d1 (see FIG. 76(b)), a miss (normal) fluctuation pattern table 202d2 (see FIG. 76(c)), and a miss (high probability) fluctuation pattern table 202d3 (see FIG. 76(d)). Although not shown in the figure, in addition to these, a fluctuation pattern table for the time-saving game state, etc., is also set.

First, referring to FIG. 76(b), the jackpot fluctuation pattern table 202d1 will be described. FIG. 76(b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the jackpot fluctuation pattern table 202d1. The jackpot fluctuation pattern table 202d1 is a data table in which the type of fluctuation pattern (fluctuation time) to be selected when the result of the lottery for the special symbol is a jackpot is set. As the fluctuation patterns for a jackpot, various normal reaches (30 seconds), various super reaches (60 seconds), and special reaches (90 seconds) are set. For each fluctuation pattern, the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 is set as the judgment value.

Specifically, for the normal reach (30 seconds) fluctuation pattern, "0 to 50" is set as the judgment value of the fluctuation type counter CS1, for the super reach (60 seconds) fluctuation pattern, "51 to 179" is set as the judgment value, and for the special reach (90 seconds) fluctuation pattern, "180 to 198" is set as the judgment value. When the MPU 201 of the main control device 110 selects a fluctuation pattern when the lottery result of the special symbol is a jackpot, it selects from the jackpot fluctuation pattern table 202d1 a fluctuation pattern for which a judgment value corresponding to the acquired value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 is set.

Figure 76 (c) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the miss (normal) fluctuation pattern table 202d2. The miss (normal) fluctuation pattern table 202d2 is a data table in which the type of fluctuation pattern (fluctuation time) to be selected is set when the lottery result of the special symbol is a miss. When the lottery result of the special symbol is a miss, as described above, the stop type is determined by the value of the stop type selection counter C3 from a stop type selection table (not shown) as to whether the stop type is a complete miss (non-reach) or a reach miss (common to reach). Specifically, if the value of the stop type selection counter C3 is in the range of "0 to 79", a complete miss is set, and if it is in the range of "80 to 99", a miss reach is set.

Here, when the fluctuation pattern type is a complete miss, a short miss (7 seconds) with a relatively short fluctuation time and a long miss (10 seconds) with a relatively long fluctuation time are set. For a short miss (7 seconds), "0 to 98" is set as the judgment value of the fluctuation type counter CS1, and for a long miss (10 seconds), "99 to 198" is set.

In addition, for missed reaches, the determination value of the variation type counter CS1 is set to "0 to 149" for all missed normal reaches (30 seconds), "150 to 197" for all missed super reaches (60 seconds), and "198" for all missed special reaches (90 seconds).

In this way, when the lottery result for the special symbol is a miss during normal game mode, the MPU 201 of the main control device 110 determines the stop type, and selects a fluctuation pattern from the miss (normal) fluctuation pattern selection table 202d2 based on the value of the fluctuation type selection counter CS1 obtained from the miss (normal) fluctuation pattern selection table 202d2.

Figure 76 (d) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the miss (probable chance) variation pattern selection table 202d3. This miss (probable chance) variation pattern selection table 202d3 is a data table for selecting the variation pattern of the special symbol that results in a miss when the gaming state is a probable chance gaming state. This miss (probable chance) variation pattern selection table 202d3 differs from the miss (normal) variation pattern selection table 202d2 described above in that the value of the variation type selection counter CS1 that is set is different.

As mentioned above, when the game state is a sure-win game state, if the value of the stop type selection counter C3 is in the range of "0 to 89" according to the stop type selection table (not shown), a complete miss is determined, and if it is in the range of "90 to 99", a miss reach is determined.

In this way, when in a probability variation game state, the probability of reaching a winning jackpot in the event of a miss is set lower than in the normal game state. This prevents the time it takes for a miss to fluctuate during a probability variation game from becoming longer, and the time it takes to hit a jackpot from becoming longer. This prevents the game from becoming drawn out during a probability variation game state, when a jackpot is more likely to occur, and makes the player feel bored.

In this control example, the time-saving variation pattern selection table (not shown) is provided in the variation pattern table 202d. This time-saving variation pattern selection table is a data table for selecting a variation pattern of a special symbol when the game state is a time-saving game state. The time-saving variation pattern selection table is specified so that a 0.6-second variation pattern is selected regardless of the value of the variation type counter CS1. This 0.6-second variation pattern is composed of a 0.125-second period during which symbols and the like are displayed in a variable manner and a 0.475-second period during which symbols and the like are displayed stationary. As a result, in the time-saving game state, one variable display ends in a short period (0.6 seconds), so that the turnover rate (efficiency) of the game in the time-saving game state can be improved. In addition, by setting the period during which symbols are displayed in a variable manner to a very short period (0.125 seconds), the player can be given the impression that the turnover rate (efficiency) of the game is very good.

Returning to FIG. 73, the explanation will continue. The second winning random number counter C4 is configured as a loop counter that is incremented by one within the range of, for example, 0 to 239, and returns to 0 after reaching a maximum value (i.e., 239). Also, when the second winning random number counter C4 goes around once, the value of the second initial value random number counter CINI2 at that time is read as the initial value of the second winning random number counter C4. In this embodiment, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 is updated, for example, periodically, for each timer interrupt process, and is obtained when it is detected that a ball has passed through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67, and is stored in the normal pattern reserved ball storage area 203c of the RAM 203.

The value of the random number that results in a winning normal symbol is set by a second winning random number table (see FIG. 75(c)) stored in the ROM 202 of the main control device, and when the value of the second winning random number counter C4 matches the value of the random number that results in a winning that is set by the second winning random number table (see FIG. 75(c)), it is determined that the normal symbol is a winning symbol. In addition, this second winning random number table is divided into two types: one for low probability of a normal symbol (period in which the normal symbol is in the normal state) and one for high probability of a normal symbol winning that is higher than the low probability (period in which the normal symbol is in the time-saving state), and each type contains a different number of random numbers that result in a big win. In this way, by making the number of winning random numbers different, the probability of a winning normal symbol is changed between low probability and high probability.

As shown in Figure 75 (c), when the probability of a normal symbol is low, there are 24 random number values that will result in a winning normal symbol, and the range is "5 to 28". These random number values are stored in the second winning random number table for low probability. Thus, when the probability of a normal symbol is low, the total number of random number values that will result in a jackpot is 24 out of a total of 240, so the probability of a jackpot for a special symbol is "1/10".

When the pachinko machine 10 is in a low probability state of a normal pattern, if the ball passes through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 is acquired, and the variable display of the normal pattern is executed for 30 seconds on the second pattern display device 83. If the acquired value of the second winning random number counter C4 is in the range of "5 to 28", it is determined to be a win, and after the variable display on the second pattern display device 83 ends, a "circle" pattern is displayed as the stop pattern (second pattern), and the second winning port 640 is opened for "0.2 seconds x 1 time". In this embodiment, when the pachinko machine 10 is in a low probability state of a normal pattern, if a normal pattern is hit, the second winning port 640 is opened for "0.2 seconds x 1 time", but the opening time and number of times can be set arbitrarily. For example, it may be opened for "0.5 seconds x 2 times".

On the other hand, when the probability of a normal symbol is high, there are 200 random number values that will result in a jackpot for a normal symbol, and the range is 5 to 204. These random number values are stored in the second jackpot random number table for high probability. Thus, when the probability of a special symbol is low, there are a total of 240 random number values, and the total number of random number values that will result in a jackpot is 200, so the probability of a jackpot for a special symbol is 1/1.2.

When the pachinko machine 10 is in a high probability state of a normal pattern, if a ball passes through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 is acquired, and the variable display of the normal pattern is executed for three seconds on the second pattern display device 83. If the acquired value of the second winning random number counter C4 is in the range of "5 to 204", it is determined to be a win, and after the variable display on the second pattern display device 83 ends, a "circle" pattern is displayed as the stop pattern (second pattern), and the second winning port 640 is opened "1 second x 2 times". In this way, when the normal pattern is in a high probability state, the variable display time is very short (from 30 seconds to 3 seconds) compared to when the normal pattern is in a low probability state, and further, the opening period of the second winning port 640 is very long (from 0.2 seconds x 1 time to 1 second x 2 times), so that the ball is more likely to enter the first winning port 64. A table (not shown) that stores random numbers for determining whether or not a normal symbol is a winning symbol from the value (random number) of the second winning random number counter C4 is provided in the ROM 202. In this embodiment, when the pachinko machine 10 is in a state where there is a high probability of a normal symbol, the second winning hole 640 opens only "1 second x 2 times" when a normal symbol is a winning symbol, but the opening time and number of times can be set arbitrarily. For example, it may be opened "3 seconds x 3 times."

The second initial value random number counter CINI2 is configured as a loop counter that is updated within the same range as the second hit random number counter C4 (value = 0 to 239), and is updated once for each timer interrupt processing (see Figure 92) and is repeatedly updated within the remaining time of the main processing (see Figure 102).

In this way, various counters and the like are provided in the RAM 203, and the main control device 110 can execute the main processes of the pachinko machine 10, such as drawing jackpots, setting the displays on the first pattern display device 37 and the third pattern display device 81, and drawing the display results on the second pattern display device 83, depending on the values of these counters and the like.

Next, the contents of ROM 202 and RAM 203 provided in main control device 110 will be described with reference to FIG. 74. As described above, ROM 202 is provided with at least first win random number table 202a, first win type selection table 202b, second win random number table 205c, and variation pattern table 202d. The contents of each table provided in ROM 202 are as described above with reference to FIG. 75 and FIG. 76, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 74, the RAM 203 has at least a special symbol 1 reserved ball storage area 203a, a special symbol 2 reserved ball storage area 203b, a normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c, a special symbol 1 reserved ball number counter 203d, a special symbol 2 reserved ball number counter 203e, a normal symbol reserved ball number counter 203f, a special bonus flag 203g, a time-saving counter 203h, a jackpot flag 203i, a counter buffer 203y, and a miscellaneous memory area 203z.

The special symbol 1 reserved ball storage area 203a is a memory area dedicated to the first winning slot 64 (special symbol 1) and has one execution area and four reserved areas (reserved area 1 to reserved area 4), and each of these areas stores the values of the first winning random number counter C1, the first winning type counter C2, and the stop type selection counter C3.

More specifically, when a ball enters the first winning slot 64 (initial winning), the values of the counters C1 to C3 are obtained, and the obtained data is stored in the available areas of the four holding areas (holding area 1 to holding area 4) in order of the area with the smallest area number (1 to 4). In other words, the smaller the area number, the more data corresponding to older winnings are stored, and the first holding area stores data corresponding to the oldest winning. Note that if data is stored in all four holding areas, nothing new is stored.

After that, when the main control device 110 draws for a special symbol, the values of the counters C1 to C3 stored in the first reserved area of the special symbol 1 reserved ball storage area 203a are shifted (moved) to the execution area, and a decision such as the drawing of the special symbol is made based on the values of the counters C1 to C3 stored in the execution area.

When data is shifted from reserved area 1 to the execution area, reserved area 1 becomes empty. Therefore, a shift process is performed to move the winning data stored in the other reserved areas (reserved area 2 to reserved area 4) to the reserved area with the area number one smaller (reserved area 1 to reserved area 3). In this embodiment, data is shifted only for the reserved areas in which winning data is stored (reserved area 2 to reserved area 4) in the special pattern 1 reserved ball storage area 203a.

In this pachinko machine 10, as soon as a ball enters the first winning slot 64 (start winning), and the values of the counters C1-C3 are obtained in response to the start winning, various information that would be obtained if the original lottery were held is predicted (estimated) from the obtained values of the counters C1-C3, in addition to the jackpot lottery for the original special symbol. In this way, predicting various information that would be obtained if the original lottery were held based on the data corresponding to the start winning (the values of the counters C1-C3) before the lottery for the original special symbol is held is hereafter referred to as pre-reading the lottery result for the special symbol. The various information includes whether it was a win or a loss, the stop type, and the variation pattern.

When the look-ahead is complete, a winning information command including the various information obtained by the look-ahead (win/lose, stop type, and fluctuation pattern) is sent to the voice lamp control device 113. When the winning information command is received by the voice lamp control device 113, the voice lamp control device 113 extracts the winning/lose, stop type, and fluctuation pattern from the winning information command, and stores them as winning information in the winning information storage area 223a of the corresponding special pattern, either special pattern 1 or special pattern 2, in RAM 233.

In this pachinko machine 10, when a start winning occurs in the main control device 110, various information (win/lose, stop type, change pattern) obtained by drawing a lottery for a special symbol corresponding to the start winning is predicted from the values of the first winning random number counter C1, the first winning type counter C2, and the stop type selection counter C3 obtained in response to the start winning. This prediction (read-ahead) is configured to refer to a jackpot determination value corresponding to the game state (normal game state or special game state) at the time when the change corresponding to the start winning begins. This makes it possible to accurately predict the lottery result for the special symbol corresponding to the start winning.

The special pattern 2 reserved ball storage area 203b is a memory area exclusively for the second winning slot 640 (special pattern 2), and differs from the above-mentioned special pattern 1 reserved ball storage area 203a only in that the first winning slot 64 (special pattern 1) is changed to the second winning slot 640 (special pattern 2), so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

The normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c, like the special symbol 1 reserved ball storage area 203a, has one execution area and four reserved areas (reserved area 1 to reserved area 4). Each of these areas stores a second winning random number counter C4.

More specifically, when a ball passes through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67, the value of counter C4 is obtained, and the obtained data is stored in the available areas of the four holding areas (holding area 1 to holding area 4) in order of the area with the smallest area number (1 to 4). In other words, just like the special pattern 1 reserved ball storage area 203a, the order in which the winning balls were won is maintained and data corresponding to the winning balls is stored. Note that if data is stored in all four holding areas, nothing new is stored.

After that, when the main control device 110 performs a lottery for a winning normal symbol, the value of counter C4 stored in the first reserved area of the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c is shifted (moved) to the execution area, and a determination such as the lottery for a winning normal symbol is made based on the value of counter C4 stored in the execution area.

When data is shifted from the reserved area 1 to the execution area, the reserved area 1 becomes empty, and so, as in the case of the special pattern 1 reserved ball storage area 203a, a shift process is performed to move the winning data stored in the other reserved areas to a reserved area with an area number one smaller. Also, data shifting is only performed for the reserved area in which the winning data is stored.

The special pattern 1 reserved ball counter 203d is a counter that counts the number of reserved balls (waiting times) of the variable display (variable display performed by the third pattern display device 81) of the special pattern (first pattern) performed by the first pattern display device 37 based on a ball entering the first winning port 64 (initial winning), up to a maximum of four times. The initial value of this special pattern 1 reserved ball counter 203d is set to zero, and each time a ball enters the first winning port 64 and the number of reserved balls of the variable display increases, it is incremented by one up to a maximum value of four (see S504 in FIG. 96). On the other hand, the special pattern 1 reserved ball counter 203d is decremented by one each time a new variable display of the special pattern is executed (see S210 in FIG. 93).

The value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 203d (the number of reserved ball counts N1 for the variable display of special pattern 1) is notified to the voice lamp control device 113 by a reserved ball count command (see S211 in FIG. 93 and S505 in FIG. 96). The reserved ball count command is a command sent from the main control device 110 to the voice lamp control device 113 each time the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 203d is changed.

The voice lamp control device 113 can obtain the actual number of reserved balls of the variable display reserved in the main control device 110 by the reserved ball number command sent from the main control device 110 each time the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 203d is changed. As a result, even if the reserved ball number of the variable display managed by the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 223b of the voice lamp control device 113 deviates from the actual reserved ball number of the variable display reserved in the main control device 110 due to the influence of noise, etc., the deviation can be corrected by the next received reserved ball number command.

The voice lamp control device 113 manages the number of reserved balls based on the reserved ball number command, and sends a reserved ball number display command to the display control device 114 to notify the display control device 114 of the number of reserved balls each time the number of reserved balls changes. The display control device 114 displays a reserved ball number pattern on the third pattern display device 81 based on the reserved ball number notified by the display reserved ball number command.

The special symbol 2 reserved ball counter 203e is a counter for counting the number of reserved balls in the second winning slot 640 (special symbol 2). This special symbol 2 reserved ball counter 203e is different from the special symbol 1 reserved ball counter 203d only in that the first winning slot (special symbol 1) is replaced by the second winning slot 640 (special symbol 2), and other points are the same, so detailed explanations will be omitted. The special symbol 2 reserved ball counter 203e is incremented by one by the processing of S510 in FIG. 96, and is decremented by one each time a new variable display of the special symbol is executed (see S205 in FIG. 93). The value of the special symbol 2 reserved ball counter 203e (the number of reserved variable display N2 in the special symbol 2) is notified to the voice lamp control device 113 by the reserved ball number command (see S206 in FIG. 93 and S511 in FIG. 96).

The normal symbol reserved ball number counter 203f is a counter that counts the number of reserved balls (waiting times) of the normal symbol (second symbol) variable display performed by the second symbol display device 83 based on the passage of a ball through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67 up to a maximum of four. The normal symbol reserved ball number counter 203f is initially set to zero, and each time a ball passes through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67 and the number of reserved balls of the variable display increases, one is added up to a maximum value of four (see S804 in FIG. 99). On the other hand, the normal symbol reserved ball number counter 203f is decremented by one each time a new normal symbol (second symbol) variable display is executed (see S705 in FIG. 98).

When a ball passes through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67, if the value of the normal symbol reserved ball number counter 203f (the number of reserved normal symbol variable display M) is less than 4, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 is obtained, and the obtained data is stored in the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c (S805 in FIG. 99). On the other hand, when a ball passes through the normal ball entrance (through gate) 67, if the value of the normal symbol reserved ball number counter 203f is 4, nothing is newly stored in the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c (S803 in FIG. 99: No).

The probability change flag 203g is a flag that indicates whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a probability change state of a special symbol (high probability state of a special symbol). When the value of the probability change flag 203g is on, it indicates that the pachinko machine 10 is in a probability change state of a special symbol, and when the value of the probability change flag 203g is off, it indicates that the pachinko machine 10 is in a normal state of a special symbol (low probability state of a special symbol). The initial value of this probability change flag 203g is set to off, and when it is determined in the jackpot control process that it is the start timing (end timing of the jackpot game) of the ending performance based on the jackpot A (16R probability change jackpot) or the jackpot C (2R jackpot with probability change and no time reduction), it is set to on (see S1214 in FIG. 103). It is then referenced in the special symbol 1 variation start process (see FIG. 95) and special symbol 2 variation start process (see FIG. 94) to determine whether the game state is in a special variable state (see S403 in FIG. 95 and S303 in FIG. 94), and is set to OFF when the next big win game starts (see S1202 in FIG. 103).

Specifically, when the special symbol 1 variation start process (Fig. 95, S213) or the special symbol 2 variation start process (Fig. 94, S208) is executed, a lottery for a special symbol is held. In the special symbol 1 variation start process (Fig. 95, S213) or the special symbol 2 variation start process (Fig. 94, S208), the value of the probability change flag 203g is referenced, and if the value is on, a lottery for a special symbol is held based on the first winning random number table 202a for high probability, whereas if the value of the probability change flag 203g is off, a lottery for a special symbol is held based on the first winning random number table 202a for low probability.

The time-saving counter 203h is a counter that indicates whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a time-saving state with a special symbol. When the value of the time-saving counter 203h is greater than 0, it indicates that the pachinko machine 10 is in a time-saving state with a special symbol, and when the value of the time-saving counter 203h is 0, it indicates that the pachinko machine 10 is in a normal state with a special symbol. This time-saving counter 203h is set to 100 when a jackpot B (16R time-saving jackpot) is executed at the start timing of the ending performance (i.e., the end timing of the jackpot game) by the jackpot control process (see S1215 in FIG. 103). Then, it is referenced in the normal symbol change process to determine whether the time is saved (see S708 in FIG. 98), and is decremented by 1 each time the change time elapses in the special symbol change process (see S222 in FIG. 93). In addition, if the value of the time-saving counter 203h is greater than 0 and the above-mentioned probability bonus flag 203g is on, this indicates that the pachinko machine 10 is in a probability bonus state for a special symbol and in a time-saving state.

The jackpot flag 203i is a flag that indicates whether or not a jackpot has occurred. When the jackpot flag 203i is on, a jackpot game is executed in which the variable winning device 65 is set to an open state by the jackpot control process (FIG. 103, S1206) executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110.

The small win flag 203j is a flag that indicates whether or not a small win has occurred. When the small win flag 203j is on, a small win game is executed in which the variable winning device 65 is opened by the big win control process executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110.

The time-saving flag 203k is a flag that indicates whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a time-saving state for a special symbol (high probability state for a normal symbol). If the value of the time-saving flag 203k is on, it indicates that the pachinko machine 10 is in a time-saving state for a special symbol, and if the value of the time-saving flag 203k is off, it indicates that the pachinko machine 10 is in a normal state for a special symbol (low probability state for a normal symbol). The initial value of this time-saving flag 203k is set to off, and when it is determined in the jackpot control process that it is the start timing of the ending performance based on the jackpot A (16R special jackpot) (end timing of the jackpot game), it is set to on (see S1214 in FIG. 103). It is then referenced in the normal symbol variation process (see FIG. 98) to determine whether the game state is in a time-saving state (see S708, S715, S719 in FIG. 98), and is set to OFF when the next big win game starts (see S1202 in FIG. 103).

As described above, in the case of a jackpot A (16R jackpot with certainty), both the certainty flag 203g and the time-saving flag 203k are set to ON, and a time-saving play is awarded along with a certainty play. On the other hand, in the case of a jackpot C (a jackpot with certainty and no time-saving play), the certainty flag 203g is set to ON, but the time-saving flag 203k remains OFF, and only a certainty play is awarded. The time-saving flag 203k is provided separately from the time-saving counter 203h because the time-saving state of the normal pattern that is awarded when a jackpot A (16R jackpot with certainty) is reached continues at least until the next jackpot. In other words, the time-saving state period varies depending on the timing of the jackpot, so the time-saving period is indefinite, and the number of times cannot be set for the time-saving counter 203h. Therefore, the time-saving state set for a fixed number of times (100 times) after the end of the jackpot B is counted by the time-saving counter 203h, while the time-saving state set after the end of the jackpot A is set by the time-saving flag 203g. This allows the time-saving state of the normal pattern to be determined more accurately.

Here, in a probability-varying game (special symbol probability-varying state), the probability of winning a jackpot is set to a high probability through a lottery for special symbols that is executed based on the ball entering the first winning slot 64 or the second winning slot 640, and unless the probability-varying game is indicated by changing the presentation mode or the like, it is difficult for the player to tell whether the current game is a normal game or a probability-varying game. On the other hand, in a time-saving game, the number of times and the opening time of the electric device 640a associated with the second winning slot 640 are changed, so it is easy to tell whether the game is a normal game or a time-saving game.

Therefore, if a player is granted a time-saving game together with a probability-changing game based on a jackpot A (16R probability-changing jackpot), the player can easily recognize that it is a probability-changing game, but if only a probability-changing game is granted based on a jackpot C (2R probability-changing jackpot with no time-saving game), it is difficult to recognize that it is a probability-changing game (so-called latent probability-changing state). This requires the player to guess whether the game state is normal game or probability-changing game, which can increase the player's interest. In addition, as described above, in this embodiment, a small win is provided in which the same opening and closing operation of the specific winning port 65a as in the case of a jackpot C is executed, so even if the specific winning port 65a is opened and closed for two rounds, it does not necessarily mean that it is a jackpot C. Therefore, every time two rounds of opening and closing are executed, the player can expect a jackpot C, which can further increase the player's interest.

Other memory area 203z is provided as an area for storing data other than the data mentioned above, and includes an area for temporarily storing other counter values used by MPU 201 of main control device 110, a stack area for storing the contents of the internal registers of MPU 201 and the return addresses of control programs executed by MPU 201, and a working area (work area) for storing various flags, counters, I/O values, etc.

The RAM 203 is configured so that it can retain (back up) data even after the power supply to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off by receiving a backup voltage from the power supply device 115, and all data stored in the RAM 203 is backed up.

When the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, the stack pointer and the values of each register at the time of the power outage (including the occurrence of a power outage; the same applies below) are stored in the RAM 203. On the other hand, when the power is turned on (including the power turned on after the power outage is resolved; the same applies below), the state of the pachinko machine 10 is restored to the state before the power outage based on the information stored in the RAM 203. Writing to the RAM 203 is performed by the main processing (see FIG. 102) when the power supply is turned off, and the restoration of each value written to the RAM 203 is performed during the start-up processing (see FIG. 101) when the power supply is turned on. Note that the NMI terminal (non-maskable interrupt terminal) of the MPU 201 is configured to receive a power outage signal SG1 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 when the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, and when the power outage signal SG1 is input to the MPU 201, the NMI interrupt processing (see FIG. 100) is immediately executed as a processing during a power outage.

Next, the ROM 222 and RAM 223 of the voice lamp control device 113 will be described with reference to FIG. 77(a). The ROM 222 of the voice lamp control device 113 stores at least a variation pattern selection table 222a and a winning performance selection table 222b.

The variation pattern selection table 222a is already publicly known, so it will only be explained briefly. Based on the variation pattern command output from the main control unit 110, the voice lamp control unit 113 determines more detailed variation content from the rough variation content (variation time, variation type (reach, miss, etc.)) indicated by the variation pattern command using the variation pattern selection table 222a. This makes it possible to determine even more diverse variation modes. Here, one variation mode is determined from multiple types by lottery for the rough variation content instructed by the main control unit 110.

The ball entry effect selection table 222b is a table that specifies the contents of the ball entry effect that is executed when a game ball enters the second winning port 640 during time-saving play. Here, the ball entry effect is an effect that is executed in a manner corresponding to the number of fluctuations until a jackpot is reached, in order to indicate the likelihood of a jackpot being reached. More specifically, each time a winning information command is received from the main control device 110 during time-saving play, a determination is made from the memory contents of the winning information storage area 223a updated based on the winning information command as to whether or not there is a reserved ball corresponding to a jackpot among the reserved balls, and if there is a reserved ball corresponding to a jackpot, the number of fluctuations until a jackpot is reached, and the effect is executed in a manner corresponding to the number of fluctuations until a jackpot is reached.

In addition, one ball entry performance is executed in one of the four display areas of the third pattern display device 81, and once a ball entry performance has started, the display contents of the previous ball entry performance can be displayed while a ball entry performance corresponding to the new ball entry can be displayed in a different display area. In other words, each time a ball enters the second ball entry opening 640, the ball entry performance is displayed in sequence in the four display areas provided on the display screen of the third pattern display device 81, and a maximum of four types of ball entry performances can be displayed simultaneously on the third pattern display device 81.

The ball entry effect selection table 222b is defined in correspondence with the number of times the contents of the ball entry effect change until a jackpot is reached. This ball entry effect selection table 222b is referenced in the ball entry effect setting process (see FIG. 115) described below when it is determined that a game ball has entered the second winning slot 640 during time-saving play, and is used to select the contents of the ball entry effect (see S2403 in FIG. 115).

There are six types of ball-entering effects, ranging from level 0 ball-entering effects to level 5 ball-entering effects (see FIG. 78). As the number of fluctuations until a jackpot is reached decreases, a higher level ball-entering effect is selected. This allows the player to predict the number of times until a jackpot is reached (the expected probability of a jackpot) by determining the level of the ball-entering effect, thereby enhancing the player's interest.

The display image of the ball-entering performance in this control example is composed of a comment section that displays a comment according to the level (e.g., "Hurry up," "Chance?", etc.) and a level suggestion section that suggests the level of the ball-entering performance by the number of predetermined symbols (e.g., "stars") displayed, and the display mode of each section (comment section and level suggestion section) is set according to the level of the ball-entering performance. As comments to be displayed in the comment section, multiple comments corresponding to the level of the ball-entering performance are specified, and are selected according to the value of the performance counter 223i. On the other hand, the level suggestion section displays the number of "star" symbols according to the level of the ball-entering performance (i.e., the number of fluctuations until a jackpot is reached). For example, in the level 0 notice performance, there are zero "stars" (see 81a in FIG. 89(a)), in the level 1 notice performance, there is one "star" (see 81b in FIG. 89(b)), and in the level 2 notice performance, two "stars" are displayed (see 81c in FIG. 89(b)). This allows the player to easily determine the level of the ball-entering performance being executed. On the other hand, the comment section displays comments selected according to the value of the effect counter 223i, which increases the variety of display modes in the ball-entering effect and enhances the interest of the player. It is also possible to configure the comment section alone to indicate the number of fluctuations until a jackpot is reached without providing a level suggestion section. This allows the level of the ball-entering effect to be inferred from the display in the comment section alone, so that the player can pay more attention to the display content of the ball-entering effect.

Now, referring to Figure 78, the detailed contents of the ball-entering effect selection table 222b will be described. Figure 78 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the ball-entering effect selection table 222b. As described above, this ball-entering effect selection table 222b specifies the contents of the ball-entering effect, which suggests the number of changes until a jackpot, in correspondence with the number of changes until a jackpot.

Specifically, if the number of times ...

Similarly, it is specified that if the number of times until a jackpot based on the lottery results of the second special symbol is three times, a level 2 ball-entering presentation is selected; if it is two times, a level 3 ball-entering presentation is selected; if it is one time, a level 4 ball-entering presentation is selected; and if it is zero times (a jackpot will result from that change), a level 5 ball-entering presentation is selected. In this way, by configuring the system to execute ball-entering presentations of different levels depending on the number of times until a jackpot, it is possible to allow the player to predict the number of times until a jackpot. This makes it possible to draw more attention to the display presentation and to play the game, thereby increasing the player's motivation to participate in the game.

Returning to Figure 77, we will continue the explanation. Figure 77 (b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the RAM 223 of the voice lamp control device 113. This RAM 223 is provided with at least a winning information storage area 223a, a special symbol 1 reserved ball count counter 223b, a special symbol 2 reserved ball count counter 223c, a fluctuation start flag 223d, a stop type selection flag 223e, a display area counter 223f, a performance time storage area 223g, a performance mode storage area 233h, an avoidance flag 233i, a performance counter 223j, a power off flag 223y, and a miscellaneous memory area 223z.

The winning information storage area 223a has one execution area and eight areas (the first to fourth areas for special symbol 1, and the first to fourth areas for special symbol 2), and winning information is stored in each of these areas. In this pachinko machine 10, when a start winning occurs in the main control device 110, various information (win/lose, stop type, variation pattern) that will be obtained when a lottery for a special symbol corresponding to the start winning is performed is predicted (estimated) in the main control device 110 from the values of the first winning random number counter C1, the first winning type counter C2, and the stop type selection counter C3 obtained in response to the start winning, and the predicted various information is notified from the main control device 110 to the audio lamp control device 113 by a winning information command.

When the voice lamp control device 113 receives a winning information command, various information notified by the winning information command (win/lose, stop type, change pattern) is extracted as winning information, and the winning information is stored in the winning information storage area 223a. More specifically, the extracted winning information is stored in the available areas of the four areas (area 1 to area 4) of the corresponding special pattern of special pattern 1 or special pattern 2, in order starting from the area with the smallest area number (area 1 to area 4). In other words, the smaller the area number, the more data corresponding to an older winning event is stored, and the data corresponding to the oldest winning event is stored in the first area.

The special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 223b, like the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 203d of the main control unit 110, is a variable performance (variable display) performed by the first pattern display device 37 (and the third pattern display device 81), and is a counter that counts the number of reserved balls (waiting times) of the variable performance of special pattern 1 reserved in the main control unit 110 up to a maximum of four times.

As described above, the voice lamp control device 113 cannot directly access the main control device 110 to obtain the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 203d stored in the RAM 203 of the main control device 110. Therefore, the voice lamp control device 113 counts the number of reserved balls based on the reserved ball count command sent from the main control device 110, and manages the number of reserved balls using the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 223b.

Specifically, when the number of reserved balls in the variable display is increased by a ball entering the first winning slot 64, or when the variable display of a special pattern is executed in the main control unit 110 and the number of reserved balls is decreased, a reserved ball number command indicating the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 203d after the increase or decrease is sent to the voice lamp control unit 113.

When the voice lamp control device 113 receives the reserved ball count command sent from the main control device 110, it obtains the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 203d of the main control device 110 from the reserved ball count command and stores it in the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 223b (see S1607 in FIG. 107). In this way, the voice lamp control device 113 updates the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 223b according to the reserved ball count command sent from the main control device 110, so that it can update its value in synchronization with the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 203d of the main control device 110.

The value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 223b is used to display the reserved ball count pattern on the third pattern display device 81. That is, in response to receiving a reserved ball count command, the voice lamp control device 113 stores the reserved ball count indicated by the command in the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 223b, and transmits a display reserved ball count command to the display control device 114 to notify the display control device 114 of the stored value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 223b.

The special pattern 2 reserved ball number counter 223c, like the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 223b, is a counter that counts up to four reserved balls (number of waiting times) for the variable performance of special pattern 2 reserved in the main control device 110. The only difference from the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 223b is that the number of reserved balls is incremented by the entry of a ball into the second winning port 640, and it is used to display the reserved ball number pattern of special pattern 2, which is different from the display of the reserved ball number pattern of special pattern 1, in the third pattern display device 81; otherwise, they are the same, so detailed explanations are omitted.

When the display control device 114 receives this display reserved ball number command, it controls the drawing of the image so that the reserved ball number pattern corresponding to the value of the reserved ball number indicated by the command, that is, the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 223b or the special pattern 2 reserved ball number counter 223c of the sound lamp control device 113, is displayed in the small area Ds1 of the third pattern display device 81. As described above, the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 223b or the special pattern 2 reserved ball number counter 223c is changed in synchronization with the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 203a or the special pattern 2 reserved ball number counter 203b of the main control device 110. Therefore, the number of reserved ball number patterns displayed in the small area Ds1 of the third pattern display device 81 can also be changed in synchronization with the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 203a or the special pattern 2 reserved ball number counter 203b of the main control device 110. Therefore, the third pattern display device 81 can accurately display the number of reserved balls for which a variable display is pending.

The fluctuation start flag 223d is turned on in the fluctuation pattern receiving process executed when a fluctuation pattern command transmitted from the main control unit 110 is received (see S1701 in FIG. 108), and is turned off when the fluctuation display in the third pattern display device 81 is set (see S1802 in FIG. 109). When the fluctuation start flag 223d is turned on, a fluctuation pattern command for display is set based on the fluctuation pattern extracted from the received fluctuation pattern command.

The display variation pattern command set here is stored in a ring buffer for sending commands provided in the RAM 223, and is sent to the display control device 114 during the command output process (S1502) of the main process (see FIG. 106) executed by the MPU 221. By receiving this display variation pattern command, the display control device 114 starts display control of the variation performance so that the third pattern is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 in the variation pattern indicated by this display variation pattern command.

The stop type selection flag 223e is turned on when a stop type command sent from the main control unit 110 is received (see S1604 in FIG. 107), and is turned off when the stop type is set in the third pattern display device 81 (see S1807 in FIG. 109). When the stop type selection flag 223e is turned on, the stop type extracted from the received stop type command is set. In addition, the set stop type is notified to the display control device 114 by a display stop type command. In the display control device 114, the stop display of the variable performance is controlled so that the stop pattern corresponding to the stop type indicated by the display stop type command received from the voice lamp control device 113 is stopped and displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

The display area counter 223f is used to specify the display area for displaying the above-mentioned winning performance. As described above, in this embodiment, the display area of the third pattern display device 81 is divided into four areas (first area 81a, second area 81b, third area 81c, and fourth area 81d), and each display area is configured to be able to display a different winning performance. The display area counter 223f is used to determine the display area for displaying the current winning performance from among these four display areas (first area 81a to fourth area 81d, see FIG. 89 or FIG. 90). This display area counter 223f is initialized to 1 when the voice lamp control device 113 is started up, and is repeatedly updated in the range from 1 to 4 in the winning performance setting process (see FIG. 115) described later.

Details will be described later with reference to Figures 89 and 90, but when a new ball-entering effect is selected, the new ball-entering effect is controlled to be displayed in the display area of the third pattern display device 81 corresponding to the value of the display area counter 223f. Specifically, when the value of the display area counter 223f is 1, the display of the ball-entering effect is set to the first area 81a of the third pattern display device 81. Also, when the value is 2, it is set to the second area 81b of the third pattern display device 81, when the value is 3, it is set to the first area 81c of the third pattern display device 81, and when the value is 4, it is controlled to be set to the first area 81a of the third pattern display device 81. The value of this display area counter 223f is updated by 1 in ascending order, and when it reaches the maximum value of 4 and is further updated, it returns to 1, so that up to four ball-entering effects can be displayed simultaneously in different display areas (first area 81a, second area 81b, third area 81c, fourth area 81d) (see Figures 89 and 90). Multiple different scoring effects can be displayed simultaneously, allowing for greater diversity in the display effects.

The performance time storage area 223g is an area for storing the start time of the above-mentioned time performance. Based on the start time of the time performance stored in this performance time storage area 223g and the current time obtained from the RTC 292, a time performance that is executed periodically (for 5 minutes every hour) and a specific time performance that is executed at a specific time during the execution of the time performance (every minute from the start of each time performance until 5 minutes have passed) are executed (see FIG. 91). This performance time storage area 223g is set by the time setting process (see FIG. 105) of the start-up process executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 when the power of the pachinko machine 10 is turned on, and information indicating the start time of the time performance and the specific time performance is set relatively based on the power-on time. Specifically, when the power of the voice lamp control device 113 is turned on at 9:00, first, 9:55, 55 minutes after the power-on time (9:00), is set as information indicating the start time of the first time performance. Then, the times for each hour from the start time of the first time effect (10:55, 11:55, ...) are set for 24 hours as information indicating the start time of the time effects. Also, every minute from the start time of each time effect up to 5 minutes elapsed (9:56, 9:57, 9:58, 9:59, 10:56, 10:57, ...) are set as information indicating the start time (start timing) of the specific time effect. Furthermore, since the time effect period is 5 minutes, information indicating the time 5 minutes after the start time of the time effect (10:00, 11:00, ...) is set as information indicating the start time of the normal game period (effect mode A) (see FIG. 91).

In this control example, each time effect (time effect, specific time effect) is set to be executed based on the time the power is turned on, but this is not limited to the above, and the start time of each time effect (time effect, specific time effect) may be set regardless of the time the power is turned on. For example, the start time of the time effect may be set to 00 minutes past the hour. This prevents the start time of the time effect from being shifted even if the power-on times of multiple pachinko machines 10 differ when the machines are turned on, and allows the time effects to be executed synchronously across multiple pachinko machines 10.

The presentation mode storage area 223h is an area in which information indicating the current presentation period is stored, and based on the information in this presentation mode storage area 223h, a presentation corresponding to the presentation period is selected and executed (displayed). In this control example, in addition to the above-mentioned time presentation period, three presentation periods are set as the presentation period: a time presentation extension period which is entered when it is determined that a jackpot will be generated at the end of the time presentation period (when the pending winning information is a jackpot or a variable display that will be a jackpot is being executed), and a normal game period which does not fall under either the time presentation period or the time presentation extension period. In addition, to simplify the following explanation, the normal game period will be represented as presentation mode A, the time presentation period as presentation mode B, and the time presentation extension period as presentation mode C. In the presentation mode storage area 223h, as information for identifying these three presentation modes, when presentation mode A is set, the value "00H" indicating presentation mode A is stored in the presentation mode storage area 223h, when presentation mode B is set, the value "01H" indicating presentation mode B is stored, and when presentation mode C is set, the value "02H" indicating presentation mode C is stored. In this way, by storing information corresponding to the presentation period (presentation mode) in the presentation mode storage area 223h, it is possible to easily identify which presentation period the current presentation period is.

The avoidance flag 223i is a flag used to determine whether or not a countdown preview performance including a countdown display mode is executed (displayed) as a preview performance (time preview performance) executed (displayed) during the time performance period (performance mode B). When the avoidance flag 223i is on, it indicates that a countdown preview performance is executed (displayed) as a time preview performance, and when it is off, it indicates that a countdown preview performance is not executed (displayed). When the avoidance flag 223i is on, a specific time performance (countdown performance), which is a performance including the same type of display mode (countdown), is restricted (avoided) from being executed (displayed). As a result, when a countdown preview performance is executed as a time preview performance, the execution (display) of the performance can be restricted (avoided) so that a specific time performance (countdown performance) is not executed (displayed). As a result, it is possible to prevent performances including the same type of display mode (countdown) from being executed in the time performance period, and to suppress a malfunction that confuses the player.

This avoidance flag 223i is set to ON when the countdown preview performance is selected as the preview performance (time preview performance) selected in performance mode B (time performance period) in the preview selection process (see FIG. 111) (see S2007 in FIG. 111).Then, it is set to OFF when the variable display in which the countdown preview performance is executed (displayed) ends.

In addition, without setting such an avoidance flag 223i, different display modes may be selected and executed for the normal preview performance and the time preview performance. Specifically, a countdown preview performance may be selected for the normal preview performance, but a countdown preview performance may not be selected for the time preview performance. This makes it possible to prevent performances including the same type of display mode (countdown) from being executed repeatedly during the time performance period.

The effect counter 223j is a counter used in the voice lamp control device 113 for selecting various effects (variation patterns, preview effects, etc.) and for various lotteries, and although not shown in the figure, it is repeatedly updated in the range from 0 to 198 in the main processing of the voice lamp control device 113 (see Figure 106).

The power-off flag 223y is a flag used to determine whether or not there has been a momentary power outage. This power-off flag 223y is set to ON before a power-off command is received from the main control unit 110 and the power-off process is executed (see S1518 in FIG. 106). After that, since the RAM 223 is a volatile memory, all information in the RAM 223 is erased after a certain time (100 milliseconds) has elapsed. Therefore, in the startup process of the voice lamp control unit 113 (FIG. 104), if the power-off flag 223y is ON (see 1308: Yes in FIG. 104), the voice lamp control unit 113 is started up before a certain time (100 milliseconds) has elapsed since the power-off flag 223y was set to ON, that is, there has been a momentary power outage. In this case, all information in the RAM 223 has not been erased, and unnecessary information (or information that has become incomplete because only a portion of the information has been erased) may remain in the working area of the RAM 223, so the information in the working area of the RAM 223 is cleared (see S1309 in FIG. 104). This prevents processing from being performed based on unnecessary (or incomplete) information, allowing each process in the voice lamp control device 113 to operate normally.

The other memory area 223z is provided as an area for storing data other than the data mentioned above, and is an area for temporarily storing other counter values used by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113.

The RAM 223 also has a command memory area (not shown) that temporarily stores commands received from the main control device 110 until the processing corresponding to the command is performed. The command memory area is configured as a ring buffer, and data is read and written using a FIFO (First In First Out) method. When the command determination process (see FIG. 107) of the voice lamp processing device 113 is executed, the first command stored in the command memory area is read out from the unprocessed commands stored therein, and the command determination process analyzes the command and performs processing corresponding to the command.

Next, the electrical configuration of the display control device 114 will be described with reference to FIG. 79. FIG. 79 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the display control device 114. The display control device 114 has an MPU 231, a work RAM 233, a character ROM 234, a resident video RAM 235, a normal video RAM 236, an image controller 237, an input port 238, an output port 239, and bus lines 240 and 241.

The input side of the input port 238 is connected to the output side of the voice lamp control device 113, and the output side of the input port 238 is connected to the MPU 231, work RAM 233, character ROM 234, and image controller 237 via bus line 240. The image controller 237 is connected to the resident video RAM 235 and normal video RAM 236, and is also connected to the output port 239 via bus line 241. The output side of the output port 239 is also connected to the third pattern display device 81.

Incidentally, even if the pachinko machine 10 is of a different model with different lottery probabilities for a special jackpot or different numbers of prize balls paid out for one special jackpot, there are models with the exact same specifications for the pattern configuration displayed on the third pattern display device 81, so the display control device 114 is made into a common component to reduce costs.

Below, we will first explain the MPU 231, character ROM 234, image controller 237, resident video RAM 235, and normal video RAM 236, and then explain the work RAM 233.

First, the MPU 231 controls the display contents of the third symbol display device 81 based on the display variation pattern command output from the voice lamp control device 113 based on the variation pattern command of the main control device 110. The MPU 231 has a built-in command pointer 231a, reads and fetches the command code stored at the address indicated by the command pointer 231a, and executes various processes according to the command code. The MPU 231 is configured to be reset by the power supply device 115 immediately after power is turned on (including power recovery from a power outage. The same applies below). When the system reset is released, the command pointer 231a is automatically set to "0000H" by the hardware of the MPU 231. Then, each time a command code is fetched, the value of the command pointer 231a is incremented by one. Also, when the MPU 231 executes a command to set the command pointer, the value of the pointer indicated by the command is set in the command pointer 231a.

In addition, although details will be described later, in this embodiment, the control program executed by the MPU 231 and the various fixed value data used in the control program are not stored in a dedicated program ROM as in conventional gaming machines, but are instead stored in a character ROM 234 provided for storing image data to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Although details will be described later, the character ROM 234 is composed of a NAND type flash memory 234a, which allows for a large capacity in a small area. This allows sufficient storage of not only image data but also control programs, etc. Furthermore, if the control programs, etc. are stored in the character ROM 234, there is no need to provide a dedicated program ROM for storing the control programs, etc. This makes it possible to reduce the number of parts in the display control device 114, which not only reduces manufacturing costs but also suppresses an increase in the rate of failures due to an increase in the number of parts.

On the other hand, NAND flash memory has a problem in that the read speed is slow, especially when performing random access. For example, when reading data arranged continuously on multiple pages, the data from the second page onwards can be read at high speed, but when reading the data of the first page, it takes a long time from when the address is specified until the data is output. Also, when reading non-contiguous data, it takes a long time each time the data is read. As such, since the read speed of NAND flash memory is slow, if the MPU 231 is configured to directly read the control program from the character ROM 234 and execute various processes, it may take a long time to read the commands that make up the control program, and even if a high-performance processor is used as the MPU 231, this may deteriorate the processing performance of the display control device 114.

In this embodiment, when the system reset of the MPU 231 is released, the control program stored in the NAND type flash memory 234a of the character ROM 234 is first transferred to and stored in the work RAM 233 provided for temporary storage of various data. The MPU 231 then executes various processes according to the control program stored in the work RAM 233. As described below, the work RAM 233 is composed of a DRAM (Dynamic RAM), and data can be read and written at high speed, so that the MPU 231 can read the commands that make up the control program without delay. This allows the display control device 114 to maintain high processing performance, and the third pattern display device 81 can be used to easily execute diversified and complicated presentations.

The character ROM 234 is a memory that stores the control program executed by the MPU 231 and the image data displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and is connected to the MPU 231 via a bus line 240. The MPU 231 directly accesses the character ROM 234 via the bus line 240 after the system reset is released, and transfers the control program stored in the second program memory area 234a1 of the character ROM 234, which will be described later, to the program storage area 233a of the work RAM 233. The image controller 237 is also connected to the bus line 240, and the image controller 237 transfers the image data stored in the character memory area 234a2 of the character ROM 234, which will be described later, to the resident video RAM 235 and the normal video RAM 236, which are connected to the image controller 237.

This character ROM 234 is constructed by modularizing a NAND flash memory 234a, a ROM controller 234b, a buffer RAM 234c, and a NOR ROM 234d.

The NAND type flash memory 234a is a non-volatile memory provided as the main storage unit in the character ROM 234, and has at least a second program memory area 234a1 that stores most of the control programs executed by the MPU 231 and fixed value data for driving the third pattern display device 81, and a character memory area 234a2 that stores data for images (characters, etc.) to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

The NAND flash memory has the characteristic of being able to obtain a large storage capacity in a small area, and the character ROM 234 can be easily increased in capacity. As a result, in this pachinko machine, by using a NAND flash memory 234a with a capacity of, for example, 2 gigabytes, many images can be stored in the character memory area 234a2 as images to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Therefore, in order to further increase the interest of the player, the images displayed on the third pattern display device 81 can be made more diverse and complex.

In addition, the NAND flash memory 234a can store a large amount of image data in the character storage area 234a2, and can also store control programs and fixed value data in the second program storage area 234a1. In this way, the control programs and fixed value data can be stored in the character ROM 234 provided for storing image data to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81, without having to provide a dedicated program ROM as in conventional gaming machines. This reduces the number of parts in the display control device 114, reducing manufacturing costs and preventing an increase in the rate of failures due to an increase in the number of parts.

The ROM controller 234b is a controller for controlling the operation of the character ROM 234. For example, based on an address transmitted from the MPU 231 or the image controller 237 via the bus line 240, the ROM controller 234b reads out the corresponding data from the NAND flash memory 234a, etc., and outputs the data to the MPU 231 or the image controller 237 via the bus line 240.

Due to its nature, the NAND flash memory 234a generates a relatively large number of error bits (bits to which erroneous data is written) when writing data, and generates defective data blocks to which data cannot be written. Therefore, the ROM controller 234b performs known error correction on the data read from the NAND flash memory 234a, and also performs known data address conversion so that data is read and written to the NAND flash memory 234a while avoiding the defective data blocks.

This ROM controller 234b performs error correction on data read from the NAND flash memory 234a, including error bits. Therefore, even if the NAND flash memory 234a is used as the character ROM 234, it is possible to prevent the MPU 231 from performing processing based on erroneous data and the image controller 237 from generating various images.

Furthermore, the ROM controller 234b analyzes the bad data blocks of the NAND flash memory 234a and avoids accessing the bad data blocks, so that the MPU 231 and the image controller 237 can easily access the character ROM 234 without having to consider the address positions of the bad data blocks, which differ in each NAND flash memory 234a. Therefore, even if the NAND flash memory 234a is used for the character ROM 234, it is possible to prevent access control to the character ROM 234 from becoming complicated.

The buffer RAM 234c is a memory used as a buffer for temporarily storing data read from the NAND flash memory 234a. When an address assigned to the character ROM 234 is specified from the MPU 231 or the image controller 237 via the bus line 240, the ROM controller 234b determines whether one page (e.g., 2 kilobytes) of data including the data corresponding to the specified address is set in the buffer RAM 234c. If the data is not set, the buffer RAM 234c reads one page (e.g., 2 kilobytes) of data including the data corresponding to the specified address from the NAND flash memory 234a (or the NOR ROM 234d) and temporarily sets it in the buffer RAM 234c. The ROM controller 234b then performs a known error correction process and outputs the data corresponding to the specified address to the MPU 231 or the image controller 237 via the bus line 240.

This buffer RAM 234c is made up of two banks, and one page's worth of data from the NAND flash memory 234a can be set per bank. This allows the ROM controller 234b to, for example, output data from the NAND flash memory 234a to the outside by using one bank while data is set in the other, or to perform parallel processing of transferring one page's worth of data, including data corresponding to an address specified by the MPU 231 or image controller 237, from the NAND flash memory 234a to one bank and setting it, and reading data corresponding to an address specified by the MPU 231 or image controller 237 from the other bank and outputting it to the MPU 231 or image controller 237. This improves the responsiveness of the character ROM 234 when reading it out.

The NOR ROM 234d is a non-volatile memory provided as a sub-storage unit in the character ROM 234, and is configured to have a much smaller capacity (e.g., 2 kilobytes) than the NAND flash memory 234a in order to complement the NAND flash memory 234a. This NOR ROM 234d is provided with at least a first program memory area 234d1 that stores, among the control programs stored in the character ROM 234, programs that are not stored in the second program memory area 234a1 of the NAND flash memory 234a, specifically, a part of the boot program that is executed first in the MPU 231 after the system reset is released.

The boot program is a control program for starting the display control device 114 so that various controls for the third pattern display device 81 can be executed, and the MPU 231 executes this boot program first after the system reset is released. This allows the display control device 114 to be in a state where various controls can be executed. The first program memory area 234d1 stores a predetermined number of instructions from the instruction to be first processed by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released (for example, if the capacity of one page is 2 kilobytes, then 1024 words (1 word = 2 bytes) of instructions) within the capacity of one bank of the buffer RAM 234c (i.e., one page of the NAND type flash memory 234a) of this boot program. Note that the number of instructions of the boot program stored in the first program memory area 234d1 only needs to be within the capacity of one bank of the buffer RAM 234c, and may be appropriately set according to the specifications of the display control device 114.

When the system reset is released, the MPU 231 is configured to set the value of the instruction pointer 231a to "0000H" by hardware and to specify the address "0000H" indicated by the instruction pointer 231a on the bus line 240. On the other hand, when the ROM controller 234b of the character ROM 234 detects that the address "0000H" has been specified on the bus line 240, it sets the boot program stored in the first program memory area 234d1 of the NOR type ROM 234d in one bank of the buffer RAM 234c and outputs the corresponding data (instruction code) to the MPU 231.

When the MPU 231 fetches an instruction code received from the character ROM 234, it executes various processes according to the fetched instruction code, increments the instruction pointer 231a by 1, and specifies the address indicated by the instruction pointer 231a to the bus line 240. Then, while the address specified by the bus line 240 is an address indicating a program stored in the NOR ROM 234d, the ROM controller 234b of the character ROM 234 reads out from the buffer RAM 234c the instruction code at the corresponding address from the program previously set in the buffer RAM 234c from the NOR ROM 234d, and outputs it to the MPU 231.

In this embodiment, the reason why not all the control programs are stored in the NAND flash memory 234a, but rather a predetermined number of commands from the boot program, starting with the command that should be processed first by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released, are stored in the NOR ROM 234d, is as follows. That is, as described above, the NAND flash memory 234a has a problem specific to NAND flash memories in that when reading data from the first page, it takes a long time from when an address is specified until the data is output.

If all the control programs are stored in such a NAND type flash memory 234a, when the address "0000H" is specified from the MPU 231 via the bus line 240 to fetch the command code that the MPU 231 should execute first after the system reset is released, the character ROM 234 must read one page of data including the data (command code) corresponding to the address "0000H" from the NAND type flash memory 234a and set it in the buffer RAM 234c. And, because of the nature of the NAND type flash memory 234a, it takes a long time from reading to setting in the buffer RAM 234c, so the MPU 231 consumes a lot of waiting time from specifying the address "0000H" to receiving the command code corresponding to the address "0000H". Therefore, it takes a long time to start up the MPU 231, and as a result, there is a problem that the control of the third pattern display device 81 in the display control device 114 may not start immediately.

On the other hand, since the NOR type ROM is a memory capable of reading data at high speed, by storing a predetermined number of commands from the command to be processed first by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released in the NOR type ROM 234d, when the address "0000H" is specified from the MPU 231 via the bus line 240 after the system reset is released, the character ROM 234 can immediately set the boot program stored in the first program storage area 234d1 of the NOR type ROM 234d in the buffer RAM 234c and output the corresponding data (command code) to the MPU 231. Therefore, the MPU 231 can receive the command code corresponding to the address "0000H" in a short time after specifying the address "0000H", and can start up the MPU 231 in a short time. Therefore, even if a control program is stored in the character ROM 234 composed of the NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the control of the third pattern display device 81 in the display control device 114 can be immediately started.

Now, the boot program is programmed to transfer the control programs stored in the second program storage area 234a1 of the NAND flash memory 234a, i.e., the control programs excluding the boot program stored in the first program storage area 234d1 of the NOR ROM 234d, and the fixed value data used in the control programs (e.g., a display data table, a transfer data table, etc., which will be described later) to the program storage area 233a and the data table storage area 233b of the work RAM 233 in a predetermined amount (e.g., the capacity of one page of the NAND flash memory 234a). Then, the MPU 231 first transfers and stores the control programs stored in the second program storage area 234a1 to the program storage area 233a by a predetermined amount, using a bank different from the bank of the buffer RAM 234c in which the boot program of the first program storage area 234d1 is set, according to the boot program read from the first program storage area 234d1 after the system reset is released.

Here, as described above, the boot program stored in the first program storage area 234d1 is configured with a capacity equivalent to one bank of the buffer RAM 234c, so when the boot program in the first program storage area 234d1 is set in the buffer RAM 234c in response to the address of the internal bus being specified as "0000H", the boot program is set in only one bank of the buffer RAM 234c. Therefore, when the control program stored in the second program storage area 234a1 is transferred to the program storage area 233a according to the boot program in the first program storage area 234d1, the transfer process can be executed using the other bank while leaving the boot program in the first program storage area 234d1 set in one bank of the buffer RAM 234c. Therefore, since there is no need to reset the boot program in the first program storage area 234d1 to the buffer RAM 234c after the transfer process, the time required for the boot process can be shortened.

The boot program stored in the first program memory area 234d1 is programmed to set the instruction pointer 231a to a first predetermined location in the program storage area 233a when a predetermined amount of the control program stored in the second program memory area 234a1 is transferred to the program storage area 233a. As a result, after the system reset is released, when a predetermined amount of the control program stored in the second program memory area 234a1 is transferred to the program storage area 233a by the MPU 231, the instruction pointer 231a is set to a first predetermined location in the program storage area 233a.

Therefore, when a predetermined amount of the control programs stored in the second program storage area 234a1 are stored in the program storage area 233a, the MPU 231 can read out the control programs stored in the program storage area 233a and execute various processes. That is, the MPU 231 does not read out the control programs from the NAND flash memory 234a having the second program storage area 234a1 and fetch the instructions, but reads out the control programs transferred to the work RAM 233 having the program storage area 233a, fetches the instructions, and executes various processes. As described later, since the work RAM 233 is composed of DRAM, the read operation is performed at high speed. Therefore, even if most of the control programs are stored in the NAND flash memory 234a, which has a slow read speed, the MPU 231 can fetch the instructions at high speed and execute the process for the instructions.

The control program stored in the second program storage area 234a1 includes the remaining boot program that is not stored in the first program storage area 234d1. On the other hand, the boot program stored in the first program storage area 234d1 is programmed so that the remaining boot program is included in the control program transferred from the second program storage area 234a1 to the program storage area 233a of the work RAM 233 by a predetermined amount, and the instruction pointer 231a is programmed to set the top address of the remaining boot program stored in the program storage area 233a as a first predetermined address.

As a result, the MPU 231 transfers a predetermined amount of the control program stored in the second program memory area 234a1 to the program storage area 233a using the boot program stored in the first program memory area 234d1, and then executes the remaining boot program included in the transferred control program.

This remaining boot program executes a process of transferring all the remaining control programs not transferred to the program storage area 233a and fixed value data used in the control programs (e.g., a display data table, a transfer data table, etc., described later) from the second program memory area 234a1 to the program storage area 233a or the data table storage area 233b in predetermined amounts. Also, at the end of the boot program, the instruction pointer 231a is set to a second predetermined address in the program storage area 233a. Specifically, as this second predetermined address, the start address of the program stored in the program storage area 233a that corresponds to the initialization process (see S2502 in FIG. 116) that is executed after the boot process (see S2501 in FIG. 116) by the boot program is completed is set.

The MPU 231 executes the remaining boot program, and all of the control programs and fixed value data stored in the second program storage area 234a1 are transferred to the program storage area 233a or the data table storage area 233b. When the boot program is executed to the end by the MPU 231, the instruction pointer 231a is set to the second predetermined address, and thereafter, the MPU 231 executes various processes using the control programs transferred to the program storage area 233a without referring to the NAND flash memory 234a.

Therefore, even if most of the control program is stored in the character ROM 234, which is composed of a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, by transferring the control program to the program storage area 233a of the work RAM 233 after the system reset is released, the MPU 231 can read the control program from the work RAM, which is composed of a DRAM with a fast read speed, and perform various controls. Therefore, high processing performance can be maintained in the display control device 114, and diversified and complicated presentations can be easily executed using the third pattern display device 81.

As described above, instead of storing the entire boot program in NOR ROM 234d, a predetermined number of instructions are stored starting from the instructions to be processed first by MPU 231 after system reset is released, and the remaining boot program is stored in second program storage area 234a1 of NAND flash memory 234a, so that the control program stored in second program storage area 234a1 can be reliably transferred to program storage area 233a. Therefore, by simply adding an extremely small capacity NOR ROM 234d to character ROM 234, MPU 231 can be started up in a short time, and the increase in cost of character ROM 234 associated with this shortening of time can be suppressed.

Furthermore, the NAND type flash memory 234a is provided with a correction information table 234a3 (see FIG. 79). This correction information table 234a3 stores data (hereinafter referred to as correction information) for correcting the image (hereinafter referred to as the power-on image) displayed on the display device (third pattern display device 81, sub display device 690) when the power is turned on (see FIG. 80(b)). In this control example, the capacity of the character ROM 234 is reduced by reusing and displaying the power-on image in performances other than when the power is turned on. However, if the power-on image is reusable and displayed in the same display mode (position, size) in each performance other than when the power is turned on, there is a risk of impairing the visibility of each performance. Therefore, the power-on image is reusable and displayed without impairing the visibility of each performance by correcting the power-on image to an appropriate display mode (position, size) in each performance other than when the power is turned on using the correction information table 234a3.

The power-on image is composed of three types of images, and the display mode (position, size) of each of these various power-on images can be corrected. Here, the three types of images that make up the power-on image (hereinafter referred to as various power-on images) will be explained. The power-on image is composed of a power-on main image, which is an image for notifying the player that initialization processing etc. is being performed when the power is turned on, a power-on variable image, which is an image for notifying the result of the lottery for the first special pattern or the second special pattern, and a power-on title image, which is an image for easily identifying the model of this pachinko machine 10 for the player. These various power-on images are displayed on each display device (third pattern display device 81, sub display device 690) in a predetermined display mode (position, size) when the power is turned on, and details will be described later with reference to FIG. 82.

This correction information table 234a3 is referenced in the special effect correction process (see FIG. 121) or the effect information correction process (see FIG. 131), and correction information according to the effect currently being executed (displayed) is stored in the correction information storage area 233m. The correction information stored in the correction information storage area 233m is referenced when generating a drawing list (see FIG. 87) in the drawing process (see FIG. 134), and detailed information (displayability, display position (coordinates) or size (magnification rate)) for setting the display mode of various power-on images is corrected based on the correction information. This allows the display mode of various power-on images (power-on main image, power-on variable image, and power-on title image) to be corrected and displayed.

The contents of the correction information table 234a3 will now be described with reference to FIG. 80(b). FIG. 80(b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the correction information table 234a3. This correction information table 234a3 stores correction information corresponding to each of the various power-on images (power-on main image, power-on variable image, and power-on title image), and includes at least correction information for normal performances, correction information for demo performances, correction information for moving telescopic props, and correction information for moving tilting props.

As the correction information for each performance, correction information corresponding to whether or not to display (on or off), correction information corresponding to the coordinate correction amount, and correction information corresponding to the magnification ratio are specified for each image type of the image when the power is turned on. The correction information corresponding to whether or not to display (on or off) is a value for determining whether or not to display the corresponding image, and when the value is on, the corresponding image is set (corrected) to be displayed, and when the value is off, the corresponding image is set (corrected) to be hidden. In addition, the correction information corresponding to the coordinate correction amount is for correcting the display position (coordinates) of the corresponding image, and is set (corrected) so that the corresponding image is displayed at a position (coordinates) moved from the position (coordinates) displayed at the time of power-on based on the correction information corresponding to this coordinate correction amount. In addition, the correction information corresponding to the magnification ratio is for correcting the size (magnification ratio) of the corresponding image, and is set (corrected) so that the image is enlarged based on this magnification ratio in the lower right direction with the upper left corner of the corresponding image as the origin (reference point) (or reduced in the upper left direction).

The correction information for normal performance is correction information used when the initialization process at power-on is completed and normal play is performed on the pachinko machine 10. The correction information for demo performance is correction information used when a demo performance is executed (displayed). The correction information for telescopic role movement is correction information used when a performance (telescopic role scenario) in which the telescopic performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) moves is executed (displayed). The correction information for tilting role movement is correction information used when a performance (tilting role scenario) in which the performance member 620 in the tilting operation unit 600 moves is executed (displayed).

Specifically, the correction information for the normal performance is such that the power-on main image and the power-on title image are set to off, and the power-on variable image is set to on. The coordinate correction amount of the power-on variable image is set to (-600, -450), and the magnification is set to x1 (actual size). As a result, when the normal performance is performed, the power-on main image and the power-on title image are corrected to be hidden, and the power-on variable image is corrected to be displayed at actual size at a position (coordinate) moved by (-600, -450) from the position (coordinate) displayed at power-on. As will be described later with reference to Figures 81 to 83, due to this correction, the power-on variable image displayed in the lower right corner of the third pattern display device 81 when the power is turned on is displayed in the upper left corner of the third pattern display device 81 when the normal performance is performed (see Figure 83 (a)).

In addition, the correction information for the demo performance has the power-on main image and power-on variable image set to off, and the power-on title image set to on. The correction amount of the coordinates of the power-on title image is set to (-700, 0), and the magnification is set to x2 (2x). As a result, when the demo performance is executed, the power-on main image and power-on variable image are corrected to be hidden, and the power-on title image is corrected to be displayed at twice the size at a position (coordinate) moved by (-700, 0) from the position (coordinate) displayed at power-on. As will be described in detail later with reference to Figures 81 to 83, due to this correction, the power-on title image displayed in the center of the sub-display device 690 when power is turned on is enlarged and displayed in the center of the third pattern display device 81 when the demo performance is executed (see Figure 83 (b)).

The demo effect is an effect that is displayed on the third symbol display device 81 when the next variable effect associated with a ball entering the first winning slot 64 or the second winning slot 640 does not start even after a predetermined time has elapsed since one variable effect stopped. If a demo effect is displayed on the third symbol display device 81, players and hall personnel can recognize that no play is being performed on the pachinko machine 10.

In addition, the correction information for the movement of the telescopic role object is set such that the power-on main image and the power-on title image are set to off, and the power-on variable image is set to on. The coordinate correction amount of the power-on variable image is set to (200, -450), and the magnification is set to x1 (actual size). As a result, when a performance (telescopic role object scenario) in which the telescopic performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) is moved is executed, the power-on main image and the power-on title image are corrected to be hidden, and the power-on variable image is corrected to be displayed at actual size at a position (coordinate) moved by (200, -450) from the position (coordinate) displayed at power-on. As will be described later with reference to FIG. 81 to FIG. 83, this correction causes the power-on variable image displayed in the upper left corner of the third pattern display device 81 when a normal performance is executed to be displayed in the upper left corner of the sub display device 690 when a telescopic role object scenario is executed.

The correction information for moving the tilting prop is set to the same information as the correction information for normal performance. As a result, when a performance (tilting prop scenario) is executed in which the performance member 620 of the tilting operation unit 600 moves, the display mode (position, size) of the various power-on images is corrected in the same way as when a normal performance is executed.

In this way, when a performance other than power-on is executed, the display mode (position, size) of the various power-on images is corrected and displayed based on the correction information in the correction information table 234a3 corresponding to that performance. This allows the various power-on images to be reused and displayed in each performance other than power-on, thereby saving on the capacity of the character ROM 234. Also, since the various power-on images can be corrected to an appropriate display mode (position, size) for each performance and displayed, the various power-on images can be reused and displayed without compromising the visibility of each performance.

In addition, the position where the various power-on images are displayed may be corrected so as to move in conjunction with the operation of the role that is moved in each performance. Specifically, correction information for various power-on images corresponding to the elapsed time in one performance is specified. For example, when a performance in which the power-on variable image is displayed in the upper right corner of the third pattern display device 81 is being executed, a performance in which the tilting operation unit 600 gradually slides (moves) from right to left is executed. In this case, by sliding the power-on variable image to the left in accordance with the operation of the tilting operation unit 600, the power-on variable image can be slid and displayed in a position that is not the back of the tilting operation unit 600, so that it is possible to prevent (suppress) the power-on variable image from becoming difficult to see due to the operation of the tilting operation unit 600. In other words, the power-on variable image can be clearly seen by the player. In addition, when the power-on variable image is moved and displayed to the area in which the third pattern displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is displayed, the coordinates may be set so that it is moved and displayed on the sub-display device 690 built into the tilting operation unit 600. This configuration allows the power-on variable image to be moved and displayed without impairing the visibility of the third pattern displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Note that the object to be moved and displayed is not limited to the power-on variable image, but may be the third pattern displayed on the third pattern display device 81, a reserved pattern, or a pattern such as a character.

In addition, when moving various power-on images, they may be moved back and forth between the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690. In this case, when displaying an image across the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690, since the resolutions of the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690 are different, the difference in resolution can be adjusted (converted) using a known scaler (e.g., a video scaler). This makes it possible to expand the range over which the various power-on images can be moved.

In addition, correction information may be set so that the various power-on images can be moved when the power is turned on. In this case, the correction information used when the power is turned on may be read together with the program in the first program storage area that is first read when the power is turned on. Here, in the pachinko machine 10, a return-to-origin operation is executed to move the various reels to their origin positions when the power is turned on. Therefore, as the various reels move due to the return-to-origin operation, there are times when the third symbol display device 81 and the sub-display device 690 become difficult to see. Therefore, by correcting the display positions (coordinates) of the various power-on images according to the movable state of the various reels, the gaming machine can be made such that the various power-on images are easily visible even during the return-to-origin operation of the various reels.

Next, the image controller 237 is a digital signal processor (DSP) that draws an image and displays the drawn image on the third pattern display device 81 at a predetermined timing. The image controller 237 draws one frame of an image based on a drawing list (see FIG. 87) transmitted from the MPU 231, and displays the drawn image in one of the first and second frame buffers 236b and 236c, which will be described later, while outputting the image information for one frame previously displayed in the other frame buffer to the third pattern display device 81, thereby displaying the image on the third pattern display device 81. The image controller 237 performs the drawing process for this one frame of an image and the display process for this one frame of an image in parallel within the image display time for one frame on the third pattern display device 81 (20 milliseconds in this embodiment).

The image controller 237 transmits a vertical synchronization interrupt signal (hereinafter referred to as a "V interrupt signal") to the MPU 231 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process of one frame of image is completed. Each time the MPU 231 detects this V interrupt signal, it executes V interrupt processing (see FIG. 118(b)) and instructs the image controller 237 to draw the next frame of image. In response to this instruction, the image controller 237 executes drawing processing of the next frame of image and also executes processing to display the image previously developed by drawing on the third pattern display device 81.

In this way, MPU 231 executes V interrupt processing in response to a V interrupt signal from image controller 237 and issues drawing instructions to image controller 237, so that image controller 237 can receive image drawing instructions from MPU 231 at image drawing and display processing intervals (20 milliseconds). Therefore, image controller 237 will not receive a drawing instruction for the next image before the image drawing and display processing are completed, so it is possible to prevent starting drawing of a new image in the middle of drawing an image, or developing an image in response to a new drawing instruction in the frame buffer in which the image information currently being displayed is stored.

The image controller 237 also performs processing to transfer image data from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 based on transfer instructions from the MPU 231 or transfer data information included in the drawing list.

Images are drawn using image data stored in the resident video RAM 235 and the normal video RAM 236. That is, image data required for drawing is transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 based on instructions from the MPU 231 before the drawing is performed.

Here, while NAND-type flash memory makes it easy to increase the capacity of ROM, its read speed is slower than other ROMs (such as mask ROM and EEPROM). In contrast, in the display control device 114, the MPU 231 is configured to instruct the image controller 237 to transfer a portion of the image data stored in the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 after power is turned on. Then, as described below, the image data stored in the resident video RAM 235 is controlled to remain resident without being overwritten.

As a result, after the transfer of image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 is completed after the power is turned on, the image controller 237 can perform image drawing processing while using the image data resident in the resident video RAM 235. Therefore, if the image data used for drawing processing is resident in the resident video RAM 235, there is no need to read the corresponding image data from the character ROM 234, which is composed of the NAND type flash memory 234a, which has a slow read speed, when drawing an image, so the time required for reading can be saved, and the image can be drawn immediately and displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In particular, the resident video RAM 235 stores image data of frequently displayed images and image data of images that are to be displayed immediately after the display is determined by the main control unit 110 or the display control unit 114. Therefore, even if the character ROM 234 is configured from a NAND type flash memory 234a, high responsiveness can be maintained until an image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

When the display control device 114 uses image data that is non-resident in the resident video RAM 235 to draw an image, the MPU 231 is configured to instruct the image controller 237 to transfer the image data required for drawing from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 before the drawing is performed. As described below, the image data transferred to the normal video RAM 236 may be deleted by overwriting after being used to draw the image. However, when drawing an image, there is no need to read the corresponding image data from the character ROM 234, which is made up of the NAND type flash memory 234a, which has a slow read speed, and the time required for reading can be saved, so that the image can be drawn immediately and the drawn image can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In addition, by storing image data in the normal video RAM 236 as well, it is not necessary to keep all image data resident in the resident video RAM 235, and therefore it is not necessary to prepare a large-capacity resident video RAM 235. This makes it possible to suppress the increase in costs that would otherwise be caused by providing the resident video RAM 235.

The image controller 237 has a buffer RAM 237a consisting of 132 kilobytes of SRAM, which is the capacity of one block of the NAND flash memory 234a.

The image data transfer instruction issued by the MPU 231 to the image controller 237 by the transfer instruction or the transfer data information of the drawing list includes the start address (start address of the source storage) and the end address (end address of the source storage) of the character ROM 234 where the image data to be transferred is stored, the destination information (information indicating whether to transfer to the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236), and the start address of the destination (resident video RAM 235 or normal video RAM 236). Note that the data size of the image data to be transferred may be included instead of the end address of the source storage.

In accordance with the various information in the transfer instruction, the image controller 237 reads one block of data from a specific address in the character ROM 234, temporarily stores it in the buffer RAM 237a, and transfers the image data stored in the buffer RAM 237a to the resident RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 when the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 is not in use. This process is then repeated until all of the image data stored from the storage start address to the storage end address indicated by the transfer instruction has been transferred.

This allows image data that is read out from the character ROM 234 over a long period of time to be temporarily stored in the buffer RAM 237a, and then the image data can be transferred from the buffer RAM 237a to the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 in a short time. This prevents the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 from being occupied for a long time by the transfer of image data while the image data is being transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236. This prevents the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 from being occupied by the transfer of image data, which makes it impossible to use the video RAMs 235 and 236 for the image drawing process, and as a result, prevents the image from being drawn or displayed on the third pattern display device 81 in time for the required time.

In addition, since the transfer of image data from the buffer RAM 234c to the resident video RAM 235 or the normal video RAM 236 is performed by the image controller 237, it is possible to easily determine the period during which the resident video RAM 235 and the normal video RAM 236 are not being used for image drawing processing or display processing on the third pattern display device 81, thereby simplifying the processing.

The resident video RAM 235 is used to hold image data transferred from the character ROM 234 without being overwritten while the power is on, and is provided with a power-on main image area 235a, a back image area 235c, a character design area 235e, and an error message image area 235f, as well as a power-on variable image area 235b, a third design area 235d, and a power-on title image area 235f.

The power-on main image area 235a is an area for storing data corresponding to the power-on main image displayed on the third pattern display device 81 from when the power is turned on until all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 is stored. The power-on variable image area 235b is an area for storing image data corresponding to the power-on variable image that displays the lottery results performed by the main control device 110 through a variable presentation when a player starts playing while the power-on main image is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and a ball entering the first winning slot 64 is detected.

When power supply from the power supply unit 251 begins, the MPU 231 sends a transfer instruction to the image controller 237 to transfer image data corresponding to the power-on main image, the power-on variable image, and the power-on title image area 235f from the character ROM 234 to the power-on main image area 235a (see FIG. 116).

Now, referring to Figs. 81 to 83, the display areas of the third symbol display device 81 and the sub-display device 690 and the images displayed in those display areas when the power is turned on will be described. First, Fig. 81 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the image drawn by the display control device 114 and the display areas of the third symbol display device 81 and the sub-display device 690. The pachinko machine 10 in this control example is equipped with the third symbol display device 81 and the sub-display device 690, and the display control device 114 executes control to update the images displayed on each display device (the third symbol display device 81 and the sub-display device 690) at regular intervals (e.g., 20 milliseconds).

Specifically, the display control device 114 updates (draws) image data of 1200 pixels (picture elements) horizontally by 600 pixels (picture elements) vertically at regular intervals (e.g., every 20 milliseconds). By setting these image data in each display device, the images displayed on each display device (third pattern display device 81 and sub display device 690) are updated at regular intervals. In addition, the image data corresponding to each pixel (picture element) is composed of three pieces of data: data corresponding to R (red), data corresponding to G (green), and data corresponding to B (blue). The data for each color is composed of, for example, 8 bits, and the gradation (level) of each color can be set in 8-bit increments (i.e., 256 levels). In other words, one of 256 values from "00H" to "FFH" can be set as the setting value for each color.

Each pixel (picture element) on each display device has an area capable of producing red, an area capable of producing green, and an area capable of producing blue, and the gradation (level) of each color can be set by setting image data. Note that each pixel (picture element) that makes up each display device is sufficiently minute that it is difficult to distinguish with the naked eye between the area capable of producing red, the area capable of producing green, and the area capable of producing blue that make up a single pixel (picture element). Therefore, to the naked eye, the color appears to be a combination of these three colors.

A concrete example of the image data set for each pixel (picture element) will be given below. For example, if the R data is FFH (255 gradations) and the other color data is 00H (0 gradations), the pixel to which the image data is set will be displayed in the maximum gradation (maximum level) of red (the pixel will look red at the maximum gradation). If the R data and G data are 80H (128 gradations) and the B data is 00H (0 gradations), the pixel to which the image data is set will look yellow at the maximum gradation as a result of the compositing of 128/255 gradations of red and 128/255 gradations of green. Furthermore, if the R data, G data, and B data are all FFH (255 gradations), the three colors R, G, and B are all set to the maximum gradation (255/255 gradations), and the pixel to which the data is set will look white as a result of the compositing of these three colors. On the other hand, if the data for all three colors is 00H, none of the three colors will be displayed, and the pixel to which that data is set will appear black.

In this way, the display color of each pixel (picture element) constituting the display screen of each display device can be expressed in 256 stages for each of R (red), G (green), and B (blue), so that each display device can display a vivid image. In this control example, each pixel is configured to have an area capable of producing red, an area capable of producing green, and an area capable of producing blue, but this may be changed within a range in which the colors required for displaying an image can be comprehensively expressed. For example, instead of the three colors red, green, and blue, three colors yellow, cyan, and magenta may be used. In addition to red, green, and blue, each pixel may be provided with an area capable of producing yellow, and 8 bits of data corresponding to yellow may be added to the image data. By adding an area capable of producing yellow, the color expression can be made more vivid. In particular, colors that contain a lot of yellow components and are frequently used in display performances (for example, gold, etc.) can be expressed vividly, so the interest of the display performance can be further improved.

As shown in FIG. 81, coordinate data is associated with the display data of each pixel (picture element) that makes up the image data. Here, the coordinate data is data for specifying the setting position (setting pixel) of the data on each display device. In this embodiment, the range of 0 to 1200 can be specified as the horizontal coordinate, and the range of 0 to 600 can be specified as the vertical coordinate.

In the horizontally long rectangular area shown in Figure 81, the coordinates of the position of the upper left corner are defined as the origin coordinates (0,0), and the coordinates of the position of the lower right corner are defined as (1200,600). In addition, the image data defined within the rectangular area with the four vertices of coordinates (0,0), (800,0), (0,600), and (800,600) is an area (area for the third pattern display device) that defines the image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Each coordinate is set so that the arrangement of each pixel (picture element) data in this area matches the position where the image data is actually set on the third pattern display device 81.

On the other hand, the image data defined within the rectangular area with vertices (800,0), (1200,0), (800,300), and (1200,300) is an area (sub-display area) that defines the image to be displayed on the sub-display device 690. Furthermore, the remaining rectangular area with vertices (800,300), (1200,300), (800,600), and (1200,600) is a spare area (unused area), and the image data in this area is not used for display.

In this way, the display control device 114 in this control example draws the image data to be set on the third pattern display device 81 and the image data to be set on the sub-display device 690 as a single image data, and changes whether to display on the third pattern display device 81 or the sub-display device 690 depending on the coordinates of the image data. This makes it easy to synchronize the images (performances) displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690, and can prevent problems such as misalignment of the images (performances) displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690. However, this is not limited to this, and the image data to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690 may be configured to be drawn separately.

Next, referring to FIG. 82, the power-on image displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub display device 690 by the display control device 114 when the power is turned on will be described. Here, the power-on main image is defined as image data of 450 pixels (pixels) horizontal by 200 pixels (pixels) vertical, the power-on variable image is defined as image data of 100 pixels (pixels) horizontal by 100 pixels (pixels) vertical, and the power-on title image is defined as image data of 200 pixels (pixels) horizontal by 50 pixels (pixels) vertical. In order to simplify the explanation of the display positions (coordinates) of various power-on images, when indicating the display positions (coordinates) of various power-on images, the coordinates of the pixel (pixel) at the upper left corner of the image data of various power-on images will be representatively indicated (shown). For example, the power-on main image in FIG. 82(a) is image data displayed within a rectangular area with four vertices: (100,50), (550,50), (100,250), and (550,250). In this case, the coordinates of the pixel (picture element) in the upper left corner of the image data of the main image when the power is turned on (100, 50) will be representatively indicated (shown) as the display position (coordinates) of the main image when the power is turned on, and the display position (coordinates) of the main image when the power is turned on will be expressed as (100, 50).

Immediately after power-on, the display control device 114 first transfers image data corresponding to the power-on title image from the character ROM 234 to the power-on title image area 235f. Next, it transfers image data corresponding to the power-on main image and the power-on variable image from the character ROM 234 to the power-on main image area 235a and the power-on variable image area 235b, and then transfers the remaining image data to be stored in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. As a result, the display control device 114 first displays the power-on title image using the image data stored in the power-on title image area 235g. The display position (coordinates) of the power-on title image is (900, 100), and the power-on title image is displayed in the center of the sub display device 690 (see FIG. 82(a)).

Next, the display control device 114 displays the power-on main image. The display position (coordinates) of the power-on main image is (100, 50), and the power-on main image is displayed in the center of the third pattern display device 81 (see FIG. 82(a)). While these displays are being performed, the remaining image data to be stored in the resident video RAM 235 is transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235.

Here, since the sub-display device 690 has a lower display screen resolution than the third pattern display device 81, the image data set to display an image on the sub-display device 690 has a smaller amount of data than the image data to display an image on the third pattern display device 81. Therefore, in the display control device 114, the image to be displayed on the sub-display device 690, which has a smaller amount of data for displaying an image (title image when powered on), is stored first in the resident video RAM, so that the time from when the power is turned on until the image is displayed can be shortened.

After that, when the display control device 114 receives a display pattern command sent from the voice lamp control device 113 based on a pattern command from the main control device 110, which is an instruction command to start the change, the display control device 114 alternately displays a power-on change image of a "○" pattern at the bottom right position (coordinates (600, 450)) facing the screen of the third pattern display device 81 and a power-on change image of an "X" pattern at the same position as the "○" pattern during the change period (see Fig. 82 (b) and (c)). Then, based on the change pattern command and stop type command from the voice lamp control device 113, the result of the lottery performed by the main control device 110 is judged, and if it is a "special pattern big win", an image indicating this is displayed for a certain period after the change performance stops, and if it is a "special pattern miss", an image indicating this is displayed for a certain period after the change performance stops.

The MPU 231 instructs the image controller 237 to draw the power-on main image using the image data stored in the power-on main image area 235a until all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has been transferred to the resident video RAM 235. This allows players and hall staff to check the power-on main image displayed on the third pattern display device 81 while the remaining image data that should be resident is being transferred to the resident video RAM 235. Therefore, the display control device 114 can take the time to transfer the remaining image data that should be resident from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 while the power-on main image is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Furthermore, since players can recognize that some processing is taking place while the main image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 when the power is turned on, they can wait until the transfer of image data to the resident video RAM 235 is complete without worrying that operation may have stopped while the remaining image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 is being transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235.

In addition, during operational checks at the factory during manufacturing, the main image is immediately displayed on the third pattern display device 81 when the power is turned on, so that it is possible to immediately confirm that the third pattern display device 81 has started operating without any problems upon power-on. Furthermore, by using a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed for the character ROM 234, it is possible to prevent the efficiency of operational checks from deteriorating.

Furthermore, if a player starts playing while the power-on main image is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and a ball is detected entering the first entrance ball 64, the MPU 231 instructs the image controller 237 to draw a power-on variable image using image data corresponding to the power-on variable image that is constantly resident in the power-on variable image area 235b, and to display images showing "○" and "×" alternately on the third pattern display device 81. This allows a simple variable presentation to be performed using the power-on variable image. Therefore, the player can be sure that a lottery has been drawn by the simple variable presentation, even while the power-on main image is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In addition, at the stage when the power-on main image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81, image data corresponding to the power-on variable image is already resident in the power-on variable image area 235b, so if a ball entering the first entrance ball 64 is detected while the power-on main image is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81, the corresponding variable performance can be instantly displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Furthermore, because this power-on variable image is immediately displayed on the third pattern display device 81, if the power is cut off during gameplay due to a power outage or the like and then restored, the player can immediately check the variations or the results of the variations in the game being played before the power outage through a simple variation presentation, thereby reducing dissatisfaction felt by the player.

In addition, a simple character image or the like may be provided as the image displayed when the power is turned on, and displayed on the third symbol display device 81. This allows for more variety in the presentation, even in the simple variable presentation displayed when the power is turned on, and can increase the interest of the game.

The simplified character image used here may also be the character image used on the sub-display device 690 during normal performance. This allows for the common use of character images with small data capacity displayed on the sub-display device 690 without the need to provide new simplified character images, thereby saving capacity in the character ROM 234 and shortening the time it takes to transfer images to the resident video RAM 235.

Furthermore, images that have been transferred to the resident video RAM 235 may be displayed on the third symbol display device 81 and the sub display device 690 in sequence. This allows the variation in the effects to be increased sequentially even in the simple effects that are executed between when the power is turned on and when normal play can begin, thereby increasing the interest of the player.

In addition, when transferring an image to the resident video RAM 235, the image may be compressed to a lower resolution using a known image compression technique, and then the image transferred to the resident video RAM 235 may be decompressed. Then, once the compressed image is stored in the resident video RAM, the image may be configured to be displayed on the sub-display device 690. This allows an image compressed to a low resolution to be displayed naturally on a sub-display device 690 with a low resolution, and shortens the time from when the power is turned on until the image is displayed.

Next, referring to FIG. 83, the display screen during normal performance and demo performance will be described. FIG. 83(a) is a schematic diagram showing the display screen of the third pattern display device 81 during normal performance, and FIG. 83(b) is a schematic diagram showing the display screen of the third pattern display device 81 during demo performance.

During normal performance, the display coordinates of the power-on variable image are set to (-600, -450) based on the correction information table 234a3 described below. Since the display coordinates of the power-on variable image when the power is turned on are (600, 450), the power-on variable image is displayed at the position (0, 0) during normal performance (see FIG. 83(a)). This power-on variable image is used to indicate the result of the change in the special symbols (first special symbol and second special symbol) during normal performance.

In addition, during the demo performance, the display coordinates of the power-on title image will be set to (-700, 0) based on the correction information table 234a3 described below. Since the display position of the power-on title image when the power is turned on is (900, 100), during the demo performance the power-on title image will be displayed at the position (200, 100) (see Figure 83 (b)).

Returning to FIG. 79, the explanation will be continued. The rear image area 235c is an area for storing image data corresponding to the rear image displayed on the third pattern display device 81. The third pattern area 235d is an area for storing the third pattern used in the variable performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81. That is, the third pattern area 235d stores image data corresponding to the above-mentioned 10 types of main patterns numbered "0" to "9" which are the third patterns. As a result, when performing a variable performance on the third pattern display device 81, it is not necessary to read image data from the character ROM 234 one by one, so that even if the NAND type flash memory 234a is used for the character ROM 234, the variable performance can be started quickly on the third pattern display device 81. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a state in which the variable performance is not immediately started on the third pattern display device 81 despite the fact that the variable performance has been started on the first pattern display device 37 after the ball has entered the first winning hole 64 or the second winning hole 640.

The character design area 235e is an area for storing image data corresponding to the character designs used in various effects displayed on the third design display device 81. In this pachinko machine 10, various characters including a "boy" are displayed according to various effects, and the data corresponding to these characters is resident in the character design area 235e. When the display control device 114 changes the character design based on the contents of a command received from the sound lamp control device 113, the display control device 114 does not newly read the corresponding image data from the character ROM 234, but reads the image data that is resident in advance in the character design area 235e of the resident video RAM 235, so that the image controller 237 can draw a predetermined image. This eliminates the need to read the corresponding image data from the character ROM 234, so that the character design can be changed instantly even if a NAND-type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed is used for the character ROM 234.

The error message image area 235f is an area for storing image data corresponding to an error message that is displayed when an error occurs in the pachinko machine 10. In this pachinko machine 10, for example, when the sound lamp control device 113 detects vibration from the output of a vibration sensor (not shown) attached to the back of the game board 13, the sound lamp control device 113 notifies the display control device 114 of the occurrence of a vibration error by an error command. Also, when the sound lamp control device 113 detects the occurrence of another error, the sound lamp control device 113 notifies the display control device 114 of the occurrence of that error together with the type of error by an error command. When the display control device 114 receives the error command, it is configured to display an error message corresponding to the received error on the third pattern display device 81.

Here, from the viewpoint of preventing players from committing fraud and protecting players from errors, it is required that the error message be displayed almost simultaneously with the occurrence of the error. In this pachinko machine 10, image data corresponding to various error messages is pre-resident in the error message image area 235f, so that the display control device 114 can instantly draw each error message image in the image controller 237 by reading out the image data pre-resident in the error message image area 235f of the resident video RAM 235 based on the received error command. As a result, it is not necessary to sequentially read out image data corresponding to error messages from the character ROM 234, so that even if a NAND-type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed is used for the character ROM 234, the corresponding error message can be displayed immediately after the error command is received.

The normal video RAM 236 is used so that data is overwritten and updated as needed, and is provided with at least an image storage area 236a, a first frame buffer 236b, and a second frame buffer 236c.

The image storage area 236a is an area for storing image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235, among the image data required for drawing the image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81. The image storage area 236a is divided into multiple sub-areas, and the type of image data to be stored in each sub-area is predetermined.

The MPU 231 instructs the image controller 237 to transfer image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 and that is required for subsequent image drawing from the character ROM 234 to a specific sub-area in the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236 in which the type of image data should be stored. As a result, the image controller 237 reads out the image data instructed by the MPU 231 from the character ROM 234, and transfers the read image data to the specified specific sub-area of the image storage area 236a via the buffer RAM 237a.

The instruction to transfer image data is given by including transfer data information in a drawing list (described later) in which the MPU 231 instructs the image controller 237 to draw an image. This allows the MPU 231 to issue an instruction to draw an image and an instruction to transfer image data simply by sending the drawing list to the image controller 237, thereby reducing the processing load.

The first frame buffer 236b and the second frame buffer 236c are buffers for displaying an image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81. The image controller 237 writes one frame of an image drawn in accordance with instructions from the MPU 231 into either the first frame buffer 236b or the second frame buffer 236c, thereby displaying one frame of an image in that frame buffer, and while displaying an image in one of the frame buffers, reads out one frame of image information previously displayed from the other frame buffer and transmits the image information to the third pattern display device 81 together with a drive signal, thereby executing a process for displaying the one frame of an image on the third pattern display device 81.

In this way, by providing two frame buffers, the first frame buffer 236b and the second frame buffer 236c, the image controller 237 can display one frame of image drawn in one frame buffer while simultaneously reading out one frame of image previously displayed from the other frame buffer, and display the one frame of image that has been read out on the third pattern display device 81.

The frame buffer into which one frame's worth of image is displayed and the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read in order to display the image on the third pattern display device 81 are alternately designated by the MPU 231 as either the first frame buffer 236b or the second frame buffer 236c every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process for one frame's worth of image is completed.

That is, at a certain timing, the first frame buffer 236b is designated as the frame buffer that will display one frame's worth of image, and the second frame buffer 236c is designated as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read, and image drawing and display processing is executed. 20 milliseconds after the drawing processing of one frame's worth of image is completed, the second frame buffer 236c is designated as the frame buffer that will display one frame's worth of image, and the first frame buffer 236b is designated as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read. As a result, the image information of the image previously displayed in the first frame buffer 236b can be read out and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and at the same time, a new image is displayed in the second frame buffer 236c.

Then, after another 20 milliseconds, the first frame buffer 236b is specified as the frame buffer in which one frame's worth of image is displayed, and the second frame buffer 236c is specified as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read. This allows the image information of the image previously displayed in the second frame buffer 236c to be read and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, while at the same time a new image is displayed in the first frame buffer 236b. Thereafter, by alternately specifying the frame buffer in which one frame's worth of image is displayed and the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read, either the first frame buffer 236b or the second frame buffer 236c, every 20 milliseconds, it is possible to perform the display process of one frame's worth of image continuously in 20 millisecond units while performing the drawing process of one frame's worth of image.

The work RAM 233 is a memory for storing the control programs and fixed value data stored in the character ROM 234, and for temporarily storing work data and flags used when the MPU 231 executes various control programs, and is composed of DRAM. This work RAM 233 has at least a program storage area 233a, a data table storage area 233b, a simple image display flag 233c, a display data table buffer 233d, a transfer data table buffer 233e, a pointer 233f, a drawing list area 233g, a timing counter 233h, a stored image data discrimination flag 233i, a drawing target buffer flag 233j, a correction information storage area 233m, a special effect correction flag 233n, a background image change flag 233p, and a performance mode flag 233r.

The program storage area 233a is an area for storing the control program executed by the MPU 231. When the system reset is released, the MPU 231 reads the control program from the character ROM 234, transfers it to the work RAM 233, and stores it in this program storage area 233a. Then, when all the control programs are stored in the program storage area 233a, the MPU 231 executes various controls using the control programs stored in the program storage area 233a. As described above, since the work RAM 233 is composed of DRAM, the read operation is performed at high speed. Therefore, even if the control program is stored in the character ROM 234 composed of the NAND type flash memory 234a, which has a slow read speed, the display control device 114 can maintain high processing performance, and the third pattern display device 81 can be used to easily execute diversified and complicated performances.

The data table storage area 233b is an area that stores a display data table that describes the display content to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 over time for a performance that is displayed based on a command from the main control device 110, and a transfer data table that specifies the transfer data information and transfer timing for image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 and is used in a performance that is displayed based on the display data table.

These data tables are usually stored as a type of fixed value data in the second program storage area 234a1 provided in the NAND type flash memory 234a of the character ROM 234, and according to the boot program executed by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released, these data tables are transferred from the character ROM 234 to the work RAM 233 and stored in this data table storage area 233b. Then, when all the data tables are stored in the data table storage area 233b, the MPU 231 controls the display of the third pattern display device 81 using the data tables stored in the data table storage area 233b. As described above, since the work RAM 233 is composed of DRAM, the read operation is performed at high speed. Therefore, even if various data tables are stored in the character ROM 234 composed of the NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the display control device 114 can maintain high processing performance, and the third pattern display device 81 can be used to easily execute diversified and complicated performances.

Here, we will explain the details of the various data tables. First, a display data table is prepared for each presentation mode displayed on the third pattern display device 81 based on commands from the main control device 110. For example, display data tables corresponding to variable presentations, round presentations, ending presentations, and demo presentations are prepared.

The variable performance is an effect that is started in the third pattern display device 81 when a display variable pattern command is received from the sound lamp control device 113. When the display variable pattern command is received, a display stop type command that indicates the stop type of the variable performance is also received. For example, when the variable performance is started, if the stop type of the variable performance is a miss, the stop pattern indicating a miss is finally stopped and displayed, whereas if the stop type of the variable performance is any of jackpot A, jackpot B, or jackpot C, the stop pattern indicating the respective jackpot is finally stopped and displayed. The player can recognize the jackpot type by visually checking the stop pattern in this variable performance, and can easily determine the game value awarded according to the jackpot type.

In addition, the first winning port 64 is a winning port from which five balls are paid out as prize balls when a ball enters it, so when a normal jackpot occurs and the electric device 640a is opened, making it easier for balls to enter the second winning port 640, the number of prize balls increases. As a result, the pachinko machine 10 is in a state where the balls held are unlikely to decrease even when playing, or are not decreased at all, so the player can get a sense of the period when the balls held are unlikely to decrease, or are not decreased, and a jackpot with a special pattern can be obtained. This increases the player's motivation to participate in the game, and allows the player to continue to be motivated to participate in the game.

As described above, the demo effect is an effect that is displayed on the third symbol display device 81 when a predetermined time has passed since the first variable effect stopped, but the next variable effect associated with a start winning does not start. The third symbol, consisting of the main symbols without the numbers "0" to "9", is displayed frozen, and only the back image changes. If the demo effect is displayed on the third symbol display device 81, players and hall personnel can recognize that no play is being performed on the pachinko machine 10.

The data table storage area 233b stores one display data table each corresponding to the round performance, the ending performance, and the demo performance. In addition, if there are 32 variable performance patterns to be set, the variable display data table, which is the display data table for the variable performance, will have one table per variable performance pattern, for a total of 32 tables.

Now, with reference to Figure 85, the display data table will be described in detail. Figure 85 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a variable display data table among the display data tables. The display data table specifies in detail the contents (drawing contents) of one frame of image to be displayed during that time, corresponding to an address that represents the time (20 milliseconds in this embodiment) during which one frame of image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 as one unit.

The drawing contents specify the type of sprite for each sprite, which is a display object that constitutes one frame's worth of image, and also specify drawing information for the third pattern display device 81 to draw the sprite, such as display position coordinates, magnification ratio, rotation angle, semi-transparency value, alpha blending information, color information, and filter specification information, according to the sprite type.

The sprite type is information for specifying the sprite to be displayed. The display position coordinates are information for specifying the coordinates on the third pattern display device 81 where the sprite should be displayed. The magnification ratio is information for specifying the magnification ratio relative to a standard display size previously set for the sprite, and the size of the sprite to be displayed according to that magnification ratio is specified. Note that if the magnification ratio is greater than 100%, the sprite is displayed enlarged compared to the standard size, and if the magnification ratio is less than 100%, the sprite is displayed reduced compared to the standard size.

The rotation angle is information used to specify the angle of rotation when a sprite is rotated for display. The translucency value is used to specify the transparency of the entire sprite; the higher the translucency value, the more the image displayed behind the sprite is visible through it. The alpha blending information is information used to specify a known alpha blending coefficient used when overlaying other sprites. The color information is information used to specify the color tone of the sprite to be displayed. And the filter specification information is information used to specify the image filter to be applied to the specified sprite when drawing that sprite.

In the variable display data table, the drawing information for each sprite is specified for each address as the drawing content for one frame, which includes one background image, nine third patterns (pattern 1, pattern 2, ...), effects that express the shining of light in the image, and characters used for various effects such as boy images and text. Information about effects and characters is specified as one or more pieces according to the content to be displayed in that frame.

Here, the display position of the rear image is fixed to the entire screen of the third pattern display device 81, and the magnification ratio, rotation angle, translucency value, alpha blending information, color information, and filter specification information are constant over time, so the variable display data table specifies only the rear type, which is information for identifying the type of rear image.

When the MPU 231 determines that one of the backgrounds corresponding to the background mode (underwater, beach, preparation period background, background dedicated to time presentation) should be displayed based on the background type, the MPU 231 determines the background image corresponding to the stage specified by the player as the drawing target, and also determines the range of the background image to be displayed for that frame in accordance with the passage of time.

In this embodiment, a case will be described in which only the rear view type is specified as the drawing content of the rear view image in the display data table. Alternatively, the rear view type and position information indicating which range of the rear view image corresponding to that rear view type should be displayed may be specified. This position information may be, for example, information indicating the elapsed time since the rear view image in the range corresponding to the initial position was displayed. In this case, the MPU 231 identifies the range of the rear view image to be displayed for that frame based on the elapsed time since the rear view image in the range corresponding to the initial position indicated by the position information was displayed.

The position information may also be information indicating the elapsed time since drawing of the image (or display of the third pattern display device 81) based on this display data table was started. In this case, the MPU 231 determines the range of the rear image to be displayed for that frame based on the position of the rear image that was displayed at the stage when drawing of the image (or display of the third pattern display device 81) was started based on the display database, and the elapsed time since drawing of the image (or display of the third pattern display device 81) was started, as indicated by the position information.

Furthermore, depending on the type of back surface, the position information may indicate either information indicating the elapsed time since the back surface image of the range corresponding to the initial position was displayed or information indicating the elapsed time since drawing of an image based on the display data table (or display of the third pattern display device 81) began, or, together with the back surface type and position information, type information of the position information (for example, information indicating whether it is information indicating the elapsed time since the back surface image of the range corresponding to the initial position was displayed or information indicating the elapsed time since drawing of an image based on the display database (or display of the third pattern display device 81) began) may be specified as the drawing content of the back surface image. In addition, the position information may be information indicating the address where the range of the back surface image to be displayed is stored, rather than information indicating the elapsed time.

For the third patterns (Pattern 1, Pattern 2, ...), pattern type offset information is recorded as pattern type information for specifying the third pattern to be displayed. This offset information is information that represents the difference between the numbers attached to each third pattern. The reason offset information is determined rather than the type of third pattern directly is that the display of the third pattern in the variable performance changes depending on the stopping pattern of the previous variable performance and the stopping pattern of the current variable performance, and the pattern offset information from the start of the fluctuation until a specified time has elapsed records the offset information from the stopping pattern of the previous variable performance. As a result, the variable performance starts from the stopping pattern of the previous variable performance.

On the other hand, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the fluctuation started, offset information from the stop pattern set according to the stop type command (display stop type command) received from the main control unit 110 via the voice lamp control unit 113 is recorded. This makes it possible to stop the fluctuation performance at the stop pattern according to the stop type specified by the main control unit 110.

In addition, since each third symbol is assigned a unique number, the variable symbol in the previous variable performance and the stop symbol corresponding to the stop type specified by the main control unit 110 are managed by the number assigned to the third symbol, and the offset information is represented by the difference between the numbers assigned to each third symbol, so that the third symbol to be displayed can be easily identified from the offset information.

In addition, the specified time during which the pattern offset information is switched from the offset information of the stopped pattern of the previous variable performance to the offset information of the stopped pattern of the currently variable performance is set to be the time during which the third pattern is rapidly variable displayed. While the third pattern is rapidly variable displayed, the third pattern is not visible to the player. Therefore, by switching the pattern offset information from the offset information of the stopped pattern of the previous variable performance to the offset information of the stopped pattern of the currently variable performance during that time, even if the continuity of the numbers of the third pattern is interrupted, the player cannot be aware of the interruption in the continuity of the numbers.

The first address of the display data table, "0000H", contains "Start" information indicating the start of the data table, and the last address of the display data table ("02F0H" in the example of Figure 85) contains "End" information indicating the end of the data table. Then, for each address between the address "0000H" containing the "Start" information and the address containing the "End" information, drawing content corresponding to the presentation mode to be specified by that display data table is written.

The MPU 231 selects a display data table to be used in response to a command (e.g., a display variation pattern command) sent from the voice lamp control device 113 based on a command from the main control device 110, reads the selected display data table from the data table storage area 233b, stores it in the display data table buffer 233d, and initializes the pointer 233f. Then, each time the drawing process for one frame is completed, the pointer 233f is incremented by one, and in the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d, the image content to be drawn next is specified based on the drawing content specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f, and a drawing list (see FIG. 87) is created, which will be described later. This drawing list is sent to the image controller 237 to instruct the drawing of the image. As a result, the drawing content is specified in the order specified in the display data table according to the update of the pointer 233f, and the image as specified in the display data table is displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In this way, in this pachinko machine 10, the display control device 114 can change the performance image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 by simply replacing the display data table with the display data table buffer 233d as appropriate, rather than changing the program to be executed by the MPU 231 in response to commands (e.g., display variation pattern commands) sent from the sound lamp control device 113 based on commands from the main control device 110, etc.

If, as in conventional pachinko machines, a program executed by the MPU 231 is started each time the performance image displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is changed, a large load is placed on the processing of starting and executing programs that become more complex and expansive as the variety of performance images increases, which may limit the processing power of the display control device 114 and result in a limit to the diversification of controllable performance images. In contrast, in this pachinko machine 10, the performance image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 can be changed simply by replacing the display data table with the display data table buffer 233d as appropriate, so that a variety of performance images can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 regardless of the processing power of the display control device 114.

The reason why the display data table is prepared in accordance with each performance mode, the display data table buffer is set according to the performance mode to be displayed, and the drawing list can be created frame by frame according to the set data table is because the performance to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81 is determined in advance based on the result of the lottery performed based on the start winning in the pachinko machine 10. In contrast, in game machines other than gaming machines such as pachinko machines, the display content changes on the spot based on the user's operation, so the display content cannot be predicted, and therefore it is not possible to have a display data table corresponding to each performance mode as described above. In this way, the configuration of preparing a display data table in accordance with each performance mode, setting a display data table buffer according to the performance mode to be displayed, and creating a drawing list frame by frame according to the set data table can only be realized based on the fact that the pachinko machine 10 is configured to determine in advance the performance mode to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81 based on the result of the lottery performed based on the start winning.

Next, the transfer data table will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 86. FIG. 86 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a transfer data table. The transfer data table is prepared in correspondence with the display data table prepared for each performance, and as described above, the transfer data table specifies the transfer data information and transfer timing for transferring image data of sprites used in the performance specified in the display data table that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236.

If all image data for sprites used in the effects defined in the display data table is stored in the resident video RAM 235, then no transfer data table corresponding to that display data table is prepared. This makes it possible to prevent an increase in the capacity of the data table storage area 233b.

The transfer data table corresponds to an address specified in the display data table, and describes the transfer data information of the image data of the sprite (hereinafter referred to as the "image data to be transferred") that should start being transferred at the time indicated by that address (addresses "0001H" and "0097H" in Figure 86 correspond to this). Here, the transfer start timing of the image data to be transferred is set so that the image data corresponding to a specific sprite is stored in the image storage area 236a by the time drawing of that specific sprite starts according to the display data table, and the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred is specified in the transfer data table in correspondence with the address corresponding to that transfer start timing.

On the other hand, if there is no image data to be transferred at the time indicated by the address specified in the display data table, null data is specified, which means that there is no image data to be transferred at the time indicated by the address specified in the display data table (this corresponds to address "0002H" in Figure 86).

The transfer data information includes the start address (start address of the source) and the end address (end address of the source) of the character ROM 234 where the image data to be transferred is stored, and the start address of the transfer destination (normal video RAM 236).

The first address of the transfer data table, "0000H", contains "Start" information indicating the start of the data table, just like the display data table, and the last address of the transfer data table ("02F0H" in the example of FIG. 86) contains "End" information indicating the end of the data table. Then, for each address between the address "0000H" containing the "Start" information and the address containing the "End" information, the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred that should be specified in the transfer data table is contained.

The MPU 231 selects a display data table to be used in response to a command (e.g., a display variation pattern command) sent from the audio lamp control device 113 based on a command from the main control device 110, etc., and if a transfer data table corresponding to that display data table exists, it reads the transfer data table from the data table storage area 233b and stores it in the transfer data table buffer 233e of the work RAM 233 described later. Then, each time the pointer 233f is updated, the drawing content specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f is identified from the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d, and a drawing list (see FIG. 87) described later is created, and the transfer data information of the image data of a specified sprite that should start being transferred at that time is obtained from the transfer data table stored in the transfer data table buffer 233e, and the transfer data information is added to the created drawing list.

For example, in the example of FIG. 86, when pointer 233f is "0001H" or "0097H", MPU 231 adds the transfer data information specified at that address in the transfer data table to the drawing list created based on the display data table, and transmits the drawing list after the addition to image controller 237. On the other hand, when pointer 233f is "0002H", null data is specified at address "0002H" in the transfer data table, so it is determined that there is no transfer target image data from which transfer should begin, and the transfer data information is not added to the generated drawing list, and the drawing list is transmitted to image controller 237.

Then, if transfer data information is included in the drawing list received from the MPU 231, the image controller 237 executes a process to transfer the image data to be transferred from the character ROM 234 to a specified sub-area of the image storage area 236a in accordance with the transfer data information.

As described above, the transfer data table specifies the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred for a specific address so that the image data corresponding to a specific sprite is stored in the image storage area 236a by the time drawing of the specific sprite begins in accordance with the display data table. By transferring image data from the character ROM 234 to the image storage area 236a in accordance with the transfer data information specified in this transfer data table, when drawing a specific sprite in accordance with the display data table, it is possible to ensure that image data not resident in the resident video RAM 235 and required for drawing the sprite is stored in the image storage area 236a. Then, the image data stored in the image storage area 236a can be used to draw the specific sprite based on the display data table.

As a result, even if the character ROM 234 is configured using a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the images required for display can be read out from the character ROM 234 in advance without delay and transferred to the normal video RAM 236, so that the corresponding effects can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 while drawing the images of each sprite specified in the display data table. Also, by writing in the transfer data table, only the image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 can be easily and reliably transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

In addition, in this pachinko machine 10, the display control device 114 sets a display data table in the display data table buffer 233d in response to commands (e.g., display variation pattern commands) sent from the sound lamp control device 113 based on commands from the main control device 110, and at the same time, a transfer data table corresponding to that display data table is set in the transfer data table buffer 233e, so that the image data of the sprite used in that display data table can be reliably transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 at the desired timing.

The transfer data table also specifies the transfer data information so that image data is transferred from character ROM 234 to normal video RAM 236 for each image data corresponding to a sprite. This makes it possible to manage and control the transfer of image data for each sprite, making it easy to process the transfer. By controlling the transfer of image data from character ROM 234 to normal video RAM 236 on a sprite-by-sprite basis, the process can be made easier while controlling the transfer of image data in detail. This makes it possible to efficiently prevent an increase in the load on the transfer.

The transfer data table has a data structure similar to that of the display data table, and the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred, which should start being transferred at the time indicated by the address, is specified in correspondence with the address specified in the display data table. Therefore, the timing of the start of transfer can be specified so that the image data of a specified sprite is reliably stored in the normal video RAM 236 before that image data is used based on the display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d. Therefore, even if the character ROM 234 is constructed using a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, a wide variety of performance images can be easily displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

The simple image display flag 233c is a flag indicating whether or not to display the power-on image (power-on main image and power-on variable image) on the third pattern display device 81. This simple image display flag 233c is set to ON in the main processing (see FIG. 116) executed by the MPU 231 after the image data corresponding to the power-on main image and power-on variable image are transferred to the power-on main image area 235a or power-on variable image area 235b of the resident video RAM (see S2505 in FIG. 116). Then, when all resident target image data is stored in the resident video RAM 235 by the resident image transfer process of the image transfer process, it is set to OFF in order to display images other than the power-on image on the third pattern display device 81 (see S4805 in FIG. 132(b)).

This simple image display flag 233c is referenced in the V interrupt processing executed by the MPU 231 each time a V interrupt signal transmitted from the image controller 237 is detected (see S2801 in FIG. 118(b)). When the simple image display flag 233c is on, a simple command determination process (see S2809 in FIG. 118(b)) and a simple display setting process (see S2810 in FIG. 118(b)) are executed so that the power-on image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81. On the other hand, when the simple image display flag 233c is off, a command determination process (see FIGS. 119 to 127) and a display setting process (see FIGS. 128 to 130) are executed so that various images are displayed in response to commands transmitted from the voice lamp control device 113 based on commands from the main control device 110, etc.

The simple image display flag 233c is also referenced in the transfer setting process executed by the MPU 231 during V interrupt processing (see S4701 in FIG. 132(a)). If the simple image display flag 233c is on, resident target image data exists that is not stored in the resident video RAM 235, so a resident image transfer setting process (see FIG. 132(b)) is executed to transfer the resident target image data from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. If the simple image display flag 233c is off, a normal image transfer setting process (see FIG. 133) is executed to transfer the image data required for the drawing process from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

The display data table buffer 233d is a buffer for storing a display data table corresponding to the performance mode to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 in response to commands sent from the voice lamp control device 113 based on commands from the main control device 110. The MPU 231 determines the performance mode to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 based on the commands sent from the voice lamp control device 113, selects a display data table corresponding to the performance mode from the data table storage area 233b, and stores the selected display data table in the display data table buffer 233d. Then, while incrementing the pointer 233f by 1, the MPU 231 generates a drawing list (see FIG. 57) that describes the image drawing instructions to the image controller 237 for each frame based on the drawing contents specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f in the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d. As a result, the third pattern display device 81 displays the performance corresponding to the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d.

The MPU 231 increments the pointer 233f by one, and generates a drawing list (see FIG. 87) for each frame that describes image drawing instructions for the image controller 237 based on the drawing contents specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f in the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d. As a result, the third pattern display device 81 displays the effect corresponding to the display data table.

The transfer data table buffer 233e is a buffer for storing a transfer data table corresponding to the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d in response to commands sent from the voice lamp control device 113 based on commands from the main control device 110. When storing a display data table in the display data table buffer 233d, the MPU 231 selects a transfer data table corresponding to the display data table from the data table storage area 233b and stores the selected transfer data table in the transfer data table buffer 233e. If all the image data of the sprites used in the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d is stored in the resident video RAM 235, no transfer data table corresponding to the display data table is prepared, and the MPU 231 clears the contents of the transfer data table buffer 233e by writing Null data, which means that no image data to be transferred exists in the transfer data table buffer 233e.

Then, while incrementing the pointer 233f by one, if the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f in the transfer data table stored in the transfer data table buffer 233e is specified (i.e., if no null data is specified), the MPU 231 adds the transfer data information to a drawing list (see FIG. 87) described below that specifies the image drawing instructions to the image controller 237 generated for each frame.

When transfer data information is included in the drawing list received from the MPU 231, the image controller 237 executes a process of transferring the image data to be transferred from the character ROM 234 to a specified sub-area of the image storage area 236a in accordance with the transfer data information. As described above, the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred is specified for a specified address in the transfer data table so that the image data corresponding to a specified sprite is stored in the image storage area 236a by the time the drawing of the specified sprite begins in accordance with the display data table. Therefore, by transferring image data from the character ROM 234 to the image storage area 236a in accordance with the transfer data information specified in the transfer data table, when a specified sprite is drawn in accordance with the display data table, image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 and is necessary for drawing the sprite can be stored in the image storage area 236a without fail.

As a result, even if the character ROM 234 is configured using a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the images required for display can be read out from the character ROM 234 in advance without delay and transferred to the normal video RAM 236, so that the corresponding effects can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 while drawing the images of each sprite specified in the display data table. Also, by writing in the transfer data table, only the image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 can be easily and reliably transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

The pointer 233f is used to specify an address from which the corresponding drawing contents or transfer data information of the image data to be transferred should be obtained from the display data table and transfer data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d and transfer data table buffer 233e, respectively. The MPU 231 initializes the pointer 233f to 0 once when the display data table is stored in the display data table buffer 233d. Then, during the display setting process (see S2803 in FIG. 118(b)) of the V interrupt process executed by the MPU 231 based on the V interrupt signal transmitted from the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process for one frame of image is completed, a pointer update process (see S4305 in FIG. 130) is executed, and the value of the pointer 233f is incremented by one.

Each time the pointer 233f is updated in this manner, the MPU 231 identifies the drawing content specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f from the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d, creates a drawing list (see Figure 87) described below, and also obtains transfer data information for the image data of a specified sprite that should start being transferred at that time from the transfer data table stored in the transfer data table buffer 233e, and adds the transfer data information to the created drawing list.

As a result, the effect corresponding to the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d is displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Therefore, by simply changing the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d, the effect displayed on the third pattern display device 81 can be easily changed. Therefore, regardless of the processing power of the display control device 114, a wide variety of effects can be displayed.

In addition, when a transfer data table is stored in the transfer data table buffer 233e, image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 and is used to draw a sprite can be stored in the image storage area 236a based on the transfer data table until the drawing of the sprite is started by the corresponding display data table. This makes it possible to read images required for display from the character ROM 234 without delay in advance and transfer them to the normal video RAM 236, even if the character ROM 234 is configured using a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, so that the corresponding effects can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 while drawing the images of each sprite specified in the display data table. In addition, by writing the transfer data table, only image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 can be easily and reliably transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

The drawing list area 233g is an area for storing a drawing list that instructs the image controller 237 to draw one frame of an image, which is generated based on the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d and the transfer data table stored in the transfer data table buffer 233e.

Now, referring to FIG. 87, the details of the drawing list will be described. FIG. 87 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the drawing list. The drawing list is an instruction table that instructs the image controller 237 to draw one frame's worth of images, and as shown in FIG. 87, for each sprite, such as the back image used in one frame's image, the third pattern (pattern 1, pattern 2, ...), the effect (effect 1, effect 2, ...), the character (character 1, character 2, ..., reserved ball number pattern 1, reserved ball number pattern 2, ..., error pattern), detailed drawing information (detailed information) of that sprite is described. The drawing list also describes transfer data information for causing the image controller 237 to transfer specified image data from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

The detailed drawing information (detailed information) of each sprite includes information indicating the type of RAM (resident video RAM 235 or normal video RAM 236) in which the image data of the corresponding sprite (display object) is stored, and its address. The image controller 237 obtains the image data of the sprite from the memory area specified by the RAM type and address. The detailed drawing information (detailed information) also includes display position coordinates, magnification ratio, rotation angle, semi-transparency value, alpha blending information, color information, and filter specification information. The image controller 237 performs enlargement/reduction processing according to the magnification ratio, rotation processing according to the rotation angle, semi-transparency processing according to the semi-transparency value, composition processing with other sprites according to the alpha blending information, color correction processing according to the color information, filtering processing according to the filter specification information in a manner specified by the information, and then performs various processing on the standard image generated by the image data of the sprite read from the various video RAMs, and draws the image obtained by performing various processing at the display position indicated by the display position coordinates. The drawn image is then expanded by the image controller 237 into either the first frame buffer 236b or the second frame buffer 236c, as specified by the drawing target buffer flag 233j.

The MPU 231 generates detailed drawing information (detailed information) for all sprites used to draw one frame of image based on the drawing content specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f in the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d and the content of other images to be drawn (for example, a reserved image displaying a reserved ball count pattern, a warning image notifying the occurrence of an error, etc.), and creates a drawing list by sorting the detailed information for each sprite.

Here, among the detailed information for each sprite, the storage RAM type and address for the sprite (display object) data are generated according to the sprite type specified in the display data table or the sprite type identified from the contents of other images. That is, since the area of the resident video RAM 235 in which the image data for that sprite is stored, or the sub-area of the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236, is fixed for each sprite, the MPU 231 can instantly identify the storage RAM type and address in which the image data for that sprite is stored according to the sprite type, and easily include this information in the detailed information of the drawing list.

In addition, the MPU 231 copies other information (display position coordinates, magnification ratio, rotation angle, semi-transparency value, alpha blending information, color information, and filter specification information) from the detailed information of each sprite as is, as specified in the display data table.

When generating the drawing list, the MPU 231 rearranges the sprites in one frame's worth of images in order from the sprite that should be placed furthest back to the sprite that should be placed in the foreground, and describes detailed drawing information (detailed information) for each sprite. That is, in the drawing list, detailed information corresponding to the back image is described first, followed by detailed information corresponding to each sprite in the following order: third pattern (pattern 1, pattern 2, ...), effect (effect 1, effect 2, ...), character (character 1, character 2, ..., reserved ball count pattern 1, reserved ball count pattern 2, ..., error pattern).

The image controller 237 executes the drawing process for each sprite in the order described in the drawing list, and expands the drawn sprites in the frame buffer by overwriting them. Therefore, in one frame's worth of image generated by the drawing list, the first sprite drawn can be placed at the backmost side, and the last sprite drawn can be placed at the frontmost side.

Furthermore, when transfer data information is written at the address indicated by pointer 233f in the transfer data table stored in transfer data table buffer 233e, MPU 231 adds the transfer data information (the source start address and source end address in character ROM 234 where the image data to be transferred is stored, and the destination start address of the sub-area in image storage area 236a where the image data to be transferred should be stored) to the end of the drawing list. When the transfer data information is included in the drawing list, image controller 237 reads image data from a specified area in character ROM 234 (area indicated by the source start address and source end address) based on the transfer data information, and transfers the image data to be transferred to a specified sub-area (destination address) in image storage area 236a in normal video RAM 236.

The timing counter 233h is a counter that counts the presentation time of the presentation displayed on the third pattern display device 81 based on the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d. When the MPU 231 stores a display data table in the display data table buffer 233d, it sets time data indicating the presentation time of the presentation displayed based on that display data table. This time data is the presentation time divided by the image display time for one frame on the third pattern display device 81 (20 milliseconds in this embodiment).

Then, based on the V interrupt signal sent from the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process and display process for one frame of image are completed, each time the MPU 231 executes the display setting process of the V interrupt process (see S2803 in FIG. 118(b)), the timing counter 233h is decremented by one (see S4307 in FIG. 128). As a result, when the value of the timing counter 233h becomes 0 or less, the MPU 231 determines that the presentation displayed by the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d has ended, and executes various processes that should be performed in conjunction with the end of the presentation.

The stored image data discrimination flag 233j is a flag indicating the storage status, for each sprite whose corresponding image data is not resident in the resident video RAM 235, of whether the image data corresponding to that sprite is stored in the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236.

This stored image data discrimination flag 233j is generated by the initial setting process (see S2502 in FIG. 116) executed by the MPU 231 during the main process when the power is turned on. The stored image data discrimination flag 233j generated here is set to "off" for all sprites, indicating that they are not stored in the image storage area 236a.

The stored image data discrimination flag 233j is updated when a transfer instruction is set for image data to be transferred that corresponds to a sprite during the normal image transfer setting process (see FIG. 133) executed by the MPU 231. In this update, the storage status corresponding to the sprite for which a transfer instruction has been set is set to "on", indicating that the corresponding image data is stored in the image storage area 236a. Furthermore, image data for other sprites that are to be stored in the same sub-area of the image storage area 236a as the one sprite will necessarily be in an unstored state due to the storage of the image data of the one sprite, so the storage status corresponding to the other sprites is set to "off".

In addition, when transferring image data of a sprite whose image data is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236, the MPU 231 refers to the stored image data discrimination flag 233j and determines whether the image data of the sprite to be transferred is already stored in the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 235 (see S4913 in FIG. 133). If the storage status corresponding to the sprite to be transferred is "off" and the corresponding image data is not stored in the image storage area 236a, it sets a transfer instruction for that image data (see S4914 in FIG. 133) and causes the image controller 237 to transfer that image data from the character ROM 234 to a specified sub-area of the image storage area 236a. On the other hand, if the storage status corresponding to the sprite to be transferred is "on", the corresponding image data is already stored in the image storage area 236a, so the transfer process of that image data is stopped. This prevents unnecessary data transfer from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236, reducing the processing load on each part of the display control device 114 and reducing traffic on the bus line 240.

The drawing target buffer flag 233k is a flag for specifying one of the two frame buffers (first frame buffer 236b and second frame buffer 236c) into which the image drawn by the image controller 237 is expanded (hereinafter referred to as the "drawing target buffer"); if the drawing target buffer flag 233k is 0, the first frame buffer 236b is specified as the drawing target buffer, and if it is 1, the second frame buffer 236c is specified. Information on this specified drawing target buffer is then sent to the image controller 237 together with the drawing list (see S5002 in FIG. 134).

As a result, the image controller 237 executes a drawing process in which the image drawn based on the drawing list is expanded onto the designated drawing target buffer. In addition, the image controller 237 executes a display process in which the image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 by reading out previously expanded drawing image information from a frame buffer different from the drawing target buffer, simultaneously and in parallel with the drawing process, and transferring the image information to the third pattern display device 81 together with a drive signal.

The drawing target buffer flag 233k is updated in accordance with the drawing target buffer information being sent to the image controller 237 together with the drawing list. This update is performed by inverting the value of the drawing target buffer flag 233k, i.e., by setting the value to "1" if it was "0" and to "0" if it was "1". As a result, the drawing target buffer is alternately set between the first frame buffer 236b and the second frame buffer 236c each time a drawing list is sent. In addition, the drawing list is sent each time the drawing process of the V interrupt process (see FIG. 118(b)) executed by the MPU 231 is executed based on the V interrupt signal sent from the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process and display process of one frame of image is completed (see S5002 in FIG. 134).

That is, at a certain timing, the first frame buffer 236b is designated as the frame buffer that will display one frame's worth of image, and the second frame buffer 236c is designated as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read, and image drawing and display processing is executed. 20 milliseconds after the drawing processing of one frame's worth of image is completed, the second frame buffer 236c is designated as the frame buffer that will display one frame's worth of image, and the first frame buffer 236b is designated as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read. As a result, the image information of the image previously displayed in the first frame buffer 236b can be read out and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and at the same time, a new image is displayed in the second frame buffer 236c.

Then, after another 20 milliseconds, the first frame buffer 236b is specified as the frame buffer in which one frame's worth of image is displayed, and the second frame buffer 236c is specified as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read. This allows the image information of the image previously displayed in the second frame buffer 236c to be read and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, while at the same time a new image is displayed in the first frame buffer 236b. Thereafter, by alternately specifying the frame buffer in which one frame's worth of image is displayed and the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read, either the first frame buffer 236b or the second frame buffer 236c, every 20 milliseconds, it is possible to perform the display process of one frame's worth of image continuously in 20 millisecond units while performing the drawing process of one frame's worth of image.

The correction information storage area 233m is an area in which the correction information of the correction information table 234a3 described above is stored, and the display mode (position, size) of various power-on images (power-on main image, power-on variable image, power-on title image) is corrected and displayed based on the correction information stored in this correction information storage area 233m. When the voice lamp control device 113 is powered on, the correction information storage area 233m is set to initial values (display enable is on, coordinate correction amount is (0,0), magnification is ×1 (actual size)) for all image types, so that when the power is turned on, various power-on images are displayed in their initial positions (see FIG. 82). Then, the correction information of the correction information table 234a3 is set according to the game state (the effect being displayed). For example, if a normal effect is being executed, the correction information for the normal effect of the correction information table 234a3 is set (see S4604 in FIG. 131).

The special performance correction flag 233n is a flag for determining whether or not the correction information (correction information for moving a telescopic role or for moving a tilting role) corresponding to the performance (telescopic role scenario or tilting role scenario) of the telescopic performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) or the tilting operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9) is set in the correction information storage area 233m. When the special performance correction flag 233n is on, it indicates that the correction information for moving a telescopic role or for moving a tilting role is set in the correction information storage area 233m, and when it is off, it indicates that the correction information for moving a telescopic role or for moving a tilting role is not set in the correction information storage area 233m. When the special performance flag 233n is on, the correction information for normal performance or demo performance is not set in the correction information storage area 233m in the performance information correction process (see FIG. 131) (see S4602: No in FIG. 131). This prevents the correction information for moving the telescopic role or the tilting role set in the correction information storage area 233m from being rewritten to correction information for normal or demo performance by the performance information correction process (see FIG. 131) even if the performance in which the telescopic performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) or the tilting operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9) is moving is being executed. As a result, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the malfunction in which the display mode (position, size) of various power-on images becomes the display mode (position, size) corresponding to the normal or demo performance even if the performance in which the telescopic performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) or the tilting operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9) is moving is being executed, and it is possible to prevent (suppress) confusion of the player.

This special performance correction flag 233n is set to ON when the correction information for moving the telescopic role object or the tilting role object is set in the correction information storage area 233m in the special performance correction process (see FIG. 121) (see S3205 in FIG. 121). Then, it is set to OFF when the variable display (performance) is stopped (see S4101 in FIG. 126(b)). That is, when the performance in which the telescopic performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) or the tilting operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9) is movable is stopped, the special performance correction flag 233n is set to OFF. By setting the special performance correction flag 233n to OFF, it becomes possible to set correction information for normal performance or demo performance in the correction information storage area 233m by the performance information correction process (see FIG. 131) (see S4602: Yes in FIG. 131). In this way, since the correction information according to the performance can be set in the correction information storage area 233m, various power-on images can be corrected to a display mode (position, size) suitable for each performance and displayed.

The rear image change flag 233p is a flag for determining whether or not to change the type of rear image displayed on the third pattern display device 81. This rear image change flag 233p is set to on when a rear image change command or a performance mode change command transmitted from the voice lamp control device 113 is received (see S4001 in FIG. 126(a)). It is then referenced in the normal image transfer setting process (see S4909 in FIG. 133), and is set to off when the rear image change process is executed (see S4910 in FIG. 133). This makes it possible to display a rear image corresponding to the rear image change command or the performance mode change command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

The performance mode flag 233r is a flag that is set and referenced to determine the current performance mode (performance period), and the back image is changed based on the performance mode set in the performance mode flag 233r. This performance mode flag 233r is set based on the performance mode change command received from the voice lamp control device 113 (see S4002 in FIG. 126(a)), and based on the value of the set performance mode flag 233r, the back image data is set in the normal image transfer setting process described later (see S4911 in FIG. 133). This allows the back image displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub display device 690 to be changed according to the performance mode set by the voice lamp control device 113.

Next, referring to Fig. 88 to Fig. 90, the ball entry effect executed during the time-saving game of this control example will be described. This ball entry effect is an effect in which the variable display during execution (variation) suggests the expectation of a jackpot based on the entry of a game ball into the second winning port 640. Fig. 88 is a diagram showing a timing chart when the ball entry effect is executed. In the time-saving game of this control example, the variable display based on the second special pattern ends in 0.6 seconds (consisting of a 0.125-second period in which the patterns, etc. are displayed variably and a 0.475-second period in which the patterns, etc. are displayed stationary). In this case, if the expectation of a jackpot is displayed in one display area based on the execution of the variable effect, the variable effect ends in a short time (0.6 seconds) (i.e., the display of the expectation of a jackpot ends in 0.6 seconds), making it difficult for the player to recognize the expectation of a jackpot.

In this control example, the ball-entering effects, which indicate the likelihood of a jackpot, are displayed in sequence in four areas, from the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d, of the third pattern display device 81. For example, the ball-entering effects can be displayed in the first area 81a while the next ball-entering effect is displayed in the second area 81b. This makes it possible to lengthen the display period of the ball-entering effects, which indicate the likelihood of a jackpot, and to provide a gaming machine that makes it easy for the player to recognize the likelihood of a jackpot, i.e., makes it easy to understand.

In addition, the ball entry effect, which indicates the likelihood of a jackpot, is displayed based on a game ball entering the second winning opening 640 even when the reserved balls in the second winning opening 640 are at the upper limit (4 in this control example) (the ball entry effect is displayed even during so-called overflow). This makes it possible to make the player want to continue to have game balls enter the second winning opening 640 even when the reserved balls in the second winning opening 640 are at the upper limit (4), thereby increasing the player's interest.

Furthermore, the ball-entering effect, which indicates the likelihood of a jackpot, corresponds to the number of remaining changes until a jackpot. As will be described in detail later, the ball-entering effect is controlled to have a high likelihood of a jackpot (high-level ball-entering effect) based on the decrease in the number of remaining changes until a jackpot is reached. This gradually increases the level of the ball-entering effect (the likelihood of a jackpot), allowing the player to gradually sense the arrival of a jackpot and increasing the player's interest.

Specifically, this will be explained with reference to FIG. 88. First, after the end of the jackpot game, the game state transitions to the time-saving game state, and if the number of reserved balls of the second special pattern during the jackpot game is 4, then variation 1, which is a variation based on the oldest winning of the reserved balls, is started. If there is no winning information of the jackpot in the winning information of each reserved ball, the number of remaining variations until the jackpot is undetermined (greater than 4). In this case, when a game ball enters the second winning hole 640, a level 0 ball entry effect is selected as the ball entry effect based on the ball entry effect selection table 222b (see FIG. 78). Therefore, if the first ball enters the second winning hole 640 during the execution of variation 1 (the lottery result is a miss), a level 0 ball entry effect is displayed in the first area 81a of the third pattern display device 81, and the number of reserved balls of the second special pattern changes to 4 (see FIG. 89(a)).

Next, when variation 1 ends, variation 2 based on the reserved balls begins, and the number of reserved balls for the second special pattern becomes three. If a second ball enters the second winning slot 640 (the lottery result is a jackpot) while variation 2 is being executed, the number of remaining variations until the jackpot becomes four. In this case, when a game ball enters the second winning slot 640, a level 1 ball entry effect is selected as the ball entry effect based on the ball entry effect selection table 222b (see FIG. 78). Therefore, a level 1 ball entry effect is displayed in the second area 81b of the third pattern display device 81, and the number of reserved balls for the second special pattern changes to four.

Then, when the variation 2 ends and the variation 3 based on the reserved ball starts, the number of reserved balls of the second special pattern becomes 3, and the number of remaining variations until the jackpot decreases to 3. In this case, when a game ball enters the second winning port 640, the level 2 ball entry effect is selected as the ball entry effect based on the ball entry effect selection table 222b (see FIG. 78). Therefore, if the third ball enters the second winning port 640 during the execution of the variation 3 (the lottery result is a miss), the level 2 ball entry effect is displayed in the third area 81c of the third pattern display device 81 (see FIG. 89 (b)), and the reserved pattern of the second special pattern changes to 4. Furthermore, if the fourth ball enters the second winning port 640 (overflow) during the execution of the variation 3, the number of remaining variations until the jackpot is 3. In this case, the level 2 ball entry effect is selected as the ball entry effect based on the ball entry effect selection table 222b (see FIG. 78). Therefore, the level 2 ball scoring effect is displayed in the fourth area 81d of the third display device 81.

Next, when variation 3 ends and variation 4 based on the reserved balls begins, the number of reserved balls for the second special pattern becomes 3, and the number of remaining variations until the big win decreases to 2. In this case, when a game ball enters the second winning slot 640, a level 3 ball entry effect is selected as the ball entry effect based on the ball entry effect selection table 222b (see Figure 78). However, if there is no ball entry into the second winning slot 640 during the execution of this variation 4, no new ball entry effect is displayed, and variation 4 ends as it is.

When variation 4 ends, variation 5 based on the reserved balls begins, the number of reserved balls of the second special pattern decreases to 2, and the number of remaining variations until the big win decreases to 1. In this case, when a game ball enters the second winning hole 640, a level 4 ball entry effect is selected as the ball entry effect based on the ball entry effect selection table 222b (see FIG. 78). Therefore, when a game ball enters the second winning hole 640 during the execution of this variation 5, a level 4 ball entry effect is displayed in the first area 81a of the third display device 81 (see FIG. 90(a)), and the number of reserved balls of the second special pattern increases to 3.

Then, when variation 5 ends, variation 6 starts based on the reserved balls of the winning information of the jackpot, the number of reserved balls of the second special pattern decreases to 2, and the number of remaining variations until the jackpot decreases to 0 (the variation is the jackpot). In this case, when a game ball enters the second winning port 640, a level 5 ball entry effect is selected as the ball entry effect based on the ball entry effect selection table 222b (see FIG. 78). Therefore, when a game ball enters the second winning port 640 during the execution of this variation 6, a level 5 ball entry effect is displayed in the second area 81b of the third pattern display device 81 (see FIG. 90(b)), and the number of reserved balls of the second special pattern increases to 3. After that, when the variation of variation 6 ends, the jackpot game is executed.

In this way, in this control example, the type of ball entry presentation is changed depending on the number of remaining variations until the jackpot, so the player can recognize in advance that a jackpot will occur before the variation based on the jackpot is executed, increasing the player's interest.

In addition, the level of the ball-entering effect gradually increases based on the decrease in the number of remaining changes until the big win, so the player can gradually sense the arrival of the big win, increasing the player's interest.

In addition, in this control example, the change time of one of the change effects in the time-saving game is shortened (0.6 seconds), thereby improving the turnover rate (efficiency) of the game. However, because the change time is short, the change effect executed (displayed) during that change time is also short. As a result, if the game ball does not continuously enter the second winning hole 640, the change effect will not be continuously performed (i.e., the period during which the change effect is not executed (displayed) will be long), and the game may become boring. Therefore, in this control example, the expectation of a jackpot is displayed based on the ball entering the second winning hole 640. This makes the player want to enter the game ball into the second winning hole 640, and allows the player to play in such a way that the game ball will continuously enter the second winning hole 640, so that the change effect can be displayed continuously and the interest of the player can be improved.

In this control example, the ball-entering effect is performed according to the number of remaining changes until the jackpot, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to execute a ball-entering effect in a manner that makes it difficult for the player to recognize the number of remaining changes until the jackpot, or to perform the ball-entering effect described above regardless of the number of remaining changes until the jackpot. This allows for cases where a jackpot occurs without the player having any inkling of its arrival, which adds an element of surprise to the game and increases the player's interest.

In addition, in this control example, the above-mentioned ball entry effects are configured to be displayed in sequence in each of the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d of the third pattern display device 81. As a result, the ball entry effect based on one ball entry continues to be displayed until four new balls enter the second winning port 640. Even if the interval between balls entering the second winning port 640 is very short, the time for the ball entry effect to be displayed can be secured, and the problem of the player being unable to see (recognize) the ball entry effect can be suppressed. Note that the area in which the ball entry effect is not displayed may be identified and the area in which it is not displayed may be used preferentially for display. This allows the time for the ball entry effect to be displayed to be longer.

Furthermore, in this control example, the number of reserved balls in the second winning port 640 is at an upper limit, and even if a game ball enters the second winning port 640 (so-called overflow), a ball entry effect is performed. As a result, even if the number of reserved balls in the second winning port 640 is at an upper limit, the ball entry effect is displayed based on the ball entering, so that even if the number of reserved balls in the second winning port 640 is at an upper limit, the player can be made to want to continue to have game balls enter the second winning port 640, thereby increasing the player's interest. Also, since the ball entry effect is displayed more than the number of time-saving games that have been granted, the player can be made to feel that more time-saving games have been granted.

In this control example, the ball-entering effects are displayed in order (clockwise) in each of the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d of the third pattern display device 81, but this is not limited to the above. For example, they may be displayed in reverse order (counterclockwise), or randomly. Furthermore, the display order may be changed when a specific effect or variation is executed or when there is information about a jackpot win. This makes it possible to change the order in which the ball-entering effects are displayed, preventing the game from becoming monotonous and preventing players from becoming bored early on.

The display order of the ball-entering effects displayed in each area (first area 81a to fourth area) of the third symbol display device 81 may be changed depending on the expectation of a jackpot. For example, when the expectation of a jackpot is low, the ball-entering effects are displayed in order (clockwise) in each area from the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d, whereas when the expectation of a jackpot is high, they are displayed in reverse order (counterclockwise). This allows the player to recognize the expectation from the display order of the ball-entering effects displayed in each area (first area 81a to fourth area), and reduces the burden on the player because there is no need to look closely at the contents of the ball-entering effects displayed in each area (first area 81a to fourth area).

Next, referring to FIG. 91, the various presentation periods (presentation modes) set in this control example will be described. As described above, this control example includes a normal game period (presentation mode A) during which a normal presentation is executed (displayed), a time presentation period (presentation mode B) which is a presentation period set periodically (for 5 minutes every hour) during which a special presentation (time presentation) according to the elapsed time is executed (displayed), and a time presentation extension period (presentation mode C) which is entered when it is determined that a jackpot will be generated at the end of the time presentation period (presentation mode B) (when the pending winning information is a jackpot, or a variable display that will result in a jackpot is being executed).

Figure 91 is a timing chart showing each presentation period (normal game period, time presentation period, time presentation extension period) in this control example. As described above, in this control example, information indicating the start time of the normal game period (presentation mode A) and the time presentation period (presentation mode B) is set in the presentation time storage area 223g. This presentation time storage area 223g is set with information indicating the start time of the normal game period (presentation mode A) and the time presentation period (presentation mode B) based on time information (information indicating the power-on time) acquired from the RTC 292 (timekeeping means) by the time setting process (see Figure 105) in the start-up process (see Figure 104) executed by the MPU 221 of the sound lamp control device 113 when the power of the pachinko machine 10 is turned on. Each presentation period is set based on the information indicating the start time of this presentation time storage area 223g.

Specifically, in the presentation time storage area 223g, information indicating the time 55 minutes after the power-on time is set as information indicating the start time of the first time presentation. As a result, the time presentation period (presentation mode B) is set 55 minutes after the power-on time. Note that the normal play period (presentation mode A) is set for 55 minutes after the power-on. Since the time presentation period is 5 minutes, information indicating the time 5 minutes after the start time of the time presentation is set as information indicating the start time of the normal play period (presentation mode A). As a result, when 5 minutes have passed since the start time of the time presentation, the normal play period (presentation mode A) is set. In this way, information indicating the start time of the presentation time storage area 223g is set so that the normal play period (55 minutes) and the time presentation period (5 minutes) are set repeatedly, and a 5-minute time presentation period (presentation mode B) is set every hour.

When the five minutes of the time presentation period have elapsed, it is determined whether or not the reserved memory or changing special symbol stored at that time has been set to result in a jackpot as a result of the win/loss judgment. If it is determined that a jackpot has been set, a time presentation extension period (presentation mode C) is set to the time until the change ends. In this case, when the time presentation extension period (presentation mode C) ends, the normal play period (presentation mode A) is set.

In addition, when the remaining time of the time performance period (performance mode B) becomes 3 seconds or less, regardless of whether or not the time performance extension period (performance mode C) is subsequently transitioned to, the display mode of the third pattern display device 81 is switched to a premonition display mode that indicates the end of the time performance period. By switching to this premonition display mode, the variable display of the third pattern (regardless of whether it is a big win or a miss) that has been executed (displayed) until then is changed to a display mode that is difficult for the player to see. Specifically, it is reduced and continuously displayed variable in the lower right of the display area of the third pattern display device 81. Then, regardless of the variable display that has been executed (displayed) until then, the third pattern indicating a miss is displayed stopped in the center of the third pattern display device 81 (i.e., the third pattern indicating a miss is displayed pseudo). Here, the third pattern that is pseudo-displayed stopped in the premonition display mode is displayed with a slight shaking to inform the player that it is not completely stopped. In this way, by switching to the premonition display mode and making it look as if the third symbol has stopped, it is possible to make players believe that the third symbol has stopped at the same time as the other pachinko machines 10. This allows the display mode at the end of the time performance period to be the same for multiple pachinko machines 10, preventing (suppressing) players from feeling uncomfortable.

When the remaining time of the time presentation period (presentation mode B) is 3 seconds or less, even if the variable display of the third pattern is not being executed (displayed), the display mode is switched to the premonition display mode. As a result, the display mode is switched to the premonition display mode regardless of whether the variable display is being executed (displayed), so that the display mode at the end of the time presentation period can be the same across multiple pachinko machines 10.

Note that in the precursor display mode, the variable display of the third symbol that had been executed (displayed) up until that point is changed, and the display mode that is difficult for the player to see is not limited to the above. For example, the display may be changed to a mode that makes it difficult for the player to recognize that it is a variable display of the third symbol, or it may not be displayed at all. This makes it difficult for the player to recognize that the third symbol, which indicates a pseudo miss, is being displayed, and the effect of making it appear as if the third symbol has stopped being displayed can be further enhanced.

Furthermore, at the timing when the timed effect period (effect mode B) ends (i.e. the turning point for whether or not to transition to the timed effect extension period (effect mode C)), the words "Super School of Fish Time", indicating that it is the timed effect period, are followed by the word "End?" (notification mode). After that, when the timed effect extension period (effect mode C) is set, the words "Super School of Fish Time Extended!!" are displayed to indicate that the timed effect extension period (effect mode C) has been transitioned to, and the background image of the school of fish is displayed again. Note that the effects executed (displayed) during the timed effect extension period are called extended effects.

When the time performance extension period (performance mode C) is entered, the third pattern variable display, which had been changed (reduced) to a display mode that is difficult for the player to see by switching to a premonition display mode, is changed (enlarged) to a display mode that is again visible (easy) and displayed (see FIG. 83). When the third pattern variable display is changed (enlarged) to a display mode that is again visible (easy), the player is notified (displayed) as if a new special pattern has started to change (hereinafter referred to as re-variation performance). In this way, the third pattern variable display, which was changed (reduced) to a display mode that is difficult for the player to see in the premonition display mode, can be changed (enlarged) to a display mode that is again visible (easy) without giving the player a sense of incongruity.

The time presentation extension period (presentation mode C) is the period until the variable display that results in a jackpot ends (i.e., until the jackpot game starts). During the time presentation extension period (presentation mode C), the remaining time (e.g., 115 seconds) of the time presentation extension period (presentation mode C) is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 (i.e., the remaining time until the jackpot game starts is displayed on the third pattern display device 81).

In this embodiment, the time performance extension period (performance mode C) is set when a reserved memory that will result in a jackpot is set or when a change that will result in a jackpot has already started (changing). Therefore, the transition to the time performance extension period (performance mode C) notifies the player of a jackpot. Here, the same performance is executed in synchronization between the same pachinko machines 10 during the time performance period, and the performance of whether or not to transition to the time performance extension period (performance mode C) is displayed at the same timing. As a result, by transitioning to the time performance extension period (performance mode C), other (surrounding) players can also determine that the pachinko machine 10 will be a jackpot (i.e., surrounding players can be notified that a jackpot will be generated), which can also stimulate the gambling spirit of other (surrounding) players.

On the other hand, when the time presentation period (presentation mode B) ends and the normal play period (presentation mode A) is set, the words "Super School of Fish Time Ends!!" are displayed to notify the end of the time presentation period (presentation mode B). This display is displayed in the premonition display mode until the variable display of the third symbol, which has been changed to a display mode that is difficult for the player to see, is stopped. Then, from the next change, the reduced display of the third symbol is released and the variable display of the third symbol is normal size. By configuring it in this way, even if the time presentation period (presentation mode B) ends and there is no transition to the time presentation extension period (presentation mode C), the variable display, which has been changed to a mode that is difficult to see by switching to the premonition display mode, can be stopped without giving the player a sense of discomfort.

On the other hand, if the remaining time of the time presentation period (presentation mode B) is 3 seconds or less and the variable display of the third symbol has not been executed (displayed), then when the normal play period (presentation mode A) is set, the words "Super School of Fish Time Ends!!" are displayed for a predetermined time (3 seconds) to notify the end of the time presentation period (presentation mode B). Then, from the next variation, the third symbol is displayed at normal size (see Figure 83 (a)) without being displayed in a reduced size.

In this embodiment, the condition for setting the time performance extension period (presentation mode C) is when a jackpot will subsequently be reached (when the pending winning information is a jackpot, or when a variable display that will result in a jackpot is being executed), but it is not limited to this and may be set when a pending memory is set that selects a variable pattern that will result in a super reach, or when a lottery unrelated to the lottery for special symbols is executed and a predetermined lottery result is obtained. This makes it possible to provide a case where a jackpot will not be reached despite the transition to the time performance extension period (presentation mode C). This allows the player to focus on whether or not a jackpot will be reached during the time performance extension period (presentation mode C), thereby increasing the player's interest.

Here, during the time presentation period (presentation mode B), a specific time presentation (countdown presentation) is performed periodically (every minute) (see FIG. 91). This allows the same specific time presentation (countdown presentation) to be performed in synchronization with other pachinko machines 10 installed (for example, next door) during the time presentation period, further enhancing the effect of the time presentation, which aims to provide a unified presentation across multiple pachinko machines 10.

In addition, the content of this specific time performance (countdown performance) changes based on the game state of the pachinko machine 10. Specifically, when the game state of the pachinko machine 10 is in a probability change state and is not in a time-saving state (so-called latent probability change state), the countdown characters ("3, 2, 1...") displayed in the countdown performance are displayed in red (when not in a latent probability change state, they are displayed in black). This allows the player to easily recognize that the game state is in a probability change state and not in a time-saving state (so-called latent probability change state). Therefore, it is possible to make the player interested in the content of the specific time performance, and to increase the player's interest. Note that the notification mode for notifying the player that the game is in a latent probability change state is not limited to the above-mentioned. For example, a pattern (image) or text for notifying the player that the game is in a latent probability change state may be displayed. In this case, the pattern (image) may be configured to be a correction of various power-on images and reused. This eliminates the need to prepare a separate pattern (image) to indicate the latent probability change state, which reduces data capacity (ROM capacity).

Furthermore, in this control example, in addition to the specific time performance (countdown performance), a countdown notice performance including the same type of display mode (countdown) is executed. This countdown notice performance is executed (displayed) based on the entry of a ball into the first winning port 64 or the second winning port 640. In other words, it may be executed (displayed) at a timing different from the specific time performance (countdown performance) that is executed periodically (every minute). Therefore, a countdown notice performance including the same type of display mode (countdown) as the specific time performance (countdown performance) may be executed at a timing different from that of another pachinko machine 10 of the same type installed (for example, next door). This can add an element of surprise to the game and increase the interest of the player. The countdown preview effect is an effect in which, after the countdown text ("3, 2, 1...") is displayed, a character image suggesting the likelihood of a jackpot is displayed, or the repeated tapping (or pressing) of the frame button 22 is suggested, and an image or text suggesting the likelihood of a jackpot is displayed based on the repeated tapping (or pressing) of the frame button 22.

In this control example, it is possible that the timing for a specific time effect (countdown effect) may come during the execution (display) of a countdown notice effect. In this case, effects including the same type of display mode (countdown) may be overlapped (or overwritten) and displayed, which may result in a gaming machine that is difficult for players to understand. Therefore, in this control example, the above-mentioned avoidance flag 223i is set to ON while the countdown notice effect is being executed (see S2007 in FIG. 111), and if this avoidance flag 223i is ON, the specific time effect (countdown effect) is not executed (set) (see S2305: Yes in FIG. 114). This prevents (suppresses) the above-mentioned problems from occurring, making the gaming machine easy for players to understand.

In this control example, a countdown aspect has been used as an example to explain a configuration for avoiding (restricting) overlapping display of effects including that countdown aspect. However, the effects that are avoided (restricted) from being overlapping are not limited to effects including countdown aspects. The same can be applied to other effects that include the same type of aspect and may be overlappingly displayed. For example, if an effect suggesting a button being pressed may be overlappingly displayed, the effect suggesting a button being pressed may be avoided (restricted) from being overlappingly displayed.

In this control example, in order to prevent the overlapping display of effects (countdown effect, countdown notice effect) including the same type of aspect (countdown), when the countdown notice effect is being executed (displayed), the specific time effect (countdown effect) is prevented (restricted) from being executed (displayed). However, this is not limited to this, and it may be configured to adjust (extend or shorten) the performance time of one of the effects including the same type of aspect (countdown) or change the start timing. For example, when the specific time effect (countdown effect) is executed after 20 seconds, the countdown notice effect (normally the performance time is 30 seconds) is executed (set). In this case, the performance time of the countdown notice effect may be shortened (for example, shortened to 15 seconds) and set. This makes it possible to prevent (suppress) overlapping display of effects including the same type of aspect without hiding one of the effects. As a result, more effects can be displayed, which can improve the interest of the player.

In addition, the start timing of one of the effects that include the same type of aspect (countdown) may be changed, as follows. For example, the start timing of the specific time effect (countdown effect) may be delayed until the countdown preview effect ends (or until a specified time has passed since the end).

Furthermore, when the start timing of the specific time performance (countdown performance) is delayed, the specific time performance (countdown performance) may be configured to start (display) from the display (performance) mode that would have been set (displayed) if the delay had not been made (i.e., the display (performance) mode displayed on the other pachinko machines 10 whose start timing was not delayed). Specifically, a case where the specific time performance (countdown performance) is delayed by 5 seconds will be described as an example. As described above, the specific time performance (countdown performance) is a performance in which the countdown characters count down by one every 3 seconds from "3". Therefore, when the delay time is 5 seconds, the display (performance) mode that is displayed if there is no delay (the display (performance) mode displayed on the other pachinko machines 10) is a display (performance) mode in which "2" is displayed as the countdown character. In accordance with this, the specific time performance (countdown performance) that starts with a delay of 5 seconds is controlled to start from the display (performance) mode in which "2" is displayed as the countdown character. This allows the specific time performance (countdown performance) with a delayed start timing to be displayed in synchronization with the specific time performance (countdown performance) being executed (displayed) on the other pachinko machines 10. As a result, the specific time performance (countdown performance) executed on multiple pachinko machines 10 is executed (displayed) without any lag, which prevents (suppresses) players from feeling uncomfortable.

One method for delaying the start timing of a specific time performance (countdown performance) is to provide a means (timing means) for measuring the period during which the start timing of the specific time performance (countdown performance) is delayed, and to set the display (performance) mode of the specific time performance (countdown performance) that starts with a delay based on the measurement result. Another method is to process the specific time performance (countdown performance) so that images and sounds related to the specific time performance (countdown performance) are not output (for example, only the sounds related to the specific time performance are muted) during the period during which the specific time performance (countdown performance) is delayed, even if a process for setting the display (performance) mode of the performance is being executed as a control process (for example, updating the display pointer of the image, etc.).

<Regarding control process of main control device in first control example>
Next, each control process executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of Figures 92 to 103. The processes of the MPU 201 are roughly divided into start-up process which is started when the power is turned on, main process which is executed after the start-up process, timer interrupt process which is started periodically (at 2 ms intervals in this embodiment), and NMI interrupt process which is started by input of a power failure signal SG1 to the NMI terminal. For convenience of explanation, the timer interrupt process and NMI interrupt process will be described first, and then the start-up process and main process will be described.

Figure 92 is a flowchart showing the timer interrupt process executed by the MPU 201 in the main control unit 110. The timer interrupt process is a periodic process executed, for example, every 2 milliseconds. In the timer interrupt process, first, a process for reading various winning switches is executed (S101). That is, the state of various switches connected to the main control unit 110 is read, and the state of the switches is determined and the detection information (winning detection information) is saved.

Next, the first initial value random number counter CINI1 and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 are updated (S102). Specifically, the first initial value random number counter CINI1 is incremented by 1, and when the counter value reaches the maximum value (299 in this embodiment), it is cleared to 0. The updated value of the first initial value random number counter CINI1 is then stored in the corresponding buffer area of RAM 203. Similarly, the second initial value random number counter CINI2 is incremented by 1, and when the counter value reaches the maximum value (239 in this embodiment), it is cleared to 0, and the updated value of the second initial value random number counter CINI2 is stored in the corresponding buffer area of RAM 203.

Furthermore, the first win random number counter C1, the first win type counter C2, the stop type selection counter C3, and the second win random number counter C4 are updated (S103). Specifically, the first win random number counter C1, the first win type counter C2, the stop type selection counter C3, and the second win random number counter C4 are each incremented by 1, and when their counter values reach their maximum values (299, 99, and 239, respectively, in this embodiment), they are each cleared to 0. Then, the updated values of each counter C1 to C4 are stored in the corresponding buffer area of RAM 203.

Next, a special pattern change process is executed (S104), which is a process for displaying on the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B and also sets the change pattern of the third pattern by the third pattern display device 81. After that, a start winning process is executed in response to a win (start winning) in the first winning slot 64 or the second winning slot 640 (S105). Details of the special pattern change process and the start winning process will be described later with reference to Figures 93 to 97.

After the start winning process is executed, the normal symbol change process, which is a process for displaying on the second symbol display device (S106), is executed, and the through gate passing process associated with the passage of the ball through the normal symbol start port (through gate) 67 is executed (S107). Details of the normal symbol change process and the through gate passing process will be described later with reference to Figures 98 and 99. After the through gate passing process is executed, the launch control process is executed (S108), and further, other processes that should be executed periodically are executed (S109), and the timer interrupt process is terminated. The launch control process is a process that determines whether the ball launch is on or off, on the condition that the touch sensor 51a detects that the player is touching the operation handle 51, and the launch stop switch 51b for stopping the launch is not operated. When the ball launch is on, the main control unit 110 instructs the launch control unit 112 to launch the ball.

Next, referring to FIG. 93, the special pattern change processing (S104) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 will be described. FIG. 93 is a flowchart showing this special pattern change processing (S104). This special pattern change processing (S104) is executed during the timer interrupt processing (see FIG. 92), and is processing for controlling the change display of the special pattern (first pattern) performed by the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, and the change display of the third pattern performed by the third pattern display device 81.

In this special symbol variation process, first, it is determined whether or not a special symbol jackpot is currently in progress (S201). The special symbol jackpot period includes the period during which the first symbol display device 37A, 37B and the third symbol display device 81 are displaying a special symbol jackpot (including during a special symbol jackpot game), and the period during which a predetermined time has passed since the end of a special symbol jackpot game. If the determination results in a special symbol jackpot (S201: Yes), this process ends.

If the special symbol is not in the jackpot (S201: No), it is determined whether the display state of the first symbol display device 37A, 37B is changing (S202), and if the display state of the first symbol display device 37A, 37B is not changing (S202: No), the value of the special symbol 1 reserved ball number counter 2203d (the number of reserved times of the variable display of the special symbol N1) and the value of the special symbol 2 reserved ball number counter 203e (the number of reserved times of the variable display of the special symbol N2) are obtained (S203). Next, it is determined whether the value (N2) of the special symbol 2 reserved ball number counter 203e is greater than 0 (i.e., whether there is a reserved memory of the special symbol 2) (S204).

If the value (N2) of the special symbol 2 reserved ball counter 203e is not 0 (S204: Yes), the value (N2) of the special symbol 2 reserved ball counter 203e is decremented by 1 (S205), and a reserved ball number command (special symbol 2 reserved ball number command) indicating the value of the special symbol 2 reserved ball counter 203e changed by the calculation is set (S206). The reserved ball number command set here is stored in a ring buffer for command transmission provided in the RAM 203, and is transmitted to the voice lamp control device 113 during the external output process (S1101) of the main process (see FIG. 102) executed by the MPU 201, which will be described later. When the voice lamp control device 113 receives the reserved ball count command, it extracts the values of the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 203d and the special pattern 2 reserved ball count counter 203e from the reserved ball count command, and stores the extracted values in the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 223b and the special pattern 2 reserved ball count counter 223c in the RAM 223, respectively.

After the special symbol 2 reserved ball count command is set by the process of S206, the data stored in the special symbol 2 reserved ball storage area 203b is shifted (S207). In the process of S207, the data stored in the reserved area 1 to reserved area 4 of the special symbol 2 reserved ball storage area 203b is shifted in order to the execution area side. More specifically, the data in each area is shifted in the following order: reserved area 1 → execution area, reserved area 2 → reserved area 1, reserved area 3 → reserved area 2, reserved area 4 → reserved area 3. After the data has been shifted, the process proceeds to S208.

On the other hand, in the process of S204, if it is determined that the value (N2) of the special pattern 2 reserved ball counter 203e is 0 (i.e., there are no reserved balls of special pattern 2) (S204: No), it is determined whether the value (N1) of the special pattern 1 reserved ball counter 203d is greater than 0 (i.e., a reserved ball of special pattern 1 is stored) (S209). If it is determined that the value (N1) of the special pattern 1 reserved ball counter 203d is 0 (i.e., there are no reserved balls of special pattern 1) (S209: No), there are no reserved balls for either special pattern 1 or special pattern 2, so this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if the value (N1) of the special pattern 1 reserved ball counter 203d is not 0 (S209: Yes), the value (N1) of the special pattern 1 reserved ball counter 203d is subtracted (S210), and a reserved ball number command (special pattern 1 reserved ball number command) indicating the value (N1) of the special pattern 1 reserved ball counter 203d changed by the calculation is set (S211). After the special pattern 1 reserved ball number command is set by the processing of S211, the data stored in the special pattern 1 reserved ball storage area 203a is shifted (S212). In the processing of S212, the data stored in the reserved 1 area to the reserved 4 area of the special pattern 1 reserved ball storage area 203e is shifted to the execution area side in order. More specifically, the data in each area is shifted in the following order: reserved 1 area → execution area, reserved 2 area → reserved 1 area, reserved 3 area → reserved 2 area, reserved 4 area → reserved 3 area. After shifting the data, proceed to processing in S208.

In the process of S208, a special pattern change start process is executed to start a change display in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B (S208). The special pattern change start process will be described later with reference to FIG. 94. Then, this process is terminated.

In the process of S202, if the display mode of the first pattern display device 37A, 37B is changing (S202: Yes), it is determined whether the change time of the change display being executed in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B has elapsed (S213). The change time of the change display being executed in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B is determined according to the change pattern selected by the change type counter CS1 (determined according to the change pattern command), and if this change time has not elapsed (S213: No), the display of the first pattern display device 37A, 37B is updated (S214), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, in the process of S213, if the change time of the variable display being executed has elapsed (S213: Yes), the stop setting process is executed (S215), and this process is terminated. The stop setting process (S215) will be described later with reference to FIG. 95.

Next, referring to FIG. 94, the special symbol change start process (S208) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 will be described. FIG. 94 is a flowchart showing the special symbol change start process (S208). This special symbol change start process (S208) is a process executed in the special symbol change process (see FIG. 93) of the timer interrupt process (see FIG. 92), and is a process for determining whether or not a "special symbol big win", "special symbol small win", or "special symbol miss" is drawn (won or lost) based on the values of various counters stored in the execution area common to the special symbol 1 reserved ball storage area 203a and the special symbol 2 reserved ball storage area 203b, and for determining the presentation pattern (variable presentation pattern) of the variable presentation performed by the first symbol display device 37A, 37B and the third symbol display device 81.

In the special symbol variation start process, first, the values of the first winning random number counter C1, the first winning type counter C2, the stop type selection counter C3, and the stop type counter CN1 stored in the execution area common to the special symbol 1 reserved ball storage area 203a and the special symbol 2 reserved ball storage area 203b are obtained (S301). Next, it is determined whether or not a special symbol variation is in progress (S302).

If the game is in a high probability mode (S302: Yes), the lottery result of whether or not the special symbol is a jackpot is obtained from the first win random number table (see FIG. 75(a)) based on the value of the first win random number counter C1 obtained in the process of S301 and the special symbol jackpot random number table for high probability (S303). Specifically, the value of the first win random number counter C1 is compared one by one with the 10 random number values set in the first win random number table (see FIG. 75(a)). As described above, the 10 random number values "0 to 9" are set as the random number values for the special symbol jackpot, and if the value of the first win random number counter C1 matches these random number values for the jackpot, it is determined that the special symbol is a jackpot. Once the lottery result of the special symbol is obtained, the process proceeds to S305.

In this embodiment, the judgment value for determining a jackpot is the same for the first special symbol and the second special symbol, but this is not limited to this and different random number values may be used. By configuring it in this way, a random number value that is determined to be a miss for the first special symbol is determined to be a win for the second special symbol, and bias in jackpots can be suppressed.

In addition, in this embodiment, the number of jackpot random numbers is set to be the same for the first special symbol and the second special symbol, but this is not limited to the above, and the number of random numbers determined to be a jackpot may be set to be different for the first special symbol and the second special symbol. By configuring it in this way, the probability of a jackpot can be made different for the first special symbol and the second special symbol, and when a lottery is held for the special symbol with the higher jackpot probability, the player can have higher expectations for a jackpot.

On the other hand, in the process of S302, if the game is not in a special probability mode (S302: No), the pachinko machine 10 is in a normal state (low probability game state) with the special symbol, so the lottery result as to whether or not the special symbol is a jackpot is obtained based on the value of the first win random number counter C1 obtained in the process of S301 and the first win random number table for low probability (see FIG. 75(a)). Specifically, the value of the first win random number counter C1 is compared with the random number value of 1 stored in the first win random number table for low probability. The random number value for the special symbol is set to "0", and if the value of the first win random number counter C1 matches this random number value, it is determined that the special symbol is a jackpot. Once the lottery result for the special symbol is obtained, the process proceeds to S305.

Then, it is determined whether the result of the lottery for the special symbol obtained by the processing of S303 or S304 is a jackpot for the special symbol (S305), and if it is determined that the result is a jackpot for the special symbol (S305: Yes), a display mode for the jackpot indicating the jackpot is set (S306).

In the process of S306, the display mode of the first symbol display device 37A, 37B is set according to the determined jackpot type (either jackpot A, jackpot B, or jackpot C). In addition, the jackpot type is set as the stop type so that the stop pattern corresponding to the jackpot type is stopped and displayed on the third symbol display device 81. Next, the fluctuation pattern at the time of the jackpot is determined from the first jackpot type selection table (see FIG. 75(b)) based on the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 (S307). Specifically, the value of the first jackpot type counter C2 is compared with the random number value stored in the first jackpot type selection table. In this first winning type counter C2, if the random number value is any of "0 to 39", the winning type will be jackpot A (16R guaranteed winning), if it is any of "40 to 79", the winning type will be jackpot B (16R time-saving winning), and if it is any of "80 to 99", the winning type will be jackpot C (2R guaranteed winning, no time-saving winning). After that, the process moves to S310.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S305 that the special pattern has been missed (S305: No), the display mode in the event of a miss corresponding to the special pattern is set (S308). In this process of S308, the display mode of the first pattern display devices 37A, 37B is set according to the determined miss. Next, the variation pattern in the event of a miss is determined based on the current number of reserved balls (S309). After that, the process proceeds to S310.

In the process of S310, a change pattern command is set to notify the voice lamp control device 113 of each determined change pattern (S310), a stop type command is set (S311), and then this process is terminated and the process returns to the special pattern change process.

Next, the stop setting process (S215) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 will be described with reference to FIG. 95. FIG. 95 is a flow chart showing the stop setting process (S215). This stop setting process (S215) is a process executed in the special pattern change process (see FIG. 93) of the timer interrupt process (see FIG. 92).

In the stop setting process (S215), first, the display mode corresponding to the stop pattern of the first pattern display device 37A, 37B is set (S261). The setting of the stop pattern is performed in advance by the special pattern change start process (S208) of FIG. 94. When this special pattern change start process is executed, a lottery for a special pattern is performed based on the values of various counters stored in the execution area of the special pattern 1 reserved ball storage area 203a or the special pattern 2 reserved ball storage area 203b. More specifically, whether or not there is a jackpot for a special pattern is determined according to the value of the first winning random number counter C1, and if there is a jackpot for a special pattern, it is determined whether it will be a jackpot A, a jackpot B, a jackpot C, a small jackpot, or a miss according to the value of the first winning type counter C2.

In this embodiment, in the case of a jackpot A, the blue LED is turned on in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, in the case of a jackpot B, the red LED is turned on, and in the case of a jackpot C, the yellow LED is turned on. In addition, in the case of a small jackpot, the purple LED is turned on, and in the case of a miss, the red LED and the green LED are turned on. The LEDs are turned off when the next fluctuation display starts, but may be turned on only for a few seconds after the fluctuation stops. The LED display colors and lighting patterns are not limited to those described above, and other lighting patterns may be used as long as they are lighting patterns that allow the type of each jackpot or small jackpot and the fluctuation state to be identified.

After the process of S261 is completed, when the ongoing variable display is started in the first symbol display device 37A, 37B, it is determined whether the result of the lottery for the special symbol performed by the special symbol variable start process (the current lottery result) is a jackpot for the special symbol (S262). If the current lottery result is a jackpot for the special symbol (S262: Yes), the jackpot flag 203i is set to ON (S263), the start of the jackpot is set (S264), and then the process proceeds to S265.

On the other hand, in the process of S262, if the current lottery result is not a big win (S262: No), it is determined whether the current lottery result is a small win (S266). If the current lottery result is a small win (S266: Yes), the small win flag 203j is set to ON (S267), the start of the small win is set (S268), and then the process proceeds to S265.

In the process of S266, if the result of this lottery is a loss (S266: No), it is determined whether the value of the time-saving counter 203h is 1 or more (S269). If it is determined that the value of the time-saving counter 203h is 0 (S269: No), the process proceeds to S265. On the other hand, if it is determined that the value of the time-saving counter 203h is 1 or more (S269: Yes), the value of the time-saving counter 203h is decremented by 1 (S270), and the process proceeds to S265.

In the process of S265, a stop command is set (S265) and this process ends.

Next, the start winning information processing (S105) will be described. First, the start winning processing (S105) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control unit 110 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 96. FIG. 96 is a flowchart showing this start winning processing (S105). This start winning processing (S105) is executed within the timer interrupt processing (see FIG. 92), and is a process for determining whether or not there has been a win (start winning) in the first winning slot 64 or the second winning slot 640, and if there has been a start winning, obtaining various random number counters and executing a reservation process for the values.

When the start winning process (Fig. 96, S105) is executed, first, it is determined whether or not the ball has won the first winning slot 64 (start winning) (S501). Here, the ball entering the first winning slot 64 is detected over three timer interrupt processes. Then, when it is determined that the ball has won the first winning slot 64 (S501: Yes), the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 203d (the number of reserved times N1 of the variable display in the special pattern) is obtained (S502). Then, it is determined whether or not the value (N1) of the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 203d is less than the upper limit value (4 in this embodiment) (S503).

Then, if there is no winning entry into the first winning slot 64 (S501: No), or if there is a winning entry into the first winning slot 64 but the value (N1) of the special pattern 1 reserved ball counter 203d is not less than 4 (503: No), the process proceeds to S507. On the other hand, if there is a winning entry into the first winning slot 64 (S501: Yes) and the value (N1) of the special pattern 1 reserved ball counter 203d is less than 4 (S503: Yes), the value (N1) of the special pattern 1 reserved ball counter 203d is incremented by 1 (S504). Then, a reserved ball count command (special pattern 1 reserved ball count command) indicating the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball counter 203d changed by the calculation is set (5405).

The reserved ball count command set here is stored in a ring buffer for sending commands provided in the RAM 203, and is sent to the voice lamp control device 113 during the external output process (S1101) of the main process (see FIG. 102) executed by the MPU 201, which will be described later. When the voice lamp control device 113 receives the reserved ball count command, it extracts the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 203d from the reserved ball count command, and stores the extracted value in the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 223b in the RAM 223.

After the reserved ball count command is set by the process of S505, the values of the first winning random number counter C1, the first winning type counter C2, and the stop type selection counter C3 updated in S103 of the timer interrupt process described above are stored in the first of the free reserved areas (reserved area 1 to reserved area 4) in the special pattern 1 reserved ball storage area 203a of RAM 203 (S506). Note that in the process of S506, the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball count counter 203d is referenced, and if the value is 0, the reserved area 1 is set as the first area. Similarly, if the value is 1, the reserved area 2 is set as the first area, if the value is 2, the reserved area 3 is set as the first area, and if the value is 3, the reserved area 4 is set as the first area.

Next, in the process from S507 to S512, the same process as in the process from S501 to S506 is also executed for a winning entry in the second winning slot 640. The only difference is that a reservation process for the second special symbol is executed for a winning entry in the second winning slot 640. As the other processes are the same, detailed explanations will be omitted. Then, if it is determined in the process of S407 that the ball has not won the second winning slot 640 (S507: No), after the process of S512, a look-ahead process is executed (S513). Then, this process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 97, we will explain the look-ahead process (S513), which is one process in the start winning process (see S105 in FIG. 96) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110. FIG. 97 is a flowchart showing this look-ahead process (S513).

In this pre-reading process (Fig. 97, S513), first, it is determined whether there is a new winning in the first winning slot 64 or the second winning slot 640 (S601). If the result of the determination is that there is no new winning in the first winning slot 64 or the second winning slot 640 (S601; No), this process ends as it is. On the other hand, if there is a new winning in the first winning slot 64 or the second winning slot 640 (S601: Yes), it is determined whether the game state at the start of the fluctuation is in a high probability state (S602), and if the game state is in a high probability state (S602: Yes), the lottery result is obtained based on the first winning random number table for high probability (see Fig. 75 (a)) (S603), and the process proceeds to S605. In the process of S602, if the game state is not a sure win state (S602: No), the lottery result is obtained based on the first winning random number table for low probability (see FIG. 75(a)) (S604), and the process proceeds to S605. In the process of S605, a winning information command including the big win determination result executed in the processes of S603 and S604 is set (S605), and this process ends. Note that this pre-reading process (S513) is not limited to this embodiment, and may be configured to determine the type of variation pattern to be selected (miss reach, super reach, special reach, etc.) and notify the voice lamp control device 113 by the winning information command.

Next, referring to FIG. 98, the normal pattern change processing (S106) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 will be described. FIG. 98 is a flowchart showing this normal pattern change processing (S106). This normal pattern change processing (S106) is executed during the timer interrupt processing (see FIG. 92), and is processing for controlling the change display of the second pattern performed by the second pattern display device, the opening time of the electric role 640a associated with the second winning slot 640, etc.

In this normal symbol variation process (Fig. 98, S106), first, it is determined whether or not the normal symbol (second symbol) is currently winning (S701). The normal symbol (second symbol) is currently winning when the second symbol display device is displaying a win indication and when the electric device 640a associated with the second winning port 640 is being controlled to open and close. If the result of the determination is that the normal symbol (second symbol) is winning (S701: Yes), this process ends.

On the other hand, if the normal pattern (second pattern) is not winning (S701: No), it is determined whether the display mode of the second pattern display device is changing (S702), and if the display mode of the second pattern display device is not changing (S702: No), the value of the normal pattern reserved ball number counter 203f (the number of reserved variable display times M for the normal pattern) is obtained (S703). Next, it is determined whether the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball number counter 203f is greater than 0 (S704), and if the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball number counter 203f is 0 (S704: No), this process is terminated as it is. On the other hand, if the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball number counter 203f is not 0 (S704: Yes), the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball number counter 203f is decremented by 1 (S705).

Next, the data stored in the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c is shifted (S706). In the process of S706, the data stored in the reserved area 1 to reserved area 4 of the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c is shifted in order to the execution area side. More specifically, the data in each area is shifted in the following order: reserved area 1 → execution area, reserved area 2 → reserved area 1, reserved area 3 → reserved area 2, reserved area 4 → reserved area 3. After the data is shifted, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 stored in the execution area of the normal symbol reserved ball storage area 203c is obtained (S707).

Next, it is determined whether the pachinko machine 10 is in the time-saving state for normal symbols (S708).

When the pachinko machine 10 is in the time-saving state for normal symbols (S708: Yes), it is determined whether or not a special symbol jackpot is currently in progress (S709). The period during which a special symbol jackpot is in progress includes the period during which the first symbol display device 37A, 37B and the third symbol display device 81 display a message indicating a special symbol jackpot (including during play in which a special symbol jackpot is in progress) and the period during which a specified time has elapsed since play in which a special symbol jackpot has ended. If the determination results in a special symbol jackpot (S709: Yes), the process proceeds to S711.

In the process of S709, if the special symbol is not in the jackpot (S709: No), the pachinko machine 10 is not in the jackpot of the special symbol and is in the time-saving state of the normal symbol, so the lottery result of whether or not the normal symbol is a win is obtained based on the value of the second win random number counter C4 obtained in the process of S707 and the second win random number table for high probability (S710). Specifically, the value of the second win random number counter C4 is compared with the random number value stored in the second win random number table for high probability. As described above, if the value of the second win type counter C4 is in the range of "5 to 204", it is determined that the normal symbol is a win, and if it is in the range of "0 to 4, 205 to 239", it is determined that the normal symbol is a miss (see FIG. 75(c)).

In the process of S708, if the pachinko machine 10 is not in the time-saving state for the normal symbol (S708: No), the process proceeds to S711. In the process of S711, since the pachinko machine 10 is in the jackpot for the special symbol or is in the normal state for the normal symbol, the result of the lottery as to whether or not the normal symbol is a win is obtained based on the value of the second win random number counter C4 obtained in the process of S707 and the second win random number table for low probability (S711). Specifically, the value of the second win random number counter C4 is compared with the random number value stored in the second win random number table for low probability. As described above, if the value of the second win type counter C4 is in the range of "5 to 28", it is determined that the normal symbol is a win, and if it is in the range of "0 to 4, 29 to 239", it is determined that the normal symbol is a miss (see FIG. 75 (c)).

Next, it is determined whether the result of the lottery for the normal symbol obtained by the processing of S710 or S711 is a winning normal symbol (S712), and if it is determined that the normal symbol is a winning normal symbol (S712: Yes), the display mode at the time of the winning is set (S713). In the processing of S713, after the variable display on the second symbol display device has ended, the "○" symbol is set to be lit and displayed as the stopping symbol (second symbol).

Then, it is determined whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a time-saving state for normal symbols (S714), and if the pachinko machine 10 is in a time-saving state for normal symbols (S714: Yes), it is determined whether or not the special symbol is currently in a jackpot (S715). If the result of the determination is that the special symbol is in a jackpot (S715: Yes), the process proceeds to S717. In this embodiment, in order to prevent the ball from entering the first winning hole 64 as much as possible during a jackpot for a special symbol, even if a normal symbol is in a winning state, the number of times and the opening time of the electric device 640a are set in the same way as when a normal symbol is not in a winning state.

In the process of S715, if the special symbol is not in the jackpot (S715: No), the pachinko machine 10 is not in the jackpot of the special symbol and is in the time-saving state of the normal symbol, so the opening period of the electric device 640a associated with the second winning port 640 is set to 1 second, and the number of times it is opened is set to 2 (S716), and the process proceeds to S719. In the process of S614, if the pachinko machine 10 is not in the time-saving state of the normal symbol (S714: No), the process proceeds to S717. In the process of S717, the pachinko machine 10 is in the jackpot of the special symbol or is in the normal state of the normal symbol, so the opening period of the electric device 640a associated with the second winning port 640 is set to 0.2 seconds, and the number of times it is opened is set to 1 (S717), and the process proceeds to S719.

If it is determined in the process of S712 that the normal pattern is a miss (S712: No), the display mode in the event of a miss is set (S718). In this process of S718, after the variable display in the second pattern display device has ended, the "X" pattern is set to be lit and displayed as the stopping pattern (second pattern). Once the setting of the display mode in the event of a miss has been completed, the process proceeds to S719.

In the process of S719, it is determined whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a time-saving state for normal symbols (S719), and if the pachinko machine 10 is in a time-saving state for normal symbols (S719: Yes), the variable time of the variable display in the second symbol display device is set to 3 seconds (S720), and this process is terminated. On the other hand, if the pachinko machine 10 is not in a time-saving state for normal symbols (S719: No), the variable time of the variable display in the second symbol display device is set to 30 seconds (S721), and this process is terminated. In this way, except during a jackpot of a special symbol, when the probability of a normal symbol is high, the variable display time is very short (from 30 seconds to 3 seconds) compared to when the probability of a normal symbol is low, and further, the opening period of the second winning hole 640 is very long (from 0.2 seconds x 1 time to 1 second x 2 times), so that it is easy for a ball to enter the second winning hole 640.

In the process of S702, if the display mode of the second pattern display device is changing (S702: Yes), it is determined whether the change time of the changing display being executed in the second pattern display device has elapsed (S722). Note that the change time here is the time that was previously set by the process of S720 or the process of S721 before the changing display was started in the second pattern display device.

In the process of S722, if the change time has not elapsed (S722: No), this process is terminated. On the other hand, in the process of S722, if the change time of the executed change display has elapsed (S722: Yes), the stop display of the second pattern display device is set (S723). In the process of S723, if the lottery for the normal pattern is a win and the display mode is set by the process of S713, the "○" pattern as the second pattern is set to be stopped and displayed (lit) on the second pattern display device. On the other hand, if the lottery for the normal pattern is a loss and the display mode is set by the process of S718, the "X" pattern as the second pattern is set to be stopped and displayed (lit) on the second pattern display device. When the stop display is set by the processing of S723, the next time the second pattern display update processing (see S1107) of the main processing (see FIG. 102) is executed, the variable display on the second pattern display device ends, and the stop pattern (second pattern) is displayed as a stop (illuminated) on the second pattern display device in the display mode set by the processing of S713 or S718.

Next, when the variable display being executed in the second symbol display device is started, it is determined whether the lottery result (the current lottery result) of the normal symbol performed by the normal symbol variable processing (Fig. 98, S106) is a normal symbol winning (S724). If the current lottery result is a normal symbol winning (S724: Yes), the opening and closing control start of the electric role 640a associated with the second winning port 640 is set (S725), and this processing is terminated. When the opening and closing control start of the electric role 640a is set by the processing of S725, when the electric role opening and closing processing (see S1105) of the main processing (see Fig. 102) is next executed, the opening and closing control of the electric role 640a is started, and the opening and closing control of the electric role 640a is continued until the opening time and the number of openings set in the processing of S716 or S717 are completed. On the other hand, in the process of S724, if the result of this lottery is a miss for the normal pattern (S724: No), the process skips the process of S725 and ends this process.

Next, the through gate passing process (S107) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 99. FIG. 99 is a flowchart showing this through gate passing process (S107). This through gate passing process (S107) is executed within the timer interrupt process (see FIG. 92) and is a process for determining whether or not a ball has passed through the normal pattern start port (through gate) 67, and, if a ball has passed through, acquiring and retaining the value indicated by the second winning random number counter C4.

In the through gate passing process (Fig. 99, S107), first, it is determined whether the ball has passed through the normal pattern start port (through gate) 67 (S801). Here, the passage of the ball through the normal pattern start port (through gate) 67 is detected over three timer interrupt processes. Then, when it is determined that the ball has passed through the normal pattern start port (through gate) 67 (S801: Yes), the value of the normal pattern reserved ball number counter 203f (the number of reserved normal pattern variable display M) is obtained (S802). Then, it is determined whether the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball number counter 203f is less than the upper limit value (4 in this embodiment) (S803).

If the ball does not pass through the normal pattern start port (through gate) 67 (S801: No), or if the ball passes through the normal pattern start port (through gate) 67 but the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball counter 203f is not less than 4 (S803: No), this process is terminated. On the other hand, if the ball passes through the normal pattern start port (through gate) 67 (S801: Yes) and the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball counter 203f is less than 4 (S803: Yes), the value (M) of the normal pattern reserved ball counter 203f is incremented by 1 (S804). Then, the value of the second winning random number counter C4 updated in S103 of the timer interrupt process described above is stored in the first area of the empty reserved areas (reserved area 1 to reserved area 4) of the normal pattern reserved ball storage area 203c of the RAM 203 (S805), and this process is terminated. In addition, in the process of S805, the value of the normal pattern reserved ball counter 203d is referenced, and if the value is 0, the first reserved area is set as the first area. Similarly, if the value is 1, the second reserved area is set as the first area, if the value is 2, the third reserved area is set as the first area, and if the value is 3, the fourth reserved area is set as the first area.

Figure 100 is a flowchart showing the NMI interrupt process executed by the MPU 201 in the main control unit 110. The NMI interrupt process is executed by the MPU 201 in the main control unit 110 when the power to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to a power outage or the like. This NMI interrupt process stores information about the power outage in the RAM 203. That is, when the power to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to a power outage or the like, a power outage signal SG1 is output from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 to the NMI terminal of the MPU 201 in the main control unit 110. The MPU 201 then interrupts the control being executed and starts the NMI interrupt process, stores the power outage information in the RAM 203 as the setting of the power outage information (S901), and ends the NMI interrupt process.

The above-mentioned NMI interrupt processing is also executed in the payout/firing control device 111, and this NMI interrupt processing causes information about the occurrence of a power outage to be stored in the RAM 213. In other words, when the power supply to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off due to a power outage or the like, a power outage signal SG1 is output from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 to the NMI terminal of the MPU 211 in the payout control device 111, and the MPU 211 interrupts the control currently being executed and starts the NMI interrupt processing.

Next, referring to FIG. 101, the start-up process executed by the MPU 201 in the main control unit 110 when the main control unit 110 is powered on will be described. FIG. 101 is a flowchart showing this start-up process. This start-up process is initiated by a reset when the power is turned on. In the start-up process, first, an initial setting process associated with power-on is executed (S1001). For example, a predetermined value is set in the stack pointer. Next, a wait process (1 second in this embodiment) is executed to wait for the sub-side control units (peripheral control units such as the voice lamp control unit 113 and the dispensing control unit 111) to become operable (S1002). Then, access to the RAM 203 is permitted (S1003).

Then, it is determined whether the RAM clear switch 122 (see FIG. 3) provided on the power supply device 115 is turned on (S1004), and if it is turned on (S1004: Yes), the process proceeds to S1012. On the other hand, if the RAM clear switch 122 is not turned on (S1004: No), it is further determined whether or not information on the occurrence of a power outage is stored in the RAM 203 (S1005), and if it is not stored (S1005: No), there is a possibility that the process at the time of the previous power outage did not end normally, so in this case too, the process proceeds to S1012.

If information about the occurrence of a power outage is stored in RAM 203 (S1005: Yes), a RAM judgment value is calculated (S1006). If the calculated RAM judgment value is not normal (S1007: No), that is, if the calculated RAM judgment value does not match the RAM judgment value saved at the time of power outage, the backed up data has been destroyed, and in such a case, the process also proceeds to S1012. Note that, as will be described later in the process of S1114 of the main process (FIG. 102), the RAM judgment value is, for example, a checksum value at the working area address of RAM 203. Instead of this RAM judgment value, the validity of the backup may be determined based on whether or not a keyword written in a specified area of RAM 203 is saved correctly.

In the process of S1012, a payout initialization command is sent to initialize the payout control device 111, which is the sub-side control device (peripheral control device) (S1012). When the payout control device 111 receives this payout initialization command, it clears the areas (working areas) other than the stack area of the RAM 213, sets initial values, and becomes ready to start controlling the payout of game balls. After sending the payout initialization command, the main control device 110 executes the initialization process of the RAM 203 (S1013, S1014).

As described above, in this pachinko machine 10, when the RAM data is initialized when the power is turned on, for example, when the hall opens for business, the power is turned on while pressing the RAM erase switch 122. Therefore, if the RAM erase switch 122 is pressed when the start-up process is executed, the RAM initialization process (S1013, S1014) is executed. Similarly, if the power outage occurrence information is not set, or if a backup abnormality is confirmed by the RAM judgment value (checksum value, etc.), the RAM 203 initialization process (S1013, S1014) is executed. In the RAM initialization process (S1013, S1014), the used area of the RAM 203 is cleared to 0 (S1013), and then the initial value of the RAM 203 is set (S1014). After the RAM 203 initialization process is executed, the process proceeds to S1010.

On the other hand, if the RAM clear switch 122 is not turned on (S1004: No), power outage information is stored (S1005: Yes), and the RAM judgment value (checksum value, etc.) is normal (S1007: Yes), the power outage information is cleared (S1008) while retaining the data backed up in the RAM 203. Next, a payout return command upon power recovery is sent to return the sub-side control device (peripheral control device) to the game state when the drive power was cut off (S1009), and the process proceeds to S1010. When the payout control device 111 receives this payout return command, it becomes capable of starting payout control of game balls while retaining the data stored in the RAM 213.

In the process of S1010, a performance permission command is sent to the voice lamp control device 113, and the voice lamp control device 113 and the display control device 114 are permitted to execute various performances. Here, if a special pattern that is changing is stored, the voice lamp control device 113 is instructed to cause the display control device 114 to change and display the power-on changing image (see Figures 82 (b) to (C)). Note that this change instruction may be executed, for example, during the initial setting (S1001) in the start-up process, or may be executed during other processing. Next, an interrupt is permitted (S1011), and the process proceeds to the main processing described below.

Next, referring to FIG. 102, the main processing executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 after the above-mentioned start-up processing will be described. FIG. 102 is a flowchart showing this main processing. In this main processing, the main processing of the game is executed. In summary, each process from S1101 to S1107 is executed as a periodic process at a cycle of 4 ms, and the counter update processes of S1110 and S1111 are executed in the remaining time.

In the main process (see FIG. 102), first, during execution of the timer interrupt process (see FIG. 92), an external output process is executed to transmit output data such as commands stored in a ring buffer for command transmission provided in the RAM 203 to each control device (peripheral control device) on the sub side (S1101). Specifically, the presence or absence of winning detection information detected in the switch reading process of S101 in the timer interrupt process (see FIG. 92) is determined, and if there is winning detection information, a prize ball command corresponding to the number of winning balls is transmitted to the payout control device 111. In addition, the reserved ball number command set in the special pattern variation process (see FIG. 93) or the start winning process (see FIG. 96) is transmitted to the voice lamp control device 113. Furthermore, this external output process transmits to the voice lamp control device 113 a variation pattern command, a stop type command, etc. required for the third pattern display device 81 to display the variation of the third pattern. In addition, the opening command, the number of rounds command, and the ending command set in the big win control process (see FIG. 103) are transmitted to the voice lamp control device 113. In addition, when launching a ball, a ball launch signal is sent to the launch control device 112.

Next, the value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 is updated (S1102). Specifically, the fluctuation type counter CS1 is incremented by 1, and when the counter value reaches the maximum value (198 in this embodiment), it is cleared to 0. The updated value of the fluctuation type counter CS1 is then stored in the corresponding buffer area of the RAM 203.

When the update of the variable type counter CS1 is completed, the prize ball count signal and the payout abnormality signal received from the payout control device 111 are read (S1103), and then, in the case of a special pattern jackpot state, a jackpot performance is executed and a jackpot control process for opening or closing the specific winning port (large opening port) 65a of the first variable winning device 65 is executed (S1104). In the jackpot control process, the specific winning port 65a is opened for each round in the jackpot state, and it is determined whether the maximum opening time of the specific winning port 65a has elapsed or whether a specified number of balls have entered the specific winning port 65a. Then, when any of these conditions is met, the specific winning port 65a is closed. The opening and closing of the specific winning port 65a is repeated for a predetermined number of rounds. In this embodiment, the jackpot control process (S1104) is executed in the main process (see FIG. 102), but it may be executed in the timer interrupt process (see FIG. 92). Details of the jackpot control process (S1104) will be described later with reference to FIG. 103.

Next, an electric device opening/closing process is executed to control the opening/closing of the electric device 640a associated with the second winning slot 640 (S1105). In the electric device opening/closing process, when the start of the opening/closing control of the electric device 640a is set by the process of S725 of the normal pattern change process (see FIG. 98), the opening/closing control of the electric device 640a is started. Note that this opening/closing control of the electric device 640a continues until the opening time and the number of openings set by the process of S716 or S717 in the normal pattern change process are completed.

Next, a first pattern display update process is executed to update the display of the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B (S1106). In the first pattern display update process, when a change pattern is set by the process of S307 or S309 of the special pattern change start process (see FIG. 94), the change display according to the change pattern is started in the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B. In this embodiment, for example, if the currently lit LED of the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B is red, the red LED is turned off and the green LED is turned on, if the green LED is turned on, the green LED is turned off and the blue LED is turned on, and if the blue LED is turned on, the blue LED is turned off and the red LED is turned on.

The main process is executed every 4 milliseconds, but if the LED color were to be changed each time the main process was executed, the player would not be able to see the change in the LED color. Therefore, to allow the player to see the change in the LED color, a counter (not shown) is counted by 1 each time the main process is executed, and when the counter reaches 100, the LED color is changed. In other words, the LED color is changed every 0.4 seconds. The counter value is reset to 0 when the LED color is changed.

In addition, in the first pattern display update process, when the change time corresponding to the change pattern set by the processes of S307 and S309 of the special pattern change start process (see FIG. 94) ends, the change display being performed in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B is terminated, and the stopped pattern (first pattern) is displayed as stopped (lit) in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B in the display mode set by the processes of S306 and S308 of the special pattern change start process (see FIG. 94).

Next, a second pattern display update process is executed to update the display of the second pattern display device (S1107). In the second pattern display update process, when the second pattern change time is set by the process of S720 or S721 of the normal pattern change start process (see FIG. 98), the second pattern display device starts a change display. As a result, the second pattern display device performs a change display in which the "○" pattern and the "×" pattern as the second pattern are alternately lit. Also, in the second pattern display update process, when the stop display of the second pattern display device is set by the process of S723 of the normal pattern change process (see FIG. 98), the change display being executed in the second pattern display device is terminated, and the stop pattern (second pattern) is displayed (lit) in a stopped state on the second pattern display device in the display mode set by the process of S713 or S718 of the normal pattern change start process (see FIG. 98).

Then, it is determined whether or not information on the occurrence of a power outage is stored in RAM 203 (S1108), and if information on the occurrence of a power outage is not stored in RAM 203 (S1108: No), the power outage signal SG1 is not output from the power outage monitoring circuit 252, and the power is not cut off. Therefore, in such a case, it is determined whether or not the timing for executing the next main process has arrived, that is, whether or not a predetermined time (4 ms in this embodiment) has elapsed since the start of the current main process (S1109), and if the predetermined time has already elapsed (S1109: Yes), the process proceeds to S1101, and each of the processes from S1101 onwards described above is repeatedly executed.

On the other hand, if the specified time has not yet elapsed since the start of this main process (S1109: No), the first initial value random number counter CINI1, the second initial value random number counter CINI2, and the fluctuation type counter CS1 are repeatedly updated until the specified time has elapsed, i.e., within the remaining time until the execution timing of the next main process (S1110, S1111).

First, the first initial value random number counter CINI1 and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 are updated (S1110). Specifically, the first initial value random number counter CINI1 and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 are incremented by 1, and when the counter value reaches the maximum value (299, 239 in this embodiment), the counter is cleared to 0. The updated values of the first initial value random number counter CINI1 and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 are then stored in the corresponding buffer areas of RAM 203. Next, the fluctuation type counter CS1 is updated in the same manner as the processing of S1102 (S1111).

Here, the execution time of each process from S1101 to S1107 changes depending on the game state, so the remaining time until the execution timing of the next main process is not constant but fluctuates. Therefore, by repeatedly updating the first initial value random number counter CINI1 and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 using this remaining time, it is possible to randomly update the first initial value random number counter CINI1 and the second initial value random number counter CINI2 (i.e., the initial value of the first hit random number counter C1 and the initial value of the second hit random number counter C4), and similarly, the fluctuation type counter CS1 can also be randomly updated.

In addition, if the power interruption information is stored in the RAM 203 in the process of S1108 (S1108: Yes), the power is interrupted due to a power outage or power off, and the power outage monitoring circuit 252 outputs the power outage signal SG1, which means that the NMI interruption process of FIG. 100 is executed, so the process at the time of power interruption from S1112 onwards is executed. First, the occurrence of each interruption process is prohibited (S1112), and a power off command indicating that the power has been interrupted is sent to other control devices (peripheral control devices such as the dispensing control device 111 and the voice lamp control device 113) (S1113). Then, a RAM judgment value is calculated and the value is saved (S1114), and access to the RAM 203 is prohibited (S1115), and an infinite loop is continued until the power is completely cut off and the process cannot be executed. Here, the RAM judgment value is, for example, a checksum value in the stack area and working area backed up in the RAM 203.

The processing of S1108 is executed at the end of a series of processing corresponding to the change in the game state performed in S1101 to S1107, or at the end of one cycle of processing of S1110 and S1111 performed within the remaining time. Therefore, in the main processing of the main control device 110, the power interruption occurrence information is confirmed at the timing when each setting is completed, so when returning from the power interruption state, the processing can be started from the processing of S1101 after the start-up processing is completed. That is, the processing can be started from the processing of S1101, just as in the case where initialization is performed in the start-up processing. Therefore, in the processing at the time of power interruption, even if the contents of each register used by the MPU 201 are not saved to the stack area or the value of the stack pointer is not saved, the stack pointer is set to a predetermined value (initial value) in the initial setting processing (S1001), and the processing can be started from the processing of S1101. Therefore, the control burden on the main control device 110 can be reduced, and accurate control can be performed without the main control device 110 malfunctioning or running out of control.

Next, the jackpot control process (S1104) executed by the MPU 201 in the main control device 110 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 103. FIG. 103 is a flowchart showing this jackpot control process (S1104). This jackpot control process (S1104) is executed during the main process (see FIG. 102), and is a process for executing various effects according to the jackpot and opening or closing the specific winning port (large opening port) 65a when the pachinko machine 10 is in a jackpot state with a special symbol.

In the jackpot control process (Fig. 103, S1104), first, it is determined whether a special jackpot will start (S1201). Specifically, the process of S264 of the stop setting process (see Fig. 95) is executed, and if the start of a special jackpot is set, it is determined that a special jackpot will start. In the process of S1201, if a special jackpot will start (S1201: Yes), both the high probability flag 203g and the time-saving flag 203k are set to off (S1202), an opening command is set (S1203), and this process ends.

On the other hand, in the process of S1201, if a special jackpot has not started (S1201: No), it is determined whether or not a special jackpot is in progress (S1204). The period during which a special jackpot is in progress includes the period during which the first pattern display device 37 and the third pattern display device 81 are displaying a special jackpot (including during play of a special jackpot), and the period during which a predetermined time has passed since play of a special jackpot has ended. In the process of S1204, if a special jackpot is not in progress (S1204: No), this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S1204 that a jackpot with a special symbol is occurring (S1204: Yes), the process of S1205 is executed. In the process of S1205, it is determined whether it is time to start a new round (S1205). If it is determined in the process of S1205 that it is time to start a new round (S1205: Yes), the specific winning port (large opening port) 65a of the first variable winning device 65 is opened (S1206), a round number command indicating the number of new rounds to be started is set (S1207), and the process is then terminated.

On the other hand, in the process of S1205, if it is determined that it is not the time to start a new round (S1205: No), it is determined whether the closing condition of the specific winning opening (large opening) 65a of the first variable winning device 65 is met (S1208). If the closing condition of the specific winning opening (large opening) 65a is met (S1208: Yes), the specific winning opening (large opening) 65a is closed (S1209), and then this process is terminated.

On the other hand, in the process of S1208, if the closing condition of the specific winning port (large open port) 65a is not satisfied (S1208: No), it is determined whether it is the timing to start the ending performance (S1210). The timing to start the ending performance is determined as the timing to start the ending performance when 15 rounds are completed, the opening and closing door 65f1 is closed, and the waiting time (3 seconds in this embodiment) which is the ball discharge time has elapsed. If it is determined that it is the timing to start the ending performance (S1210: Yes), the jackpot flag 203i is turned off (S1211), and an ending command is set (S1212). Then, it is determined whether the jackpot type is A or C (S1213). In the process of S1213, if the jackpot type is not A or C (S1213: No), the time-saving counter is set to 100 (S1217), and then this process is terminated.

Meanwhile, in the process of S1213, if the jackpot type is A or C (S1213: Yes), the sure-win flag 203g is turned on (S1214), and it is determined whether the jackpot type is A (S1215). If the jackpot type is not A (S1215: No), this process ends. On the other hand, in the process of S1215, if the jackpot type is A (S1215: Yes), the time-saving flag 203k is turned on (S1216), and then this process ends.

<Regarding the control process of the voice lamp control device in the first control example>
Next, referring to Fig. 104 to Fig. 115, each control process executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 will be described. The process of the MPU 221 is roughly divided into a start-up process that is started when the power is turned on, and a main process that is executed after the start-up process.

First, referring to FIG. 104, the startup process executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 will be described. FIG. 104 is a flowchart showing this startup process. This startup process is started when the power is turned on.

When the startup process is executed, first, the initial setting process associated with power-on is executed (S1301). Specifically, a predetermined value is set in the stack pointer. Then, depending on whether the power-off processing in progress flag is on, it is determined whether the current startup process was started during the execution of the power-off processing of S1514 (see FIG. 80) due to a momentary voltage drop (momentary power outage, so-called "instantaneous power outage") (S1302). As will be described later with reference to FIG. 80, when the voice lamp control device 113 receives a power-off command from the main control device 110 (S1516 in FIG. 106: Yes), it executes the power-off processing of S1519. Before the execution of such power-off processing, the power-off processing in progress flag is turned on, and after the power-off processing is completed, the power-off processing in progress flag is turned off. Therefore, whether the power-off processing of S1519 is in the middle of execution can be determined by the state of the power-off processing in progress flag.

If the power-off processing in progress flag is off (S1302: No), the current startup process was started after the power was completely cut off, or after a momentary power outage occurred and the power-off processing of S1514 was completed, or the process was started after only the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 was reset due to noise or the like (without receiving a power-off command from the main control device 110). Therefore, in these cases, it is checked whether the data in the RAM 223 has been corrupted (S1303).

The confirmation of data corruption in RAM 223 is performed as follows. That is, data as the keyword "55AAh" is written in a specific area of RAM 223 by the processing of S1306. Therefore, by checking the data stored in that specific area, if the data is "55AAh", there is no data corruption in RAM 223, and conversely, if the data is not "55AAh", data corruption in RAM 223 can be confirmed. If data corruption in RAM 223 is confirmed (S1303: Yes), the process proceeds to S1304, where initialization of RAM 223 begins. On the other hand, if data corruption in RAM 223 is not confirmed (S1303: No), the process proceeds to S1308.

If the current startup process is started after the power supply is completely cut off, the keyword "55AAh" is not stored in the specific area of RAM 223 (because the memory of RAM 223 is lost when the power supply is cut off), so it is determined that the data in RAM 223 has been destroyed (S1303: Yes) and the process proceeds to S1304. On the other hand, if the current startup process is started after a momentary power outage occurs and the power cut process of S1519 is completed, or if the startup process is started after only the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 is reset due to noise or the like, the keyword "55AAh" is stored in the specific area of RAM 223, so the data in RAM 223 is determined to be normal (S1303: No) and the process proceeds to S1308.

If the power-off processing in progress flag is on (S1302: Yes), this startup process was started after a momentary power outage occurred, and the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 was reset while the power-off processing of S1519 was in progress. In this case, the storage state of the RAM 223 is not necessarily correct, since the power-off processing is in progress. Therefore, in this case, control cannot continue, so the process proceeds to S1304 and initialization of the RAM 223 begins.

In the process of S1304, the entire storage area of RAM 223 is checked (S1304). The check method is to first write "0FFh" to each byte, then read each byte to check whether it is "0FFh", and if it is "0FFh", it is determined to be normal. This writing and checking for each byte is performed in the order of "0FFh", then "55h", "0AAh", and "00h". This read/write check of RAM 223 clears all storage areas of RAM 223 to 0.

If the read/write check is determined to be normal for all memory areas of the RAM 223 (S1305: Yes), the keyword "55AAh" is written in a specific area of the RAM 223 to set RAM destruction check data (S1306). By checking the keyword "55AAh" written in this specific area, it is checked whether data destruction has occurred in the RAM 223. On the other hand, if an abnormality in the read/write check is detected in any memory area of the RAM 223 (S1305: No), the abnormality in the RAM 223 is notified (S1307) and an infinite loop is performed until the power is cut off. The abnormality in the RAM 223 is notified by the display lamp 34. Note that the abnormality in the RAM 223 may be notified by outputting a sound from the audio output device 226, or an error command may be sent to the display control device 114 to display an error message on the third pattern display device 81.

In the process of S1308, it is determined whether the power-off flag 223y is on (S1308). The power-off flag 223y is turned on when the power-off process of S1519 is executed (see S1519 in FIG. 106). In other words, the power-off flag 223y is turned on before the power-off process of S1519 is executed, so the process of S1308 is reached with the power-off flag 223y on if the current startup process is started after a momentary power outage occurs and the execution of the power-off process of S1519 is completed. Therefore, in such a case (S1308: Yes), the working area of the RAM is cleared (S1309) to initialize each process of the voice lamp control device 113, and after the power-off flag 223y is set to off (S1310), the initial value of the RAM 223 is set (S1311). Note that the working area of the RAM 223 refers to an area other than the area for storing commands received from the main control device 110. After that, interrupt permission is set (S1312), the time setting process is executed (S1313), and the process proceeds to the main process. Details of the time setting process will be described later with reference to FIG. 105.

On the other hand, when the power-off flag 223y is off, the process reaches S1308 because, for example, the current startup process was started after the power was completely cut off, and so the process went from S1304 to S1306 and then to S1308, or because noise or the like caused only the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 to be reset (without receiving a power-off command from the main control device 110). Therefore, in such a case (S1308: No), S1309, which is the process of clearing the working area of RAM 223, is skipped, and the process proceeds to S1311, where the initial value of RAM 223 is set (S1312), interrupt permission is set (S1311), the time setting process is executed (S1313), and the process proceeds to the main process.

The reason for skipping the clearing process of S1309 is that when the process proceeds from S1304 to S1306 and then to S1308, all storage areas of RAM 223 have already been cleared by the process of S1304, and when only MPU 221 of voice lamp control device 113 is reset due to noise or the like and start-up processing is started, control of voice lamp control device 113 can be continued by storing the data in the working area of RAM 223 without clearing it.

Next, referring to FIG. 105, the time setting process (S1313) executed in the startup process of the above-mentioned voice lamp control device 113 will be described. FIG. 105 is a flowchart showing the time setting process (S1313). This time presentation setting process (S1313) is a process for setting information indicating the start times at which the normal game period (presentation mode A) and the time presentation period (presentation mode B) are executed in the presentation time storage area 223g.

In the time setting process (S1313), first, time information is obtained from the RTC 292 (S1401). The time information obtained here includes the values of "hour and minute". The RTC 292 is a timekeeping means with an internal battery, and is configured so that when the pachinko machine 10 is assembled, the same current time is initially set in the pachinko machine 10 using a specified jig. The capacity of the internal battery is approximately three and a half years of operating time. The RTC 292 also has a calendar function, and is configured to be able to distinguish the "year, month, and date". Therefore, for example, on Christmas Day, it is possible to control the background image to be changed to a Christmas-only image, or to display special characters such as Santa.

Then, based on the time information (power-on time) acquired in the processing of S1401, the start times at which the normal game period (presentation mode A), the time presentation period (presentation mode B) and the specific time presentation are executed (set) are calculated and set in the presentation time storage area 223g (S1402), and this processing ends.

The information set in the performance time storage area 223g in the processing of S1402 will be specifically described using an example in which the power of the voice lamp control device 113 is turned on at 9:00. In the performance time storage area 223g, 9:55, 55 minutes after the power-on time (9:00), is set as information indicating the start time of the first time performance. Then, the times every hour from the start time of the first time performance (10:55, 11:55, etc.) are set for 24 hours as information indicating the start time of the time performance. In addition, every minute from the start timing of the time performance during the time performance (9:56, 9:57, 9:58, 9:59, 10:56, 10:57, etc.) is set as information indicating the start time (start timing) of a specific time performance. Furthermore, since the time presentation period is five minutes, information indicating the time five minutes after the start time of the time presentation (10:00, 11:00, ...) is set as information indicating the start time of the normal game period (presentation mode A) (see Figure 91).

In this control example, each time effect (time effect, specific time effect) is set to be executed based on the time the power is turned on, but this is not limited to the above, and the start time of each time effect (time effect, specific time effect) may be set regardless of the time the power is turned on. For example, the start time of the time effect may be set to 00 minutes past the hour. This prevents the start time of the time effect from being shifted even if the power-on times of multiple pachinko machines 10 differ when the machines are turned on, and allows the time effects to be executed synchronously across multiple pachinko machines 10.

In this control example, the RTC292 is used as the timing means, but this is not limited to the above. For example, a counter may be provided as the timing means, as follows. When measuring (timing) the normal play period (55 minutes), the counter value is counted up (or down) periodically (e.g., every second) after the normal play period (55 minutes) begins. Then, when the counter value reaches a value indicating 55 minutes (e.g., 3300), it is determined that 55 minutes have elapsed. With this configuration, there is no need to provide the RTC292, and the pachinko machine 10 can be constructed more inexpensively.

Next, referring to FIG. 106, the main processing executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 after the startup processing of the voice lamp control device 113 will be described. FIG. 106 is a flowchart showing this main processing. When the main processing is executed, first, it is determined whether or not 1 ms or more has elapsed since the main processing was started or since the current processing of S1501 was executed (S1501). If 1 ms or more has not elapsed (S1501: No), the processing of S1502 to S1510 is not executed and the processing proceeds to S1511. The reason for determining whether or not 1 ms has elapsed in the processing of S1501 is that, whereas S1502 to S1510 are mainly processing related to display (performance) and do not need to be edited in a short cycle (within 1 ms), it is preferable to execute the command determination processing of S1511 and the variable display setting processing of S1512 in a short cycle. By executing the process of S1511 at short intervals, it is possible to prevent commands sent from the main control device 110 from being missed, and by executing the process of S1512 at short intervals, it is possible to set up the variable performance without delay based on the commands received by the command determination process.

If 1 ms or more has elapsed since the processing of S1501 (S1501: Yes), first, the various commands set by the processing of S1503 to S1512 for the display control device 114 are sent to the display control device 114 (S1502). Next, the lighting mode of the display lamp 34 is set, and the output of each lamp is set so that the lighting mode of the lamp is edited in the processing of S1508 described below (S1503), and then a power-on notification process is executed (S1504). The power-on notification process is a process for notifying the user that the power has been turned on for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) when the power is turned on, and the notification is made by the audio output device 226 and the lamp display device 227.

In addition, when the power is restored from a power outage or the like, a performance permission command based on the game being executed at the time of the power outage is sent to the voice lamp control device 113 by the start-up process of the main control device 110 (see FIG. 101). In the voice lamp control device 113, based on receiving the performance permission command including the fact that the special pattern is fluctuating, a display variation pattern command is created in this power-on notification process (S1504) and sent to the display control device 114. In the display control device 114, the power-on fluctuating image fluctuating start command is determined in a simple command determination process (see FIG. 118 (b)), and based on the fluctuating pattern based on the received command, a fluctuating display is executed using the power-on fluctuating image (see FIG. 82 (b) or (c)). As described above, the display variation pattern command created here is for executing a fluctuating display using the power-on fluctuating image, which is a simple image, and is therefore simpler than the one selected in the fluctuating pattern selection process (see FIG. 110) described later. This reduces the processing load required to create the display variation pattern command, and enables the power-on variation image to be displayed with good response when the power is restored after a power outage.

Furthermore, after a performance permission command based on the game being executed at the time of power-off is sent to the voice lamp control device 113 by the start-up process of the main control device 110 (see FIG. 101), a stop command for stopping the variable display executed based on the performance permission command is sent from the main control device 110 to the voice lamp control device 113. Based on receiving this stop command, the voice lamp control device 113 sends a display stop command to the display control device 114. The display control device 114 determines that it has received the display stop command through a simple command determination process (see 118(b)), and stops the variable image at power-on (see FIG. 82(b) or (c)) in the display mode based on the received command.

A command may also be sent to the display control device 114 to notify the screen of the third pattern display device 81 that power has been supplied. If the power is not turned on, the power-on notification process is not performed and the process proceeds to S1505.

In the process of S1505, a customer waiting performance process is executed, and then a reserved ball number display update process is executed (S1506). In the customer waiting performance process, when a predetermined time has elapsed during which the pachinko machine 10 is not played by a player, settings are made to switch the display of the third symbol display device 81 to the title screen, and this setting is sent as a command to the display control device 114. In the reserved ball number display update process, a process is performed to light up the reserved lamp (not shown) according to the value of the special symbol 1 reserved ball number counter 223b.

After that, the frame button input monitoring/effect process is executed (S1507). This frame button input monitoring/effect process monitors input as to whether or not the frame button 22 operated by the player has been pressed in order to enhance the effect of the effect, and sets up a corresponding effect when input of the frame button 22 is confirmed. In this process, when operation of the frame button 22 by the player is detected, a display command corresponding to the operation of the frame button 22 is set in the display control device 114.

When the frame button input monitoring and performance process is completed, the lamp editing process is executed (S1508), and then the sound editing and output process is executed (S1509). In the lamp editing process, the lighting patterns of the illumination units 29 to 33 are set to correspond to the display performed by the third pattern display device 81. In the sound editing and output process, the output pattern of the sound output device 226 is set to correspond to the display performed by the third pattern display device 81, and sound is output from the sound output device 226 according to the settings.

After processing of S1509, the LCD performance execution management process is executed (S1510). In the LCD performance execution management process, a time is set that is synchronized with the time required for the variable display performed by the third pattern display device 81 based on the variable pattern command sent from the main control device 110. The lamp editing process of S1508 is executed based on the time set in this LCD performance execution monitoring process. In addition, the sound editing/output process of S1509 is also executed at a time synchronized with the time required for the variable display performed by the third pattern display device 81.

After the LCD performance execution management process, a command determination process is performed (S1511) to perform processing according to the command received from the main control device 110. Details of this command determination process will be described later with reference to FIG. 107.

Next, the process proceeds to S1512. In S1512, a variable display setting process is executed (S1512). In the variable display setting process, a display variable pattern command is generated and set based on the variable pattern command received from the main control device 110 in order to execute a variable performance in the third pattern display device 81. As a result, the command is transmitted to the display control device 114. Details of this variable display setting process will be described later with reference to FIG. 109.

After the variable display setting process (S1512) is completed, a synchronous presentation management process is then executed (S1513) to execute a presentation based on the presentation mode of the pachinko machine 10, and a specific time presentation process is executed (S1514) to execute a specific time presentation during the time presentation period (presentation mode B). Then, a ball entry presentation setting process is executed (S1515) to execute a ball entry presentation based on the entry of a game ball into the second winning port 640, and the process proceeds to S1516. Details of the synchronous presentation management process (S1513), the specific time presentation process (S1514), and the ball entry presentation setting process (S1515) will be described later with reference to Figs. 112 and 113, 114, and 116, respectively.

When the ball entry performance setting process (S1515) is completed, it is determined whether or not power failure information is stored in the work RAM 233 (S1516). Power failure information is stored when a power failure command is received from the main control device 110. If power failure information is stored in the process of S1516 (S1516: Yes), the power failure flag 223y and the power failure processing flag are both turned on (S1518), and power failure processing is executed (S1519). After the power failure processing is executed, the power failure processing flag is turned off (S1520), and the processing is then looped infinitely. In the power failure processing, interrupt processing is prohibited, and each output port is turned off, and output from the audio output device 226 and the lamp display device 227 is turned off. The stored power failure information is also erased.

On the other hand, if the power failure information is not stored in the process of S1516 (S1516: No), it is determined whether or not the RAM 223 is destroyed based on the keyword stored in the RAM 223 (S1517). If the RAM 223 is not destroyed (S1517: No), the process returns to S1501 and the main process is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if the RAM 223 is destroyed (S1517: Yes), the process is infinitely looped to stop the execution of subsequent processes. Here, if the RAM is determined to be destroyed and an infinite loop occurs, the main process is not executed, and the display by the third symbol display device 81 does not change thereafter. Therefore, the player can know that an abnormality has occurred, and can call a store clerk or the like to repair the pachinko machine 10. In addition, if it is confirmed that the RAM 223 is destroyed, the sound output device 226 or the lamp display device 227 may be used to notify the player of the RAM destruction.

Next, referring to FIG. 107, the command determination process (S1511) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 will be described. FIG. 81 is a flowchart showing this command determination process (S1511). This command determination process (S1511) is executed in the main process (see FIG. 106) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113, and as described above, determines the command received from the main control device 110.

In the command determination process (S1511), the first command received from the main control unit 110 among the unprocessed commands is first read from the command storage area provided in the RAM 223, analyzed, and it is determined whether or not a variation pattern command has been received from the main control unit 110 (S1601). If a variation pattern command has been received (S1601: Yes), a variation pattern reception process (S1602) is executed, and the process returns to the main process.

Now, referring to FIG. 108, the details of the fluctuation pattern receiving process (S1602) will be described. FIG. 108 is a flowchart showing the fluctuation pattern receiving process (S1602). This fluctuation pattern receiving process (S1602) is a process that extracts a fluctuation pattern based on the fluctuation pattern command received from the main control device 110, and performs operation settings for various reels (up and down operation unit device (falling reel) 400, telescopic performance device (telescopic reel) 540, tilting operation unit (tilting reel) 600, etc.) based on the reel scenario of the extracted fluctuation pattern.

In the variation pattern receiving process, first, the variation start flag 223d in the RAM 223 is turned on (S1701), and the variation pattern type is extracted from the received variation pattern command (S1702). The variation pattern type extracted here is stored in the RAM 223 and is referenced when the variation display setting process (see FIG. 109) described below is executed. It is then used to set a display variation pattern command that notifies the display control device 114 of the start of the variation performance and the variation pattern type.

Then, it is determined whether or not the extracted variation pattern type has a falling role scenario (S1703). In the process of S1703, if it is determined that there is a falling role scenario (S1703: Yes), a performance in which the up-down operation unit device (falling role) 400 moves is executed, so a falling role scenario for moving the up-down operation unit device (falling role) 400 is set (S1704). The falling role scenario set in the process of S1704 specifies the operation of the up-down operation unit device (falling role) 400 for the same time as the variation time of the variation performance set based on the variation pattern type. By driving the up-down drive motor 431 based on this falling role scenario, the up-down operation unit device (falling role) 400 and the variation performance can be moved in synchronization (linked).

After completing the process of S1704, it is next determined whether or not the door element 470 of the vertical movement unit device (falling role) 400 is set to open (S1705). If it is determined in the process of S1705 that the door element 470 is set to open (S1705: Yes), the opening/closing drive motor 466 is set not to be excited (off) so that the door element 470 is opened (power supply stop control). As a result, the static torque (so-called detent torque) of the opening/closing drive motor 466 for maintaining the door element 470 in the closed state is minimized, and the door element 470 is opened by the inertial force that moves the vertical movement unit device (falling role) 400 in the falling direction. Although not shown in the figure, if the door element 470 is not set to open, that is, if the door element 470 is to remain in the closed state, the opening drive motor 466 is excited and controlled so that the opening/closing drive motor 466 stops. As a result, when the door element 470 is not set to open, even if the vertical movement unit device (falling role) 400 moves in the falling direction, the static torque of the opening drive motor 466, i.e., the torque for maintaining the door element 470 in the closed state (so-called holding torque), is excited to be maximum, so that the door element 470 is maintained in the closed state and is not opened. Note that the torque for maintaining the door element 470 in the closed state (holding torque) does not need to be maximum, and it is sufficient that the door element 470 is not opened due to the inertial force generated in the door element 470 when the vertical movement unit device (falling role) 400 moves in the falling direction. In this case, the current for exciting the opening/closing drive motor 466 can be made weak, so that power consumption can be reduced.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S1705 that there is no setting to open a falling role (S1705: No), the processing of S1706 is skipped and the process proceeds to S1707, and if it is determined that there is no falling role scenario (S1703: No), the processing of S1704 to S1706 is skipped and the process proceeds to S1707.

After completing the processing of S1703, S1705, or S1706, it is determined whether or not there is a telescopic role scenario (S1707). If it is determined in the processing of S1707 that there is a telescopic role scenario (S1707: Yes), a telescopic role scenario is set that excites and controls the drive motor 561 so that the front plate member 546 of the telescopic performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) can move to a downward position, and the processing proceeds to S1709. On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S1707 that there is no telescopic role scenario (S1707: No), the processing skips S1708 and proceeds to S1709.

In the process of S1709, it is determined whether or not there is a tilting role scenario (S1709). If it is determined in the process of S1709 that there is a tilting role scenario (S1709: Yes), a tilting role scenario is set that excites and controls the drive motor 631 so that the tilting operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9) can move to the extended position (S1710), and this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S1709 that there is no tilting role scenario (S1709: No), the process skips the process of S1708 and ends this process.

Returning to FIG. 107, the explanation will continue. If the variation pattern command has not been received in the processing of S1601 (S1601: No), it is then determined whether or not a stop type command has been received from the main control device 110 (S1603). If a stop type command has been received (S1603: Yes), the stop type selection flag 223e in the RAM 223 is set to on (S1604), the stop type is extracted from the received stop type command (S1605), and the process returns to the main processing. The stop type extracted here is stored in the RAM 223 and is referenced when the variation display setting process (see FIG. 109) described below is executed. It is then used to set a display stop type command that notifies the display control device 114 of the stop type of the variation performance.

On the other hand, if the stop type command has not been received (S1603: No), it is then determined whether or not a reserved ball number command has been received from the main control device 110 (S1606). If the reserved ball number command has been received (S1606: Yes), it is determined whether the received reserved ball number command is a special pattern 1 reserved ball number command or a special pattern 2 reserved ball number command, and the values contained in the command, that is, the value of the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 203d of the main control device 110 (the reserved number of times N1 of the variable display in the special pattern) and the value of the special pattern 2 reserved ball number counter 203e of the main control device 110 (the reserved number of times N2 of the variable display in the special pattern) are extracted, and stored in the special pattern 2 reserved ball number counter 223c of the voice lamp control device 113 (S1607). In addition, in the process of S1608, a display reserved ball number command is set to notify the display control device 114 of the updated values of the special pattern 1 reserved ball number counter 223b and the special pattern 2 reserved ball number counter 223c. After S1607 is completed, the process returns to the main process.

Here, the special symbol 1 reserved ball count command or special symbol 2 reserved ball count command is transmitted from the main control unit 110 when a ball enters the first winning slot 64 or the second winning slot 640 (initial winning), or when a lottery for a special pattern is held. Therefore, each time a start winning is detected or each time a lottery for a special pattern is held, the values of the special symbol 1 reserved ball count counter 223b and the special symbol 2 reserved ball count counter 223c of the voice lamp control unit 113 can be adjusted to the values of the special symbol 1 reserved ball count counter 203d and the special symbol 2 reserved ball count counter 203e of the main control unit 110 by processing in S1607. Therefore, even if the value of the special symbol 1 reserved ball counter 223b or the special symbol 2 reserved ball counter 223c of the voice lamp control device 113 deviates from the value of the special symbol 1 reserved ball counter 203d or the special symbol 2 reserved ball counter 203e of the main control device 110 due to the influence of noise, etc., the value of the special symbol 1 reserved ball counter 223b or the special symbol 2 reserved ball counter 223c of the voice lamp control device 113 can be corrected to match the value of the special symbol 1 reserved ball counter 203d or the special symbol 2 reserved ball counter 203e of the main control device 110 when the start winning is detected or when the special symbol is drawn. When the process of S1607 is executed, a display reserved ball number command is set to notify the display control device 114 of the updated values of the special symbol 1 reserved ball counter 223b and the special symbol 2 reserved ball counter 223c. As a result, in the display control device 114, the reserved ball number pattern according to the reserved ball number is displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

If the reserved ball count command has not been received in the process of S1606 (S1606: No), it is then determined whether a winning information command has been received from the main control unit 110 (S1608). If it is determined in the process of S1608 that a winning information command has been received (S1608: Yes), the winning information based on the received winning information command (such as the result of the lottery for a special symbol) is stored in the winning information storage area 223a (S1609), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if a winning information command has not been received (S1608: No), it is determined whether or not a command related to a jackpot has been received (S1610). If a command related to a jackpot has been received during the processing of S1610 (S1610: Yes), processing corresponding to the received command related to a jackpot is executed (S1611), and this processing ends. Examples of commands related to a jackpot include an opening command, a number of rounds command, and an ending command. In addition, examples of processing corresponding to a received command related to a jackpot include processing to set an opening command for display, a number of rounds command for display, and an ending command for display.

If it is determined in the process of S1610 that a command related to a big win has not been received (S1610: No), it is determined whether or not a stop command has been received (S1612). If it is determined in the process of S1612 that a stop command has been received (S1612: Yes), the process of stopping the variable display being executed is executed (S1613), the avoidance flag 223i is set to OFF (S1614), a stop command for display is set (S1615), and this process ends.

The display stop command set by the processing of S1615 is stored in a ring buffer for command transmission provided in the RAM 223, and is transmitted to the display control device 114 during the command output processing (S1501) of the main processing (see FIG. 106) executed by the MPU 221. When the display control device 114 receives the display stop command, it stops the variable performance being executed in a display mode based on the stop type set by the stop type command.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S1612 that a stop command has not been received (S1612: No), it is determined whether or not another command has been received, and processing corresponding to the received command is executed (S1616), and the process returns to the main processing. If the other command is a command to be used by the voice lamp control device 113, processing corresponding to that command is executed, and the processing result is stored in RAM 223, and if it is a command to be used by the display control device 114, the command is set to send that command to the display control device 114.

Next, referring to FIG. 109, the variable display setting process (S1512) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 will be described. FIG. 109 is a flowchart showing this variable display setting process (S1512). This variable display setting process (S1512) is executed within the main process (see FIG. 106) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113, and generates and sets a display variable pattern command based on the variable pattern command received from the main control device 110 in order to execute a variable performance in the third pattern display device 81.

In the variation display setting process, first, it is determined whether the variation start flag 223d provided in the RAM 223 is on or not (S1801). Then, if it is determined that the variation start flag 223d is not on (i.e., it is off) (S1801: No), since no variation pattern command has been received from the main control unit 110, the process proceeds to S1806. On the other hand, if it is determined that the variation start flag 223d is on (S1801: Yes), the variation start flag 223d is turned off (S1802), and then a variation pattern selection process is executed to select a variation pattern type based on the variation pattern command received from the main control unit 110 (S1803).

Here, the variation pattern selection process (S1803) will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 110. FIG. 110 is a flowchart showing the variation pattern selection process (S1803). This variation pattern selection process is a process for selecting a variation pattern type according to the presentation mode based on the variation pattern command received from the main control device 110 and the presentation counter 223j counted by the voice lamp control device 113.

In the variation pattern selection process, first, the value of the presentation counter 223j is obtained (S1901). Next, it is determined whether the current presentation mode is presentation mode A (normal play period) or not (S1902). The presentation mode is determined by referring to the value of the presentation mode storage area 223h. As described above, a value of "00H" in the presentation mode storage area 223h indicates presentation mode A, a value of "01H" indicates presentation mode B, and a value of "02H" indicates presentation mode C.

If it is determined in the process of S1902 that the value of the presentation mode storage area 223h is presentation mode A (normal game period) (S1902: Yes), based on the variation pattern type extracted in the process of S1702 of the variation pattern receiving process (see FIG. 108) and the presentation counter 223j acquired in the process of S1901, a corresponding variation pattern for the normal game period (presentation mode A) is selected from the variation pattern selection table 222a (S1903), and this process ends. Based on the variation pattern selected here, it is set as a display variation pattern command in the variation display setting process described later (see S1804 in FIG. 109).

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S1902 that the current presentation mode is not presentation mode A (normal play period) (S1902: No), then it is determined whether or not the current presentation mode is presentation mode B (time presentation period) (S1904).

If it is determined in the processing of S1904 that the value of the presentation mode storage area 223h is presentation mode B (time presentation period) (S1904: Yes), based on the variation pattern type extracted in the processing of S1702 of the variation pattern receiving processing (see FIG. 108) and the presentation counter 223j obtained in the processing of S1901, a variation pattern of the corresponding time presentation period (presentation mode B) is selected from the variation pattern selection table 222a (S1905), and this processing is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S1904 that the current presentation mode is not presentation mode B (time presentation period) (S1904: No), then the current presentation mode is presentation mode C (time presentation extension period). In this case, based on the variation pattern type extracted in the process of S1702 of the variation pattern receiving process (see FIG. 108) and the presentation counter 223j acquired in the process of S1901, the corresponding variation pattern of the time presentation extension period (presentation mode C) is selected from the variation pattern selection table 222a (S1906), and this process is terminated.

In this way, the variation pattern selection process (S1803) selects a variation pattern that corresponds to the current presentation mode, so that a variation display that corresponds to each presentation period (presentation mode) can be executed (displayed).

Returning to FIG. 109, the explanation will be continued. After the process of S1803 is completed, a display variation pattern command for notifying the display control device 114 is generated based on the variation pattern selected in the process of S1803, and the command is set for transmission to the display control device 114 (S1804). By receiving this display variation pattern command, the display control device 114 starts display control of the variation performance so that the third pattern display device 81 displays the variation of the third pattern in the variation pattern indicated by the display variation pattern command. After the process of S1804 is completed, a notice selection process is then executed (S1805) to set a notice performance (indicating the expectation of a jackpot) based on the hit/miss judgment result. Note that this notice selection process is also configured to select a notice performance according to the current performance mode.

Here, the details of the preview selection process (S1805) will be described with reference to FIG. 111. FIG. 111 is a flowchart showing the preview selection process (S1805). This preview selection process (S1805) is executed in the variable display setting process (see FIG. 109) described above, and is a process for setting a preview performance based on the hit/miss judgment result according to the current performance mode.

In the notice selection process (S1805), first, the effect counter 223j is obtained (S2001), and it is determined whether or not the current effect mode is effect mode A (normal play period) (S2002). In the process of S2002, if it is determined that the current effect mode (value of the effect mode storage area 223h) is effect mode A (normal play period) (S2002: Yes), a normal notice effect, which is a notice effect for the normal play period, is selected based on the winning/losing judgment results of each reserved ball stored in the winning information storage area 223a and the value of the effect counter 223j (S2003), and the process proceeds to S2011.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S2002 that the current presentation mode is not presentation mode A (normal play period) (S2002: No), then it is determined whether or not the current presentation mode is presentation mode B (time presentation period) (S2004).

If it is determined in the processing of S2004 that the current presentation mode is presentation mode B (time presentation period) (S2004: No), a time preview presentation, which is a preview presentation of the time presentation period, is selected based on the winning/losing determination results of each reserved ball stored in the winning information storage area 223a and the value of the presentation counter 223j (S2005), and the processing proceeds to S2006.

In the process of S2006, it is determined whether the time notice performance selected in the process of S2005 is a notice performance including a countdown display mode (countdown notice performance) (S2006). If it is determined in the process of S2006 that the selected time notice performance is a countdown notice performance (S2006: Yes), the avoidance flag 223i is turned on (S2007) to prevent the specific time performance (countdown performance) from being executed, and the process proceeds to S2011. By setting the avoidance flag 223i to on by the process of S2007, it is possible to determine that the countdown notice performance will be executed. If this avoidance flag 223i is on, the specific time performance process (see FIG. 114) described later is controlled so that the specific time performance (countdown performance) is not executed (S2305 in FIG. 114: Yes). This makes it possible to prevent (suppress) overlapping effects (countdown preview effects, specific time effects (countdown effects)) that include the same type of display mode (countdown), and to prevent (suppress) problems that could confuse players.

In this embodiment, when the countdown notice performance is executed based on the ball entering the second winning port 640, the avoidance flag 223i is set to ON, and the specific time performance is not executed, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the timing when the countdown notice performance is executed based on the ball entering the second winning port 640 is predicted (estimated) based on the winning information stored in the winning information storage area 223a. That is, the period during which the countdown notice performance is executed is predicted (estimated). Based on the result of the prediction (estimate), the specific time performance (countdown performance) may be set not to be executed in duplicate during the period during which the countdown notice performance is executed. This allows the processing for executing the specific time performance to be stopped before the timing when the specific time performance starts. As a result, the preparation for executing the specific time performance (for example, image data transfer processing, etc.) can be omitted, and the processing load can be reduced.

Preventing (suppressing) overlap is not limited to display modes, and overlapping of audio or music may also be prevented (suppressed). Furthermore, audio may also be prevented (suppressed) from being different depending on the display mode. For example, outputting a voice saying "Press the button" when there is no display instructing the user to press the button may be prevented (suppressed).

Furthermore, it is not limited to simply preventing (suppressing) overlapping of effects including the same type of display mode, but may also prevent effects including the same type of display mode from being executed consecutively (or frequently). Specifically, the avoidance flag 223i is set to ON so that a specific time effect (countdown effect) is not executed in the vicinity of the period in which the countdown preview effect is executed (for example, one minute before or after). This makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that is easier for players to understand.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2006 that the selected time preview performance is something other than a countdown preview performance (S2006: No), the process of S2007 is skipped and the process proceeds to S2011.

If it is determined in the processing of S2004 that the current presentation mode is not presentation mode B (time presentation period) (S2004: No), then it is determined whether or not the current presentation mode is presentation mode C (time presentation extension period) (S2008). If it is determined in the processing of S2008 that the current presentation mode is presentation mode C (time presentation extension period) (S2008: Yes), then it is determined whether or not the result of the hit/miss judgment of the change is a hit (S2009).

In the process of S2009, if the result of the hit/miss judgment of the corresponding variation is determined to be a hit (S2009: Yes), the super school of fish preview effect, which is a preview effect suggesting that the corresponding variation will be a big hit, is selected (S2010), and the process proceeds to S2011.

When the processing of S2003, S2006, S2007 or S2010 is completed, a display preview command indicating the selected preview performance is set (S2011), and this processing ends. The display preview command set here is stored in a ring buffer for command transmission provided in RAM 223, and is transmitted to the display control device 114 during the command output processing (S1502) of the main processing (see FIG. 106) executed by MPU 221. When the display control device 114 receives the display preview command, it displays a preview performance corresponding to that command on the third pattern display device 81.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2008 that the current presentation mode is not presentation mode C (time presentation extension period) (S2008: No), or if it is determined in the process of S2009 that the result of the judgment of whether the change is correct or not is incorrect (S2009: No), there is no preview presentation to be executed, so this process ends. Note that in the processes of S2003 and S2005, there are cases where a preview presentation is not selected due to the value of the presentation counter 223j, and in such a case as well, this process ends without setting a display preview command.

In this control example, the specific time performance (countdown performance) that is periodically (every minute) performed during the time performance period (performance mode B) is not executed during the time performance extension period (performance mode C), but the present invention is not limited to this, and the specific time performance (countdown performance) may be executed in the same manner as during the time performance period (performance mode B). In this case, the above-mentioned avoidance flag 223i may be used to control the specific time performance (countdown performance) not to be executed at a timing that overlaps with the countdown notice performance, as in the time performance period (performance mode B). This makes it possible to prevent the countdown notice performance and the like from being executed overlapping during the time performance extension period (performance mode C), and to provide a gaming machine that is easy for players to understand. In addition, the display mode of the specific time performance that is periodically executed during the time performance extension period (performance mode C) may not include the countdown display mode. This means that even if the specific time performance is periodically executed during the time performance extension period (performance mode C), a performance that includes the same type of display mode (countdown) is not executed. Therefore, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that is easy for players to understand.

Returning to FIG. 109, the explanation will be continued. After the processing of S1805 is completed, it is next determined whether the stop type selection flag 223e is on or not (S1806). Then, if it is determined that the stop type selection flag 223e is not on (i.e., it is off) (S1806: No), since the stop type command has not been received from the main control device 110, this variable display setting process is terminated and the process returns to the main process. On the other hand, if it is determined that the stop type selection flag 223e is on (S1806: Yes), the stop type selection flag 223e is turned off (S1807), and then, in the processing of S1605 of the command determination processing (see FIG. 107), the stop type in the variable performance extracted from the stop type command is obtained from the RAM 223 (S1808). The stop type designated by the stop type command from the main control device 110 is set as it is as the stop type of the variable performance in the third pattern display device 81 (S1809), and the process proceeds to S1810. In the process of S1810, a display stop type command for notifying the display control device 114 is generated based on the set stop type, and the command is set to be sent to the display control device 114 (S1810). By receiving this display stop type command, the display control device 114 controls the stop display of the variable performance so that the stop pattern corresponding to the stop type indicated by the display stop type command is displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Next, referring to FIG. 112, the synchronous performance management process (S1513), which is one process within the main process (see FIG. 106) executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113, will be described. FIG. 112 is a flowchart showing this synchronous performance management process (S1513). In this synchronous performance management process (S1513), time information is acquired from the RTC 292, and based on that time information, it is determined whether it is a normal game period, a time performance period, or a time performance extension period, and a process is executed to set the performance mode indicating that.

In the synchronous presentation management process (FIG. 112, S1513), first, the time information of "hour, minute" is obtained from the RTC 292 (S2101). Then, it is determined whether a value ("00H") indicating presentation mode A (normal game period) is set in the presentation mode storage area 223h (S2102). If it is determined that a value ("00H") indicating presentation mode A is set (S2102: Yes), the time data obtained in the process of S2101 is used to determine the timing of transition to presentation mode B (time presentation period) (whether the time presentation period has arrived) (S2103). In the process of S2103, if it is determined that it is the timing to transition to presentation mode B (time presentation period), i.e., if it is determined that it is the timing to start the time presentation (S2103: Yes), a value ("01H") indicating presentation mode B (time presentation period) is set in the presentation mode storage area 223h (S2104), a display presentation mode change command based on presentation mode B (time presentation period) is set (S2105), and this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is not the time presentation period in the process of S2103, the processes of S2104 and S2105 are skipped and this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2102 that the value ("00H") indicating presentation mode A (normal play period) is not set (S2102: No), it is determined whether or not the value ("01H") indicating presentation mode B (time presentation period) is set in the presentation mode storage area 223h (S2106). If it is determined in the process of S2106 that the value ("01H") indicating presentation mode B (time presentation period) is set (S2106: Yes), it is determined whether the time data acquired in the process of S2101 is within 3 seconds from the end of the time presentation, that is, within 3 seconds until the end timing of the time presentation period (start timing of the normal play period) (S2107).

If it is determined in the processing of S2107 that the end timing of the time presentation period (the start timing of the normal game period) is within 3 seconds (S2107: Yes), an extended presentation setting process is executed to execute (display) an extended presentation (S2108). After that, the process returns to the main process (see FIG. 106). The extended presentation setting process (S2108) will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 113.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S2107 that the acquired time data is not within 3 seconds from the end of the time presentation, this means that the end timing of the time presentation period (the start timing of the normal play period) is longer than 3 seconds, so the processing of S2108 is skipped and this processing is terminated.

In the process of S2106, if the value ("00H") indicating the presentation mode B (time presentation period) is not set in the presentation mode storage area 223h, that is, if it is determined that the current presentation mode is presentation mode C (time presentation extension period) (S2106: No), it is determined whether or not it is outside the time presentation extension period, that is, whether or not it is the end timing of the time presentation extension period (presentation mode C) (S2109). In the process of S2109, if it is determined that it is the end timing of the time presentation extension period (S2109: Yes), the value ("00H") indicating the presentation mode A (normal play period) is set in the presentation mode storage area 223h (S2110), and a display presentation mode change command based on the presentation mode A (normal play period) is set (S2111), and this process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S2109 that the acquired time data is not the end timing of the time effect extension period (S2109: No), the processing of S2110 and S2111 is skipped and this processing is terminated.

Next, referring to FIG. 113, we will explain the extended performance setting process (S2108), which is one process within the synchronous performance management process (see FIG. 112) executed by the MPU 221 of the audio lamp control device 113. FIG. 113 is a flowchart showing the contents of this extended performance setting process (S2108).

In the extended effect setting process (Fig. 113, S2108), first, it is determined whether or not a jackpot game is in progress (S2201). If it is determined that a jackpot game is in progress (S2201: Yes), a value ("00H") indicating the effect mode A (normal play period) is set in the effect mode storage area 223h (S2202). Then, a display effect mode change command based on the effect mode A (normal play period) is set (S2203), and this process ends.

In this control example, as described above, if a jackpot game is being played 3 seconds before the end of the time presentation period (presentation mode B) (S2201: Yes), the control is performed so that the game is transitioned to the normal game period (presentation mode A) after the jackpot game ends (S2202 and S2203), but this is not limited to this. For example, even if a jackpot game is being played 3 seconds before the end of the time presentation period (presentation mode B), if the jackpot game ends before the end of the time presentation period (presentation mode B), the time presentation period (presentation mode B) may be set. Also, even if a jackpot game is being played 3 seconds before the end of the time presentation period (presentation mode B), if it is determined that a jackpot will be played after that (if the reserved winning information is a jackpot), the game may be transitioned to the time presentation extension period (presentation mode C) after the jackpot game ends. This allows the extended presentation to be executed (displayed) even if a jackpot game is being played 3 seconds before the end of the time presentation period (presentation mode B), which can increase the player's interest.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2201 that the jackpot is not being played (S2201: No), it is determined whether it is the end timing of the time presentation period (presentation mode B) (S2204). If it is determined in the process of S2204 that it is the end timing of the time presentation period (presentation mode B) (S2204: Yes), it is determined whether or not a re-changing presentation is set, that is, whether or not it has been determined that an extended presentation will be executed (transition to presentation mode C) (S2205). If a re-changing presentation is set, that is, if it has been determined that an extended presentation will be executed (transition to presentation mode C) (S2205: Yes), the presentation mode storage area 223h is set to a value ("02H") indicating presentation mode C (S2206), a display presentation mode change command based on presentation mode C is set (S2207), and this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S2205 that the re-changing presentation is not set (S2205: No), then the process will proceed to S2202 since the game will transition to the normal game period (presentation mode A) rather than the time presentation extension period (presentation mode C). As a result, at the end of the time presentation period (presentation mode B) (S2204: Yes), if the game does not transition to the time presentation extension period (presentation mode C) (S2205: No), the game can transition to presentation mode A (normal game period) (S2202 and S2203).

In addition, if it is determined in the process of S2204 that it is not the end timing of the time presentation period (presentation mode B) (i.e., the time presentation continues to be executed) (S2204: No), it is determined whether winning information that will be a win is stored in the winning information storage area 223a, or whether the result of the hit/miss judgment during the change is a win (S2208). In the process of S2208, if it is determined that winning information that will be a win is stored in the winning information storage area 223a, or the hit/miss judgment during the change is a win (S2208: Yes), the time until the end of the winning change is calculated and set as the presentation time of the time presentation extension period (extended presentation time) (S2209). Then, a re-changing presentation is set (S2210), and this process ends.

Here, the re-changing performance is a performance that suggests a transition from the time performance period to the time performance extension period, and notifies (displays) the player as if a new special pattern has started to change. Specifically, a display mode in which the display mode of the school of fish appears from the right is displayed, and the display mode of the third pattern, which has been changed (reduced) to a display mode that is difficult for the player to see, is changed (enlarged) to a display mode that is easy to see again. As described above, in this control example, when the remaining time of the time performance period (performance mode B) becomes 3 seconds or less, the display mode is switched to a premonition display mode, and the display mode of the third pattern that has been executed (displayed) until then is changed to a display mode (reduced display) that is difficult for the player to see. In the re-changing performance, when the display mode of the third pattern, which has been changed (reduced) to a display mode that is difficult for the player to see, is changed (enlarged) to a display mode that is easy to see again, a display mode of the school of fish appears from the right is displayed. This allows the player to focus on the way the school of fish is displayed, making it possible to vary (enlarge) the variable display of the third symbol without giving the player a sense of discomfort.

On the other hand, in the process of S2208, if it is determined that no winning information that would be a win is stored in the winning information storage area 223a and the changing win/loss judgment result is a miss (S2208: No), the processes of S2209 and S2210 are skipped and this process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 114, the specific time performance process (S1514), which is one process within the main process (see FIG. 106) executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113, will be described. FIG. 114 is a flowchart showing the contents of the specific time performance process (S1514). This specific time performance process (S1514) is a process for executing (displaying) a specific time performance during the time performance period (performance mode B).

In the specific time performance process, first, time information is obtained from the RTC 292 (S2301). Next, the performance mode storage area 233h is referenced to determine whether the current performance mode is performance mode B (time performance period) (S2302). If it is determined in the process of S2302 that the current performance mode is not performance mode B (time performance period) (S2302: No), the timing for executing a specific time performance will not be determined in the subsequent processes, and the process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2302 that the current presentation mode is presentation mode B (time presentation period) (S2302: Yes), then it is determined whether or not it is the timing for a specific time presentation based on the time information (current time) acquired in the process of S2301 and the information indicating the start time of the specific time presentation stored in the presentation time storage area 223g (S2303). If it is determined in the process of S2303 that it is not the timing for a specific time presentation (S2303: No), it is not the timing to execute a specific time presentation, so this process is terminated.

If it is determined in the process of S2303 that the effect is a specific time effect (S2303: Yes), it is then determined whether or not a demo effect is being executed (S2304). If it is determined in the process of S2304 that the demo effect is being executed (S2304: Yes), this process is terminated. As a result, while the demo effect is being executed, that is, when the player is not playing, the specific time effect, which is an effect that suggests whether or not the gaming state of the pachinko machine 10 is a high probability gaming state (latent high probability gaming state), can be prevented from being displayed, and it is possible to prevent (suppress) the suggestion of the gaming state to players who are not playing.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2304 that the demo effect is not being executed (S2304: No), it is then determined whether or not the avoidance flag 223i is on (S2305). If it is determined in the process of S2305 that the avoidance flag 223i is on (S2305: Yes), this means that the countdown preview effect, one of the preview effects based on the ball entering the second winning port 640, is being executed, so in order to prevent the specific time effect (countdown effect), which is an effect that includes the same type of display mode (countdown), from being displayed, this process is terminated (i.e., the specific time effect (countdown effect) is not set).

If it is determined in the processing of S2305 that the avoidance flag 223i is off (S2305: No), a specific time display command is set to execute a specific time display (countdown display), and this processing ends.

When a countdown preview effect based on a win at the second winning slot 640 is executed during the execution of a specific time effect (when the avoidance flag 223i is on), the countdown effect related to the specific time effect is controlled not to be executed (S2305: Yes). This prevents the countdown preview effect and the specific time effect (countdown effect), which are effects that include the same type of display mode (countdown), from being executed at the same time, providing a game that is easy for the player to understand.

Next, referring to FIG. 115, the ball entry effect setting process (S1515), which is one process in the main process (see FIG. 106) executed by the MPU 221 of the sound lamp control device 113, will be described. FIG. 115 is a flowchart showing the contents of the ball entry effect setting process (S1515). This ball entry effect setting process (S1515) is a process for displaying a ball entry effect based on a game ball entering the second winning hole 640 during time-saving play. The type of ball entry effect selected changes depending on the number of remaining changes until a jackpot is reached. In addition, the area in which the ball entry effect is displayed is set in order from the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d of the third pattern display device 81.

In the ball entry effect setting process (S1515), first, it is determined whether or not the game state is in time-saving play (S2401). If it is determined in the process of S2401 that the game state is not in time-saving play, the ball entry effect based on the game ball entering the second winning port 640 is not executed (displayed), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S2401 that the time-saving game is in progress (S2401: Yes), it is then determined whether or not the game ball has entered the second winning port 640 (S2402). In this control example, when the main control unit 110 detects that the game ball has entered the second winning port 640, a ball entry command is sent to the voice lamp control unit 113 (not shown). Upon receiving the ball entry command, the voice lamp control unit 113 stores the fact that the ball has entered the second winning port 640 in the other memory area 223z of the RAM 223, and in the process of S2402, it determines whether or not the ball has entered the second winning port 640.

However, without being limited to this, a ball entry detection switch that detects when a game ball enters the second winning opening 640 may be provided, allowing the sound and lamp control device 113 to detect when a game ball has entered the second winning opening 640. The ball entry detection switch may also be the same switch that is used by the main control device 110 to detect when a ball enters the second winning opening 640. This can reduce the manufacturing costs of the gaming machine.

In the process of S2402, if it is determined that the game ball has not entered the second winning hole 640 (S2402: No), this process is terminated as it is. On the other hand, in the process of S2402, if the above-mentioned ball entry command has been received from the main control device 110 and it is determined that the game ball has entered the second winning hole 640 (S2402: Yes), a ball entry effect is selected based on the winning information stored in the winning information storage area 223a and the ball entry effect selection table 222b (S2403). Then, based on the ball entry effect selected in the process of S2403 and the display area counter 223f, a ball entry effect command for display is set (S2404). The ball entry effect command for display set here is stored in a command transmission ring buffer provided in the RAM 223, and is transmitted to the display control device 114 during the command output process (S1502) of the main process (see FIG. 106) executed by the MPU 221. When the display control device 114 receives this winning ball effect command for display, it displays the winning ball effect in the display area corresponding to the command (the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d of the third pattern display device 81).

After the process of S2404 is completed, the value of the display area counter 223f is incremented by 1 (S2405), and it is determined whether the incremented value of the display area counter 223f is 5 or not (S2406). In the process of S2406, if it is determined that the value of the display area counter 223f is 5 (S2406: Yes), the ball entry performance is set to be displayed in the fourth area 81d (see FIG. 89 or FIG. 90) in the ball entry performance setting process, and the area in which the ball entry performance is next displayed is set to the first area 81a (see FIG. 89 or FIG. 90), so the value of the display area counter 223f is initialized to 1 (S2407), and this process ends. On the other hand, in the process of S2406, if it is determined that the display area counter 223f is not 5 (i.e., it is any of 2 to 4) (S2406: No), there is no need to initialize the value of the display area counter 223f, so the process of S2407 is skipped and this process ends.

Here, the process of S2404 allows the ball-entering effect to be displayed in the area of the third pattern display device 81 according to the display area counter 223f. Specifically, if the value of the display area counter 223f is 1, the ball-entering effect is displayed in the first area 81a of the third pattern display device 81, if the value is 2, the ball-entering effect is displayed in the second area 81b of the third pattern display device 81, if the value is 3, the ball-entering effect is displayed in the first area 81c of the third pattern display device 81, and if the value is 4, the ball-entering effect is displayed in the fourth area 81d of the third pattern display device 81. Then, the process of S2405 to S2407 executes the winning effect setting process (S1515), and each time a display ball-entering effect command is set, the value of the display area counter 223 can be updated, so that the ball-entering effect can be displayed in sequence from the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d of the third pattern display device 81, and after the ball-entering effect is displayed in the fourth area 81d, the ball-entering effect can be displayed in sequence again from the first area 81a. As a result, the ball entry effect based on one entry will continue to be displayed until four new balls subsequently enter the second entry port 640, and even if the interval between balls entering the second entry port 640 is very short, the time to display the ball entry effect can be secured. As a result, it is possible to prevent problems such as players being unable (or having difficulty) viewing (recognizing) the ball entry effect.

In this control example, the ball-entering effects are displayed in order (clockwise) in each of the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d of the third pattern display device 81, but this is not limited thereto, and they may be displayed in reverse order (counterclockwise), or randomly. Furthermore, the display order may be changed when a specific effect or variation is executed or when there is information about a jackpot win. This makes it possible to change the order in which the ball-entering effects are displayed, preventing the game from becoming monotonous and preventing the player from becoming bored early on.

The display order of the ball-entering effects displayed in each area (first area 81a to fourth area) of the third symbol display device 81 may be changed depending on the expectation of a jackpot. For example, when the expectation of a jackpot is low, the ball-entering effects are displayed in order (clockwise) in each area from the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d, whereas when the expectation of a jackpot is high, they are displayed in reverse order (counterclockwise). This allows the player to recognize the expectation from the display order of the ball-entering effects displayed in each area (first area 81a to fourth area), and reduces the burden on the player because there is no need to look closely at the contents of the ball-entering effects displayed in each area (first area 81a to fourth area).

In addition, in this control example, the winning ball effects are displayed in four areas of the third pattern display device 81, from the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d, in order, but this is not limited to this. For example, the display area of the third pattern display device may be further subdivided (e.g., divided into six areas from the first area to the sixth area) and displayed in order, or the number of divisions of the display area of the third pattern display device may be reduced (e.g., divided into two areas from the first area to the second area) and displayed.

In addition, in this control example, the voice lamp control device 113 is configured to select which of the display areas (first area 81a to fourth area 81d) of the third pattern display device 81 to display, but this is not limited to this, and the selection may be made in the display control device 114, for example. This makes it possible to reduce the processing load on the voice lamp control device 113.

<Regarding control process of the display control device in the first control example>
Next, each control executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 will be described with reference to Figs. 116 to 134. The processing of the MPU 231 can be roughly divided into a main processing which is repeatedly executed after power-on, a command interrupt processing which is executed when a command is received from the voice lamp control device 113, and a V interrupt processing which is executed when the MPU 231 detects a V interrupt signal transmitted from the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing processing of one frame of image is completed. The MPU 231 usually executes the main processing, and executes the command interrupt processing and the V interrupt processing in accordance with the reception of the command and the detection of the V interrupt signal. Note that when the reception of the command and the detection of the V interrupt signal are performed simultaneously, the command reception processing is executed with priority. This allows the contents of the command received from the voice lamp control device 113 to be quickly reflected and the V interrupt processing to be executed.

First, referring to FIG. 116, the main processing executed by the MPU 231 in the display control device 114 will be described. FIG. 116 is a flowchart showing this main processing. The main processing is to execute the initialization processing when the power is turned on.

Specifically, the main process is started according to the following flow. When the power is applied from the power supply circuit 115 to the display control device 114 and the system reset is released, the MPU 231, using its hardware configuration, sets the instruction pointer 231a provided in the MPU 231 to "0000H" and specifies the address "0000H" indicated by the instruction pointer 231a to the bus line 240. When the ROM controller 234b of the character ROM 234 detects that the address specified on the bus line 240 is "0000H", it sets the boot program stored in the first program storage area 234d1 of the NOR type ROM 234d in the buffer RAM 234c and outputs the corresponding data (instruction code) to the MPU 231. The MPU 231 then fetches the instruction code received from the character ROM 234 and starts the execution of the process according to the fetched instruction, thereby starting the main process.

If all the boot programs to be processed first by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released are stored in the NAND flash memory 234a, when the character ROM 234 detects that the address specified on the bus line 240 is "0000H", it must read one page of data including the data (instruction code) corresponding to the address "0000H" from the NAND flash memory 234a and set it in the buffer RAM 234c. Due to the nature of the NAND flash memory 234a, it takes a long time to read and set the data in the buffer RAM 234c, so the MPU 231 will consume a lot of waiting time from specifying the address "0000H" to receiving the instruction code corresponding to the address "0000H". This increases the time it takes to start up the MPU 231, resulting in a problem that the control of the third pattern display device 81 in the display control device 114 may not start immediately.

In contrast, in this embodiment, a predetermined number of instructions from the boot program, starting with the instruction to be processed first by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released, are stored in the NOR ROM 234d. Since the NOR ROM is a memory capable of reading data at high speed, when the address "0000H" is specified from the MPU 231 via the bus line 240 after the system reset is released, the character ROM 234 can immediately set the boot program stored in the first program storage area 234d1 of the NOR ROM 234d in the buffer RAM 234c and output the corresponding data (instruction code) to the MPU 231. Therefore, the MPU 231 can receive the instruction code corresponding to the address "0000H" in a short time after specifying the address "0000H", so that the main processing can be started in the MPU 231 in a short time. Therefore, even if the control program is stored in the character ROM 234, which is composed of a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the control of the third pattern display device 81 in the display control device 114 can be started immediately.

When the main processing is executed as described above, first, the boot processing executed by the boot program is executed (S2501), and the display control device 114 is started so that various controls for the third pattern display device 81 can be executed.

Now, the boot process (S2501) will be described with reference to FIG. 117. FIG. 117 is a flowchart showing the boot process (S2501) executed during the main process in the MPU 231 of the display control device 114.

As described above, in this embodiment, the control program and fixed value data executed by the MPU 231 are not stored in a dedicated program ROM as in conventional gaming machines, but are stored in the character ROM 234 provided to store image data to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81. The character ROM 234 is composed of a NAND type flash memory 234a, which allows for a large capacity in a small area, so that not only image data but also control programs and the like can be sufficiently stored, while there is no need to provide a dedicated program ROM for storing control programs and the like. This makes it possible to reduce the number of parts in the display control device 114, which not only reduces manufacturing costs but also suppresses an increase in the rate of failures due to an increase in the number of parts.

However, since the read speed of NAND flash memory is slow, especially when performing random access, if the MPU 231 directly reads and processes the control program and fixed value data stored in the NAND flash memory 234a, there is a risk that the processing performance of the display control device 114 will deteriorate even if a high-performance processor is used as the MPU 231. Therefore, in this boot process, a process is executed in which the control program and fixed value data stored in the second program storage area 234a1 of the NAND flash memory 234a are transferred to and stored in the program storage area 233a and data table storage area 233b provided in the work RAM 233 composed of DRAM.

Specifically, first, based on the operation of the hardware of the MPU 231 and character ROM 234 described above, a predetermined amount of the control program stored in the second program memory area 234a1 is transferred to the program storage area 233a in accordance with the boot program read from the first program memory area 234d1 of the NOR ROM 234d after the system reset is released and set in the buffer RAM 234c (S2601). The predetermined amount of the control program transferred here includes the remaining boot program that is not stored in the first program memory area 234d1.

Then, the instruction pointer 231a is set to a first predetermined address in the program storage area 233a, i.e., the start address of the remaining boot program stored in the program storage area 233a (S2602). As a result, the MPU 231 starts executing the remaining boot program included in the control program transferred and stored in the program storage area 233a by the processing of S2601.

Also, by setting the instruction pointer 231a to a predetermined location in the program storage area 233a by the processing of S2602, the MPU 231 executes various processes while reading the control program stored in the program storage area 233a of the work RAM 233. That is, the MPU 231 does not read the control program from the NAND type flash memory 234a having the second program storage area 234a1 and fetches instructions, but reads the control program transferred to the work RAM 233 having the program storage area 233a, fetches instructions, and executes various processes. As described above, since the work RAM 233 is composed of DRAM, the read operation is performed at high speed. Therefore, even if the control program is stored in the character ROM 234 composed of the NAND type flash memory 234a, which has a slow read speed, the MPU 231 can fetch instructions at high speed and execute the process for the instructions.

When the instruction pointer 231a is set by the processing of S2602, the remaining control programs and fixed value data that have not yet been transferred to the program storage area 233a among the control programs stored in the second program storage area 234a1 of the NAND flash memory 234a are transferred in predetermined amounts to the program storage area 233a or the data table storage area 233b in accordance with the remaining boot programs whose execution is started by the set instruction pointer 231a (S2603). Specifically, the control programs and some of the fixed data are stored in the program storage area 233a of the work RAM 233, and the above-mentioned various data tables (display data table, transfer data table) among the fixed value data are transferred to the data table storage area 233b.

Then, after executing other processes necessary for the boot process (S2604), the instruction pointer 231a is set to a second predetermined address in the program storage area 233a, that is, the start address of the program corresponding to the initialization process (see S2502 in FIG. 116) that should be executed after the boot process (see S2501 in FIG. 116) is completed (S2605), thereby completing the execution of the boot program and terminating this boot process.

In this way, by executing the boot process (S2501), the control program and fixed value data stored in the second program storage area 234a1 of the NAND flash memory 234a are transferred to and stored in the program storage area 233a and data table storage area 233b of the work RAM 233, which are all composed of DRAM. Then, when the boot process ends, the instruction pointer 231a is set to the second predetermined address described above, and thereafter, the MPU 231 executes various processes using the control program transferred to the program storage area 233a without referring to the NAND flash memory 234a.

Therefore, even if the control program is stored in the character ROM 234, which is composed of a NAND type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the control program and fixed value data can be transferred to the program storage area 233a and data table storage area 233b of the work RAM 233 after the system reset is released, and the MPU 231 can read the control program and fixed value data from the work RAM, which is composed of a DRAM with a fast read speed, and perform various controls. This allows the display control device 114 to maintain high processing performance, and makes it easy to execute diversified and complex presentations using the auxiliary presentation unit.

On the other hand, instead of storing the entire boot program in the NOR ROM 234d, a predetermined number of instructions are stored starting from the instruction to be processed first by the MPU 231 after the system reset is released, and the remaining boot program is stored in the second program storage area 234a1 of the NAND flash memory 234a, so that the control program stored in the second program storage area 234a1 can be reliably transferred to the program storage area 233a. Therefore, by simply adding the extremely small capacity NOR ROM 234d to the character ROM 234, the MPU 231 can be started up in a short time, and the increase in cost of the character ROM 234 associated with this shortening of the time can be suppressed.

In the boot process shown in FIG. 117, the predetermined amount of control programs transferred to the program storage area 233a by the process of S2601 are configured to include all remaining boot programs that are not stored in the first program storage area 234d1, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and the predetermined amount of control programs transferred to the program storage area 233a by the process of S2601 may be part of the boot program that executes the boot process to be processed following the process of S2602. The boot program transferred here may transfer a predetermined amount of control programs including all remaining boot programs to the program storage area 233a, and further execute a process of setting the top address of the boot program stored in the program storage area 233a to the instruction pointer 231a. Then, the processes of S2603 to S2605 may be executed by all remaining boot programs stored in the program storage area 233a.

The boot program transferred by the process of S2601 may further transfer a predetermined amount of a part of the remaining boot program to the program storage area 233a, and then execute a process of setting the start address of the boot program stored in the program storage area 233a to the instruction pointer 231a. The boot program stored in the program storage area 233a by this process may further transfer a predetermined amount of a part of the remaining boot program to the program storage area 233a, and then execute a process of setting the start address of the boot program stored in the program storage area 233a to the instruction pointer 231a. Then, the process of transferring a predetermined amount of a part of the remaining boot program to the program storage area 233a, and then setting the start address of the boot program stored in the program storage area 233a to the instruction pointer 231a may be repeated multiple times, including the processes of S2601 and S2602, and then the processes of S2603 to S2605 may be executed.

As a result, even if the program size of the boot program is large and the remaining boot program not stored in the first program memory area 234d1 cannot be transferred to the program storage area 233a all at once, the MPU 231 can use the boot program already stored in the program storage area 233a and transfer it to the program storage area 233a in a predetermined amount at a time.

In addition, in this embodiment, a case has been described in which a part of the boot program that is executed first by the MPU 231 when the system reset is released is stored in the first program storage area 234d1, but all of the boot program may be stored in the first program storage area 234d1. In this case, when the MPU 231 starts the boot process, it may execute the processes of S2603 to S2605 without executing the processes of S2601 and S2602. This eliminates the need to transfer the boot program to the program storage area 233a, and therefore reduces the number of times the program is transferred from the character ROM 234 to the program storage area 233a, thereby reducing the processing time of the boot process. This allows the MPU 231 to start controlling the auxiliary performance unit, which becomes possible after the boot process, more quickly.

Now, let us return to the explanation of FIG. 116. After the boot process is completed, the initial setting process is then executed in accordance with the control program transferred to and stored in the program storage area 233a of the work RAM 233 (S2502). Specifically, the value of the stack pointer is set in the MPU 231, and various settings are made for the registers in the MPU 231 and for the I/O devices, etc. Also, processes such as clearing the storage of the work RAM 233, the resident video RAM 235, and the normal video RAM 236 are performed. Furthermore, various flags are provided in the work RAM 233, and initial values are set for each flag. The initial value of each flag is set to "off" or "0" unless otherwise specified.

Furthermore, in the initial setting process, after initial setting of the image controller 237, the image controller 237 is instructed to execute image drawing and display processing so that an image of a specific color is displayed on the entire screen of the third pattern display device 81. As a result, immediately after power is turned on, an image of a specific color is first displayed on the entire screen of the third pattern display device 81. Here, the color of the image displayed on the entire screen of the third pattern display device 81 immediately after power is turned on is set to be a different color depending on the model of the pachinko machine. As a result, during an operation check at a factory or the like during manufacturing, by checking whether an image of a color corresponding to the model is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 immediately after power is turned on, it is possible to easily and immediately determine whether the pachinko machine 10 can start up normally.

Next, a transfer instruction is sent to image controller 237 to transfer image data corresponding to the power-on main image to power-on main image area 235a of resident video RAM 235 (S2503). This transfer instruction includes the start address and end address of character ROM 234 in which image data corresponding to the power-on main image is stored, information on the transfer destination (here, resident video RAM 235), and the start address of the power-on main image area 235a, which is the transfer destination. In accordance with this transfer instruction, image controller 237 transfers the image data corresponding to the power-on main image from character ROM 234 to power-on main image area 235a of resident video RAM 235.

When the transfer of all image data specified by the transfer instruction is complete, image controller 237 transmits a transfer end signal to MPU 231 indicating the end of transfer. By receiving this transfer end signal, MPU 231 can know that the transfer of image data specified in the transfer instruction has ended. Note that when image controller 237 has completed the transfer of all image data specified by the transfer instruction, it may write transfer end information indicating the end of transfer to a register or a partial area of built-in memory provided inside image controller 237. MPU 231 may then read information from this register or partial area of built-in memory at any time and detect the writing of transfer end information by image controller 237, thereby knowing that the transfer of image data specified in the transfer instruction has ended.

The image data transferred to the power-on main image area 235a is held so as not to be overwritten until the power is cut off. When the transfer of the image data corresponding to the power-on main image to the power-on main image area 235a is completed based on the transfer instruction sent to the image controller 237 by the processing of S2503, a transfer instruction is then sent to the image controller to transfer the image data corresponding to the power-on variable image to the power-on variable image area 235b of the resident video RAM 235 (S2504). This transfer instruction includes the top address of the character ROM 234 in which the image data corresponding to the power-on variable image is stored, the data size of the image data, information on the transfer destination (here, the resident video RAM 235), and the top address of the power-on variable image area 235b, which is the transfer destination, and the image controller transfers the image data corresponding to the power-on variable image from the character ROM 234 to the power-on variable image area 235b of the resident video RAM 235 in accordance with this transfer instruction. The image data transferred to the power-on variable image area 235b is then retained so that it is not overwritten until the power is turned off.

When the transfer of image data corresponding to the power-on variable image to the power-on variable image area 235b is completed based on the transfer instruction sent to the image controller 237 by the processing of S2504, the simple image display flag 233c is then turned on (S2505). As a result, while the simple image display flag 233c is on, a resident image transfer setting process is executed in which the image controller 237 is instructed to transfer all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 in the transfer setting process described below (see FIG. 132(a)) (see S4702 in FIG. 132(a)).

Furthermore, the simple image display flag 233c is maintained on until the transfer of all image data to be resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 is completed based on the transfer instruction to the image controller 237 by this resident image transfer setting process. As a result, during that time, the simple command determination process (see S2809 in FIG. 118(b)) and the simple display setting process (see S2810 in FIG. 118(b)) are executed so that the power-on images, that is, the power-on main image and the power-on variable image (see FIG. 82), are drawn in the V interrupt process (see FIG. 118(b)).

As described above, in this pachinko machine 10, since the NAND type flash memory 234a is used for the character ROM 234, due to its slow read speed, it takes a long time for all image data to be stored in the resident video RAM 235 to be transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. Therefore, as in this main process, after the power is turned on, the power-on main image and the power-on variable image are first transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235, and the power-on main image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81, so that while the remaining image data to be resident is being transferred to the resident video RAM 235, players and hall personnel can check the power-on main image displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Therefore, while the display control device 114 is displaying the power-on main image on the third pattern display device 114, the display control device 114 can take time to transfer the remaining image data to be resident from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. On the other hand, players can recognize that some kind of initialization process is taking place while the main image is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 when the power is turned on, so they can wait until the initialization is complete without worrying that operation may have stopped until the image data that should be resident in the remaining resident video RAM 235 is transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235.

In addition, during operation checks at the factory during manufacturing, the main image is immediately displayed on the third pattern display device 81 when the power is turned on, making it possible to immediately confirm that the third pattern display device 81 has started operating without any problems upon power-on, and the efficiency of operation checks can be prevented from deteriorating due to the use of a NAND-type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed for the character ROM 234.

In addition, the display control device 114 of the pachinko machine 10 transfers the power-on variable image from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 together with the power-on main image after power is turned on. Therefore, if the player starts playing while the power-on main image is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and a ball enters the first winning slot 64 (initial winning), and an instruction to start the variable performance is given by the main control device 110 via the sound lamp control device 113, i.e., if a display variable pattern command is received, the power-on variable image (see FIG. 82) can be displayed immediately during the variable performance period, and a simple variable performance can be performed. Therefore, the player can be sure that the lottery has been drawn by the simple variable performance, even while the power-on main image is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

As described above, the power-on main image continues to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81 while the remaining image data to be resident is being transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. However, since the character ROM 234 is composed of a NAND-type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the transfer takes time, and the power-on main image continues to be displayed for a long time after power is turned on. However, in this pachinko machine 10, a simple variable performance can be performed using the power-on variable image transferred to the resident video RAM 235 after power is turned on, so that the player can play with peace of mind even while the power-on main image is being displayed immediately after power is turned on, for example, immediately after recovery from a power outage.

After the processing of S2505, interrupt permission is set (S2506), and thereafter, the main processing executes an infinite loop process until the power is turned off. As a result, after interrupt permission is set by the processing of S2506, command interrupt processing and V interrupt processing are executed according to the reception of a command and the detection of a V interrupt signal.

Next, referring to FIG. 118(a), the command interrupt processing executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 will be described. FIG. 118(a) is a flowchart showing the command interrupt processing. As described above, when a command is received from the voice lamp control device 113, the command interrupt processing is executed by the MPU 231.

In this command interrupt process, the received command data is extracted, and the extracted command data is stored sequentially in a command buffer area provided in the work RAM 233 (S2201), and the process ends. The various commands stored in the command buffer area by this command interrupt process are read out by the command determination process or simple command determination process of the V interrupt process described below, and processing according to the command is carried out.

Next, referring to FIG. 118(b), the V interrupt processing executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 will be described. FIG. 118(b) is a flowchart showing the V interrupt processing. In this V interrupt processing, various processes corresponding to the commands stored in the command buffer area by the command interrupt processing are executed, and the image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is identified, and a drawing list (see FIG. 87) of the image is created, and the drawing list is sent to the image controller 237, thereby instructing the image controller 237 to execute the drawing process and display process of the image.

As described above, this V interrupt process is started when a V interrupt signal from the image controller 237 is detected. This V interrupt signal is generated in the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process of one frame of an image is completed, and is transmitted to the MPU 231. Therefore, by executing the V interrupt process in synchronization with this V interrupt signal, a drawing instruction is sent to the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process of one frame of an image is completed. Therefore, the image controller 237 does not receive a drawing instruction for the next image before the drawing process or display process of the image is completed, so it is possible to prevent starting drawing of a new image in the middle of drawing an image, or developing an image in response to a new drawing instruction in the frame buffer in which the image information currently being displayed is stored.

Here, we will first explain the outline of the V interrupt processing flow, and then explain the details of each process with reference to other drawings. In this V interrupt processing, as shown in FIG. 118(b), first, it is determined whether the simple image display flag 233c is on or not (S2801). If the simple image display flag 233c is not on, that is, it is off (S2801: No), it means that the transfer of all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has been completed, so in order to display a normal performance image on the third pattern display device 81 instead of the power-on image (see FIG. 82(a)), a command determination process (S2802) is executed, and then a display setting process (S2803) is executed.

In the command determination process (S2802), the contents of the command from the voice lamp control device 113 stored in the command buffer area by the command interrupt process are analyzed, and processing according to the command is executed. If a display demo command or a display variation pattern command is stored, a demo display data table or a variation display data table according to the variation pattern type is set in the display data table buffer 233d, and a transfer data table corresponding to the set display data table is set in the transfer data table buffer 233e.

In this command determination process, all commands stored in the command buffer area at that time are analyzed and processed. This is because the command determination process is performed at 20 millisecond intervals when the V interrupt process is executed, and it is highly likely that multiple commands are stored in the command buffer area during those 20 milliseconds. In particular, when the main control device 110 decides to start a variable performance, it is highly likely that a display variable pattern command and a display stop type command are simultaneously stored in the command buffer area. Therefore, by analyzing and executing these commands at once, it is possible to quickly grasp the state and stop type of the variable performance selected by the main control device 110 and the voice lamp control device 113, and control the drawing of the image so that the performance image corresponding to that state is displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Details of this command determination process will be described later with reference to Figures 119 to 127.

In the display setting process (S2803), the contents of one frame of image to be displayed next on the third pattern display device 81 are specifically identified based on the contents of the display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the command determination process (S2802) or the like. In addition, depending on the processing status, etc., the presentation mode to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is determined, and the display data table corresponding to the determined presentation mode is set in the display data table buffer 233d. Details of this display setting process will be described later with reference to Figures 128 to 130.

After the display setting process is executed, task processing is then executed (S2804). In this task processing, based on the content of the next frame of image to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81, which was specified by the display setting process (S2803) or the simplified display setting process (S2809), the type of sprite (display object) that constitutes the image is identified, and various parameters required for drawing, such as the display coordinate position, magnification rate, and rotation angle, are determined for each sprite.

When the task processing is completed, a performance information correction process is executed (S2805). In this performance information correction process (S2805), the presence or absence of display, the display coordinate position, and the magnification rate are corrected for the sprites of the various power-on images (power-on main image, power-on variable image, power-on title image) used for display when the power is turned on, among the images for one frame determined in the task processing described above. Note that the performance information correction process (S2805) may be configured to be executed within the task processing (S2804).

Next, a transfer setting process is executed (S2806). In this transfer setting process, while the simple image display flag 233c is on, a transfer instruction is set for the image controller 237 to transfer image data to be resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to a predetermined area of the resident video RAM 235. Also, while the simple image display flag 233c is off, a transfer instruction is set for the image controller 237 to transfer predetermined image data from the character ROM 234 to a predetermined sub-area of the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236 based on the transfer data information of the transfer data table set in the transfer data table buffer 233e, and even when a continuous preview command or a back image change command is received from the voice lamp control device 113, a transfer instruction is set for the image controller 237 to transfer image data of the continuous preview image used in the continuous preview performance and image data of the changed back image from the character ROM 234 to a predetermined sub-area of the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236. Details of the forwarding setting process will be described later with reference to Figures 132 and 133.

Next, the drawing process is executed (S2807). In this drawing process, a drawing list as shown in FIG. 87 is generated from the types of sprites constituting one frame and the parameters required for drawing each sprite, which were determined in the task process (S2804) and the performance information correction process (S2805), and the transfer instructions set in the transfer setting process (S2806). The drawing list is then sent to the image controller 237 together with the drawing target buffer information. As a result, the image controller 237 executes the image drawing process according to the drawing list. Details of the drawing process will be described later with reference to FIG. 134.

Next, the display control device 114 executes an update process for various counters (S2808). Then, the V interrupt process is terminated. An example of a counter updated by the process of S2808 is a stop pattern counter (not shown) for determining the stop pattern. The value of this stop pattern counter is stored in the work RAM 233, and an update process is performed each time the V interrupt process is executed. Then, in the command determination process, when the reception of a display stop type command is detected, the stop type table corresponding to the stop type indicated by the display stop type command (jackpot A, jackpot B, jackpot C, front and rear miss reach, reach other than front and rear miss, complete miss, chance eye) is compared with the stop type counter, and the stop pattern after the variable performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is finally set.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S2801 that the simple image display flag 233c is on (S2801: Yes), this means that the transfer of all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has not been completed, so a simple command determination process (S2809) is executed to display the power-on image (see FIG. 82) on the third pattern display device 81, and then a simple display setting process (S2810) is executed, and the processing proceeds to S2804.

Next, the details of the above-mentioned command determination process (S2802), which is one process of the V interrupt process executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114, will be described with reference to Figures 119 to 127. First, Figure 119 is a flowchart showing this command determination process.

As shown in FIG. 119, in this command determination process, first, it is determined whether there is an unprocessed new command in the command buffer area (S2901), and if there is no unprocessed new command (S2901: No), the command determination process ends and the process returns to V interrupt processing. On the other hand, if there is an unprocessed new command (S2901: Yes), a new command flag is set to ON (S2902) to notify the display setting process (S2803) that a new command has been processed in the ON state, and then the type of each command stored in the command buffer area is analyzed (S2903).

Then, first, it is determined whether or not there is a display variation pattern command among the unprocessed commands (S2904), and if there is a display variation pattern command (S2904: Yes), variation pattern command processing is executed (S2905), and processing returns to S2901.

Here, the variation pattern command processing (S2905) will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 120(a). FIG. 120(a) is a flowchart showing the variation pattern command processing. This variation pattern command processing executes processing corresponding to the display variation pattern command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In the variation pattern command processing, first, a variation display data table corresponding to the variation performance pattern indicated by the display variation pattern command is determined, and the determined variation display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S3001).

Here, the main control unit 110 always judges the start of the fluctuation at least several seconds apart, so two or more display fluctuation pattern commands are never received within 20 milliseconds. Therefore, when executing the command judgment process, it is impossible for two or more display fluctuation pattern commands to be stored in the command buffer area. However, there is a possibility that part of the command may change due to the influence of noise, etc., and another command may be erroneously interpreted as a display fluctuation pattern command. In the process of S3001, in preparation for such a case, if it is judged that two or more display fluctuation pattern commands are stored in the command buffer area, the fluctuation display data table corresponding to the fluctuation pattern with the shortest fluctuation time is set in the display data table buffer 233d.

If a change display data table corresponding to a change pattern with a long change time is set in the display data table buffer 233d, and a change presentation having a shorter change time than the set display data table is actually instructed by the main control device 110, the next display change pattern command will be received from the main control device 110 while a change presentation according to the set change display data table is being displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and a different change display will suddenly begin, which may cause the player to feel uncomfortable.

In contrast to this, as in this embodiment, by setting the change display data table corresponding to the change pattern with the shortest change time in the display data table buffer 233d, even if the main control unit 110 has actually instructed a change presentation with a longer change time than the set display data table, as described below, after the change presentation according to the display data table buffer 233d has ended, the display of the third pattern display device 81 is controlled by the display setting process so that a demo presentation is displayed until the next display pattern command is received from the main control unit 110, so that the player can continue to watch the change of the third pattern on the third pattern display device 81 without feeling any discomfort.

Then, the transfer data table corresponding to the display data table set in S3001 is determined and read from the data table storage area 233b, and set in the transfer data table buffer 233e (S3002). Then, among the data table discrimination flags provided for each variation display data table corresponding to each variation pattern, the data table discrimination flag corresponding to the variation display data table set by the processing of S3001 is set to ON, and the data table discrimination flags corresponding to the other variation display data tables are set to OFF (S3003). In the display setting process, by referring to the data table discrimination flag set by the processing of S3003, it is possible to easily determine which variation pattern the variation display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d corresponds to.

Next, based on the variation time of the variation pattern corresponding to the variation display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S3001, time data representing that variation time is set in the timing counter 233h (S3004), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S3005). Then, the demo display flag and the final display flag are both set to off (S3006), and a special effect correction process is executed to correct the performance screen when a performance in which the extension and contraction performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) or the tilting operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9) is moved is executed (S3007). When the processing of S3007 is completed, the variation pattern command process is terminated, and the process returns to the command determination process.

When this variable pattern command processing is executed, the display setting processing updates the pointer 233f initialized by the processing of S3005, extracts the drawing contents specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f from the variable display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S3001, and specifies the contents of one frame's worth of image to be displayed next on the third pattern display device 81. At the same time, the processing of S3002 extracts the transfer data information specified at the address indicated by the pointer 233f from the transfer data table set in the transfer data table buffer 233e, and controls the image controller 237 so that the image data of the sprite required in the set variable display data table is transferred in advance from the character ROM 234 to the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236.

In addition, in the display setting process, the timing counter 233h, in which the time data is set by the process of S2504, is used to time the time of the variable performance specified in the variable display data table, and when it is determined that the variable performance in the variable display data table has ended, the setting of the stop display is controlled so that the stop pattern corresponding to the display stop type command from the main control unit 110 is displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Now, with reference to FIG. 121, the details of the special effect correction process (S3007) will be described. FIG. 121 is a flowchart showing the special effect correction process (S3007). This special effect correction process (S3007) is a process for correcting the display mode (position, size) of various power-on images displayed on the display device (third pattern display device 81 or sub display device 690) when an effect is executed in which the extension effect device 540 (see FIG. 9) or the tilting action unit 600 (see FIG. 9) is movable.

In the special performance correction process (S3007), first, it is determined whether the performance based on the received variation pattern command is a performance in which the telescopic performance device (telescopic role) 540 is moved (whether there is a telescopic role scenario) (S3201). In the process of S3201, if it is determined that there is a telescopic role scenario (S3201: Yes), in the variation, the front member 546 of the telescopic performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) moves to a lower position, and a performance in which the third pattern display device 81 is difficult to see (or cannot be seen) is executed. In this case, telescopic role movement correction information is set from the correction information table 234a3 to the correction information storage area 233m (S3202), and the process proceeds to S3205. By the process of S3202, the power-on variation image (see FIG. 83(a)) displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is corrected and displayed on the sub display device 690. Therefore, even if the front member 546 of the extension device 540 moves to the front side of the third pattern display device 81, the player can easily see the power-on variable image by looking at the sub-display device 690. Here, the power-on variable image is the "○" symbol displayed in the upper right corner of the third pattern display device 81, as shown in FIG. 83(a). In addition to the "○" symbol, an "X" symbol is also displayed as a variable image. This variable image notifies the player that a special symbol (special symbol 1 or special symbol 2) is being displayed by alternating between the "○" symbol and the "X" symbol. When the "○" symbol is displayed as a stopped symbol, a win of the special symbol is notified, and when the "X" symbol is displayed as a stopped symbol, a loss of the special symbol is notified.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S3201 that there is no telescopic role scenario (S3201: No), then it is determined whether the performance based on the received variation pattern command is a performance in which the tilting operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9) is moved (whether there is a tilting role scenario) (S3203). If it is determined in the process of S3203 that there is a tilting role scenario (S3203: Yes), in the variation, the tilting operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9) on which the sub-display device 690 is provided is moved, and a performance in which the sub-display device 690 is difficult to see is executed. In this case, the tilting role movement correction information is set in the correction information storage area 233m from the correction information table 234a3 (S3204), and the process proceeds to S3205. By processing S3204, the tilt operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9) on which the sub-display device 690 is mounted is moved, and even when an effect is executed in which the sub-display device 690 is difficult to see, the player can easily see the power-on variable image displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In addition, in the above-mentioned processing of S3202 and S3204, information is set to correct the display mode (position, size) of the power-on variable image in accordance with the effect being executed, so that the display mode is controlled to be easy for the player to view. This makes it unnecessary to store an image in a display mode that is easy for the player to view for each effect being executed, thereby saving space in ROM 234.

After completing the processing of S3202 or S3204, the special effect correction flag 233n is set to ON (S3205), and this processing ends. The special effect correction flag 233n that is set to ON in the processing of S3205 is a flag that indicates that information for correcting the display mode (position, size) of various power-on images has been set in the special effect correction processing (S3007) in association with the execution of the telescopic role scenario or the tilting role scenario. By setting this special effect correction flag 233n to ON, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the correction information for normal effects from being stored in the correction information storage area 233m, even though a change based on the telescopic role scenario or the tilting role scenario is executed in the performance information correction processing described later. On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S3203 that there is no tilting role scenario (S3203: No), this processing ends as it is.

As described above, the tilting operation unit (tilting device) 600 has the first curtain member 624 and the second curtain member 625 (see FIG. 50), and these curtain members can be switched between an open state in which the sub-display device 690 provided in the tilting operation unit is visible to the player, and a closed state in which the sub-display device 690 is difficult for the player to see. Therefore, when the first curtain member 624 and the second curtain member 625 are in the closed state, the image displayed on the sub-display device 690 may be corrected to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81. In addition, whether the first curtain member 624 and the second curtain member 625 are in a closed state may be determined based on the role scenario in the performance, as in determining the operation of the telescopic role and the tilting role described above, or may be determined by an origin sensor that detects the origin positions of the first curtain member 624 and the second curtain member 625, and when it is determined that these curtain members are in the origin position (closed state), the display of the sub display device 690 may be switched to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81. As a result, even if the first curtain member 624 and the second curtain member 625 are in a closed state due to a malfunction, that is, when the sub display device 690 is difficult to see, the display image of the sub display device 690 can be corrected and displayed on the third pattern display device.

Furthermore, in the tilting operation unit (tilting role) 600 and the telescopic performance device (telescopic role) 540 described above, the correction information may be changed based on the determination result of the origin sensor that detects the origin position. This makes it possible to accurately detect the state and display various performances in a position visible to the player on the third pattern display device 81 or sub display device 690 even if the role malfunctions and the role is operating differently from the role scenario.

In this embodiment, the telescopic performance device 540 moves up and down and the tilting operation unit 600 tilts, but the present invention is not limited to this. When an operation scenario is set in which the tilting operation unit 600 slides on the front side of the third pattern display device 81, the same processing as that performed in this special performance correction process (S3007) may be performed. When the tilting operation unit 600 slides, a series of operation scenarios for the slide operation are set in the voice lamp control device 113. In this case, the voice lamp control device 113 notifies the user by a display change pattern command that the change pattern is a change pattern for executing the slide operation, and in this case, the slide operation correction information is set in the correction information storage area 233m. Here, the display coordinates of the slide operation correction information are set so that the power-on change image (the "○" pattern (or the "×" pattern change display) shown in FIG. 83(a)) corrected and displayed on the third pattern display device 81 does not move to the back side of the tilting operation unit 600 that slides. In this embodiment, the variable image (see FIG. 83(a)) is displayed at the top left of the third symbol display device 81, but when configured to be displayed at the bottom right, when the tilting motion unit 600 slides leftward from the right side, the image is gradually slid (moved) leftward in accordance with the motion of the tilting motion unit 600 and displayed. Such coordinate information is set in the slide motion correction information. In addition, when the image is slid leftward in accordance with the motion of the tilting motion unit 600 and moved to the area where the third symbol displayed on the third symbol display device 81 is displayed, the coordinate may be set to move to the sub-display device 690 built into the tilting motion unit 600 and displayed. By configuring in this way, the variable image (see FIG. 83(a)) indicating that the special symbol is being changed can be displayed in an easy-to-see manner by the player. In this embodiment, the object to be moved and displayed is the variable image (see FIG. 83(a)), but it may be the third symbol displayed on the third symbol display device 81, a reserved symbol, or a symbol such as a character. The above-mentioned slide motion correction information is set in advance in the display control device 114 in accordance with the operation scenario of the slide motion set by the voice lamp control device 113, and is set so that the coordinate information is variably set in accordance with the timing of the slide motion.

In addition, in this control example, the display positions of various images are corrected when the power is turned on, but this is not limited to this, and the display positions of images (character images and variable patterns) displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690 during normal performance may also be corrected.

Returning to FIG. 119, the explanation will continue. In the process of S2904, if it is determined that there is no display variation pattern command (S2904: No), it is then determined whether or not there is a display stop type command among the unprocessed commands (S2906). If there is a display variation type command (S2906: Yes), stop type command processing is executed (S2907), and the process returns to S2901.

Here, the details of the stop type command processing (S2907) will be described with reference to FIG. 120(b). FIG. 120(b) is a flowchart showing the stop type command processing. This stop type command processing executes processing corresponding to the display variable type command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In the stop type command processing, first, a stop type table corresponding to the stop type information indicated by the stop type command for display (jackpot A, jackpot B, jackpot C, front or rear miss reach, reach other than front or rear miss, complete miss, or chance eye) is determined (S3101), and the stop type table is compared with the value of the stop type counter that is updated each time the V interrupt processing (see FIG. 118(b)) is executed, and the stop pattern after the variable performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 is finally set (S3102).

Then, among the stop pattern discrimination flags provided for each stop pattern, the stop pattern discrimination flag corresponding to the stop pattern set by the processing of S3102 is turned on, and the stop pattern discrimination flags corresponding to the other stop patterns are set to off (S3103), this stop type command processing is terminated, and the process returns to the command determination processing.

Here, as described above, in the variable display data table, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the variation based on the data table, offset information (pattern offset information) from the stop pattern set by the processing of S3102 is described as type information for identifying the third pattern to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81. In the above-mentioned task processing (S2804), after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the variation, the stop pattern set by the processing of S3102 is identified from the stop pattern discrimination flag set by S3103, and the pattern offset information acquired by the display setting processing is added to the identified stop pattern to identify the third pattern to be actually displayed. Then, the address where the image data corresponding to this identified third pattern is stored is identified. Note that the image data corresponding to the third pattern is stored in the third pattern area 235d of the resident video RAM 235, as described above.

As described above, in this embodiment, the character ROM 234 is configured from a NAND type flash memory 234a, which has a slow read speed, but image data required for drawing can be transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 before drawing is performed in the third pattern display device 81. Therefore, even if the character ROM 234 is configured from a NAND type flash memory 234a, the responsiveness of drawing in the third pattern display device 81 can be maintained high.

In addition, since the main control device 110 always judges the start of the fluctuation at least several seconds apart, it will never receive two or more display stop type commands within 20 milliseconds. Therefore, when executing the command judgment process, it is impossible for two or more display stop type commands to be stored in the command buffer area. However, there is a possibility that part of the command may change due to the influence of noise, etc., and another command may be erroneously interpreted as a display stop type command. In the process of S3101, in preparation for such a case, if it is judged that two or more display stop type commands are stored in the command buffer area, the stop type is assumed to be a complete miss, and the stop type table is determined. As a result, the stop pattern corresponding to a complete miss is set by the process of S3102.

If a stopping pattern corresponding to a "special pattern jackpot" were set, the third pattern display device 81 would display a stopping pattern corresponding to a "special pattern jackpot" even if the actual result was a "miss for the special pattern," which could lead the player to mistakenly believe that the pachinko machine 10 had a "special pattern jackpot," thereby reducing the reliability of the pachinko machine 10. In contrast, by setting a stopping pattern corresponding to a complete miss, as in this embodiment, if the actual result was a "special pattern jackpot," the pachinko machine 10 would be a "special pattern jackpot" even if the third pattern display device 81 displayed a stopping pattern that was a complete miss, which would delight the player.

Returning to FIG. 119, the explanation will continue. If it is determined in the processing of S2906 that there is no display stop type command (S2906: No), then it is determined whether or not there is a jackpot-related command among the unprocessed commands (S2908). If it is determined in the processing of S2908 that there is a jackpot-related command (S2908: Yes), jackpot-related command processing is executed (S2909), and the processing returns to S2901.

Now, referring to FIG. 122, the details of the jackpot-related command processing (S2909) will be described. FIG. 122 is a flowchart showing the jackpot-related command processing (S2909). This jackpot-related command processing (S2909) is processing for executing processing corresponding to various commands (opening command for display, number of rounds command for display, ending command for display) for executing the jackpot performance received from the audio lamp control device 113.

In the jackpot-related command processing (S2909), first, it is determined whether or not there is an opening command for display among the unprocessed commands (S3301). If it is determined in the processing of S3301 that there is an opening command for display (S3301: Yes), the opening command processing (S3302) is executed, and the processing proceeds to S3303.

Here, the details of the opening command processing (S3302) will be described with reference to FIG. 123(a). FIG. 123(a) is a flowchart showing the opening command processing. This opening command processing executes processing corresponding to the display opening command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In this opening command process, first, the opening display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S3401). Next, the transfer data table corresponding to the display data table set in S3401 is determined and read from the data table storage area 233b, and set in the transfer data table buffer 233e (S3402).

Then, based on the opening display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S3401, time data representing the performance time is set in the timing counter 233h (S3403), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S3404). Then, the demo display flag and the final display flag are both set to off (S3405), the opening command processing ends, and the processing returns to the command determination processing.

When this opening command processing is executed, the display setting processing updates the pointer 233f initialized by the processing of S3404, extracts the drawing contents specified by the address indicated by the pointer 233f from the opening display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S3401, and specifies the contents of one frame's worth of image to be displayed next on the third pattern display device 81. At the same time, the processing of S3402 extracts the transfer data information specified by the address indicated by the pointer 233f from the transfer data table set in the transfer data table buffer 233e, and controls the image controller 237 so that the image data of the sprite required in the set opening display data table is transferred in advance from the character ROM 234 to the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236.

When this opening command process is executed, the opening transfer data table is set in the transfer data table buffer 233e. This allows the image data required for the round and ending effects to be transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 while the opening effect is being performed on the third pattern display device 81. As described above, in this pachinko machine 10, the NAND type flash memory 234a is used for the character ROM 234, and due to its slow read speed, it takes a long time for the image data used for the big win effects (opening effect, round effect, ending effect) to be transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

The display round number command, which indicates the number of new rounds to be started, is sent from the sound lamp control device 113 in time with the end of the opening performance in the third pattern display device 81. If the image data required for the round performance was transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 after the display round number command indicating the first round was received, a long waiting time would occur between the end of the opening performance and the start of the round performance, which could cause the player to feel uneasy or uncomfortable, as if the operation had stopped.

In addition, the display ending command that instructs the start of the ending performance is sent from the sound lamp control device 113 at the timing when all round performances (16 rounds) in the third pattern display device 81 have ended. Therefore, if the image data required for the ending performance was transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 after the display ending command was received, a long waiting time would occur between the end of the round performance and the start of the ending performance, which could make the player feel uneasy or uncomfortable, as if the operation had stopped.

Therefore, in this control example, when an opening command for display is received, the transfer of data necessary for the round and ending performances begins, and the transfer of data necessary for the round and ending performances is controlled to be completed by the time the variable display of the jackpot ends on the third pattern display device 81. As a result, when the opening performance ends on the third pattern display device 81, the round performance can be started immediately on the third pattern display device 81, and when all the round performances (5 rounds) end on the third pattern display device 81, the ending performance can be started immediately on the third pattern display device 81, so the player does not feel anxious or uncomfortable that the operation has stopped. This puts the player at ease.

As mentioned above, in this embodiment, when it is determined that the stop type information indicated by the display stop type command is a jackpot stop type, the transfer of image data to be used in the opening performance is started from that point, and the transfer of image data to be used in the opening performance is controlled so as to end before the variable performance resulting in a jackpot ends in the third pattern display device 81. As a result, when the variable performance resulting in a jackpot ends in the third pattern display device 81, the opening performance can be started immediately in the third pattern display device 81, so that the player does not feel anxious or uncomfortable that the operation has stopped. This puts the player at ease.

Returning to FIG. 122, the explanation will continue. In the processing of S3301, if it is determined that there is no opening command for display (S3301: No), it is then determined whether or not there is a round number command for display among the unprocessed commands (S3303). If there is a round number command for display (S3303: Yes), round number command processing is executed (S3304) and the processing proceeds to S3305.

Now, the details of the number of rounds command processing (S3304) will be described with reference to FIG. 123(b). FIG. 123(b) is a flowchart showing the number of rounds command processing (S3304). This number of rounds command processing (S3304) executes processing corresponding to the number of rounds command for display received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In the round number command processing, first, the round number display data table corresponding to the round number indicated by the display round number command is determined, and the determined round number display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S3501). Next, Null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233e to clear its contents (S3502).

Then, based on the number of rounds display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S3501, time data representing the presentation time is set in the timing counter 233h (S3503), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S3504). Then, the demo display flag and the final display flag are both set to off (S3505), the number of rounds command processing ends, and the process returns to the jackpot-related command processing.

Now, let us return to the explanation of FIG. 122. If it is determined in the processing of S3303 that there is no round number command for display (S3303: No), then it is determined whether or not there is an ending command for display among the unprocessed commands (S3305), and if there is an ending command for display (S3305: Yes), ending command processing is executed (S3306) and the process returns to the command determination processing. On the other hand, if there is no ending command for display in the processing of S3305 (S3305: No), the process of S3306 is skipped and the process returns to the command determination processing.

Now, with reference to FIG. 124(a), the details of the ending command processing (S3306) will be described. FIG. 124(a) is a flowchart showing the ending command processing (S3306). This ending command processing (S3306) executes processing corresponding to the display ending command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In ending command processing, first, the ending display data table corresponding to the number of rounds indicated by the display ending command is determined, and the determined number of rounds display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S3601). Next, Null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233e to clear its contents (S3602).

Then, based on the ending display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S3601, time data representing the presentation time is set in the timing counter 233h (S3603), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S3604). Then, the demo display flag and the final display flag are both set to off (S3605), the ending command processing ends, and the processing returns to the command determination processing.

Returning to FIG. 119, the explanation will continue. If it is determined in the processing of S2908 that there is no jackpot-related command (S2908: No), it is then determined whether or not there is a display preview command among the unprocessed commands (S2910). If there is a display preview command (S2910: Yes), the preview command processing is executed (S2911) and the processing returns to S2901.

Here, the details of the notice command processing (S2911) will be described with reference to FIG. 124(b). FIG. 124(b) is a flowchart showing the notice command processing. This notice command processing executes processing corresponding to the display notice command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In the preview command processing, first, the preview performance display data table indicated by the display preview command is determined, and the determined preview performance display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S3701). Next, null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233e to clear its contents (S3702).

Then, based on the preview performance display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S3701, time data representing the performance time is set in the timing counter 233h (S3703), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S3704). Then, the demo display flag and the final display flag are both set to off (S3705), the preview command processing ends, and the processing returns to the command determination processing.

This preview command processing (S2911) sets the display data table buffer 233d based on the preview performance display data table, and the preview performance set in the voice lamp control device 113 corresponding to the performance mode is displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Returning to FIG. 119 for further explanation, if it is determined in the processing of S2910 that there is no preview command for display (S2910: No), it is then determined whether or not there is a goal scoring effect command for display among the unprocessed commands (S2912). If there is a goal scoring effect command for display (S2912: Yes), the goal scoring effect command processing is executed (S2913) and processing returns to S2901.

Here, the details of the goal scoring effect command processing (S2913) will be described with reference to FIG. 125(a). FIG. 125(a) is a flowchart showing the goal scoring effect command processing (S2913). This goal scoring effect command processing (S2913) executes processing corresponding to the goal scoring effect command for display received from the audio lamp control device 113.

In the scoring performance command processing, first, the scoring performance display data table indicated by the display scoring performance command is determined. Then, the determined scoring performance display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d so that it is displayed in the display area indicated by the command (any of the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d) (S3801). Next, the contents of the transfer data table buffer 233e are cleared by writing Null data to it (S3802).

Then, based on the winning ball performance display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S3801, time data representing the performance time is set in the timing counter 233h (S3803), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S3804). Then, the demo display flag and the final display flag are both set to off (S3805), the winning ball performance command processing ends, and the processing returns to the command determination processing.

By this goal entry effect command processing (S2913), the display data table buffer 233d is set based on the goal entry effect display data table and the display area indicated by the command, and the goal entry effects selected by the voice lamp control device 113 are displayed in sequence in each display area (first area 81a to fourth area 81d) of the third pattern display device 81. As a result, the goal entry effects are displayed in sequence in the four display areas (first area 81a to fourth area 81d) provided on the display screen of the third pattern display device 81, and up to four types of goal entry effects can be displayed simultaneously on the third pattern display device 81.

Returning to FIG. 119 for further explanation, if it is determined in the processing of S2912 that there is no ball entry display command (S2912: No), then it is determined whether or not there is a specific time display display command among the unprocessed commands (S2914), and if there is a specific time display display command (S2914: Yes), specific time display command processing is executed (S2915), and processing returns to S2901.

Here, the specific time performance command processing (S2915) will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 125(b). FIG. 125(b) is a flowchart showing the specific time performance command processing (S2915). This specific time performance command processing (S2915) executes processing corresponding to the specific time performance command for display received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In the specific time performance command processing, first, the specific time performance display data table indicated by the display specific time performance command is determined, and the determined specific time performance display data table is read from the data table storage area 233b and set in the display data table buffer 233d (S3901). Next, null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233e to clear its contents (S3902).

Then, based on the specific time effect display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d by the processing of S3901, time data representing that effect time is set in the timing counter 233h (S3903), and the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S3904). Then, the demo display flag and the final display flag are both set to off (S3905), the ball entry effect command processing ends, and the processing returns to the command determination processing.

This specific time performance command processing (S2915) sets the display data table buffer 233d based on the specific time performance display data table, so that the specific time performance (countdown performance) selected in the voice lamp control device 113 is displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

Returning to FIG. 119, the explanation will continue. In the process of S2914, if it is determined that there is no display specific time presentation command (S2914: No), it is then determined whether or not there is a display presentation mode change command among the unprocessed commands (S2916). If there is a display presentation mode change command (S2916: Yes), presentation mode change command processing is executed (S2917), and the process returns to S2901.

Here, the details of the presentation mode change command processing (S2917) will be described with reference to FIG. 126(a). FIG. 126(a) is a flowchart showing the presentation mode change command processing (S2917). This presentation mode change command processing (S2917) executes processing corresponding to the display specific time presentation command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In the presentation mode change command process, first, the rear image change flag 233p is set to ON (S4001), then the presentation mode flag 233r corresponding to the presentation mode type based on the received command is set to ON (S4002), and this process ends.

The rear image change flag 233p, which is set to ON in the processing of S4001, causes the processing (S4910 to S4915) for changing the rear image in the normal image transfer setting processing (see FIG. 133) described below to be executed. In addition, the presentation mode flag 233r, which is set to ON in S4002, is referenced in the processing for changing the rear image in the normal image transfer setting processing (see FIG. 133) (see S4911 in FIG. 133), and the rear image is changed based on the presentation mode type set in the presentation mode flag 233r. This allows the rear image to be changed in response to the presentation mode change command received from the audio lamp control device 113. As a result, the rear image can be changed based on the change in presentation mode, allowing the player to easily recognize that the presentation mode has been changed.

Returning to FIG. 119, the explanation will continue. If it is determined in the processing of S2916 that there is no display performance mode command (S2916: No), then it is determined whether or not there is a display stop command among the unprocessed commands (S2918), and if there is a display stop command (S2918: Yes), stop command processing is executed (S2919), and the processing returns to S2901.

Here, the details of the stop command processing (S2919) will be described with reference to FIG. 126(b). FIG. 126(b) is a flowchart showing the stop command processing (S2919). This stop command processing (S2919) executes processing corresponding to the display stop command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In the stop command processing, the special effect correction flag 233n is set to OFF (S4101) and this processing is terminated. As described above, in the special effect correction processing (S3007) executed when a variation pattern command is received from the voice lamp control device 113, if there is an extendable role scenario in which the extendable performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) moves, or if there is a tilting role scenario in which the tilting operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9) moves, the special effect correction flag 233n that is set to OFF is set to ON and the correction information of the corresponding correction information table 234a3 is stored in the correction information storage area 233m.

This stop command process is executed based on a stop command sent by the audio lamp control device 113 when each variable performance is stopped. Therefore, when a variable performance based on a telescopic role scenario or a tilting role scenario is stopped, the special performance correction flag 233n is turned off. As a result, in the performance information correction process (see S2804) executed in the V interrupt process (see FIG. 118 (b)), correction information for normal performance or correction information for demo performance is set in the correction information storage area 233m, and an image whose coordinates, etc., have been corrected based on the variable performance of the telescopic role scenario or tilting role scenario is corrected to the original coordinates, etc. and displayed.

Now, let us return to the explanation of FIG. 119. If it is determined in the processing of S2918 that there is no display stop command (S2918: No), then it is determined whether or not there is an error command among the unprocessed commands (S2920), and if there is an error command (S2920: Yes), error command processing is executed (S2921), and the processing returns to S2901.

Now, with reference to FIG. 127, the error command processing (S2921) will be described in detail. FIG. 127 is a flowchart showing the error command processing. This error command processing executes processing corresponding to the error command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

In error command processing, first, an error occurrence flag indicating that an error has occurred is set to ON (S4201). Then, among the error discrimination flags provided for each error type, the error discrimination flag corresponding to the error type indicated by the error command is set to ON, and the other error discrimination flags are set to OFF (S4202), the error command processing is terminated, and the process returns to command judgment processing.

In the display setting process, when an error is detected based on the error occurrence flag set by the process of S4201, the type of error that has occurred is determined from the error discrimination flag set by the process of S4202, and a process is executed to display a warning image corresponding to that error type on the third pattern display device 81.

If it is determined that two or more error commands are stored in the command buffer area, the process in S4202 sets the error discrimination flags corresponding to all error types indicated by the respective error commands to ON. As a result, warning images corresponding to all error types are displayed on the third symbol display device 81, allowing players and hall staff to correctly understand the error occurrence status.

Now, let us return to the explanation of FIG. 119. If it is determined in the processing of S2920 that there is no error command (S2920: No), then processing corresponding to other unprocessed commands is executed (S2922), and the processing returns to S2901.

Other unprocessed commands include, for example, a rear image change command. This rear image change command processing executes processing corresponding to the rear image change command received from the voice lamp control device 113.

If a rear image change command has been received, rear image change command processing is executed (S2922). In this rear image change command processing, first, the rear image change flag 223p, which notifies the normal image transfer setting processing (S4703) of the change of the rear image resulting from the reception of the rear image change command, is set to ON. Then, of the rear image discrimination flags provided for each rear image type (rear A to C), the rear image discrimination flag corresponding to the rear image type indicated by the rear image change command is set to ON, and the rear image discrimination flags corresponding to the other rear image types are set to OFF, the rear image change command processing is terminated, and the processing returns to the command determination processing.

In the normal image transfer setting process, when it is detected that the rear image change flag 223p set by the rear image change command process is on, the changed rear image type is identified from the set rear image discrimination flag. Then, if the identified rear image type is rear B or rear C, as described above, since part of the image data corresponding to those rear images is not resident in the rear image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235, a transfer instruction is set for the image controller 237 so that image data corresponding to a predetermined range of rear images is transferred from the character ROM 234 to a predetermined sub-area of the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236.

In addition, in the task processing, if it is specified in the display data table that one of the backs A to C is to be displayed based on the back image type defined in the display data table, the type of back image to be displayed at that time is identified from the set back image discrimination flag, and the range of the back image to be displayed is identified over time, and the type of RAM in which the image data corresponding to that range of the back image is stored (resident video RAM 235 or normal video RAM 236) and the address of that RAM are identified.

In addition, since the player does not operate the frame button 22 continuously within 20 milliseconds, two or more rear image change commands will not be received within 20 milliseconds. Therefore, when executing the command determination process, there should be no cases where two or more rear image change commands are stored in the command buffer area. However, there is a possibility that a part of the command may change due to the influence of noise, etc., and another command may be erroneously interpreted as a rear image change command. In the rear image change command process, if it is determined that two or more rear image commands are stored in the command buffer area, the rear image discrimination flag corresponding to the rear image type indicated by the rear image command received first may be turned on, or the rear image discrimination flag corresponding to the rear image type indicated by the rear image command received later may be turned on. In addition, any one rear image change command may be extracted, and the rear image discrimination flag corresponding to the rear image type indicated by that command may be turned on. Since this rear image change does not directly affect the game value in the pachinko machine 10, it is preferable to set it appropriately according to the characteristics and operability of the pachinko machine 10.

In the process of S2901, which is executed again after the processing of each command has been executed, it is determined again whether there is an unprocessed new command in the command buffer area, and if there is an unprocessed new command (S2901: Yes), the processes of S2902 to S2922 are executed again. Then, the processes of S2901 to S2922 are repeatedly executed until there are no unprocessed new commands in the command buffer area, and when it is determined in the process of S2901 that there are no unprocessed new commands in the command buffer area, this command determination process ends.

The simple command determination process (S2809), which is executed when the simple image display flag 233c is on in the V interrupt process (see FIG. 118(b)), is similar to the command determination process. However, in the simple command determination process, only the commands necessary to display the power-on image (see FIG. 82), i.e., the display variation pattern command and the display stop type command, are extracted from the unprocessed commands stored in the command buffer area, and the variation pattern command process (see FIG. 120(a)) and the stop type command process (see FIG. 120(b)), which are the processes corresponding to each command, are executed, while the other commands are discarded without executing the processes corresponding to those commands.

In addition, if a power outage occurs while the special pattern is changing and is then restored, the voice lamp control device 113 receives a performance permission command including the fact that the special pattern is changing, which is sent at S1010 of the start-up process (see Figure 101) executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110 described above when the power is turned on, and in the processing of S1504 of the main processing (see Figure 106) executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113, the display control device 114 receives a command to start changing the image changing when power is turned on (received at S1616 of the command determination processing (Figure 107, S1511)), which is output to the display control device 114. This is received and processed in a simple command determination processing (S2809), and the start of the changing display (the display data table of the image changing when power is turned on is set in the display data table buffer 233d) is set in the simple display setting processing (S2810) executed thereafter. In addition, when the main control device 110 outputs an instruction to start changing the power-on changing image corresponding to the special pattern that was changing when the power was turned off, the power-on changing image has already been transferred to the power-on changing image area 235b of the resident video RAM 235, so the third pattern display device 81 immediately starts displaying the changing image. In this case, the power-on changing images shown in Figures 82(b) to (c) are displayed alternately.

After the start-up process of the main control unit 110 (see FIG. 101) transmits a performance permission command based on the game being executed at the time of power-off to the voice lamp control unit 113, a stop command for stopping the variable display executed based on the performance permission command is transmitted from the main control unit 110 to the voice lamp control unit 113. Based on receiving this stop command, the voice lamp control unit 113 transmits a display stop command to the display control unit 114. The display control unit 114 determines that it has received the display stop command through a simple command determination process (see 118(b)), and stops the power-on variable image (see FIG. 82(b) or (c)) in the display mode based on the received command.

If the transfer to the resident video RAM 235 has been completed in the display control device 114 before receiving the display stop command for stopping the above-mentioned power-on variable image, only the power-on variable image is displayed at the coordinate position for normal performance of the third symbol display device 81 (see FIG. 83(a)). This is because the display stop command for stopping the power-on variable image specifies the stop mode of the power-on variable image, and the stop mode for normal performance cannot be selected. However, this is not limited to this, and the stop mode may be determined and displayed in the display control device 114 based on the stop mode of the power-on variable image (jackpot or miss). This allows the display control device 114 to switch to normal performance from the point when the transfer to the resident video RAM 235 is completed, even when the power-on variable image is being changed, and the player's interest can be improved.

In the variation pattern command processing (see FIG. 120(a)) executed in this case, the display data table buffer corresponding to the display of the power-on variation image is set in the display data table buffer 233d in the processing of S3001, and since the image data of the power-on main image and the power-on variation image required in this case are stored in the power-on main image area 235a and the power-on variation image area 235b of the resident video RAM 235, in the processing of S3002, Null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233b and its contents are cleared.

Next, the details of the above-mentioned display setting process (S2803), which is one process of the V interrupt process executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114, will be described with reference to Figs. 128 to 130. Fig. 128 is a flowchart showing this display setting process.

In this display setting process, as shown in FIG. 128, it is determined whether the new command flag is on (S4301), and if the new command flag is not on, i.e., it is off (S4301: No), it is determined that a new command has not been processed in the command determination process executed first, and the processes of S4302 to S4304 are skipped and the process moves to S4305. On the other hand, if the new flag is on (S4301: Yes), it is determined that a new command has been processed in the command determination process executed first, and after setting the new command flag to off (S4302), the process corresponding to the new command is executed by the processes of S4303 to S4304.

In the process of S4303, it is determined whether the error occurrence flag is on (S4303). If the error occurrence flag is on (S4303: Yes), a warning image setting process is executed (S4304).

Now, with reference to FIG. 129, the warning image setting process (S4304) will be described in detail. FIG. 129 is a flowchart showing the warning image setting process. This process is for expanding image data for displaying a warning image corresponding to an error that has occurred on the third pattern display device 81. First, the error discrimination flags are referenced, and warning image data for displaying warning images of errors corresponding to all error discrimination flags that are set to on on the third pattern display device 81 is expanded (S4401).

The task process uses this expanded warning image data to identify the type of sprite (display object) that makes up the warning image, and determines various parameters required for drawing each sprite, such as the display coordinate position, magnification rate, and rotation angle.

Then, in the warning image setting process, after processing of S4401, the error occurrence flag is set to off (S4402) and the process returns to the display setting process.

Now, let us return to the explanation of FIG. 128. After the warning image setting process (S4304), or in the process of S4303, if it is determined that the error occurrence flag is not on, i.e., is off (S4303: No), then the process proceeds to S4305.

In S4305, pointer update processing is executed (S4305). Details of the pointer update processing will now be described with reference to FIG. 130. FIG. 130 is a flowchart showing the pointer update processing. This pointer update processing is processing for updating the pointer 233f that specifies the address from which the corresponding drawing content or transfer data information of the image data to be transferred should be obtained from the display data table and transfer data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d and transfer data table buffer 233e, respectively.

In this pointer update process, first, 1 is added to the pointer 233f (S4501). That is, in principle, the update process is performed so that the pointer 233f is incremented by 1 each time the V interrupt process is executed. Also, as described above, in various data tables, Start information is written at address "0000H" and the actual data of each table is specified from address "0001H" onwards. If the value of the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 as the display data table is stored in the display data table buffer 233d, the value is updated to 1 by this pointer update process, so that the actual data can be read from each data table in order starting from address "0001H".

After the value of pointer 233f is updated by the processing of S4501, it is then determined whether the data at the address indicated by the updated pointer 233f in the display data table set in display data table buffer 233d is End information (S4502). As a result, if it is End information (S4502: Yes), this means that the pointer 233f has been updated past the address where the entity data is written in the display data table set in display data table buffer 233d.

Then, it is determined whether the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d is a demo display data table (S4503), and if it is a demo display data table (S4503: Yes), time data corresponding to the performance time of the demo display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d is set in the timing counter 233h (S4504), the pointer 233f is set to 1 for initialization (S4505), this process is terminated, and the process returns to the display setting process. As a result, in the display setting process, the drawing contents can be expanded in order from the top of the demo display data table, so that the third pattern display device 81 can be made to repeatedly display demo performances.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S4503 that the display data table stored in the display data table buffer 233d is not a demo display data table (S4503: No), the value of the pointer 233f is decremented by 1 (S4506), this process is terminated, and the process returns to the display setting process. As a result, in the display setting process, if a display data table other than the demo display data table, for example, a variable display data table, is set in the display data table buffer 233d, the drawing contents of the previous address in which the End information is written are always expanded, so that the third pattern display device 81 can display the last image specified in the display data table in a stopped state. On the other hand, in the process of S4502, if the data of the address indicated by the updated pointer 233f is not End information (S4502: No), this process is terminated, and the process returns to the display setting process.

Now, returning to FIG. 128, the explanation will continue. After the pointer update process, the drawing contents of the address indicated by the pointer 233f updated by the pointer update process are expanded from the display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d (S4306). In the task process, based on the drawing contents expanded in the process of S4306 together with the warning image etc. expanded earlier, the type of sprite (display object) that constitutes the image is identified, and various parameters required for drawing such as the display coordinate position, magnification rate, and rotation angle are determined for each sprite.

Then, the value of the timing counter 233h is decremented by 1 (S4307), and it is determined whether the value of the timing counter 233h after decrement is 0 or less (S4308). If the value of the timing counter 233h is 1 or more (S4308: No), the display setting process is terminated and the process returns to the V interrupt process. On the other hand, if the value of the timing counter 233h is 0 or less (S4308: Yes), this means that the performance time for the performance corresponding to the display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d has elapsed. At this time, if a variable display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d, it is time to end the variable display and perform a stop display, so it is checked whether the fixed display flag is on (S4309).

If the result is that the final display flag is off (S4309: Yes), the final display has not yet been performed and it is time to perform the final display, so first, the final display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d (S4310), and then null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233e to clear its contents (S4311). Then, time data corresponding to the performance time of the final display data table is set in the timing counter 233h (S4312), and further, the value of the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S4313). Then, after the final display flag, which indicates that the final display is being performed in the on state, is set on (S4314), the contents of the stop symbol discrimination flag are copied directly to the previous stop symbol discrimination flag provided in the work RAM 233 (S4315), and the process returns to the V interrupt process.

In this way, when a variable display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d, the drawing contents can be set so that the final display performance of the stopped pattern in the variable performance is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 in accordance with the end of the performance. Also, by simply changing the display data table set in the display data table buffer 233b to the final display data table, the performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 can be easily changed to the final display performance. And compared to the conventional case where the display contents are changed by starting a separate program, the program does not become complicated and bloated, and therefore the MPU 231 is not subjected to a large load, so that various types of performance images can be displayed on the third pattern display 81 regardless of the processing capacity of the display control device 114.

The previous stop pattern discrimination flag set by the processing of S4315 is used to identify the third pattern to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 in the next variable performance. That is, as described above, the display of the third pattern in the variable performance changes depending on the stop pattern of the previous variable performance, and in the variable display data table, pattern offset information from the stop pattern of the previous variable performance is recorded until a predetermined time has passed since the start of the change based on the data table. In the task processing (S2804), the stop pattern of the previous variable performance is identified from the previous stop pattern discrimination flag set by S4315 until a predetermined time has passed since the start of the change, and the pattern offset information obtained by the display setting processing is added to the identified stop pattern to identify the third pattern to be actually displayed. As a result, the variable performance starts from the stop pattern in the previous variable performance.

On the other hand, in the process of S4309, if the fixed display flag is off and not on (S4309: No), it is determined whether the demo display flag is on or not (S4316). If the demo display flag is off (S4316: No), this means that the value of the timing counter 233h has become 0 or less with the end of the fixed display effect, so the demo display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d (S4317), and then null data is written to the transfer data table buffer 233e to clear its contents (S4318). Then, time data corresponding to the effect time of the demo display data table is set in the timing counter 233h (S4319). Then, the pointer 233f is initialized to 0 (S4320), the demo display flag, which indicates that the demo effect is being performed in the on state, is set to on (S4321), this process is terminated, and the process returns to the V interrupt process.

As a result, if a display variable pattern command indicating the start of the next variable performance is not received after the final display performance has ended, the drawing content can be set so that a demo performance is automatically displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In the processing of S4316, if the demo display flag is on (S4316: Yes), this means that the demo performance is performed after the final display performance has ended, and that the demo performance has ended, so the display setting processing is terminated and the process returns to the V interrupt processing. In this case, various settings are made so that the demo performance will start again as described above by the pointer update processing executed in the next V interrupt processing, so that the demo performance can be repeatedly displayed on the third pattern display device 81 until a new display variation pattern command is received from the voice lamp control device 113.

The same processing as the display setting processing is also performed in the simple display setting processing (S2810) that is executed when the simple image display flag 233c is on in the V interrupt processing (see FIG. 118(b)). However, in the simple display setting processing, a processing is performed to set in the display data table buffer 233d a display data table that specifies that the power-on variable image (see FIG. 82) corresponding to the stop pattern set based on the display stop type command is displayed in a stopped state for a predetermined time after the performance time of the variable performance using the power-on variable image has ended.

Next, referring to FIG. 131, the details of the performance information correction process (S2805), which is one process of the V interrupt process executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114, will be described. FIG. 131 is a flowchart showing the performance information correction process (S2805). This performance information correction process (S2805) is a process for correcting the display positions of various power-on images (power-on main image, power-on variable image, power-on title image) during normal performance and demo performance.

In the performance information correction process (S2805), first, it is determined whether the simple image display flag 233c is on or not (S4601). If it is determined in the process of S4601 that the simple image display flag 233c is on (S4601: No), the simple image displayed when the power is turned on is displayed, so the performance information is not corrected and the process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4601 that the simple image display flag 233c is off (S4601: Yes), then in the transfer setting processing (see FIG. 132(a)) described below, the transfer of the resident image is completed and it is possible to execute the normal effect, so it is then determined whether or not the special effect correction flag 233n is off (S4602).

If it is determined in the processing of S4602 that the special effect correction flag 233n is on (S4602: No), this means that in the special effect correction processing (see FIG. 121) described above, the correction information corresponding to the effect based on the telescopic role scenario in which the telescopic performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) moves, or the tilting role scenario in which the tilting operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9) moves, has already been stored in the correction information storage area 233m, and the processing ends without setting the correction information.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4602 that the special effect correction flag 233n is off (S4602: Yes), it is determined whether or not the demo display flag is off in order to set correction information according to the currently executed effect (S4603).

If it is determined in the processing of S4603 that the demo display flag is off (S4603: Yes), a demo performance is not being performed, i.e., a normal performance is being performed, so correction information for normal performance is set from the correction information table 234a3 in the correction information storage area 233m (S4604), and this processing ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S4603 that the demo display flag is on (S4603: No), this means that a demo performance is being executed, so correction information for the demo performance is set from the correction information table 234a3 in the correction information storage area 233m (S4605), and this processing ends.

In this way, the performance information correction process (S2805) sets correction information that corrects the display position of various power-on images depending on the state of the pachinko machine 10 (when the power is turned on, during normal performance, during demo performance, etc.). This allows performances to be performed using common images in multiple states of the pachinko machine 10, thereby saving on ROM 234 capacity. In addition, since it is configured to correct the display mode, such as the display position and magnification rate, it is possible to execute performances that are easy for the player to see depending on each performance.

Next, the details of the above-mentioned transfer setting process (S2806), which is one process of the V interrupt process executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114, will be described with reference to Figs. 132 and 133. First, Fig. 132(a) is a flowchart showing this transfer setting process.

In this transfer setting process, first, it is determined whether the simple image display flag 233c is on or not (S4701). Then, if the simple image display flag 233c is on (S4701: Yes), all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has not been transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235, so the resident image transfer setting process is executed (S4702), the transfer setting process is terminated, and the process returns to the V interrupt process. As a result, a transfer instruction is set to the image controller 237 to transfer the image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. Details of the resident image transfer setting process will be described later with reference to FIG. 132(b).

On the other hand, if the result of the processing of S4701 is that the simple image display flag 233c is not on, i.e., it is off (S4701: No), all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has been transferred from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235. In this case, the normal image transfer setting process is executed (S4703), the transfer setting process is terminated, and the process returns to the V interrupt process. As a result, a transfer instruction is set so that subsequent transfers of image data from the character ROM 234 are to the normal video RAM 236. Details of the normal image transfer setting process will be described later with reference to FIG. 133.

Next, referring to FIG. 132(b), we will explain the resident image transfer setting process (S4702), which is one process of the transfer setting process (S2806) executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114. FIG. 132(b) is a flowchart showing this resident image transfer setting process (S4702).

In this resident image transfer setting process, first, it is determined whether or not an instruction to transfer untransferred image data has been sent to the image controller 237 (S4801), and if a transfer instruction has been sent (S4801: Yes), it is further determined whether or not the image data transfer process performed by the image controller 237 based on the transfer instruction has been completed (S4802). In this process of S4802, after an instruction to transfer image data has been sent to the image controller 237, if a transfer end signal indicating the end of the transfer process is received from the image controller 237, it is determined that the transfer process has been completed. Then, if it is determined by the process of S4802 that the transfer process has not been completed (S4802: No), the image transfer process is still being performed in the image controller 237, and therefore the resident image transfer setting process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the transfer process has been completed (S4802: Yes), the process proceeds to the process of S4803. Also, if the result of processing in S4801 indicates that a transfer instruction for untransferred image data has not been sent to the image controller 237 (S4801: No), the process proceeds to S4803.

In the processing of S4803, it is determined whether all resident target image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has been transferred (S4803), and if there is untransferred resident target image data (S4803: No), a transfer instruction is set for the image controller 237 to transfer the untransferred resident target image data from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235 (S4804), and the resident image transfer setting processing ends.

As a result, the drawing list sent to the image controller 237 in the drawing process includes transfer data information on the untransferred resident target image data, and the image controller 237 can transfer the resident target image data from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 236 based on the transfer data information written in the drawing list. The transfer data information includes the start address and end address of the character ROM 234 where the resident target image data is stored, the transfer destination information (in this case, the resident video RAM 235), and the start address of the transfer destination (an area provided in the resident video RAM 235 where the resident target image data to be transferred here should be stored). The image controller 237 executes the image transfer process based on this transfer data information, reads out the image data specified in the transfer process from the character ROM 234 and temporarily stores it in the buffer RAM 237a, and then transfers it to the specified address of the resident video RAM 236 while the resident video RAM 236 is not in use. When the transfer is completed, a transfer end signal is sent to the MPU 231.

If all resident target image data has been transferred as a result of the processing of S4803 (S4803: Yes), the simple image display flag 233c is set to OFF (S4805) and the resident image transfer setting process is terminated. As a result, in the V interrupt process (see FIG. 118(b)), instead of the simple command determination process (see S2809 in FIG. 118(b)) and the simple display setting process (see S2810 in FIG. 118(b)), the command determination process (see FIG. 119-FIG. 127) and the display setting process (see FIG. 128-FIG. 130) are executed, so that the drawing of the normal image is set, and the normal image is displayed on the third symbol display device 81. In addition, the transfer of image data from the character ROM 234 thereafter is performed to the normal video RAM 236 by the normal image transfer setting process (see FIG. 133) (see S4701: No in FIG. 132(a)).

By executing this resident image transfer setting process, the MPU 231 can transfer all resident target image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 from the character ROM 234 to the resident video RAM 235, except for the power-on main image, power-on variable image, and power-on title image that have already been transferred during the main process. The MPU 231 then controls the image data transferred to the resident video RAM 235 so that it continues to be retained without being overwritten while the power is on. As a result, the image data transferred to the resident video RAM 235 by the resident image transfer setting process remains resident in the resident video RAM 235 while the power is on.

Therefore, after all image data that should be resident in the resident video RAM 235 has been transferred to the resident video RAM 235, the display control device 114 can perform image drawing processing in the image controller 237 while using the image data resident in the resident video RAM 235. As a result, if the image data used for drawing processing is resident in the resident video RAM 235, there is no need to read out the corresponding image data from the character ROM 234, which is made up of the NAND type flash memory 234a, which has a slow readout speed, when drawing an image, so the time required for reading can be saved, and the image can be drawn immediately and displayed on the third pattern display device 81.

In particular, the resident video RAM 235 stores image data of frequently displayed images such as the back image, the third pattern, the character pattern, and error messages, as well as image data of images that should be displayed immediately after the display is determined by the main control unit 110, the audio lamp control unit 113, the display control unit 114, etc. Therefore, even if the character ROM 234 is composed of a NAND type flash memory 234a, high responsiveness can be maintained from various operations performed by the player at any time to displaying some image on the third pattern display device 81.

In addition, in this control example, the various power-on images (power-on main image, power-on variable image, power-on title image) that are displayed when the power is turned on are configured to be usable in normal performances by correcting the display positions. This eliminates the need to prepare separate images for use when the power is turned on and during normal performances, thereby saving space in the character ROM 234.

Furthermore, in this control example, the image data to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub display device 690 is treated as a single image data, and whether it is displayed on the third pattern display device 81 or the sub display device 690 is controlled depending on its coordinates. This makes it possible to reduce the control load, since there is no need to separately control (transfer, etc.) the images to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub display device 690. However, this is not limited to the above, and image data to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub display device 690 may be provided separately.

In addition, since the sub-display device 690 has a lower resolution than the third pattern display device 81, the amount of data for the image displayed on the sub-display device 690 is less than the amount of data for the image displayed on the third pattern display device 81. Therefore, the display control device 114 stores the image to be displayed on the sub-display device 690, which has a smaller amount of image data (the title image when the power is turned on), in the resident video RAM first, thereby shortening the time from when the power is turned on until the image is displayed.

Here, the image data to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690 is composed of one image data as described above. Therefore, when the power is turned on, if the power-on title image (see FIG. 82(a)) is to be displayed on the sub-display device 690, the data in the area displayed on the third pattern display device 81 (see FIG. 81, an area of 800 horizontal x 600 vertical) can be set to 0 data. However, this is not limited to this, and when the power is turned on, the image data to be displayed on the sub-display device 690 can be displayed on the sub-display device 690 using image data (see FIG. 81, image data of 400 horizontal x 300 vertical) that matches the resolution of the sub-display device 690. In this case, when an image (main image at power-on, variable image at power-on, etc.) to be displayed on the third pattern display device 690 is stored in the resident video RAM 235, the image data (see FIG. 81, 1200 horizontal x 600 vertical) to be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub display device 690 is used to switch to display on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub display device 690. This reduces the amount of image data to be displayed on the sub display device 690 when the power is turned on, thereby shortening the time from when the power is turned on to when the power-on image (title image at power-on) is displayed on the sub display device 690.

Next, with reference to FIG. 133, we will explain the normal image transfer setting process (S4703), which is one process of the transfer setting process (S2806) executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114. FIG. 133 is a flowchart showing this normal image transfer setting process (S4703).

In this normal image transfer setting process, first, the information written at the address indicated by the pointer 233f updated by the pointer update process (S4305) of the previously executed display setting process (S2803) is obtained from the transfer data table set in the transfer data table buffer 233e (S4901). Then, it is determined whether the obtained information is transfer data information (S4902), and if it is transfer data information (S4902: Yes), the start address (source start address) and end address (source end address) of the character ROM 234 in which the transfer target image data is stored, and the start address of the transfer destination (normal video RAM 236) are extracted from the transfer data information and stored in the transfer data buffer provided in the work RAM 233 (S4903), and further, a transfer start flag provided in the work RAM 233, which indicates that image data to be transferred is present in the ON state, is set to ON (S4904), and the process proceeds to S4905.

In addition, in the process of S4902, if the acquired information is not transfer data information but is Null data (S4902: No), the processes of S4903 and S4904 are skipped and the process proceeds to S4905. In the process of S4905, it is determined whether a new image data transfer instruction has been set for the image controller 237 after the previous image data transfer has ended (S4905), and if a transfer instruction has been set (S4905: Yes), it is further determined whether the image data transfer performed by the image controller 237 based on the transfer instruction has ended (S4906).

In this process of S4906, after setting an instruction to transfer image data to the image controller 237, if a transfer end signal indicating the end of the transfer process is received from the image controller 237, it is determined that the transfer process has ended. Then, if it is determined by the process of S4906 that the transfer process has not ended (S4906: No), image transfer processing is still being performed in the image controller 237, so this normal image transfer setting process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the transfer process has ended (S4906: Yes), the process proceeds to S4907. Also, if the result of the process of S4905 shows that an instruction to transfer image data has not been set for the image controller 237 after the end of the previous transfer process (S4905: No), the process proceeds to S4907.

In the process of S4907, it is determined whether the transfer start flag is on or not (S4907). If the transfer start flag is on (S4907: Yes), image data that should be transferred is present, so the transfer start flag is turned off (S4908), and the image data of the sprite indicated by the various information stored in the transfer data buffer by the process of S4903 is set as the image data to be transferred, and the process proceeds to S4913. On the other hand, if the transfer start flag is not on but off (S4907: No), it is then determined whether the background image change flag 223p is on or not (S4909). Then, if the background image change flag 223p is not on but off (S4909: No), image data that should be transferred is not present, so the normal image transfer setting process ends.

On the other hand, if the rear image change 223r flag is on (S4909: Yes), this means that the rear image has been changed, so the rear image change flag 223p is set to off (S4910), and then, of the rear image discrimination flags provided for each rear image type, the image data of the rear image corresponding to the rear image discrimination flag that is on is identified, and this image data is set as the image data to be transferred (S4911). Furthermore, the start address (source start address) and end address (source end address) of the character ROM 234 in which the rear image data corresponding to the rear image discrimination flag that is on is stored, and the start address of the transfer destination (normal video RAM 236) are obtained (S4912), and the process proceeds to S4913.

If the rear image discrimination flag in the ON state is for rear A, all the corresponding image data is resident in the rear image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235, so there is no image data to be transferred to the normal video RAM 236. Therefore, in the process of S4909, if the rear image discrimination flag in the ON state is for rear A, the normal image transfer process ends as is.

In the process of S4913, it is determined whether the image data to be transferred is already stored in the normal video RAM 236 (S4913). This determination in the process of S4913 is made by referencing the stored image data determination flag 233j. That is, the storage status corresponding to the sprite that is the image data to be transferred is read from the stored image data determination flag 233j, and if the storage status is "on", it is determined that the image data of the sprite to be transferred is stored in the normal video RAM 236, and if the storage status is "off", it is determined that the image data of the sprite to be transferred is not stored in the normal video RAM 236.

If the result of the processing of S4913 is that the image data to be transferred is stored in the normal video RAM 236 (S4913: Yes), there is no need to transfer the image data from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236, and the normal image transfer setting process is terminated. This makes it possible to prevent image data from being transferred unnecessarily from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236, thereby reducing the processing load on each part of the display control device 114 and reducing traffic on the bus line 240.

On the other hand, if the result of the processing of S4913 is that the image data to be transferred is not stored in the normal video RAM 236 (S4913: No), a transfer instruction for the image data to be transferred is set (S4914). As a result, the transfer data information for the image data to be transferred is included in the drawing list sent to the image controller 237 in the drawing process, and the image controller 237 can transfer the image data of the image to be transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 based on the transfer data information written in the drawing list. The transfer data information includes the start address and the end address of the character ROM 234 where the image data of the image to be transferred is stored, the information of the transfer destination (in this case, the normal video RAM 236), and the start address of the transfer destination (a sub-area provided in the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236 where the image data of the image to be transferred here should be stored). The image controller 237 executes the image transfer process based on this transfer data information, reads the image data specified in the transfer process from the character ROM 234, and transfers it to the specified address of the specified video RAM (here, the normal video RAM 236). Then, when the transfer is complete, it transmits a transfer end signal to the MPU 231.

After processing of S4914, the stored image data discrimination flag 233j is updated (S4915), and this normal transfer setting process is terminated. As described above, the stored image data discrimination flag 233j is updated by setting the storage state corresponding to the sprite that is the image data to be transferred to "on", and by setting the storage state corresponding to other sprites that are to be stored in the same sub-area of the image storage area 236a as the one sprite to "off".

In this way, by executing this normal image transfer process, if the rear image is changed based on the receipt of a rear image change command during the previously executed command determination process, image data used for that rear image that is not stored in the rear image area 235c of the resident video RAM 235 can be transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 without delay.

In addition, in this embodiment, in response to a command (e.g., a display variation pattern command) sent from the voice lamp control device 113 based on a command from the main control device 110, a display data table is set in the display data table buffer 233d, and at the same time, a transfer data table corresponding to the display data table is set in the transfer data table buffer 233e. Then, by executing the normal image transfer setting process, the MPU 231 sets a transfer instruction for the image controller 237 for the image data to be transferred according to the transfer data information written in the area indicated by the pointer 233f of the transfer data table set in the transfer data table buffer 233e, so that the image data of the sprite used in the display data table set in the display data table buffer 233d can be reliably transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236 at the desired timing.

In this case, the transfer data table specifies the transfer data information of the image data to be transferred for a specific address so that the image data corresponding to a specific sprite is stored in the image storage area 236a by the time drawing of the specific sprite begins in accordance with the display data table. By transferring image data from the character ROM 234 to the image storage area 236a in accordance with the transfer data information specified in this transfer data table, when drawing a specific sprite in accordance with the display data table, image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 and is necessary for drawing the sprite can be ensured to be stored in the image storage area 236a.

As a result, even if the character ROM 234 is configured using a NAND-type flash memory 234a with a slow read speed, the images required for display can be read out from the character ROM 234 in advance without delay and transferred to the normal video RAM 236, so that the corresponding effects can be displayed on the third pattern display device 81 while drawing the images of each sprite specified in the display data table. Also, by writing in the transfer data table, only the image data that is not resident in the resident video RAM 235 can be easily and reliably transferred from the character ROM 234 to the normal video RAM 236.

The transfer data table also specifies the transfer data information so that image data is transferred from character ROM 234 to normal video RAM 236 for each image data corresponding to a sprite. This allows the transfer of image data to be managed and controlled for each sprite, making it easy to process the transfer. By controlling the transfer of image data from character ROM 234 to normal video RAM 236 on a sprite-by-sprite basis, the process can be made easier while controlling the transfer of image data in detail. This makes it possible to efficiently prevent an increase in the load on the transfer.

Next, the details of the above-mentioned drawing process (S2807), which is one process of the V interrupt process executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114, will be described with reference to FIG. 134. FIG. 134 is a flowchart showing this drawing process.

In the drawing process, the drawing list shown in FIG. 87 is generated (S5001) from the types of various sprites constituting one frame determined in the task process (S2804), the parameters required for drawing each sprite (display position coordinates, magnification ratio, rotation angle, semi-transparent value, alpha blending information, color information, filter designation information), and the transfer instructions set in the transfer setting process (S2806). That is, in the process of S5001, from the types of various sprites constituting one frame determined in the task process (S2804), the storage RAM type and address in which the image data of the sprite is stored are identified for each sprite, and the parameters required for the sprite determined in the task process are associated with the identified storage RAM type and address. Then, the sprites are rearranged in the order of the sprite that should be placed in the back of the image for one frame to the sprite that should be placed in the front, and the storage RAM type and address in which the image data of the sprite is stored and the parameters required for drawing the sprite are described as detailed drawing information (detailed information) for each sprite in the rearranged sprite order, thereby generating a drawing list. Furthermore, when a transfer instruction is set by the transfer setting process (S2806), the start address (start address of the source) and the end address (end address of the source) of the character ROM 234 where the image data to be transferred is stored, and the start address of the transfer destination (normal video RAM 236) are added as transfer data information to the end of the drawing list.

As mentioned above, the area of the resident video RAM 235 in which the image data of the sprite is stored, or the sub-area of the image storage area 236a of the normal video RAM 236, is fixed for each sprite, so the MPU 231 can instantly identify the storage RAM type and address in which the image data of the sprite is stored according to the sprite type, and easily include this information in the detailed information of the drawing list.

When the drawing list is generated, the generated drawing list and the drawing target buffer information specified by the drawing target buffer flag 233k are sent to the image controller (S5002). Here, if the drawing target buffer flag 233k is 0, the drawing target buffer information includes information instructing the first frame buffer 236b to expand the image drawn, and if the drawing target buffer flag 233k is 1, the drawing target buffer information includes information instructing the second frame buffer 236c to expand the image drawn.

Based on the drawing list received from the MPU 231, the image controller 237 draws images starting from the sprite described at the top of the drawing list, and expands them by overwriting them in the frame buffer specified by the drawing target buffer information. This allows the first sprite drawn to be positioned at the backmost position, and the last sprite drawn to be positioned at the foremost position, in one frame's worth of image generated by the drawing list.

If the drawing list contains transfer data information, the start address (source start address) and end address (source end address) of character ROM 234 where the image data to be transferred is stored, and the start address of the transfer destination (normal video RAM 236) are extracted from the transfer data information, and the image data stored from the source start address to the source end address are read out of character ROM 234 in order and temporarily stored in buffer RAM 237a, and then, when the normal video RAM 236 is in an unused state, the image data stored in buffer RAM 237a is transferred sequentially to the area of normal video RAM 236 indicated by the destination start address. The image data stored in this normal video RAM 236 is then used based on the drawing list sent by MPU 231, and an image is drawn according to the drawing list.

The image controller 237 reads image information of the previously expanded image from a frame buffer different from the frame buffer specified by the drawing target buffer information, and transmits the image information to the third pattern display device 81 together with a drive signal. This allows the third pattern display device 81 to display the image expanded in the frame buffer. Also, while an image drawn in one frame buffer is being expanded, an image expanded from the other frame buffer can be displayed on the third pattern display 81, allowing the drawing process and the display process to be processed simultaneously in parallel.

After the processing of S5002, the drawing process updates the drawing target buffer flag 233k (S5003). Then, the drawing process ends and returns to the V interrupt processing. The drawing target buffer flag 233k is updated by inverting its value, i.e., by setting the value to "1" if it was "0" and to "0" if it was "1". As a result, the drawing target buffer is alternately set between the first frame buffer 236b and the second frame buffer 236c each time a drawing list is transmitted.

Here, the drawing list is transmitted each time the drawing process of the V interrupt process (see FIG. 118(b)) executed by the MPU 231 is executed based on the V interrupt signal transmitted from the image controller 237 every 20 milliseconds when the drawing process and display process of one frame of the image are completed. As a result, when the first frame buffer 236b is designated as the frame buffer that displays one frame of the image at a certain timing, and the second frame buffer 236c is designated as the frame buffer from which the image information of one frame is read, and the image drawing process and display process are executed, 20 milliseconds after the drawing process of one frame of the image is completed, the second frame buffer 236c is designated as the frame buffer that displays one frame of the image, and the first frame buffer 236b is designated as the frame buffer from which the image information of one frame is read. Therefore, the image information of the image previously displayed in the first frame buffer 236b can be read and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and at the same time, a new image is displayed in the second frame buffer 236c.

Then, after another 20 milliseconds, the first frame buffer 236b is specified as the frame buffer in which one frame's worth of image is displayed, and the second frame buffer 236c is specified as the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read. Thus, the image information of the image previously displayed in the second frame buffer 236c is read out and displayed on the third pattern display device 81, and at the same time, a new image is displayed in the first frame buffer 236b. Thereafter, by alternately specifying the first frame buffer 236b and the second frame buffer 236c as the frame buffer in which one frame's worth of image is displayed and the frame buffer from which one frame's worth of image information is read, each time every 20 milliseconds, it is possible to perform the display process of one frame's worth of image continuously in 20 millisecond units while performing the drawing process of one frame's worth of image.

As explained above, in this first control example, the display image used when the power is turned on is corrected and used during normal performances, etc. This allows the same display image to be used when the power is turned on and during normal performances, thereby saving ROM capacity.

In addition, in this control example, in a performance in which a specific role (the telescopic performance device 540 (see FIG. 9) or the tilting operation unit 600 (see FIG. 9)) is movable, the content of the performance displayed on the third pattern display device 81 and the sub-display device 690 is corrected. As a result, in a performance in which a specific role is movable, for example, if the third pattern display device 81 becomes difficult to see, the display content that was being displayed on the third pattern display device 81 can be displayed on the sub-display device 690, making it possible to provide a gaming machine in which the display content is easy for the player to see.

Furthermore, in the performance in which the up-down operation unit 400 moves and the door element 470 opens, the opening/closing drive motor 466 for maintaining the door element 470 in a closed state is controlled (power supply cut control) not to be excited when the door element 470 is dropped. This allows the door element 470 to be opened by the inertial force acting on the door element 470 when it is dropped without driving the opening/closing drive motor 466, thereby reducing power consumption.

In addition, in this pachinko machine 10, when a specific advance notice effect is executed based on a ball entering the winning slot during a periodically executed time performance period, control is performed to limit the effects executed during that time performance period. This makes it possible to limit the countdown effect executed during the time performance period when a countdown effect, which is a specific advance notice effect, is executed. As a result, it is possible to prevent a problem in which the countdown effect is executed multiple times during the time performance period, confusing the player.

Furthermore, the ball entry effects that are displayed based on the ball entering the winning hole are displayed in sequence in each of the first area 81a to the fourth area 81d of the third pattern display area. This makes it possible to extend the period during which the ball entry effects are displayed even when the interval between game balls entering the winning hole is short, resulting in a gaming machine that makes it easier for players to see the ball entry effects.

This control example is not limited to the pachinko machine 10 described in the first embodiment, but may be executed in any of the pachinko machines 10 of the above-mentioned embodiments, or in a pachinko machine 10 that combines the above-mentioned embodiments.

<Second control example>
Next, the second control example will be described with reference to Figs. 136 to 156. In the above-mentioned first control example, a wide variety of display effects, such as the ball-entering effect executed in the time-saving state of the normal pattern, the time effect period (effect mode B) executed periodically (for 5 minutes every hour), and the specific time effect executed during the time effect period (effect mode B), were executed to improve the interest of the player. In the above-mentioned first control example, the start time of the time effect period and the specific time effect are set when the power is turned on for the pachinko machine 10. As a result, it is possible to start each effect (time effect, specific time effect, etc.) at the same timing for multiple pachinko machines 10 that are simultaneously powered on at the same timing, so that it is possible to execute a uniform effect for multiple pachinko machines 10.

In addition, in the second control example, a technique for suitably controlling the operation of the tilt operation unit 600 and the like will be described. Here, the tilt operation unit 600 and other parts are driven by a drive motor composed of a stepping motor or the like, as described above. This drive motor is generally known to be more susceptible to individual differences and to deterioration over time than the display device (third pattern display device 81, sub display device 690). That is, when image data is set for the display device, problems such as delayed display rarely occur, but when operation data is set for the drive motor, problems such as a decrease in drive speed (decrease in torque) or loss of synchronism due to deterioration over time may occur. That is, even if the same operation scenario is set, there is a risk of variation in the number of steps and speed of the operation, so that different operations may be executed on each pachinko machine 10.

In contrast, the second control example is configured to check the operating status of the tilt operation unit 600, slide operation unit 700, etc. every time the power is turned on, and set a correction value to correct the operating scenario if deterioration or the like occurs. This allows the operation of various parts driven by the drive motor to be optimally executed in each pachinko machine 10.

The pachinko machine 10 in this second control example differs in configuration from the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example in that the configuration of the ROM 222 and RAM 223 provided in the sound lamp control device 113 has been partially changed, and that some of the processing executed by the MPU 221 of the sound lamp control device 113 has been changed from that of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. The other configurations, various processing executed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, other processing executed by the MPU 221 of the sound lamp control device 113, and various processing executed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 are the same as those of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. Hereinafter, the same elements as those in the first control example are given the same reference numerals, and illustrations and explanations thereof will be omitted.

First, referring to Figure 136, the output of the slide position detection sensor 718 for detecting the slide operation position of the slide operation unit 700 in this embodiment will be described. As described above, the base member 710 of the slide operation unit 700 is provided with a slide origin sensor 717 for detecting whether the support member 720 is at the origin position (retracted position) or not, and a slide position sensor 718 for detecting whether it is at the extended position or not (see Figure 49). Since these are composed of the same type of sensor, only the slide position detection sensor 718 will be described here, and a description of the slide origin detection sensor 717 will be omitted.

Figure 136 (a) is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the light shielding plate 726a and the slide position detection sensor 718 when the slide operation unit 700 is in the middle of sliding from the origin (retracted position) to the extended position. As shown in Figure 136 (a), the slide position detection sensor 718 is provided with a light shielding detection unit 718a. This light shielding detection unit 718a shows both the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit described above, and it is possible to determine whether the light shielding plate 726a is in the extended position or not depending on whether the light irradiated from the light emitting unit of this light shielding detection unit 718a is received by the light receiving unit.

The example of FIG. 136(a) shows a state in which the light shielding plate 726a is positioned further to the right than the light shielding detection unit 718a when viewed from the front. In other words, the light shielding detection unit 718a and the light shielding plate 726a are misaligned. In this case, there is no obstruction between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the light shielding detection unit 718a, so the light from the light emitting unit is received by the light receiving unit. While the light receiving unit is receiving light, the output of the slide position detection sensor 718 is in the L (low) state. The output of this slide position detection sensor 718 is received by the audio lamp control device 113, and if the output is L (low), it is determined that the support member 720 has not reached the extension position.

On the other hand, when the left end of the light-shielding plate 726a overlaps with the right end of the light-shielding detection unit 718a, the light irradiated from the light-emitting unit begins to be blocked by the light-shielding plate 726a (see FIG. 136(b)). Then, as shown in FIG. 136(c), when the light-shielding plate 726a is positioned so as to completely overlap with the light-shielding detection unit 718, the light irradiated from the light-emitting unit of the light-shielding detection unit 718a is completely blocked. In other words, the light-receiving unit cannot receive light. In this case, the output of the slide position detection sensor 718 is set to H (high). When the voice lamp control device 113 detects that the output from the slide position detection sensor 718 is H (high), it determines that the support member 720 is in the extended position. Here, the voice lamp control device 113 determines whether the output of the slide position detection sensor 718 is H (high) or L (low) based on the voltage value of the output signal. That is, if the voltage output from the slide position detection sensor 718 is 5V, the output of the slide position detection sensor 718 is determined to be H (high), and if the voltage is 0V, the output of the slide position detection sensor 718 is determined to be L.

The slide origin sensor 717 has a similar configuration, so if the support member 720 is in the origin position (retracted position), the output is set to H (high), and if it is displaced from the origin position (retracted position), the output is set to L (low). The audio lamp control device 113 can easily determine the general position of the support member 720 (whether it is in the origin position, the extended position, or a position between the two) simply by determining whether the output of each sensor is H or L.

Next, referring to Figures 137 and 138, we will explain the tilt origin sensor 618 for detecting whether the performance member 620 of the tilt operation unit 600 is at the origin position (inverted state). This tilt origin sensor 618 is composed of the same type of sensor as the slide origin detection sensor 717 and slide position detection sensor 718 described above.

Figure 137 is a diagram showing the case where the performance member 620 of the tilt operation unit 600 is in the origin position (inverted state). As shown in the figure, when the performance member 620 is in the origin position (inverted state), the sensor shielding portion 627 provided on the performance member 620 side is positioned between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion of the tilt origin sensor 618 provided on the base member 610 side, so that the light emitted from the light emitting portion is blocked and does not reach the light receiving portion. In other words, the output of the tilt origin sensor 618 is set to H (high). By outputting this H (high) signal to the audio lamp control device 113, it is possible to notify that the performance member is in the origin position (inverted state).

Figure 138(a) is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the tilt origin sensor 618 and the sensor shielding part 627 when the performance member 620 performs a tilting motion (swivel motion) to the left when viewed from the front, and Figure 138(b) is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the tilt origin sensor 618 and the sensor shielding part 627 when the performance member 620 performs a tilting motion (swivel motion) to the right when viewed from the front.

As shown in FIG. 138(a), when the performance member 620 tilts (swings) to the left when viewed from the front, the sensor shielding portion 627 on the performance member 620 also moves to the upper left in conjunction with the performance member 620. This causes the tilt origin sensor 618 and the sensor shielding portion 627 to shift, so that the light emitted from the light-emitting portion of the tilt origin sensor 618 can be received by the light-receiving portion. As with the other sensors described above, while the light from the light-emitting portion is being received by the light-receiving portion, the output of the tilt origin sensor 618 is set to L (low). By outputting this H (high) signal to the audio lamp control device 113, it is possible to notify that the performance member 620 has shifted from the origin position (inverted state).

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 138(b), when the performance member 620 tilts (swings) to the right when viewed from the front, the sensor shielding portion 627 provided on the performance member 620 also moves downward and to the right in conjunction with the performance member 620. As a result, the tilt origin sensor 618 and the sensor shielding portion 627 become misaligned, so that the light emitted from the light-emitting portion of the tilt origin sensor 618 can be received by the light-receiving portion. Therefore, in this case as well, the output of the tilt origin sensor 618 is set to L (low) and notified to the audio lamp control device 113.

In this way, by using the tilt origin sensor 618, it is possible to easily detect whether the performance member 620 is in the origin position (inverted state) and notify the audio lamp control device 113.

In this control example, a single tilt origin sensor 618 is used to determine whether or not the performance member 620 is at the origin position, but this is not limited to the configuration. Sensors may be provided to detect whether the performance member 620 is at the maximum movable position when tilting (swinging) to the right and left. By configuring in this manner, the swinging motion can be reliably stopped when the tilting motion (swinging motion) reaches the maximum movable position, and the swing direction can be reversed to the opposite direction (towards the origin). Therefore, when performing a swing motion, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the performance member 620 from moving beyond its range of motion, thereby reducing the possibility of malfunction or abnormal operation.

<Electrical configuration in the second control example>
Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 in this control example will be described with reference to Figures 139 to 142. First, Figure 139 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 in this control example.

As shown in FIG. 139, in this control example, various sensors 230 are electrically connected to the input/output port 225 of the audio lamp control device 113. Specifically, the various sensors 230 include at least the tilt origin sensor 618, slide origin detection sensor 717, and slide position detection sensor 718 described above. In addition to these, various sensors are provided, such as a sensor for detecting the origin position of the up/down operation unit 400 and a sensor for detecting the origin position of the composite operation unit 500. The various sensors 230 allow the operating status of each reel to be accurately grasped, so that the operation of the reels can be suitably controlled.

In addition, in this control example, a slide drive motor 751 for causing the slide operation unit 700 to perform a sliding operation, and a tilt drive motor 661 for causing the tilt operation unit 600 to perform a tilt operation (swinging operation) are provided as devices constituting the other device 228. Each operation unit can be driven by these motors.

Next, the ROM 222 provided in the voice lamp control device 113 in this control example will be described with reference to FIG. 140(a). As shown in FIG. 140(a), in addition to the configuration of the ROM 222 in the first control example, the ROM 222 of the voice lamp control device 113 in the second control example has an operation scenario table 222c and a swing area table 222d added to it.

The operation scenario table 222c is a data table that specifies the operation content when performing a performance using each reel. More specifically, it is a data table that specifies the setting values (operation speed, number of operation steps, operation direction, etc.) to be set for the various drive motors corresponding to each reel. Details of this operation scenario table 222c will be explained with reference to Figures 141 and 142(a).

Figure 141 (a) is a block diagram showing the operation scenario table 222c. In this operation scenario table 222c, data is stored for each type of drivable (variable) role. More specifically, as shown in Figure 141 (a), for example, a slide operation table 222c1 is provided that specifies the setting value to be set for the motor control IC (motor driver) corresponding to the slide drive motor 751 when a performance is set to drive the slide operation unit 700, and a tilt operation table 222c2 is provided that specifies the setting value to be set for the motor control IC (motor driver) corresponding to the tilt drive motor 661 when a performance is set to drive the tilt operation unit 600.

These will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 141(b) and (c). Figure 141(b) is a diagram showing the contents of the slide operation table 222c1 described above. As shown in Figure 141(b), the slide operation table 222c1 specifies the setting values (operation speed, number of operation steps, and operation direction) to be set in the motor control IC (motor driver) for each value of the operation pointer 223n, which indicates the progress of the setting based on the operation scenario.

Here, the operating speed indicates the frequency at which the motor driver outputs a signal (pulse) to the slide drive motor 751 to set one step of operation, and is expressed by the number of signals (pulses) output per second (pps, pulses per second). For example, if the operating speed is 100 pps, it means that the motor driver outputs a signal (pulse) to the slide drive motor 751 100 times per second. In other words, it means that the slide drive motor 751 is driven at a speed of 100 steps per second. The number of operating steps indicates the number of operations performed by the slide drive motor 751, in other words, the number of times that the motor driver outputs a signal (pulse) to set one step of operation to the slide drive motor 751. For example, the number of operating steps of 120 means that one step of operation is set for the slide drive motor 751 120 times. Furthermore, the operating direction means the driving direction of the slide drive motor 751 (the direction of rotation of the motor), and two types of directions, positive and negative, can be set. In addition, in the slide drive motor 751, the direction from the retracted position (origin position) to the extended position is the positive direction, and the direction from the extended position to the retracted position (origin position) is the negative direction. By setting these settings in the motor driver that drives the slide drive motor 751, the corresponding operations can be performed accurately.

As shown in FIG. 141(b), the value "01H" of the motion pointer 223n corresponds to an operation (forward motion) for sliding the support member 720 of the sliding motion unit 700 from the retracted position (origin position) to the extended position. Specifically, 100 pps is specified as the motion speed, 120 is specified as the number of motion steps, and the positive direction is specified as the motion direction. This setting is output (set) to the motor driver when the timing for driving the sliding motion unit 700 in the performance arrives.

Note that 120 steps refers to the design value for the number of steps to the extended position. In other words, the slide drive motor 751 drives 120 steps as designed, causing the support member 720 to reach the detection position of the slide position detection sensor 718 (see FIG. 136(c)). Here, operation as designed refers to operation in which the slide drive motor 751 accurately performs the same operation without loss of synchronism or freewheeling, and the various gears, etc., for transmitting the motor's driving force to the support member 720 rotate accurately.

The value "02H" of the motion pointer 223n is associated with an operation (return operation) for sliding the support member 720 of the sliding motion unit 700 from the extended position to the retracted position (origin position). Specifically, 100 pps is specified as the motion speed, 120 is specified as the number of motion steps, and the negative direction is specified as the motion direction. This setting content is output (set) to the motor driver when it is time to retract the sliding motion unit 700 to the origin position (retracted position) in the performance. This timing of retraction is specified in advance according to the type of performance.

Figure 141 (b) is a diagram showing the contents of the tilting operation table 222c2 described above. In the tilting operation table 222c2, similar to the slide operation table 222c1, the setting values (operation speed, number of operation steps, and operation direction) to be set for the motor control IC (motor driver) are specified for each value of the operation pointer 223n. The operation pointer values "01H" and "02H" are associated with setting values for tilting (swinging) the performance member 620 to the left as seen from the front. That is, the operation pointer value "01H" is specified with an operation speed of 100 pps, a number of operation steps of 10 steps, and a positive operation direction as setting values for tilting from the origin position (inverted state) to the left as seen from the front. When this setting value is set for the motor driver, the tilting member 620 moves 10 steps to the left as seen from the front at an operation speed of 100 pps.

The motion pointer value "02H" also specifies a motion speed of 100 pps, 10 motion steps, and a negative motion direction as the setting values for returning the performance member 620, which has tilted to the left as seen from the front, to the origin position (inverted state). When this setting value is set in the motor driver, the tilt member 620 moves 10 steps to the left as seen from the front at a motion speed of 100 pps. By setting a setting value corresponding to the motion pointer value "01H" and then setting a setting value corresponding to the motion pointer value "02H" after the setting operation is completed, the performance member 620 will perform a tilting operation (swinging operation) of 10 steps to the right as seen from the front from the origin position, and then perform a return operation to the origin position (inverted state).

Furthermore, the operation pointer values "03H" and "04H" are associated with setting values for tilting (swinging) the performance member 620 to the right as seen from the front. That is, the operation pointer value "03H" specifies a motion speed of 100 pps, a motion step count of 10 steps, and a motion direction of forward motion as setting values for tilting from the origin position (inverted state) to the right as seen from the front. When this setting value is set in the motor driver, the tilt member 620 moves 10 steps to the right as seen from the front at a motion speed of 100 pps.

The motion pointer value "02H" specifies a motion speed of 100 pps, 10 motion steps, and a negative motion direction as the setting values for returning the performance member 620, which has tilted to the left as seen from the front, to the origin position (inverted state). When this setting value is set in the motor driver, the tilt member 620 moves 10 steps to the left as seen from the front at a motion speed of 100 pps. By setting a setting value corresponding to the motion pointer value "03H" and then setting a setting value corresponding to the motion pointer value "04H" after the setting operation is completed, the performance member 620 will perform a tilting operation (swinging operation) of 10 steps to the right as seen from the front from the origin position, and then perform a return operation to the origin position (inverted state).

In this way, by specifying the settings for the motor driver in association with the value of the motion pointer 223n, the motion of the performance member 620 can be easily set by simply updating the value of the motion pointer 223n and setting a setting value that corresponds to the updated value.

In addition to the above-mentioned slide operation table 222c1 (see FIG. 141(b)) and tilt operation table 222c2 (see FIG. 141(c)), the operation scenario table 222c also defines dedicated data tables (not shown) for each type of actuated part (up-down operation unit 400, composite operation unit 500, etc.). By referencing the table corresponding to each actuated part defined in the operation scenario table 222c and outputting a setting value to the corresponding motor driver, it is possible to execute the same operation every time in the corresponding performance.

In reality, however, motors, gears, etc. may vary in operation due to individual differences or deterioration over time, so even if the set values specified in the operation scenario table 222c are set at the same time, it may not be possible to perform the intended operation. Details will be described later, but in this control example, in order to absorb the effects of the above-mentioned variations, the extent to which the operation of the reel deviates from the design value when the power is turned on is measured (analyzed), and the set value of the slide operation is corrected (modified) according to the analysis results. In other words, a correction value for correcting individual variations is added (or subtracted) to the set value specified in the operation scenario table 222c. This allows the operation of the reel in each pachinko machine 10 to be performed without any discomfort, even under the influence of individual differences or deterioration over time.

Furthermore, the operation scenario table 222c of this control example specifies an initial operation table 222c5 that specifies the settings for the motor drivers corresponding to each reel in the initial operation executed when the pachinko machine 10 is powered on (see FIG. 141(a)). By executing the initial operation based on the initial operation table 222c5, it is possible to determine whether each reel operates normally. In addition, when executing the initial operation, the contents of the tilting operation (swinging operation) of the tilting operation unit 600 and the contents of the sliding operation of the sliding operation unit 700 are analyzed, and a correction value for correcting the operation is specified according to the analysis result. Details of this initial operation table 222c5 will be described with reference to FIG. 142(a).

Figure 142 (a) is a diagram showing the contents of the initial action table 222c5. As shown in Figure 142 (a), this initial action table 222c5 specifies the type of reel for which an action is set, in association with the value of the action pointer 223n, and the setting values (action speed, number of action steps, and action direction) to be set in the motor driver corresponding to that reel.

More specifically, the value "01H" of the motion pointer 223n is associated with the slide motion unit 700 as the type of role, and the motion content is specified as a motion in the forward direction at a motion speed of 100 pps. The number of motion steps is not specified, and the slide motion is repeated in the forward direction (toward the extended position) until it is detected that the output of the slide position detection sensor 718 has become H (high). That is, the motion of one step is set, the output of the slide position detection sensor 718 is confirmed to be H (high), and if the output remains L (low), the motion of one step is set again, and the motion is repeated. The number of motion steps set until the output of the slide position detection sensor 718 becomes H (high) is counted by the correction counter 223w, and after the motion is completed, the difference from the design value of 120 steps for the number of motion steps from the origin position to the extended position is analyzed. A correction value for correcting the set value of the slide motion is calculated according to the analyzed difference. Here, when setting one step of motion repeatedly, a delay of, for example, 10 milliseconds is set for one step of motion so that the motion speed is the same as when multiple steps of motion are set during normal play. In other words, one step of motion is configured to be set every 10 milliseconds (at a motion speed of 100 pps). This allows the motion to be the same as during normal play, preventing the player from mistaking the appearance of the motion for an abnormality. In the following explanation, when setting motions for each step toward various sensors, the delay is set so that the motion speed is the same as during normal play.

The values "02H" to "05H" of the motion pointer 223n correspond to the tilt motion unit 600 as the type of the role for which the initial motion is set. The motion corresponding to the value "02H" of the motion pointer 223n is specified as a motion of 10 steps in the positive direction at a motion speed of 100 pps. The motion corresponding to the value "03H" of the motion pointer 223n is specified as a motion until the tilt origin sensor 618 is detected at a motion speed of 100 pps in the negative direction. The motion corresponding to the value "04H" of the motion pointer 223n is specified as a motion of 10 steps in the negative direction at a motion speed of 100 pps, and the motion corresponding to the value "05H" of the motion pointer 223n is specified as a motion that continues in the positive direction at a motion speed of 100 pps until the tilt origin sensor 618 is detected.

To summarize the initial operation set for the tilt operation unit 600, when the slide operation unit 700 operates to the extended position and the value of the operation pointer 223n corresponding to the initial operation is updated to "02H", the performance member 620 of the tilt operation unit 600 is first operated 10 steps to the left as viewed from the front. Then, when the 10-step operation is completed, the value of the operation pointer 223n corresponding to the initial operation is updated to "03H" and an operation toward the origin (i.e., an operation to the right as viewed from the front) is set. This operation is repeated one step at a time, similar to the operation executed when the value of the operation pointer 223n is "01H", until it is detected that the output of the tilt origin sensor 618 has become H (high).

When it is detected that the output of the tilt origin sensor 618 has become H (high), the value of the motion pointer 223n is updated to "04H" and a 10-step motion to the right as viewed from the front (i.e., a motion in the direction of passing the origin position and performing a further tilt motion) is set. When this 10-step motion is completed, the value of the motion pointer 223n is updated to "05H" and a motion toward the origin (i.e., a motion to the left as viewed from the front) is set. This motion, like the motion executed when the motion pointer 223n has a value of "03H", is also executed one step at a time repeatedly until it is detected that the output of the tilt origin sensor 618 has become H (high). By executing these motions, it is easy to check whether the tilt motions (swing motions) to the right as viewed from the front and to the left as viewed from the front, which can drive the performance member 620 in the normal game state, can each be executed normally.

In the initial operation of the tilting operation unit 600, the number of operation steps until the performance member 620, which has moved away from the origin position due to the execution of the tilting operation (swinging operation), returns to the origin position again is counted by the correction counter 223w, and after returning to the origin position, the difference from the design value is analyzed. A correction value for correcting the set value of the sliding operation is calculated according to this analyzed difference. That is, in this control example, if it is determined that the actual operation of either the tilting operation or the sliding operation deviates from the designed operation, the set value (operation speed) for the sliding operation unit 700 is corrected.

The value "06H" of the motion pointer 223n is associated with the slide motion unit 700 as the type of role, and the motion content is specified as a motion in the forward direction at a motion speed of 100 pps. As with the motion pointer 223n value "01H", a one-step motion is set to be repeated until it is detected that the output of the slide position detection sensor 718 has become H (high).

Although not shown in the figure, the initial action table 222c5 also specifies initial actions corresponding to other reels than those mentioned above. By executing the initial action using this initial action table 222c5, it is possible to easily determine the presence or absence of a malfunction in the reels that execute the performance action in various performances when the power is turned on. This makes it possible to prevent (suppress) playing on a pachinko machine 10 that has a malfunction, allowing players to play with peace of mind.

In this control example, the initial operation is executed while the initial operation based on the initial operation table 222c5 is being executed, and a correction value for correcting the operation speed of the slide operation table 222c1 is calculated, but the slide operation table 222c1 does not necessarily need to be specified in the operation scenario table 222c. Instead of calculating a correction value for correcting the operation speed, an operation scenario of the slide operation during normal play may be created based on the slide operation at the initial operation and the number of operation steps of the swing operation, and stored in the RAM 223. In order to explain this modified example more specifically, assume that the number of operation steps to the extension position of the slide operation in the initial operation is 125 steps, and the number of operation steps required for one cycle of the swing operation is 45 steps. In this case, first, the actual number of operation steps to the extension position determined by the initial operation is set as the number of operation steps of the slide operation. Then, the operation speed of the slide operation is set as the operation speed during normal play in order to execute exactly three cycles (three times) of swing operation (3 x 45 steps) before executing the slide operation of 125 steps. That is, the operation speed is set to 100 pps x 125 steps / (3 x 45 steps) = 93 pps. Then, when a performance in which a sliding operation and a swinging operation are performed in combination during normal play is set, the number of operation steps of 125 and the operation speed of 93 pps calculated in the initial operation can be set for each sliding operation of the support member 720. By configuring in this way, it is possible to reliably execute the specified number of swing operations (three times) before the support member 720 slides to the extended position. Also, the capacity of the ROM 222 can be reduced compared to when the slide operation table 222c1 is specified in the ROM 222.

In this control example, the correction value is calculated based on the number of motion steps in the initial operation, but this is not limited to this. For example, the deviation from the designed operation time may be determined based on the motion time required for the sliding motion and the motion time required for the oscillating motion, and a correction value for correcting the deviation may be calculated. In addition, in the above modified example, the setting contents of the sliding motion are calculated based on the number of motion steps in the initial operation, but this is not limited to this. For example, the number of motion steps and the motion speed of the sliding motion may be determined based on the motion time required for the sliding motion and the motion time required for the oscillating motion so that the extension position of the sliding motion is reached at the timing when the oscillating motion is completed three times.

Returning to FIG. 140, the explanation continues. The swivel area table 222d is a data table that is referenced when tilting (swivels) the performance member 620 of the tilting prop 600, and specifies the directions in which the tilting can be performed. Here, in this control example, the tilting (swivel) of the performance member 620 and the sliding motion of the support member 720 are configured to be performed in conjunction with each other. More specifically, while the support member 720 is performing a sliding motion from the origin position to the extended position, the performance member 620 is controlled to perform three reciprocating tilting motions (swivels) above the support member 720 (swivels to the left and to the right three times each). In other words, the position at which the performance member 620 performs the swivel motion changes depending on the progress of the sliding motion.

As described above, the tilting operation unit 600 including the performance member 620 is disposed at the bottom of the area formed by the inner surface of the outer wall portion 212 of the rear case 210 (see FIG. 5), and is configured so that the performance member 620 and the inner surface of the outer wall portion 212 are close to each other when the support member 720 is in the origin position or the protruding position. Therefore, for example, when the performance member 620 performs a swiveling operation to the right in a front view near the origin position of the sliding operation, or when the performance member 620 performs a swiveling operation to the left in a front view near the protruding position of the sliding operation, there is a risk that the performance member 620 and the outer wall portion 212 will collide. Therefore, in this control example, the swiveling area table 222d specifies the operating direction in which the performance member 620 can perform the swiveling operation, thereby preventing collision (interference) between the performance member 620 and the outer wall portion 212. In addition, when the sliding motion of the support member 720 and the tilting motion (swinging motion) of the performance member 620 are both normal motions (motions as designed), the operation scenario is specified so that there is no risk of collision (interference) between the performance member 620 and the outer wall portion 212. The swing region table 222d is useful in irregular situations, such as when a malfunction causes the sliding motion to stop midway or the motion speed to change midway.

Here, first, the operation mode when the tilting motion (swinging motion) of the performance member 620 and the sliding motion of the support member 720 are both normal (operation as designed) will be described with reference to FIG. 144. FIG. 144 is a diagram showing the correspondence between the number of operation steps of the swinging motion of the performance member 620 and the number of operation steps of the sliding motion of the support member 720. In this diagram, the step number "0" indicates the origin position of each role (performance member 620, support member 720). In addition, the positive value range of the number of steps of the swinging motion means that the performance member 620 is positioned to the left of the origin position when viewed from the front, and the negative value range of the number of steps means that the performance member 620 is positioned to the right of the origin position when viewed from the front.

As shown in FIG. 144, until the sliding motion is performed 10 steps, one swinging motion to the left is performed for each step of the sliding motion. That is, the swinging motion is performed in a direction away from the outer wall portion 212 located to the right of the origin position of the sliding motion. Then, when the number of steps of the sliding motion reaches 10 and the number of steps of the swinging motion reaches 10 steps in the positive direction (see position a in FIG. 144), the direction of the swinging motion is reversed and the direction of the swinging motion is switched to the negative direction. This swinging motion in the negative direction is performed beyond the origin position of the performance member 620. When the number of steps of the sliding motion reaches 30 and the performance member 620 reaches a position 10 steps forward from the origin position in the negative direction (to the right when viewed from the front) (see position b in FIG. 144), the direction of the swinging motion is reversed again and switched to the swinging motion in the positive direction.

Then, the direction of the swinging motion continues to reverse every 20 steps (see positions c, d, and e in FIG. 144) as the sliding motion progresses. Then, when the number of motion steps of the sliding motion reaches 120 steps (reaching the extended position of the sliding motion), the motion is stopped based on the fact that the performance member 620 has reached the origin position from the negative direction (to the right of the origin position). Note that when returning to the origin position, the support member is returned to the origin position of the sliding motion while maintaining the relationship shown in FIG. 144.

By executing the sliding and swaying motions shown in FIG. 144, the performance member 620 can perform the same swaying motion every time without colliding with other components. On the other hand, since the performance member 620 and the support member 720 are driven by a drive motor, even if the same operation scenario is set, the correspondence relationship in FIG. 144 may be lost due to individual differences in the drive motor and gears and deterioration over time. In addition, the sliding and swaying motions may be temporarily stopped due to the influence of malfunctions and noise. Even in such cases, if the same setting values (operation speed, number of operation steps, operation direction) as those during normal operation are set, there is a risk of malfunctions such as the performance member 620 colliding (interfering) with the outer wall portion 212. Therefore, in this control example, a swaying area table 222d is provided in which the operation directions in which the swaying motion is possible are specified according to the number of steps of the sliding motion, thereby suppressing malfunctions in which the performance member 620 interferes with other components.

Details of the swing area table 222d are described with reference to FIG. 142(b). FIG. 142(b) is a diagram showing the contents of the swing area table 222d in this control example. In this control example, each time the performance member 620 reaches the origin position of the swing movement, this swing area table 222d is referenced to determine the direction of the swing movement.

As shown in FIG. 142(b), the swivel region table 222d specifies the directions in which the swivel movement can be performed (possible swivel directions) in association with the number of motion steps (progress of the sliding movement) of the sliding movement of the support member 720. In addition, the relationship between the number of motion steps of the sliding movement and the possible swivel directions is specified by distinguishing between a sliding movement from the origin position to the extended position (forward path) and a sliding movement from the extended position to the origin position (return path).

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 142(b), in the outward sliding motion (the sliding motion corresponding to the value of the motion pointer "01H"), the range of the number of motion steps of the sliding motion "0 to 14" corresponds to the swivel direction "left side". In other words, when it is detected that the performance member 620 has reached the origin position in a motion range relatively close to the origin position of the sliding motion (the range of the number of motion steps 0 to 14), the performance member 620 is prohibited (restricted) from swivel to the right when viewed from the front. This makes it possible to prevent (suppress) a collision between the part of the outer wall portion 212 to the right of the origin position of the sliding motion and the performance member 620, which would result in damage to the outer wall portion 212 and the performance member 620.

In addition, the range of the number of motion steps of the sliding motion, "15 to 104", is associated with "both sides" as the possible swivel direction. In other words, if it is detected that the performance member 620 has reached the origin position in the range of the number of motion steps, "15 to 104", the swivel motion can be set without restriction to either the right side as seen from the front or the left side as seen from the front. This is because, in this range of the number of motion steps, the outer wall portion 212 and the performance member 620 are far enough apart that there is no possibility of collision (interference) regardless of the direction of motion.

Furthermore, the number of motion steps of the sliding motion "105 to 120" is associated with the possible swiveling direction "right side". In other words, when it is detected that the performance member 620 has reached the origin position in a motion range (a range of motion steps 105 to 120) that is relatively close to the extension position of the sliding motion, the performance member 620 is prohibited (restricted) from swiveling to the left when viewed from the front. This makes it possible to prevent (suppress) a collision between the part of the outer wall portion 212 to the left of the extension position of the sliding motion and the performance member 620, which would result in damage to the outer wall portion 212 and the performance member 620.

On the other hand, in the outward sliding motion (the sliding motion corresponding to the value of the motion pointer "02H"), the range of the number of motion steps of the sliding motion "0-14" corresponds to the possible swivel direction "right side", the number of motion steps "15-104" corresponds to the possible swivel direction "both sides", and the number of motion steps "105-120" corresponds to the possible swivel direction "left side". By setting the direction of the swivel motion with reference to these correspondences even during the outward sliding motion, it is possible to operate the performance member 620 without colliding with the outer wall portion 212.

To summarize the possible swing directions, as shown in FIG. 143, in the 15-step region (0 steps to 14 steps) that includes the origin position of the slide movement (detection position of the slide origin detection sensor 717), the swing movement can be set only to the left side (left direction when viewed from the front). On the other hand, in the 15-step region (104 steps to 120 steps) that includes the extension position of the slide movement (detection position of the slide position detection sensor 718), the swing movement can be set only to the right side (right direction when viewed from the front). And in the regions other than the above, the swing movement can be set without directional restrictions. In this way, by specifying the direction of the swing movement corresponding to the number of steps of the slide movement, it is possible to prevent the performance member 620 from interfering with other components of the pachinko machine 10.

Returning to FIG. 140, the explanation continues. In addition to the configuration of the RAM 223 in the first control example, the RAM 223 provided in the voice lamp control device 113 in the second control example further includes a step counter 223k, an operation scenario flag 223m, an operation pointer 223n, a swing direction flag 223o, a correction value storage area 223p, an additional operation flag 223q, a return to origin flag 223r, an initial operation flag 223s, a slide wait flag 223t, a swing wait flag 223u, a swing counter 223v, and a correction counter 223w.

The step counter 223k is a counter for counting the number of operation steps of each reel driven by a drive motor. The counting reference (the position where the number of operation steps is 0) is set at the origin position of each reel. This step counter 223k is configured to be able to count the number of operation steps for each type of reel separately. In other words, the step counter 223k is provided with separate counters for the number of drive motors for driving the reels, such as a counter for counting the number of operation steps of the performance member 620 and a counter for counting the number of operation steps of the support member 720.

Each time the step counter 223k receives an execution signal indicating that one step has been performed from one of the various drive motors provided in the pachinko machine 10, the counter value corresponding to the type of drive motor that output the execution signal is updated by one (see S1622 in FIG. 149). In addition, when the power to the pachinko machine 10 is turned on, a return-to-origin operation is performed to return the various reels to their origin positions, and when the various reels return to their origin positions through this return-to-origin operation, the value of the step counter 223k is set to 0. This return-to-origin operation ensures that the position where the value of the step counter 223k is 0 can be set to the origin position of each reel, so that the operating status (drive position) of each reel can be accurately grasped.

The operation scenario flag 223m is a flag indicating which of the operation scenarios corresponding to the performance operation of each role object specified in the operation scenario table 222c is set. This operation scenario flag 223m is composed of, for example, 1 byte (8 bits), and each bit is associated with a type of operation scenario. For example, the 0th bit of the operation scenario flag 223m corresponds to the slide operation table 222c1, and if this 0th bit is 1 (on), it means that the slide operation table 222c1 is set as the operation scenario, and if it is 0 (off), it means that the slide operation table 222c1 is not set. Similarly, for the other bits, if the operation scenario corresponding to each bit is set, the corresponding bit is set to 1 (on), and if the corresponding operation scenario is not set, the corresponding bit is set to 0 (off).

When an operation scenario is identified based on a variation pattern command during the variation pattern receiving process (see FIG. 108), the bit corresponding to that scenario is set to 1 (on) in this operation scenario flag 223m (see S1704, S1708, S1710 in FIG. 108). Also, each time a variation performance for which an operation scenario is set ends, the bit corresponding to the set scenario is set to 0 (off). This operation scenario flag 223m makes it easy to determine the type of operation scenario that is currently set.

The action pointer 223n is a pointer used to identify the progress of the action scenario that has been set. As described above, each data table that constitutes the action scenario table 222c is specified by associating the value of this action pointer 223n with the action content to be set (action speed, number of action steps, action direction). In this control example, an action with one setting content is set for the drive motor, and when the action according to the setting content is completed, the value of the action pointer 223n is updated.

The action pointer 223n can update the pointer value separately for each action scenario that is set. In other words, the action pointer 223n is a collective term for the different pointers provided for each action scenario. Each pointer that constitutes the action pointer 223 is set to "01H" when a corresponding action scenario is newly set. Then, each time the action content corresponding to the pointer value is completed, the pointer value is updated (see S5312 in FIG. 150, S5411 in FIG. 151, S5505 in FIG. 152, and S5710 and S5711 in FIG. 154), and the action content corresponding to the updated pointer value is set. In addition, when the variable performance for which the corresponding action scenario is set ends, the pointer value is reset to "00H". By using this action pointer 223n, the action scenario that is set can be accurately grasped.

The swing direction flag 223o is a flag that indicates the direction of the swing motion. If the value of the swing direction flag 223o is on, it indicates that a swing motion in the positive direction (left direction when viewed from the front) is being performed, and if the value of the swing direction flag 223o is off, it indicates that a swing motion in the negative direction (right direction when viewed from the front) is being performed. If an action scenario corresponding to a tilting action is set and the value of the action pointer 223n is updated, the swing direction flag 223o is updated to a value corresponding to the action content indicated by the updated value of the action pointer 223n (see S5507 in FIG. 152). In other words, if a swing motion in the positive direction is set as the action content, the swing direction flag 223o is set to on, and if a swing motion in the negative direction is set, the swing direction flag 223o is set to off. When the swing motion reaches the origin position, the direction of the swing motion is specified by referring to the swing direction flag 223o. Then, it is determined based on the swing area table 222d whether or not it is acceptable to pass the origin with the same swing motion direction.

The correction value storage area 223p is a storage area for storing correction values that correct variations in the operation of the reel due to deterioration over time, individual differences, etc. More specifically, correction values for correcting the operation speed of the support member 720 to match the actual operation of the performance member 620 are stored. The correction values stored in this correction value storage area 223p are calculated during the execution of the initial operation that is executed based on the power being turned on for the pachinko machine 10, and are stored in this correction value storage area 223p (see S5406, S5409 in FIG. 151). The correction values are broadly divided into at least a correction value according to the actual swing operation status of the performance member 620 and a correction value according to the actual sliding operation status of the support member 720, and the number of steps of the sliding operation can be corrected according to these correction values.

The correction value according to the actual swinging movement of the performance member 620 is the ratio of the design value of the number of steps when the performance member 620 swings from the origin position to the right when viewed from the front and to the left when viewed from the front (a total of 40 steps, as the swinging movement is performed in two directions, left and right, with 10 steps going forward and 10 steps going back), to the number of steps actually required to set a series of movements and return to the origin.

On the other hand, the correction value according to the actual swinging motion of the support member 720 is the ratio between the design value (120 steps) of the number of steps when the support member 720 slides from the origin position to the extended position, and the number of steps required to move from the origin position to the extended position in the actual sliding motion. By correcting the settings of the operation scenario using these correction values, the manner of the sliding motion of the support member 720 can be matched to the manner of the actual swinging motion of the performance member 620. In other words, if the actual number of steps required for the swinging motion is greater than the design value, it becomes necessary to set a number of steps greater than the design value, which lengthens the period of execution of the swinging motion. Even in this case, a correction value for slowing down the speed of the sliding motion is stored in the correction value storage area 223p in order to match the timing at which the three swinging motions are completed and the timing at which the sliding motion reaches the extended position.

On the other hand, if the actual number of steps required for the swing operation is fewer than the design value, the swing operation will end with fewer steps than the design value, and the execution period of the swing operation will be shorter by mi. Even in this case, a correction value for increasing the operating speed of the sliding operation is stored in the correction value storage area 223p to match the timing at which the three swing operations are completed with the timing at which the sliding operation reaches the extension position.

When setting a slide movement, the correction value stored in the correction value storage area 223p is multiplied by the movement speed specified in the slide movement table 223c1 and set as the new movement speed, so that the timing at which the swing movement is completed and the timing at which the slide movement reaches the extended position can be matched. This improves the movement quality when the performance member 620 and the support member 720 are operated simultaneously.

The additional operation flag 223q is a flag for indicating whether or not it is an additional operation period that may be set after the number of operation steps specified in the operation scenario table 222c has been consumed. Here, in this control example, if the output of the corresponding sensor does not become H (high) even though the number of operation steps specified in the operation scenario table 222c has been consumed, an additional operation is set in the sensor direction. This additional operation is repeatedly set step by step until the output of the corresponding sensor becomes H (high). The period in which this additional operation is set is called the additional operation period. By setting this additional operation period, even if the number of steps until the sensor is detected is shifted due to aging deterioration or individual differences, it is possible to move in the sensor direction without immediately reporting an error. This additional operation flag 223q is set to ON in the abnormality detection process (see FIG. 155) that is executed when the output of the corresponding sensor does not become H (high) even after the number of operation steps specified in the operation scenario table 222c has passed, and is set to OFF when it is detected that the output of the corresponding sensor has become L (low) due to the additional operation (see S5604 in FIG. 153).

The origin return flag 223r is a flag that indicates whether or not the origin return operation (operation for returning a reel that has shifted from the origin position to the origin position) that is executed when the power is turned on to the pachinko machine 10 is in progress. If this origin return flag 223r is on, it indicates that the origin return operation is in progress, and if it is off, it indicates that the origin return operation is not in progress. This origin return flag 223r is set during the origin return process (see FIG. 146 ).
When the origin return operation is set, the flag is set to ON (see S5103 in FIG. 146). On the other hand, when it is determined that all the parts have returned to their origin positions during the origin return operation, the flag is set to OFF (see S5304 in FIG. 150). By using the origin return in progress flag 223r, it is possible to easily determine whether the origin return operation is in progress.

The initial operation flag 223s is a flag that indicates whether or not an initial operation is being performed after the origin return operation is completed, in order to determine whether each reel operates normally. If this initial operation flag 223s is on, it indicates that the initial operation is being performed, and if it is off, it indicates that the initial operation is not being performed. This initial operation flag 223s is set on after the origin return operation is completed (see S5304 in FIG. 150), and is set off when all operations specified in the initial operation table 222c5 have been completed. By using this initial operation flag 223s, it is possible to easily determine whether or not an initial operation is being performed.

The slide standby flag 223t is a flag for determining whether or not a slide standby period is set when the sliding motion of the support member 720 to the extended position is completed before the swiveling motion of the performance member 620 in a performance in which the performance member 620 and the support member 720 operate in conjunction with each other. This slide standby period is a period for waiting the sliding motion until the swiveling motion is completed, and is set so that the swiveling motion of the performance member 620 and the sliding motion of the support member 720 start simultaneously when performing the operation of returning the sliding motion from the extended position to the origin position.

When this slide standby flag 223t is on, it indicates that the slide is in the above-mentioned slide standby period, and when it is off, it indicates that the slide is not in the standby period. This slide standby flag 223t is set to on when it is determined during the slide operation process (see FIG. 156) that the slide operation is complete and the swivel operation is incomplete (see S5909 in FIG. 156). On the other hand, when both the slide operation and the swivel operation are complete and an operation of returning from the extended position to the origin position is set, it is set to off (see S5706 in FIG. 154).

The swing wait flag 223u is a flag for determining whether or not the swing wait period is being set when the swing operation of the performance member 620 ends before the sliding operation of the support member 720 to the extended position in a performance in which the performance member 620 and the support member 720 operate in conjunction with each other. This swing wait period is a period for waiting the swing operation until the sliding operation is completed, and is set so that the swing operation of the performance member 620 and the sliding operation of the support member 720 start simultaneously when performing the operation of returning the sliding operation from the extended position to the origin position.

When this swing standby flag 223u is on, it indicates that the swing standby period described above is in progress, and when it is off, it indicates that the swing standby period is not in progress. This swing standby flag 223u is set to on when it is determined during the tilt direction setting process (see FIG. 154) that the swing operation (tilting operation) is complete and the sliding operation is incomplete (see S5703 in FIG. 154). On the other hand, it is set to off when both the sliding operation and the swing operation are complete and the operation of returning from the extended position to the origin position is set (see S5910 in FIG. 156).

The swing counter 223s is a counter for counting the number of times the swing operation is performed. In this control example, the swing operation is performed 10 steps each in the left and right directions from the origin position based on the tilt operation table 222c2, and then the operation of returning to the origin position is repeated three times. However, if the same operation is specified three times for the tilt operation table 222c2, there is a risk that the capacity of the ROM 222 will be strained. Therefore, in this control example, only the operation content of one swing operation is specified in the tilt operation table 222c2, and the swing counter 223s is used to count the number of swings each time one swing operation is completed (i.e., all operations corresponding to the values of the operation pointer 223n "01H" to "04H" specified in the tilt operation table 222c2 are completed). If the count reaches three, the swing operation is terminated, and if the count does not reach three, the value of the operation pointer 223n is returned to "01H" and the operations corresponding to "01H" to "04H" are set again in order. This allows the swing operation to be repeated the same number of times (three times) each time while reducing the amount of data in the tilt operation table 222c2.

The correction counter 223w is a counter for counting the number of steps of the actual swinging movement of the performance member 620 and the number of steps of the actual sliding movement of the support member 720 during the initial movement. By comparing the number of steps counted by this correction counter 223w with the design value of the number of steps, it is possible to analyze (determine) how much the actual movement deviates from the design value. In other words, it is possible to analyze (determine) the effects of individual differences and deterioration over time. A correction value for correcting the movement speed of the sliding movement is calculated according to the number of steps of each reel counted by this correction counter 223w (see S5406, S5409 in FIG. 151).

<Regarding the control process of the voice lamp control device in the second control example>
Next, various processes executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 in the second control example will be described with reference to Fig. 145 to Fig. 156. First, Fig. 145 is a flowchart showing the start-up process executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 in the second control example. This start-up process is a process executed when the pachinko machine 10 is powered on, similar to the first control example.

Of the start-up processes, steps S1301 to S1313 are identical to steps S1301 to S1313 executed in the start-up process in the first control example (see FIG. 104). The start-up process in the second control example differs from the start-up process in the first control example in that, in addition to the start-up process in the first control example, a return-to-origin process (S1321) is executed.

This origin return process (S1321) is executed after the processes from S1301 to S1312 have been executed, as in the first control example, and is a process for returning the reel that has shifted from the origin position to the origin position. After the origin return process (S1321) is executed, a time setting process (S1313) is executed, and this process is terminated.

Next, the above-mentioned origin return process (S1321) will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 146. FIG. 146 is a flowchart showing the origin return process (S1321). This origin return process (S1321) is a process for moving (moving) to the origin position those of the various reels provided in this pachinko machine 10 that are not in the origin position when the power is turned on.

In the origin return process (S1321), first, it is determined whether or not there is an origin sensor (e.g., slide origin detection sensor 717, tilt origin sensor 618, etc.) whose output is L (0V) (i.e., the light receiving part of the sensor is not blocked by light) (S5101). If it is determined in the process of S5101 that there is an origin sensor whose output is L (0V) (S5101: Yes), this means that one of the reels (performance member 620 of tilt operation unit 600, support member 720 of slide operation unit 700, etc.) is not at the origin position. Therefore, in this case, the process proceeds to S5102 in order to return (move) the reel that has shifted from the origin position to the origin position.

In the process of S5102, the action (movement) toward the origin is set for the reel corresponding to the sensor whose output is L (0V) (S5102). Then, the origin return flag 223r is set to ON (S5103), and this process ends. Note that in the process of S5102, for example, an action with twice the number of steps from the origin position to the extended position for each reel is set to ensure that it returns to the origin position.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5101 that there is no origin sensor with an output of L (0V) (S5101: No), this means that all of the reels were already in their origin positions when the power was turned on. In other words, since there is no need to return (move) the reels to their origin positions, the processes of S5104 and S5105 are executed to set the initial operation of the various reels.

In the process of S5104, the start of the initial operation is set for the various reels (S5104), the initial operation flag 223s is set to on (S5105), and this process ends. As described above, the initial operation is performed to check whether the various reels are operating normally. Since it is possible to check whether the various reels are operating normally each time the power is turned on, abnormalities in the various reels can be detected early.

By executing this origin return process (S1321), all reels can be returned (moved) to their origin positions. When they are returned to their origin positions, the step counter 223k of the corresponding reels can be reset to 0, so that the number of operation steps of all reels can be accurately determined after the origin return. In addition, since the initial operation can be executed after the origin return, the same operation can be performed every time during the initial operation. Therefore, it is easy to determine from the outside whether or not an abnormality has occurred during the initial operation.

Next, referring to FIG. 147, the main processing executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 in the second control example will be described. FIG. 147 is a flowchart showing the main processing. As in the first control example, this main processing is processing executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 after the startup processing of the voice lamp control device 113.

Of this main processing, each of steps S1501 to S1520 is identical to each of steps S1501 to S1520 executed in the main processing in the first control example (see FIG. 106). The main processing in the second control example differs from the main processing in the first control example in that in addition to the main processing, a role object operation setting process (S1531) is executed.

This reel operation setting process (S1531) is executed after the processes from S1501 to S1515 have been executed, as in the first control example. Then, after the reel operation setting process (S1531) has been executed, each process from S1516 to S1520 is executed. This reel operation setting process (S1531) is a process for setting the operation of each reel based on the selected variation pattern.

Next, the details of the above-mentioned role operation setting process (S1531) will be described with reference to FIG. 148. FIG. 148 is a flowchart showing the role operation setting process (S1531). As described above, this role operation setting process (S1531) is a process for setting the operation of various roles provided in this pachinko machine 10.

In the reel operation setting process (S1531), first, it is determined whether or not it is time for the reel to start operating (S5201). Here, the reel operation start timing and the type of reel to be operated are specified for each fluctuation pattern. In the process of S5201, it is determined whether or not it is time to start operating based on the progress of the fluctuation pattern.

If it is determined in the process of S5201 that it is not the timing for the reel to start moving (S5201: No), there is no need to set the reel's movement, so this process ends and returns to the main process. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5201 that it is the timing for the reel to start moving (S5201: Yes), the process moves to S5202 to set the movement of the reel that has reached the start timing.

In the process of S5202, the value of the action pointer 223n corresponding to the action to be started (slide action, tilt (swing) action, initial action, etc.) is set to "01H" (S5202). Then, the action content corresponding to the value of the action pointer 223n is read from the table in the action scenario table 222c corresponding to the character to be operated this time (S5203). Next, it is determined whether the action content read in the process of S5203 is a slide action of the support member 720 (S5204).

If it is determined in the process of S5204 that the action content read out is a sliding action (S5204: Yes), the action speed (pps) of the action content read out is multiplied by the correction value stored in the correction value storage area 223p (both the correction value corresponding to the sliding action and the correction value corresponding to the swinging action) and set as the action speed (S5205), and the process proceeds to S5206. As described above, this correction value is a value calculated based on the number of action steps of the actual swinging action of the performance member 620 in the initial action and the number of actual action steps of the support member 720. By correcting the action speed of the sliding action with this correction value, it is possible to match the end timing of the swinging action with the end timing of the sliding action.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5204 that the action content read out is not a sliding action (S5204: No), there is no need to correct the action, so the process of S5205 is skipped and the process proceeds to S5206.

After completing the processing of S5204 or S5205, an operation command is set based on the read operation content (or the corrected operation content) (S5206), and this processing ends. The operation command set by the processing of S5206 is stored in a ring buffer (not shown) for sending commands provided in the RAM 223. Then, during the command output processing (S502) of the main processing (see FIG. 147) executed by the MPU 221, the command is sent to the control ICs (not shown) of the various motors (up/down drive motor 431, opening/closing drive motor 466, sliding drive motor 751, tilt drive motor 661) corresponding to the command. The control ICs (not shown) of the various motors drive and control the various motors based on the received operation command. This causes the various parts corresponding to the various motors to move.

Next, referring to FIG. 147, the command determination process (S1511) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113 will be described. FIG. 147 is a flowchart showing the command determination process (S1511). As in the first control example, this command determination process (S1511) is executed within the main process (see FIG. 147) executed by the MPU 221 in the voice lamp control device 113, and as described above, is a process for determining the command received from the main control device 110 and executing the corresponding control.

In this command determination process (S1511), steps S1601 to S1616 are the same as steps S1601 to S1616 executed in the command determination process in the first control example (see FIG. 107). The command determination process in the second control example (S1511) differs in that in addition to the command determination process in the first control example (S1511), steps S1621 to S1623 are executed. Hereinafter, parts that are the same as those in the command determination process in the first control example (see FIG. 107) are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

In the command determination process (S1511) in the second control example, first, the processes from S1601 to S1615 are executed as in the first control example. Then, in the process of S1612, if it is determined that a stop command has not been received (S1612: No), it is determined whether or not an execution signal (execution command) output from a control IC (not shown) for each motor (up/down drive motor 431, opening/closing drive motor 466, sliding drive motor 751, tilt drive motor 661) has been received (S1621). In the process of S1621, if it is determined that an execution command has not been received from the motor driver (control IC) corresponding to each role, the process of S1616 is executed, and this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S1621 that an execution command has been received from any of the motor drivers (control ICs) (S1621: Yes), the step counter 223k corresponding to the motor driver (actor) that output the operation command is updated (S1622), execution command processing is executed to control the operation of each actor in accordance with the execution command (execution signal) (S1623), and this processing ends. By updating (adding) the step counter 223k corresponding to the operation through the processing of S1622, the state (number of operation steps) of each operation (slide operation, swiveling operation, etc.) can be accurately determined.

Next, the above-mentioned execution command processing (S1623) will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 150 to 156. First, Fig. 150 is a flowchart showing the execution command processing (S1623). This execution command processing (S1623) is executed when an execution signal (execution command) transmitted from the control ICs (not shown) of the various motors (up/down drive motor 431, opening/closing drive motor 466, sliding drive motor 751, tilting drive motor 661) is received.

In the execution command process (S1623), first, it is determined whether the origin return in progress flag 223r is on (S5301). If it is determined in the process of S5301 that the origin return in progress flag 223r is on (S5301: Yes), this means that the origin return operation is being performed in the origin return process (see FIG. 146) executed in the start-up process (see FIG. 145) of the voice lamp control device 113 described above. Therefore, in this case, in order to determine whether the origin return operation has ended, it is determined whether there is an origin sensor whose output is L (0 V) (i.e., the light receiving part of the sensor is not blocked by light) (S5302).

If it is determined in the process of S5302 that there is an origin sensor with an output of L (0V) (S5302: Yes), this means that one of the reels has shifted from the origin position (i.e., is returning (moving)) and the process of returning (moving) the reels to the origin position continues, so this process ends. Note that if multiple reels are returning to the origin, the reels that were determined to have returned to the origin position in the process of S5302 are set to stop operation in order. Also, if there is a reel that has not returned to the origin even after the set number of steps of the origin return operation has passed, an error is reported as it is highly likely that the drive motor is not operating normally due to a malfunction, etc.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5302 that there is no origin sensor with an output of L (0V) (S5302: No), this means that all the reels are in their origin positions (i.e., they have finished returning (moving)), so the process of returning (moving) the reels to their origin positions is terminated and the start of the initial operation of the various reels is set (S5303). Then, the origin return flag 223r is set to off and the initial operation flag 223s is set to on (S5304), and this process is terminated.

If it is determined in the process of S5301 that the return to origin flag 223r is not on (S5301: No), this means that all the reels have been returned (moved) to their origin positions, so it is then determined whether or not the initial operation flag 223s is on (S5305). If it is determined in the process of S5305 that the initial operation flag 223s is on (S5305: Yes), this means that the initial operation of the various reels is being performed, so an initial operation process is executed to set the initial operation in progress (S5306), and this process ends. Details of this initial operation process (S5306) will be described later with reference to FIG. 151.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5305 that the initial operation flag 223s is off (S5305: No), then it is determined whether or not the received execution command is a command corresponding to a tilting operation (S5307). If it is determined in the process of S5307 that the received execution command is a command corresponding to a tilting (swinging) operation (S5307: Yes), a tilting operation process is executed (S5308) to execute a tilting (swinging) operation (to drive the tilting drive motor 661), and this process ends. Details of this tilting operation process (S5308) will be described later with reference to Figures 152 to 155.

If it is determined in the process of S5307 that the received execution command is not a command corresponding to a tilt (swing) movement (S5307: No), then it is determined whether or not the received execution command is a command corresponding to a slide movement (S5309). If it is determined in the process of S5309 that the received execution command is a command corresponding to a slide movement (S5309: Yes), a slide movement process is executed (S5310) to execute the slide movement (drive the slide drive motor 751), and this process ends. Details of this slide movement process (S5310) will be described later with reference to FIG. 156.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5309 that the received execution command is not a command corresponding to a slide action (S5309: No), then an execution command for another reel (action) has been received. In this case, in order to determine whether the action of the reel corresponding to the received execution command has been completed, it is determined whether the value of the step counter 223k corresponding to the reel has reached the set number of steps (S5311). If it is determined in the process of S5311 that the set number of steps has not been reached (S5311: No), this process is terminated.

If it is determined in the process of S5311 that the set number of steps has been reached (S5311: Yes), then 1 is added to the value of the action pointer 223n (corresponding to the action) corresponding to the received execution command (S5312). Then, the action content corresponding to the value of the action pointer 223n after the increment is read from the action scenario table 222c (S5313), and the action command is set based on the action content read (S5314), and this process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 151, the details of the initial operation process (S5306) executed in the execution command process (see FIG. 150) described above will be described. FIG. 151 is a flowchart showing the initial operation process (S5306). This initial operation process (S5306) is a process for executing the initial operations of various props.

In the initial operation process (S5306), first, 1 is added to the value of the correction counter 223w (S5401). As described above, this correction counter 223w is used to count the actual number of operation steps of the support member 720 in the initial operation and the actual number of operation steps of the performance member 620. That is, it is used to count the number of operation steps of the initial operation for the slide operation executed while the value of the motion pointer 223n is "01H" and calculate a correction value corresponding to the slide operation based on the ratio to 120, which is the design value for the number of operation steps. It is also used to count the number of operation steps of the initial operation corresponding to the swing operation executed while the value of the motion pointer 223n is "02H" to "05H" and calculate a correction value corresponding to the swing operation based on the ratio to 40, which is the design value for the number of operation steps for one period of the swing operation.

In this control example, the value of the correction counter 223w is updated every time the initial operation process is performed (i.e., even after the initial operation of the head swing operation is completed), but the process of updating the correction counter 223w (S5401) may be skipped after the initial operation of the head swing operation is completed and the calculation of the correction value is completed. This can reduce the processing load in the initial operation process (S5306).

When the processing of S5401 is completed, the value of the action pointer 223n corresponding to the initial action is read (S5402), and based on the read value of the action pointer 223n, the initial action table 222c5 is referenced to determine whether or not the completion condition for the action of the corresponding reel has been met (S5403). If it is determined in the processing of S5403 that the completion condition for the action of the corresponding reel has not been met (S5403: No), one step of action is set for the corresponding reel (S5404), and this processing ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5403 that the completion condition for the corresponding role object's operation is satisfied (S5403: Yes), then it is determined whether the value of the operation pointer 223n read in the process of S5402 is 01H or not (S5405). If it is determined in the process of S5405 that the value of the operation pointer 223n is 01H (S5405: Yes), this means that the forward sliding operation of the support member 720 has been completed in the initial operation (see FIG. 142(a)). Therefore, in this case, the ratio (the value obtained by dividing the value of the correction counter 223w by 120) between the design value of the number of operation steps of the sliding operation (120 steps) and the actual number of operation steps (the count value of the correction counter 223w) is stored in the correction value storage area 223p as the correction value of the sliding operation (S5406). Then, the value of the correction counter 223w is initialized (S5407), and the process proceeds to S5411.

In the process of S5406, the correction counter 223w is initialized, so that it can be used to count the number of actual movement steps in the initial operation of the next swing operation. Therefore, a single shared counter (the correction counter 223w) can be used to count the number of actual movement steps required for the slide operation and the number of actual movement steps required for the swing operation, so the capacity of the RAM 223 can be reduced.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S5405 that the value of the motion pointer 223n is not "01H" (S5405: No), then it is determined whether the value of the motion pointer 223n is "05H" (S5406). If it is determined in the process of S5406 that the value of the motion pointer 223n is 05H (S5408: Yes), this means that all of the initial operations of the head swing operation (operations corresponding to the values of the motion pointer 223n "02H" to "05H") have been completed, so a process is performed to calculate a correction value corresponding to the head swing operation. That is, the design value of the number of motion steps in one period of the head swing operation, 40, is divided by the number of motion steps actually required for the head swing operation in the initial operation (the value of the correction counter 223w counted between the values of the motion pointer 223n "02H" to "05H") and the result is stored in the correction value storage area 223p as the correction value for the tilt (head swing) operation (S5409). Then, the correction counter value 223w is initialized (S5410) and processing proceeds to S5411.

Note that if it is determined in the processing of S5408 that the value of the operation pointer 223n is not "05H" (i.e., is "06H" or greater) (S5408: No), the processing proceeds directly to S5411.

When processing of S5407, S5408, or S5410 is completed, 1 is added to the value of the action pointer 223n corresponding to the initial action (S5411), the action corresponding to the value of the action pointer 223n after the increment is set (S5412), and this processing ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 152, the tilt motion process (S5308) executed in the execution command process (see FIG. 150) described above will be described in detail. FIG. 152 is a flowchart showing the tilt motion process (S5308). This tilt motion process (S5308) is a process for setting the tilt motion of the performance member 620 provided in the tilt motion unit 600 (see FIG. 9).

In the tilting motion process (S5308), first, it is determined whether the additional motion flag 223q for the head swing (tilting) motion is on (S5501). As described above, this additional motion flag 223q indicates whether it is an additional motion period in which an additional motion is set in the sensor direction when the output of the corresponding sensor does not become H (high) even though the number of motion steps specified in the motion scenario table 222c has been exhausted.

If it is determined in the processing of S5501 that the additional action flag 223q for the head shaking (tilting) action is on (S5501: Yes), this means that the performance member 620 is in the additional action period, so additional action processing (S5502) is executed to execute the additional action until the origin sensor (tilt origin sensor 618) is detected, and this processing ends. Details of this additional action processing (S5502) will be described later with reference to FIG. 153.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5501 that the additional operation flag 223q for the oscillating (tilting) operation is off (S5501: No), then it is determined whether the number of steps of the tilting drive motor 661 for tilting (oscillating) the performance member 620 has reached the set number of steps (S5503). In other words, it is determined whether the tilting (oscillating) operation (forward movement or return movement) of the performance member 620 has been completed.

In the process of S5503, if it is determined that the number of operation steps of the tilt drive motor 661 has not reached the set number of steps (S5503: No), this process is terminated. On the other hand, in the process of S5505, if it is determined that the number of operation steps of the tilt drive motor 661 has reached the set number of steps (see tilt operation table 222c2) (S5503: Yes), this means that the tilt (swing) operation (forward operation or return operation) of the performance member 620 corresponding to the value of the operation pointer 223n of 1 has been completed, so next, it is determined from the current value of the operation pointer 223n whether the tilt (swing) operation of the performance member 620 was a forward operation (operation in the opposite direction to the origin position) (S5504). In other words, it is determined whether the value of the operation pointer 223n is either "01H" or "03H".

If it is determined in the processing of S5504 that the tilting (swinging) motion of the performance member 620 was a forward motion (motion in the opposite direction to the origin position) (S5504: Yes), then processing (S5505 to S5507) is executed to make the performance member 620 move in a return motion (moving motion toward the origin position).

In the process of S5505, 1 is added to the value of the motion pointer 223n corresponding to the tilt (swing) motion (S5505), and the motion content corresponding to the value of the motion pointer 223n after the addition is read from the motion scenario table 222c (tilt motion table 222c2) and set (S5506). Then, the value of the swing direction flag 223o is updated (inverted) to a value corresponding to the swing direction of the return trip (S5507), and this process ends. For example, when the process of S5507 is executed with the value of the swing direction flag 223o set to 1 (forward swing motion), the value of the swing motion flag 223o is updated (inverted) to 0, and when the process of S5507 is executed with the value set to 0 (forward swing motion), the value of the swing motion flag 223o is updated (inverted) to 1. This allows the swing direction flag 223o to be updated in accordance with the reversal of the motion direction of the swing motion, so that the motion direction can be accurately grasped.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5504 that the tilt (swing) motion of the performance member 620 was a return motion (motion toward the origin position) (the value of the motion pointer 223 corresponding to the performance member 620 is "02H" or "04H") (S5504: No), this means that the performance member 620 has been moved toward the origin position, so it is then determined whether the output of the origin sensor (tilt origin sensor 618) corresponding to the performance member 620 is H (5V) (whether the performance member 620 is in the origin position) (S5509).

If it is determined in the processing of S5509 that the output of the origin sensor (tilt origin sensor 618) is L (0V) (S5508: No), this is a case where it is highly likely that an abnormality has occurred, such as the tilt drive motor 661 not operating as set, the movement of the performance member 620 being hindered, or the number of steps being off due to aging or the like, so an abnormality detection process is executed (S5510) and this process ends. Details of this abnormality detection process (S5510) will be described later with reference to FIG. 155.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5509 that the output of the origin sensor (tilt origin sensor 618) is H (5V) (S5508: Yes), the tilt direction setting process is executed (S5509) and this process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 153, the details of the additional operation process (S5502) executed in the tilting operation process described above (see FIG. 152) will be described. FIG. 153 is a flowchart showing the additional operation process. This additional operation process (S5502) is executed when, in the tilting operation process described above (see FIG. 152), the performance member 620 provided on the tilting operation unit 600 has not been moved to the origin position even after completing the set number of operation steps (there is a possibility that an abnormality has occurred) (S5508: No), and is a process for moving the performance member 620 to the origin position or for notifying an error.

In the additional operation process (S5502), first, it is determined whether the output of the origin sensor (tilt origin sensor 618) is H (5V) (S5601). In the process of S5601, if it is determined that the output of the origin sensor (tilt origin sensor 618) is not H (5V) (S5601: No), this means that the performance member 620 is still deviated from the origin position even after executing the one-step operation set in the previous additional operation process (S5502) or the abnormal operation process described below (see FIG. 155). In this case, it is determined whether the value of the step counter 223k corresponding to the tilt (swing) operation is 10 or more (S5605).

If it is determined in the processing of S5605 that the value of the step counter 223k is less than 10, an additional operation of one step is set to move the performance member 620 back to the origin position again (S5606), and this processing ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5605 that the value of the step counter 223k is 10 or more (S5605: Yes), the additional operation processing (S5502) is repeated because the original position has not been returned to, and even though the processing of S5606 has moved the performance member 620 (tilt drive motor 661) 10 steps or more (additional operation), the performance member 620 has not been moved to the original position. In other words, this means that an operation has been performed with a number of operation steps that would be sufficient to reach the original position if it is within the range of normal operation. Therefore, in this case, an error command is set (S5607) and this processing ends.

The error command may be set in a manner not limited to that described above. If the motion of the performance member 620 is a tilting (swinging) motion outside the normal range of motion (setting), and further tilting (movement) is likely to cause contact with other props, etc., an error command may be set and processing terminated.

The number of operation steps required to determine an error is not limited to 10 steps, but may be determined arbitrarily depending on the type of prop and drive motor. For example, if a drive motor that is relatively prone to deterioration (the number of operation steps is likely to deviate), the number of operation steps required to determine an error may be set to a larger number (e.g., 15). Conversely, if a drive motor that is relatively accurate and has a long life span is used, the system may be configured to determine an error after a smaller number of operation steps (e.g., 5).

In the process of S5601, if it is determined that the output of the origin sensor (tilt origin sensor 618) is H (5V) (S5601: Yes), this means that the performance member 620 has been moved to the origin position in one step of the operation set by the process of S5606 (or the process of S5801 of the abnormality detection process) executed in the previous additional operation process (S5502). In this case, the value of the operation pointer 223n corresponding to the tilt (swing) operation is updated (S5602), and the operation content corresponding to the updated value of the operation pointer 223n is read from the operation scenario table 222c (tilt operation table 222c2) and set (S5603). Then, the additional operation flag 223q for the swing (tilt) operation is set to off (S5604), and this process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 154, the tilt direction setting process (S5509) executed in the tilt motion process described above (see FIG. 152) will be described in detail. FIG. 154 is a flowchart showing the tilt direction setting process. This tilt direction setting process (S5502) is a process executed when the performance member 620 provided on the tilt motion unit 600 reaches the origin position in the swing motion (S5508: Yes) in the tilt motion process described above (see FIG. 152).

In the tilt direction setting process (S5509), it is first determined whether the value of the swing counter 223v is 3 (or greater) (S5701). The value of this swing counter 223v is updated by the process of S5714 described below, and is incremented by 1 each time the swing motion of the performance member 620 is performed (one round trip to the left and one round trip to the right is considered to be one round trip) (see S5715). Therefore, if the value of the swing counter 223v is 3, this means that the swing motion of the performance member 620 has been performed three times.

If it is determined in the process of S5701 that the value of the swing counter 223v is 3 (S5701: Yes), this means that the swing (tilting) movement of the performance member 620 has been completed the specified number of times (three times), and then it is determined whether the sliding movement of the support member 720 provided on the tilting movement unit 600 is (or was) the outward movement (S5702). If it is determined in the process of S5702 that the sliding movement of the support member 720 is (or was) the return movement (S5702: No), the swing movement of the performance member 620 will not be performed thereafter, and the process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the sliding motion of the support member 720 is (was) the outward motion (S5702: Yes), the process proceeds to S5703 to execute the swinging motion of the performance member 620 after the sliding motion (outward motion) of the support member 720 is completed.

In the process of S5703, it is determined whether the sliding motion (outward movement) of the support member 720 has been completed (S5703). More specifically, if the slide standby flag 223t is on, it is determined that the sliding motion (outward movement) of the support member 720 has been completed, and if the slide standby flag 223t is off, it is determined that the sliding motion (outward movement) of the support member 720 has not been completed.

In the process of S5703, if it is determined that the slide standby flag 223t is on and the slide action has been completed (S5703: Yes), the value of the action pointer 223n corresponding to the slide action is set to 02H, and the value of the action pointer 223n corresponding to the tilt (swing) action is set to 03H (S5705). Then, based on the value of the action pointer 223n set by the process of S5705, the action content is read and set from the action scenario table (slide action table 222c1 and tilt action table 222c2) (S5706). By the process of S5706, the support member 720 of the tilt action unit 600 is moved in the return direction, and the performance member 620 is set to perform a swing (tilt) action (three round trips).

After completing processing of S5706, the slide wait flag 223t is set to OFF (S5707), the value of the swing counter 223v is initialized to 0 (S5708), and this processing ends.

On the other hand, in the process of S5703, if it is determined that the slide wait flag 223t is off and the slide operation is not complete (S5703: No), the swing wait flag 223u is set to on (S5704) to wait until the slide operation of the support member 720 is complete, the value of the swing counter 223v is initialized to 0 (S5708), and this process ends.

If it is determined in the processing of S5701 that the value of the head swing counter 223v is not 3 (is 2 or less) (S5701: No), the processing proceeds to S5709 to continue the head swing (tilt) operation.

In the process of S5709, the swing direction before reaching the origin position is identified based on the value of the swing direction flag 223o (S5709). Then, the possible swing directions are identified based on the value of the step counter 223k corresponding to the sliding motion and the swing area table 222d (see FIG. 142) (S5710).

When the processing of S5710 is completed, the swing direction (travel direction) after passing the origin is identified from the swing direction before reaching the origin identified in the processing of S5709, and it is determined whether the swing direction (travel direction) after passing the origin matches the swingable direction identified in the processing of S5710 (S5711). If it is determined in the processing of S5711 that the swing direction (travel direction) after passing the origin is not a swingable direction (S5711: No), the value of the motion pointer 223n corresponding to the swing (tilting) motion is updated three times (S5712) so that the swing direction (travel direction) after passing the origin becomes a swingable direction, and the processing proceeds to S5714.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5711 that the swing (tilt) direction (travel direction) after passing the origin is a swingable direction (S5711: Yes), the value of the motion pointer 223n corresponding to the swing motion is updated once (S5713), and the processing proceeds to S5714.

Here, the processing of S5712 and S5713 will be specifically described. When the tilt direction setting process (S5509) is executed, as described above, the performance member 620 is at the origin position. In this case, the value of the motion pointer 223n corresponding to the head swing motion is "02H" (when the head swing direction is left) or "04H" (when the head swing direction is right). Therefore, when the value of the motion pointer 223n corresponding to the head swing motion is updated three times, if 02H (head swing direction is left) was set, 01H (head swing direction is left) is set, and if 04H (head swing direction is right) was set, 03H (head swing direction is right) is set. In other words, it is updated to a value that moves forward in the same direction as the previously set head swing direction. As a result, if the head swing (travel) direction after passing the origin is not a possible head swing direction, it is set to move forward in the same direction again.

On the other hand, when the value of the motion pointer 223n corresponding to the swivel movement is updated once, if 02H (swivel direction left) was set, 03H (swivel direction right) is set, and if "04H" (swivel direction right) was set, "01H" (swivel direction left) is set. In other words, it is updated to a value that moves forward in the opposite direction (direction passing through the origin position) to the previously set swivel direction. As a result, if the swivel (travel) direction after passing the origin is a swivel-enabled direction, it is set to move forward in the opposite direction (direction passing through the origin position), and the performance member 620 can be swiveled (tilted) left and right around the origin position.

Note that in the processing of S5711, the determination of whether the swivel (travel) direction after passing the origin is a swivel-enabled direction is not limited to the above. For example, the position to which the support member 720 will be moved before the performance member 620 next reaches the origin position may be predicted (estimated), the swivel-enabled direction may be identified, and the swivel-enabled direction may be determined. By configuring in this way, the swivel-enabled direction may be determined with greater accuracy. As a result, it is possible to prevent (suppress) problems such as the performance member 620 coming into contact with other components (other props, the outer wall portion 212, etc.).

After completing the processing of S5712 or S5713, the operation scenario table (tilt operation table 222c2) is referenced based on the updated value of the operation pointer 223n, and the operation content is read and set (S5714). Then, the value of the swing counter 223v is updated (S5715), and this processing ends. The value of the swing counter 223v in the processing of S5715 is updated by adding 1 when the performance member 620 moves back and forth to the left and right (when it moves back and forth to the left and then to the right). Note that this is not limited to this, and it is of course also possible to add 1 each time the performance member 620 is moved to the origin position.

Next, referring to FIG. 155, the details of the abnormality detection setting process (S5510) executed in the tilting operation process described above (see FIG. 152) will be described. FIG. 155 is a flowchart showing the abnormality detection process. This abnormality detection process (S5510) is a process that is executed when, in the tilting operation process described above (see FIG. 152), the return movement of the performance member 620 is completed, i.e., the movement to the origin position is completed, and the origin sensor (tilt origin sensor 618) determines that the performance member 620 has shifted from the origin position.

In the abnormality detection process (S5510), first, a motion command corresponding to one step of motion is set for the part (here, the performance member 620) for which an abnormality has been detected (S5801). Then, the value of the step counter 223k corresponding to the part for which the motion has been set by the process of S5801 is reset to 0 (S5802), the additional motion flag 223q for the head-shaking (tilting) motion is set to on (S5803), and this process ends. By the processes of S5801 to S5803, a maximum of 10 steps of additional motion is executed in the above-mentioned additional motion process (FIG. 153), and the performance member 620 is moved to the origin position (see S5606 in FIG. 153). Also, if the additional motion of 10 steps is executed in the additional motion process (FIG. 153), but the performance member 620 is not moved to the origin position, an error is notified (see S5607 in FIG. 153).

Next, referring to FIG. 156, the details of the slide movement process (S5310) executed in the execution command process described above (see FIG. 150) will be described. FIG. 156 is a flowchart showing the slide movement process. This slide movement process (S5310) is executed when an execution command corresponding to a slide movement is received in the execution command process described above (see FIG. 150), that is, when one step of movement corresponding to the slide movement of the support member 720 is completed.

In the slide action process (S5310), first, it is determined whether the additional action flag 223q for the slide action is on (S5901). In the process of S5901, if it is determined that the additional action flag 223q for the slide action is on (S5901: Yes), the return movement of the support member 720 has ended, that is, even though the movement to the origin position has ended, the origin sensor (slide origin detection sensor 717) has determined that the support member 720 is not at the origin position, and an additional action of 10 steps is executed. In this case, the above-mentioned additional action process (Fig. 153) is executed for the slide action role (support member 720) (S5902), and this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5901 that the additional action flag 223q for the slide action is off (S5901: No), then it is determined whether or not the step counter 223k corresponding to the slide action has reached the set number of steps (see slide action table 222c1) (S5903).

If it is determined in the process of S5903 that the value of the step counter 223k corresponding to the slide movement has not reached the set number of steps (see slide movement table 222c1) (S5903: No), the process ends in order to continue executing the slide movement.

On the other hand, in the process of S5903, if it is determined that the step counter 223k corresponding to the slide operation has reached the set number of steps (S5903: Yes), this means that the support member 720 has been moved to the origin position or the extended position. In this case, the corresponding sensor (slide origin detection sensor 717 or slide position detection sensor 718) determines whether the output of the corresponding sensor is H (5V) to determine whether the support member 720 has been moved to the origin position or the extended position (S5904).

In the process of S5904, if it is determined that the output of the corresponding sensor is L (0V), i.e., that the support member 720 has not been moved to the origin position or the extended position (S5904), the above-mentioned abnormality detection process (see FIG. 155) is executed on the sliding action part (support member 720) (S5905), and this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5904 that the output of the corresponding sensor is H (5V), i.e., that the support member 720 has been moved to the origin position or the extended position (S5904: Yes), it is then determined whether the value of the action pointer 223n corresponding to the slide action is 01H (forward action) (S5906).

If it is determined in the processing of S5906 that the value of the motion pointer 223n is "02H" (returning motion) (S5906: No), this is the timing to end the sliding motion of the support member 720 provided on the sliding motion unit 700, so this processing ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5906 that the value of the motion pointer 223n is 01H (forward motion) (S5906: Yes), the processing proceeds to S5907 to perform the return motion of the support member 720.

In the processing of S5907, it is determined whether the tilt (swing) operation of the performance member 620 has been completed (S5907). In the processing of S5907, it is determined whether the tilt (swing) operation of the performance member 620 has been completed based on whether the swing wait flag 223u is on. Specifically, if the swing wait flag 223u is on, it is determined that the tilt (swing) operation of the performance member 620 has been completed, and if the swing wait flag 223u is off, it is determined that the tilt (swing) operation of the performance member 620 has not been completed.

If, in the processing of S5907, it is determined that the swing wait flag 223u is off, i.e., that the tilt (swing) operation of the performance member 620 is incomplete (S5908: No), the slide wait flag 223t is set to on to indicate that the slide operation is complete (S5908), and this processing ends. The slide wait flag 223t that is set to on by the processing of S5908 is referenced when determining whether or not the slide operation is complete in the tilt direction setting processing described above (see FIG. 154) (see S5703 in FIG. 154).

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S5907 that the swing wait flag 223u is on, i.e., that the tilt (swing) operation of the performance member 620 has been completed (S5908: Yes), the processing proceeds to S5909 to perform the return operation of the tilt operation unit 600.

In the process of S5909, the action pointer 223n corresponding to the slide action is set to 02H (returning action), and the action pointer 223n corresponding to the tilt (swing) action is set to "03H" (start swing to the right) (S5909). Then, the action content corresponding to the updated value of the action pointer 223n is read and set from the slide action table 222c1 and the tilt action table 222c2, respectively (S5910). After that, the swing wait flag 223u is set to OFF (S5911), and this process ends.

As described above, in this control example, when the initial operation based on power-on is performed, the actual number of steps of the swinging operation of the performance member 620 and the sliding operation of the support member 720 are analyzed, and the difference from the design value can be determined. Then, by correcting the operating speed of the sliding operation according to the difference from the design value, the timing at which the tilting operation of the performance member 620 and the sliding operation of the support member 720 end can be matched. That is, the predetermined operation content of the performance member 620 (three swing operations) can be completed before the sliding operation ends. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of variations in operation, such as the swinging operation continuing even after the sliding operation ends, or the sliding operation not ending even after the swinging operation ends, and the sliding operation continuing with the performance member 620 stopped. Therefore, when the swinging operation of the performance member 620 and the sliding operation of the support member 720 operate in combination, the operation quality can be improved.

In addition, in this control example, the possible swing directions in the swing motion are determined according to the number of steps in the sliding motion. Then, when the origin position of the swing motion is reached during the swing motion of the performance member 620, the number of steps of the current sliding motion is determined, and it is determined whether or not it is possible to execute a swing motion in the opposite direction by passing through the origin. As a result, even if the correspondence between the number of steps in the sliding motion and the number of steps in the swing motion deviates from the correspondence shown in FIG. 144 due to some malfunction or abnormality, it is possible to prevent (suppress) malfunctions that cause interference (clash) between other components (such as the outer wall portion 212) and the performance member 620.

In this control example, the actual number of steps of the sliding motion and the actual number of steps of the swinging motion are analyzed in the initial motion to calculate the correction value, but the calculation timing of the correction value is not limited to this. For example, even when it is determined that the player is not playing (during a demo performance), the actual number of steps of the sliding motion and the swinging motion may be analyzed to calculate the correction value. As a result, even if the number of steps of the sliding motion or the swinging motion changes during play, a correction value that matches the changed motion can be calculated in the demo performance, so that the motion quality can be further improved in the performance motion in which the swinging motion and the sliding motion are combined. In addition, for example, the motion scenario of the sliding motion may be corrected during the performance in which the sliding motion and the swinging motion are combined and executed. More specifically, for example, when the swinging motion and the sliding motion are combined and executed, the number of steps required for the first cycle of the swinging motion (or the operation time) may be counted, and the remaining number of steps (or the operation time) required to perform a total of three cycles (three times) of the swinging motion may be calculated. The motion speed of the sliding motion may be corrected based on the number of remaining steps for performing three cycles (three times) of swinging motion (i.e., for performing the remaining two cycles of swinging motion) and the number of remaining motion steps of the sliding motion. More specifically, for example, when the number of motion steps of the sliding motion is 70 steps, when one cycle of the sliding motion is completed, 80 steps (two cycles) of swinging motion remain. In this case, the motion speed of the subsequent sliding motion may be multiplied by the ratio of the number of remaining motion steps of the sliding motion to the number of remaining motion steps of the swing motion, and the new motion speed may be set to a value (80 steps/70 steps x 100 pps). Furthermore, in the initial motion, the actual number of motion steps required for the swing motion and the actual number of motion steps required for the sliding motion may be determined in advance, and the correction value may be calculated taking into account the determination result. Specifically, this process is configured to determine whether the swing counter 223v is 1 (whether one cycle of the swing operation has ended) in the tilt direction setting process (see FIG. 154), and when it is determined that one cycle has ended, a process is executed to determine the number of remaining operation steps of the sliding operation and the swing operation. Then, the operation speed of the sliding operation may be corrected according to the calculated number of remaining operation steps. This allows the sliding operation to be corrected each time a performance in which a sliding operation and a swing operation are combined is performed, so that the swing operation can be performed a specified number of times (three times) before the sliding operation reaches the extension position more reliably. Furthermore, in the above case, the slide operation table 222c1 may be eliminated. Then, the operation content of the support member 720 may be calculated to match the remaining operation of the performance member 620 based on the number of operation steps (or operation time) of the performance member 620 at the time when one cycle of the swing operation has ended.

In this control example, the motion speed of the slide motion is corrected based on the correction value, but it may be configured to correct both the motion speed of the slide motion and the motion speed of the swivel motion. Specifically, for example, the motion speed may be multiplied by the ratio of the actual motion step number of the slide motion to the design value as the correction value of the slide motion, so that the time to reach the extended position when the motion is performed as designed and the time to reach the extended position by the actual motion may be matched. Specifically, for example, if the number of motion steps is 10% more than the design value, the motion speed may be increased by 10%, so that the increase in the number of steps is absorbed (offset) by the motion speed and the extended position is reached in the motion time as designed. Similarly, a correction value may be calculated from the actual motion step number of the swivel motion, and the time until the swivel motion is performed three times may be matched to the motion at the design value. This makes it possible to end the motion of the reel in the same motion time every time, and to reliably perform the same number of swivel motions.

In this control example, when correcting the motion speed of a slide motion, a correction value is calculated based on the ratio between the design number of motion steps and the actual number of motion steps. However, instead of calculating a correction value, multiple motion scenarios corresponding to the deviation between the design number of motion steps and the actual number of motion steps may be prepared. Then, by determining the deviation between the design number of motion steps and the actual number of motion steps, a motion scenario corresponding to the deviation may be selected. This eliminates the need to recalculate the motion speed from the correction value each time a slide motion is performed, and instead only requires reading and setting the motion scenario corresponding to the deviation, thereby reducing the processing load on the MPU 211 of the audio lamp control device 113.

In this control example, a correction value for correcting the operation content of the slide operation is calculated, but selectable correction values may be defined in advance in ROM 222 or the like. A correction value corresponding to the deviation between the designed number of operation steps and the actual number of operation steps may be selected and used as the correction value when setting the slide operation. This allows the correction value to be selected with the relatively light process of selecting a correction value corresponding to the deviation instead of the process of calculating the correction value, thereby reducing the processing load on the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113.

In this control example, the correction value is calculated based on the ratio between the actual number of steps required for the sliding and oscillating movements and the design number of steps (Typ value), but this is not limited to the above. For example, the time required for the sliding and oscillating movements may be measured, and the correction value may be calculated based on the ratio to the designed operation time. For example, if the designed operation time for the sliding movement from the origin position to the extended position by the support member 720 is 1.2 seconds (120 steps ÷ 100 pps), but it actually takes 1.5 seconds to reach the extended position (when the required time is 1.25 times), 1.25 may be stored in the correction value storage area 223p as the correction value for the sliding movement.

In this control example, the swing direction after reaching the origin is determined by determining the swingable direction defined in the swing area table 222d according to the number of steps of the sliding movement of the support member 720, but this is not limited to the configuration. For example, the position coordinate of the performance member 620 taking into account the sliding position may be calculated for each step of the swing movement, and it may be determined whether the performance member 620 fits in the area between the origin position and the protruding position. In more detail, for example, when the performance member 620 performs a swing movement to the right as viewed from the front, the horizontal coordinate (coordinate in the sliding movement direction) of the end point of the right end of the upper surface of the performance member 620 located on the rightmost side may be calculated for each step. Then, when the calculated horizontal coordinate matches the horizontal coordinate of the right end of the performance member 620 (10 cm to the right from the origin position) when both the performance member 620 and the support member 720 are at the origin position, the swing direction may be reversed to the origin direction (left direction when viewed from the front) by focusing on the swing motion to the right. Similarly, when the performance member 620 executes a swing motion to the left when viewed from the front, the horizontal coordinate (coordinate in the direction of the sliding motion) of the end point of the left end of the upper surface of the performance member 620 located on the leftmost side may be calculated for each step. Then, when the performance member 620 is at the origin position and the support member 720 is at the protruding position, the horizontal coordinate of the left end of the performance member 620 (10 cm to the left from the protruding position) matches the horizontal coordinate of the left end of the performance member 620, the swing direction may be reversed to the origin direction (right direction when viewed from the front) by focusing on the swing motion to the left.

The calculation method of the horizontal coordinate will be explained in more detail below. In this modified example, the width of the performance member 620 is 20 cm, the radius of the swing motion is 15 cm, the angle of rotation of the performance member 620 by swing motion in one step of the performance member 620 is 6 degrees (i.e., 60 degrees in 10 steps), and the horizontal distance from the origin position to the extension position is 60 cm (i.e., 0.5 cm per step). In this case, when the performance member 620 is operated for, for example, 5 steps to the right, the performance member 620 rotates 30 degrees (6 degrees x 5 steps). As a result, the midpoint of the upper surface of the performance member 620 moves 7.5 cm (15 steps as horizontal coordinate) to the right when viewed from the front (15 cm x sin 30°). And the horizontal coordinate of the right end point on the upper surface of the performance member 620 is about 8.7 cm (18 steps as horizontal coordinate) to the right when viewed from the front from the center of the upper surface (10 cm x cos 30°). In other words, the coordinate of the right end of the performance member 620 is 33 steps to the right in horizontal coordinates. Therefore, taking into account that the width of the right half of the performance member 620 in the origin position (inverted state) is 20 steps (10 cm), if the number of motion steps of the sliding motion is 13 steps or less from the origin position, the swing motion to the right is terminated and the swing direction is reversed to the left.

In this way, by converting the number of steps in the sliding movement and the number of steps in the swivel movement into horizontal coordinates and varying the swivel direction by comparing it with threshold values for the left and right horizontal coordinates (the limit coordinates where there is no interference with the outer wall portion 212), even if the swivel movement and the sliding movement deviate from the designed movements, the swivel movement can be performed within the limit where interference can be prevented (suppressed). This makes it possible to realize a more dynamic swivel movement, which can increase the player's interest in the game.

In this control example, the performance member 620 is provided above the support member 720, and a method for correcting the operation scenario of a role in which the swinging motion and sliding motion are performed in unison has been described, but the role to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to this configuration. It can be applied to multiple roles that operate in conjunction with each other, and for example, a member identical to the performance member 620 may be provided on the right and left sides of the game board 13, and these may be configured to perform swinging motions in sync with each other without performing a sliding motion.

In this control example, the possible swing direction is specified, and control is performed so that the performance member 620 and other components such as the outer wall portion 212 do not collide (interfere), but the conditions for changing the swing operation during operation are not limited to this. For example, it may be determined whether the timing of reaching the extended position by the sliding operation and the timing of the performance member 620 reaching the origin position from the right side as seen from the front are offset. If the timing is likely to be offset, the operation content (setting value) of the swing operation may be corrected so that the timing of reaching the extended position by the sliding operation and the timing of the performance member 620 reaching the origin position from the right side as seen from the front are matched. More specifically, for example, at a predetermined position between the origin position of the sliding operation and the extended position (for example, 10 steps before the extended position), the number of steps remaining until the swing operation is completed is determined. Then, it may be configured to correct the operation speed to one at which the swing operation is completed with the remaining number of steps. For example, when it is determined that there are only 5 steps left until the origin position of the swinging motion when there are 10 steps left of the sliding motion, the swinging motion speed may be set to half (100 pps → 50 pps) so that the swinging motion is corrected so that 5 steps are executed while 10 steps of the sliding motion are executed. Also, when the number of remaining steps of the swinging motion is small compared to the sliding motion, a configuration may be made in which a wait is inserted instead of varying the motion speed. The wait may be inserted only once, or may be inserted multiple times. On the other hand, conversely, when it is determined that there are 20 steps left of the swinging motion until the origin position of the swinging motion when there are 10 steps left of the sliding motion, the swinging motion speed may be set to double (100 pps → 200 pps) so that the swinging motion is corrected so that 20 steps are executed while 10 steps of the sliding motion are executed. Also, instead of determining the timing to correct the swinging motion content by the number of motion steps of the sliding motion, a sensor or the like may be used to determine the slide position and determine whether or not to correct the swinging motion. In this way, by matching the timing at which the sliding motion ends with the timing at which the swinging motion ends, the appearance of the performance member 620 and the support member 720 can be improved when they move in combination. As another example of a condition for changing the swinging motion midway, the position of the sliding motion (remaining number of motion steps) and the number of swinging motions may be determined midway through the sliding motion to determine whether the default number of swings (3 times) can be completed with the remaining number of motion steps. If it is determined that the default number of swings is not reached, the swing motion speed may be changed to correct the motion to one that can achieve the default number of swings. Note that the process of determining the remaining number of motion steps and the number of swings, and the process of correcting the swing motion speed may be performed after the additional motion flag 223q is determined to be off (S5901: No) in the process of S5901 in the sliding motion process (see FIG. 156).

In this control example, in the additional operation process (see FIG. 153), if the output of the corresponding sensor does not become H even after performing an additional step in the sensor direction, an error command is set to notify an error, but the method of notifying an error is not limited to this. For example, the third pattern display device 81 may be configured to display an image to notify the occurrence of an abnormality, and the reel that detected the abnormality may continue to operate in a dedicated (for abnormality detection) operation mode for a certain period of time (for example, 10 seconds), while stopping the operation of other reels that do not detect an abnormality. By configuring in this way, it is easy to determine which reel has an abnormality just by looking at it. In other words, when an error is notified, the hall staff can easily determine that some abnormality has occurred in the reel that continues to operate.

In this control example, the case where the role (the performance member 620 and the support member 720) operate in combination was assumed, but instead of this, or in addition to this, the support member 720 may be controlled in conjunction with other components. For example, the support member 720 may be configured to switch the lighting pattern of the illumination units 29 to 33 in conjunction with the sliding movement. In this case, a lighting pattern that matches the sliding movement of the support member 720 may be set. Also, the lighting mode may be switched every time the support member 720 returns to the origin position. For example, the lighting color of the illumination units 29 to 33 may be switched from red to green to blue to red, etc., every time the sliding movement goes back and forth between the origin position and the extension position. By configuring in this way, it is possible to simply store the lighting color set at the time of the previous sliding movement and switch it according to the start of the sliding movement, so that the lighting control of the illumination units 29 to 33 can be simplified. In addition, compared to the case where the lighting pattern is switched according to the progress of the sliding movement, it is possible to suppress the timing of switching the lighting pattern from being out of sync with the progress of the sliding movement. This improves the visual quality of the sliding motion. In addition, since the lighting color can be changed when the support member 720 returns to the origin position, even if the driving motor for sliding the support member 720 is changed or the mechanism such as the gear ratio is changed, changing the time required for the sliding motion, the lighting control data before the change can be used as is. In other words, the process of changing the lighting pattern to match the changed configuration can be omitted, reducing the workload of the designer.

<Third control example>
Next, the pachinko machine 10 in the third control example will be described with reference to Figures 157 to 173. In the above-mentioned first control example, when images are displayed on the third symbol display device 81 or the sub-display device 690 during normal play, a technique for reducing the capacity of the character ROM 234 by utilizing various power-on images was described.

In contrast to this, in the third control example, a control method that can further increase the player's willingness to participate in a timing effect, which is one of the entertainment effects executed on the sub-display device 690, is described below in detail. Note that a timing effect is an effect in which an image displayed on the sub-display device 690 suggests the timing to press (operate) the frame button 229 provided on the front frame 14, and is a type of entertainment effect executed while the variable display of special symbols is being executed. In this timing effect, points are added each time the timing suggested on the sub-display device 690 matches the timing when the player actually operates the frame button 229, and if the points earned by the time the timing effect ends are equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value (quota), a special bonus is awarded to the player.

The pachinko machine 10 in this third control example differs in configuration from the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example in that frame button 229 is provided instead of frame button 22, that the configuration of ROM 222 and RAM 223 provided in the sound lamp control device 113 has been partially changed, and that some of the processing executed by MPU 221 of sound lamp control device 113 has been changed from that of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. The other configurations, various processing executed by MPU 201 of main control device 110, other processing executed by MPU 221 of sound lamp control device 113, and various processing executed by MPU 231 of display control device 114 are the same as those of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. Hereinafter, the same elements as those in the first control example are given the same reference numerals, and illustrations and explanations thereof are omitted.

First, referring to FIG. 157, a front view of the pachinko machine 10 in this control example will be described. As shown in FIG. 157, the pachinko machine 10 in this control example has a frame button 229 on the left side of the ball dispensing operation unit 40 when viewed from the front, and the frame button 22 has been removed. The frame button 229 is made up of four types of buttons: an up button UB, a right button RB, a left button LB, and a down button DB. These four types of buttons are used in the timing performance. That is, the timing performance is configured to suggest the timing of pressing (operating) the frame button 229 and the type of button to be pressed (operated) (see FIG. 163 and FIG. 164). If the timing suggested by the performance and the type of button both match, points are added.

Next, the display mode of the timing effect will be described with reference to Figs. 163 to 165. First, Fig. 163(a) is a diagram showing an example of the display mode of the sub-display device 690 when the timing effect is being executed. As shown in Fig. 163, when the timing effect is being executed, multiple display areas (display areas 901, 902, 903, 904a, 904b, 904c, 904d, 905) are displayed on the sub-display device 690.

Display areas 904a, 904b, 904c, 904d, and 905, which are displayed in the lower half of the display area of the sub-display device 690, are display areas in which displays are made to suggest to the player the timing for pressing (operating) the frame button 229 and the type of button to be operated. As shown in FIG. 163, the display area 905 is made up of a vertically long rectangular press suggestion area 911a and four horizontally long rectangular scroll display areas 911b to 911e. The scroll display areas 911b to 911e are displayed vertically in this order.

Each of the scroll display areas 911b to 911e is configured to be able to scroll various images to the left when viewed from the front (towards the press suggestion area 911a). As shown in FIG. 163, the various images that are scrolled include, for example, scroll bars 912a to 912e and a rapid-fire bar 913a. Points are added by pressing a corresponding type of button when the scrolled image is scrolled to a position where it overlaps with the press suggestion area 911a. The scroll bar is configured so that the corresponding point (10 points or 50 points) is added by pressing the corresponding button type once when it overlaps with the press suggestion area 911a. On the other hand, the rapid-fire bar is configured so that the corresponding point (50 points) is added by pressing the corresponding button 10 times while it overlaps with the press suggestion area 911a.

Above the press suggestion area 911a, a speech bubble-type display area 901 pointing to the press suggestion area 911a is displayed. In this display area 901, the words "Push the button when the bars overlap and aim for 1000 points!" are displayed. The contents displayed in this display area 901 make it easy for the player to understand that points will be added if the frame button 229 is pressed when the various images scrolled in each of the scroll display areas 911b to 911e have scrolled to the position of the press suggestion area 911a.

In addition, a roughly rectangular display area 902 is displayed in the upper right corner of the sub display device 690. This display area 902 displays the correspondence between the types of images that can be scrolled in each of the scroll display areas 911b to 911e and the points that can be acquired when the corresponding type of button is pressed (operated) at the timing when the image overlaps with the press suggestion area 911a. Specifically, a white scroll bar indicates 50 points, a hatched scroll bar indicates 10 points, and a scroll bar with the words "Continuous Press!!" displayed indicates 50 points. By clearly indicating the correspondence between the images and the points in the display area 902, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the player from having doubts about the increase or decrease in points, so that the player can play the game during the timing presentation with peace of mind.

Below the display area 902, a horizontally long rectangular display area 903 is displayed. This display area 903 displays the total points acquired in the current timing performance and the quota. In the example of FIG. 163(a), the quota is 1000 points, and 100 points have been acquired so far, so the text "Points: 0100/1000" is displayed in the display area 902. This allows the player to easily recognize the current points in relation to the quota. Therefore, the player can play with the aim of reaching the quota, which increases the player's motivation to participate.

In this control example, if the quota is achieved in the timing performance, the current game state is notified as a special bonus. In this control example, as in the first control example, a 2R probability jackpot is provided as a jackpot type. In addition, a small jackpot is provided as a type of miss, and it is configured so that it is not possible to distinguish whether the 2R probability jackpot has been won or whether it has been a small jackpot from the performance or the opening operation of the specific winning port 65a. For this reason, it is difficult for the player to recognize the game state after the 2R opening operation of the specific winning port 65a is executed. Therefore, in this control example, as a special bonus for the timing performance, if the quota is achieved at the end of the timing performance, the current game state (whether it is a probability jackpot state of a special pattern or a low probability state) is notified. This allows players who want to know the current game state to actively participate in the timing performance. This can further increase the player's interest in the game.

In addition, by setting the bonus for a successful timing performance to something that does not affect the game result (notification of the current game state), it is possible to determine whether or not to grant a bonus purely based on the skill of the player's pressing (operation) timing. In contrast, if a bonus is set to something whose result is already determined at the start of the fluctuation (before the timing performance starts) (for example, a big win, etc.), the result of the timing performance (whether or not the mode in which the quota is achieved can be displayed) will be determined before the timing performance starts. If there is a timing performance in which the quota cannot be achieved, there is a risk that the player's motivation to participate in the timing performance will be reduced. In contrast, in this control example, the bonus that is granted when the quota is achieved in the timing performance is set to a "game state notification" that does not affect the game result. This makes it possible to determine whether or not to grant a bonus purely based on the skill of the timing of pressing the frame button 229. In other words, when a bonus is granted, the player can have a stronger sense of having won the bonus on his or her own. This can increase the player's motivation to participate in the timing performance.

Circular display areas 904a-904d are displayed vertically on the left side of the display area 905. Each display area 904a-904d is displayed so that its vertical position is approximately the same as that of the scroll display areas 911b-911e. Furthermore, the characters "up", "right", "left", and "down" are displayed inside each of the display areas 904a-904d. These characters allow the player to easily recognize the button types corresponding to the scroll display areas 911b-911e, which are approximately in the same vertical position as the display areas 904a-904d. In other words, the player can recognize that the scroll display area 911b, which is approximately in the same vertical position as the display area 904a displaying the character "up", is a display area that suggests the timing for pressing (operating) the up button UB. Similarly, it is easy to recognize that scroll display area 911c indicates the timing for pressing (operating) the right button RB, scroll display area 911d indicates the timing for pressing (operating) the left button LB, and scroll display area 911e indicates the timing for pressing (operating) the down button DB.

By implementing the timing effect, the player can operate the frame button 229 in order to reach the quota, thereby increasing the player's motivation to participate in the game.

Next, the display mode when the operation of the frame button 229 is detected in the timing effect will be described with reference to Fig. 163(b) and Fig. 164(a). First, Fig. 163(a) shows the display mode when the frame button 229 can be pressed (points can be earned) at the timing when the scroll-displayed image overlaps with the press suggestion area 911a in the timing effect.

Figure 163(b) shows the display content when the player presses the Up button UB at the timing when the white scroll bar 912a, which is scrolled and displayed in the slide display area 911b, overlaps with the press suggestion area 911a. As shown in Figure 163(b), when it is detected that the player has pressed the Up button UB, the display area 904a (corresponding to the Up button UB) with the word "Up" written on it lights up. This allows the player to recognize that the pachinko machine 10 has correctly detected the player's operation (press), allowing the player to play with greater peace of mind during the timing presentation.

In addition, a display area 921 is formed to the left of the display areas 904a to 904d to indicate that the player pressed (operated) the frame button 229 at the right time. The word "GREAT" is displayed in this display area 921, so the player can easily recognize that the timing of the operation of the frame button 229 was right. Furthermore, below the display area 921, a word 922 is displayed indicating the points awarded as a result of the successful press. The word "+50" 922 allows the player to easily recognize the points acquired. In addition, the display in the display area 903 is updated according to the points acquired (0100/1000→0150/1000). These display contents allow the player to recognize that both the timing and the button type of pressing the frame button 229 were correct (successful pressing). In addition, the player can easily check the points acquired (awarded) and the total points up to now.

Next, referring to FIG. 164(a), the display content when the timing of pressing the button deviates from the suggested display area 911a will be described. FIG. 164(a) is a diagram showing the display content when pressing the up button UB is detected before the scroll bar 912a reaches the press suggested area 911a. In this case as well, the display area 904a (corresponding to the up button UB) marked with the character "up" lights up to notify that pressing the up button UB has been detected correctly.

In addition, a display area 921 is formed on the left side of the display area 904a to indicate that the player has failed to press (operate) the frame button 229. The word "BAD" is displayed in this display area 921, so the player can easily recognize that the timing of pressing (operating) the frame button 229 was incorrect. Furthermore, below the display area 921, a word 924 is displayed indicating that a penalty has been imposed due to the failure to press. This word "-10" 924 allows the player to easily recognize that points have been subtracted due to the failure to press. This allows the player to operate the frame button 229 more carefully, which can increase the player's motivation to participate in the timing performance. In addition, the display in the display area 903 is updated according to the subtracted points (0100/1000→0090/1000). These display contents allow the player to recognize that the player has failed to press the frame button 229. In addition, the player can easily check the subtracted points and the total points up to now.

Next, an example of a mode with different difficulty levels will be described. Details will be described later, but in this control example, when executing a timing effect, the difficulty level of the timing effect to be executed this time can be determined from a number of difficulty levels. Furthermore, the determined difficulty level is not fixed, but may be reviewed midway through the effect depending on the progress of the timing effect, the player's participation in the timing effect, etc.

164(b) is a diagram illustrating an example of a timing effect with a high level of difficulty. As shown in FIG. 164(b), in this modified example, as the level of difficulty increases, the appearance rate of scroll bars with fewer points to be acquired (scroll bars 915a to 915e, which are awarded 10 points when pressed successfully) increases. In other words, if the frame button 229 is not pressed accurately more times, the quota cannot be achieved. In addition, as the level of difficulty increases, the scroll speed also increases. This makes it more difficult to time the pressing of the frame button 229. By providing timing effects with different levels of difficulty, it is possible to accommodate players who are good at pressing the frame button 229 in time and players who are not. In other words, the level of difficulty can be changed according to the player's skill. This can increase the player's motivation to participate in the timing effect.

Next, referring to FIG. 165, the display mode when notifying the result of the timing effect will be described. FIG. 165(a) is a diagram showing an example of the display contents displayed on the sub display device 690 when the quota of 1000 points is reached (for example, 1200 points are acquired) in a timing effect executed during a special symbol probability variable state. As shown in FIG. 165(a), when the timing effect ends and it is determined that the quota has been reached, a result notification area 916 for notifying the result of the timing effect is formed inside the display area 905. In this result notification area, the text "Quota achieved!! Current state is probability variable!!" is displayed. This display allows the player to recognize that the current game state is a probability variable state of the special symbol. In addition, in a low probability state of the special symbol, instead of the text "Current state is probability variable!!", for example, the text "Current state is low probability..." is displayed.

On the other hand, Figure 165 (b) is a diagram showing an example of the display content displayed on the sub display device 690 when the quota of 1000 points is not reached in the timing effect (for example, only 600 points are obtained). As shown in Figure 165 (b), even when the timing effect ends and it is determined that the quota has not been reached, a result notification area 916 for notifying the result of the timing effect is formed inside the display area 905. The words "Quota not reached, unfortunately..." are displayed in this result notification area. In other words, only the fact that the quota has not been reached in the timing effect is notified, and the current game status is not notified (no bonus is given).

In this way, by achieving the quota in the timing performance, the current game status is notified in the result notification area 916, so that players who want to know the current game status can actively participate in the timing performance.

In this control example, when a score is achieved, notification of the game status is set as the bonus, but the bonus in the timing performance is not limited to this. Any bonus may be provided that is not dependent on the game result determined before the timing performance is determined to be executed. For example, the configuration may be such that when a quota is achieved, the display mode of the subsequent display performance (variable pattern performance) is changed to a special mode. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to have the player actively participate in the timing performance in order to see the special mode of the display performance.

In this control example, when changing the difficulty level, the type and number of scroll bars and the scroll speed are changed, but the method of changing the difficulty level is not limited to this. For example, it may be configured so that the quota points increase as the difficulty level increases. Also, for example, it may be configured so that the number of button types used increases as the difficulty level increases.

In this control example, points are added when 10 presses are detected while the rapid-fire bar overlaps with the press suggestion area 911a, but the number of presses is not limited to 10. It may be set to a number less than 10, or it may be set to a number more than 10. The number of presses may also be changed according to the difficulty level, and for example, it may be configured so that the number of presses increases as the difficulty level increases. This allows for more variety in the methods for changing the difficulty level.

<Electrical configuration in the third control example>
Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 in the third control example will be described with reference to Figs. 158 to 162. Fig. 158 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 in this control example. As shown in Fig. 158, in this control example, a frame button 229 is connected to an input/output port 225 of the sound lamp control device 113. This frame button 229 has four types of button types: an up button UB, a right button RB, a left button LB, and a down button DB. As described above, these four types of buttons are used in the timing performance (see Figs. 163 and 164).

Next, referring to FIG. 159(a), the configuration of the ROM 222 provided in the voice lamp control device 113 in this control example will be described. In addition to the configuration of the ROM 222 in the first control example, the ROM 222 in this control example is provided with a timing performance selection table 222d and a press duration table 222e.

The timing effect selection table 222d is a data table that specifies the mode of a timing effect, which is a type of entertainment effect that is executed while the special symbols are being displayed in a variable manner. When executing a timing effect, this timing effect selection table 222d is referenced to set the display mode (difficulty level) of the sub display device 690 during the timing effect. Note that difficulty level refers to the ease of timing when pressing (operating) the frame button 229 in accordance with the timing and button type suggested by the sub display device 690. The higher the difficulty level, the stricter the timing for pressing (operating) the frame button 229 becomes, and more button types are instructed to be pressed (operated) in a short period of time (see FIG. 164(b)).

The timing performance of this control example is divided into three types of periods (early period, middle period, and final period), and is configured so that the display mode can be set at a separate timing for each period. More specifically, at the start of the timing performance, the mode for the early period is selected from timing performance selection table 222d, and the early period of the timing performance begins. Then, at the end of the early period, the mode for the middle period is selected from timing performance selection table 222d, and the middle period of the timing performance begins. Furthermore, at the end of the middle period, the mode for the final period is selected from timing performance selection table 222d, and the final period of the timing performance begins.

Details of the timing performance table 222d will be described with reference to FIG. 160. As shown in FIG. 160, the timing performance table 222d specifies the performance mode of the timing performance in association with the value of the difficulty counter 223γ, which indicates the difficulty of the timing performance. More specifically, as the mode of the early stage, the difficulty level 5 early stage performance is associated with the value "4" of the difficulty counter 223γ, and the difficulty level 4 early stage performance is associated with the value "3" of the difficulty counter 223γ. Although not shown in the figure, similarly, the difficulty level 3 early stage performance is associated with the value "2" of the difficulty counter 223γ, the difficulty level 2 early stage performance is associated with the value "1" of the difficulty counter 223γ, and the difficulty level 1 early stage performance is associated with the value "0" of the difficulty counter 223γ. Note that the larger the difficulty number, the higher the difficulty level. That is, the difficulty level 5 early stage performance is the most difficult mode, and the difficulty level 1 early stage performance is the least difficult mode.

The aspects of the middle period are also specified in a similar manner. That is, as aspects of the middle period, a difficulty level 5 mid-game presentation is associated with a value of "4" of the difficulty counter 223γ, a difficulty level 4 mid-game presentation is associated with a value of "3" of the difficulty counter 223γ, a difficulty level 3 mid-game presentation is associated with a value of "2" of the difficulty counter 223γ, a difficulty level 2 mid-game presentation is associated with a value of "1" of the difficulty counter 223γ, and a difficulty level 1 mid-game presentation is associated with a value of "0" of the difficulty counter 223γ.

Furthermore, the aspects of the final stage are also defined in a similar manner. That is, as aspects of the middle stage, a difficulty level 5 final stage performance is associated with a value of "4" of the difficulty level counter 223γ, a difficulty level 4 final stage performance is associated with a value of "3" of the difficulty level counter 223γ, a difficulty level 3 final stage performance is associated with a value of "2" of the difficulty level counter 223γ, a difficulty level 2 final stage performance is associated with a value of "1" of the difficulty level counter 223γ, and a difficulty level 1 final stage performance is associated with a value of "0" of the difficulty level counter 223γ.

The value of the difficulty counter 223γ is updated in a timely manner according to the game situation of the player, as will be described in detail later. For example, when setting the mode of the middle period, if it is determined that the points acquired by the player in the early period are relatively small (for example, less than 200), the value of the difficulty counter is decremented by 1, and the presentation mode of the difficulty level corresponding to the value after the decrement is set. This allows the mode of the middle period to be set to a mode with a lower difficulty level than the early period, so that it is possible to prevent (suppress) the player from giving up participation in the presentation in the middle of the timing presentation due to a long period of time in which the player is unable to acquire points. Conversely, if it is determined that the points acquired by the player in the early period are relatively large, 1 is added to the value of the difficulty counter 223γ. This prevents (suppresses) the game from dragging on when a player who is good at timing presentation plays a game, as the mode with a low difficulty level continues for the player.

In this way, different levels of difficulty can be selected from the timing effect selection table 222d depending on the value of the difficulty counter 223γ, so the types of timing effects can be diversified. This can increase the interest of the player. Also, by providing different levels of difficulty, it is possible to set a difficulty level that suits the skill of each player, thereby increasing the player's motivation to participate in the timing effects.

Returning to FIG. 159(a), the explanation will be continued. The pressing period table 222e is a data table that specifies whether or not the frame button 229 is determined to have been pressed (successfully pressed) at the timing 911 when an image such as a scroll bar overlaps the pressing suggestion area 911a, in association with the elapsed time since the timing performance started. When any of the buttons (upper button UB, right button RB, left button LB, lower button DB) that constitute the frame button 229 is pressed during the execution of the timing performance, the pressing period table 222e is referenced to determine whether the button press this time was successful or unsuccessful. Then, if it is successful, a performance is executed in which points are added (see FIG. 163(b)), and if it is unsuccessful, a performance is executed in which points are subtracted (a penalty is imposed) (see FIG. 164(a)). Details of the pressing period table 222e will be explained with reference to FIG. 161 and FIG. 162.

Figure 161 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the press period table 222e. As shown in Figure 161, a number of data tables are defined for the press period table 222e according to the set period and difficulty level. For example, an early stage difficulty level 1 table 222e1 is provided as a table corresponding to the early stage performance for difficulty level 1 that is set in the early stage period. When an early stage performance for difficulty level 1 is set, this early stage difficulty level 1 table 222e1 is set as the corresponding press period table. Similarly, the same is true for the early stage performances for difficulty levels 2 to 5, and an early stage difficulty level 2 table 222e2 to an early stage difficulty level 5 table 222e5 are defined as the corresponding press period tables, respectively.

Furthermore, the mid-game period is the same as the early-game period; specifically, table 2226 for mid-game difficulty level 1 to table 222e10 for mid-game difficulty level 5 are provided as press period tables corresponding to the mid-game effects for difficulty level 1 to the mid-game effects for difficulty level 5.

On the other hand, the final period has a different configuration from the early and middle periods. That is, multiple press period tables are associated with one final period presentation mode. Here, multiple press period tables mean tables with different widths of the range (length of period) that is detected as successful. Even if the same type of final period presentation is displayed, the difficulty level can be changed by varying the period that is detected as successful. In other words, it is possible to provide diversity in the difficulty level without increasing the display modes of the timing presentation, thereby reducing the capacity of character ROM 234.

A table with a wider range for detecting success is selected when it is determined that the player has earned few points (for example, less than 600 points) by the time the end period is reached. If too few points have been earned by the time the end period is reached, there is a risk that the player will give up on achieving the quota in the timing production. Therefore, in this control example, when setting the end period, it is determined whether the points are less than 600 points, and if they are less than 600 points, a press period table with a wider range for detecting success is selected. This makes it easier for the player to earn points, and allows them to participate in the timing production until the very end without giving up.

On the other hand, a table with a narrow range that is detected as successful is selected when it is determined that the player has earned a large number of points (for example, 900 points or more) by the time the end period is reached. If too many points are earned by the time the end period is reached, the player may feel relaxed and may operate the frame button 229 carelessly during the end period. Therefore, in this control example, a table with a narrow range that is detected as successful is selected, which allows the player to operate the frame button 229 with a sense of tension until the very end of the timing performance. This can increase the player's motivation to participate in the timing performance.

When a final stage performance corresponding to difficulty levels 1 to 3 is selected, a press period table in which the range detected as a success is of normal width and a press period table in which the range detected as a success is relatively wide may be selected. For example, when a final stage performance for difficulty level 1 is selected as the performance mode for the final stage period, either the final stage difficulty level 1 normal range table 222e13 or the final stage difficulty level 1 wide range table 222e18 is selected as the press period table.

On the other hand, when the end-stage performance corresponding to difficulty levels 4 and 5 is selected, in addition to the press period table in which the range detected as a success is normal and the press period table in which the range detected as a success is relatively wide, a press period table in which the range detected as a success is relatively narrow may be selected. For example, when the end-stage performance for difficulty level 5 is selected as the performance mode for the end-stage period, the press period tables selected may be the end-stage difficulty level 5 narrow range table 222e13, the end-stage difficulty level 5 normal range table 222e17, and the end-stage difficulty level 5 wide range table 222e22.

The reason why the press period table with a narrow range for detection of success is selected only when the final stage effect corresponding to difficulty level 4 or 5 is selected is because there is a high possibility that the player who is good at timing effects is playing. When a player who is good at timing effects is playing, there is a risk that the timing effects with the normal detection range will make the player feel that it is too easy. Therefore, in this case, in addition to displaying it in a more difficult mode, the range for detection of success is also narrowed so that even players who are good at timing effects can enjoy it. This can increase the player's motivation to participate in the timing effects.

Next, referring to FIG. 162, the specific contents of each table constituting the press period table 222e will be explained using the table 222e3 for early stage difficulty level 3 as an example. In accordance with the setting of the table 222e3 for early stage difficulty level 3, the early stage presentation for difficulty level 3 is set as the presentation mode, and the display mode of this early stage presentation for difficulty level 3 will be the display mode shown in FIG. 162(a). Therefore, when explaining the table 222e for early stage difficulty level 3, FIG. 163 will also be referred to as appropriate.

Figure 162 shows the contents of the table 222e3 for early difficulty level 3. As shown in Figure 162, the table 222e3 for early difficulty level 3 specifies the type of pressing period (whether it is a success period, a failure period, or a repeated pressing period) in association with the time elapsed since the start of the timing effect (the value of the timing effect pointer 223δ, which is updated periodically). In addition, the types of pressing period are specified as a pressing period for the up button UB, a pressing period for the right button RB, a pressing period for the left button LB, and a pressing period for the down button DB.

Specifically, the failure period corresponds to the pressing period for all button types when the elapsed time from the start of the timing performance is in the range of 0 milliseconds to 1499 milliseconds (1.499 seconds). If any button is pressed during this period, it is determined to be a failure. Furthermore, the success period corresponds to the pressing period for the up button UB when the elapsed time is in the range of 1500 milliseconds to 1699 milliseconds. On the other hand, the failure period corresponds to the pressing period for the other button types. Therefore, during this period, if the up button UB is operated, it is determined to be a success and points are added, and if any other button is operated, it is determined to be a failure. Note that, as the display contents of the sub display device 690 during this period, only the scroll bar (scroll bar 912a in FIG. 163) scrolled and displayed in the scroll display area 911b overlaps with the pressing suggestion area 911a, and the scroll bars scrolled and displayed in the other scroll display areas 911b to 911e are displayed in a state in which they have not yet reached the pressing suggestion area 911a.

Failure periods are associated with the elapsed time range of 1700 milliseconds to 2199 seconds as the pressing period for all button types. If any button is pressed during this period, it is determined to be a failure. Failure periods are associated with the elapsed time range of 2200 milliseconds to 2399 milliseconds as the pressing period for the down button DB. On the other hand, failure periods are associated with the pressing periods for the other button types. Therefore, during this period, if the down button DB is pressed, it is determined to be a success and points are added, and if any other button is pressed, it is determined to be a failure. During this period, the display content of the sub display device 690 is such that only the scroll bar scrolled and displayed in the scroll display area 911e (scroll bar 912e in FIG. 163) overlaps with the pressing suggestion area 911a, and the scroll bars scrolled and displayed in the other scroll display areas 911a to 911d are displayed in a state in which they have not yet reached the pressing suggestion area 911a.

The failure period corresponds to the elapsed time range of 2400 milliseconds to 2999 seconds as the pressing period for all button types. If any button is pressed during this period, it is determined to be a failure. And the success period corresponds to the elapsed time range of 3000 milliseconds to 3199 milliseconds as the pressing period for the right button RB. On the other hand, the failure period corresponds to the pressing period for the other button types. Therefore, during this period, if the right button RB is pressed, it is determined to be a success and points are added, and if any other button is pressed, it is determined to be a failure. Note that, as for the display contents of the sub display device 690 during this period, only the scroll bar (scroll bar 912b in FIG. 163) scrolled and displayed in the scroll display area 911c overlaps with the pressing suggestion area 911a, and the scroll bars scrolled and displayed in the other scroll display areas 911b, 911d, and 911e are displayed in a state in which they have not yet reached the pressing suggestion area 911a.

The failure period corresponds to the elapsed time range of 3200 milliseconds to 3799 seconds as the pressing period for all button types. If any button is pressed during this period, it is determined to be a failure. And the repeated tapping period corresponds to the elapsed time range of 3800 milliseconds to 4999 milliseconds as the pressing period for the up button UB. Meanwhile, the failure period corresponds to the pressing period for the other button types. Therefore, during this period, if the up button UB is pressed 10 times, it is determined to be successful and points are added, and if any other button is operated, it is determined to be a failure. Note that, as for the display contents of the sub display device 690 during this period, only the repeated tapping bar (repeated tapping bar 913a in FIG. 163) scrolled and displayed in the scroll display area 911b overlaps with the pressing suggestion area 911a, and the scroll bars scrolled and displayed in the other scroll display areas 911c to 911e are displayed in a state in which they have not yet reached the pressing suggestion area 911a.

For the elapsed time range of 5000 milliseconds to 5199 milliseconds, a continuous tapping period is associated as the pressing period for the up button UB, and a successful period is associated as the pressing period for the right button RB. On the other hand, a failure period is associated as the pressing period for the other button types. Therefore, during this period, if the up button UB is pressed a total of 10 times or the right button RB is pressed, it is determined to be successful and points are added, and if another button is operated, it is determined to be unsuccessful. Note that, as the display contents of the sub display device 690 during this period, the continuous tapping bar scrolled and displayed in the scroll display area 911b (continuous tapping bar 913a in FIG. 163) and the scroll bar scrolled and displayed in the scroll display area 911d (scroll bar 912c in FIG. 163) overlap the pressing suggestion area 911a, and the scroll bars scrolled and displayed in the other scroll display areas 911d and 911e are displayed not having reached the pressing suggestion area 911a.

Although not shown in the figure, the press period according to the button type is also specified for the subsequent elapsed time. By using this table 222e3 for early difficulty level 3, the press period can be updated in synchronization with the display mode of the timing effect. Note that the other tables specified in the press period table 222e have the same configuration, so detailed explanations are omitted.

Next, referring to FIG. 159(b), the configuration of the RAM 223 provided in the voice lamp control device 113 in this control example will be described. In addition to the configuration of the RAM 223 in the first control example, the RAM 223 in this control example is provided with a timing effect permission flag 223α, a latent probability change flag 223β, a difficulty level counter 223γ, a timing effect pointer 223δ, a succession count counter 223ε, a succession success flag 223ζ, and a score counter 223η.

The timing effect permission flag 223α is a flag that indicates whether or not it is possible to set a timing effect as an entertainment effect when selecting the mode of the variable display. If this timing effect permission flag 223α is on, it indicates that it is possible to set a timing effect as the mode of the variable display, and if it is off, it indicates that it is not possible to set a timing effect.

As described above, in this control example, it is difficult to distinguish from the outside (from the player's perspective) whether a 2R jackpot or a small jackpot has been obtained. That is, when the specific winning port 65a performs a 2R opening operation, it is not possible to distinguish whether a 2R jackpot has been obtained and the game has transitioned to a special pattern jackpot state, or whether the game state has merely changed to a small jackpot. In other words, if the specific winning port 65a has not performed a 2R opening operation even once since the end of jackpot A or jackpot B, the current game state is clear to the player. Therefore, even if a timing effect is performed in this case, there is a risk that the player will not want to receive the privilege of being notified of the game state and will not participate in the timing effect. Therefore, in this control example, if the specific winning port 65a has not performed a 2R opening operation even once after jackpot A or jackpot B has been obtained, the timing effect is set to off so that the timing effect is not selected (see S1827 in FIG. 173).

The timing effect permission flag 223α is also set to ON when a 2R special jackpot or small jackpot occurs (see S1824 in FIG. 173). Once a timing effect is executed, the timing effect permission flag 223α is reset to OFF (see FIG. 6412). This limits the opportunity for the timing effect to be executed to only once per 2R opening operation of a specific winning port 65a. This makes it possible to have the player take the timing effect more seriously, thereby increasing the player's motivation to participate in the timing effect.

The probability variable state flag 223β is a flag for determining whether or not the special symbol is in a high probability state. When this probability variable state flag 223β is on, it indicates that the special symbol is in a probability variable state, and when it is off, it indicates that the special symbol is not in a probability variable state. This probability variable state flag 223β is set to on when a fluctuation pattern command corresponding to a 16R probability variable jackpot (jackpot A) or a 2R probability variable jackpot (jackpot C) is received (see S1823, S1826 in FIG. 173), and is set to off when a fluctuation pattern command corresponding to a 16R time-limited jackpot (jackpot B) is received (see S1826 in FIG. 173). When the quota is achieved in the timing performance and the current game state is to be notified, the game state is notified by referring to this probability variable state flag 223β.

The difficulty level counter 223γ is a counter for identifying the difficulty level of the presentation to be set in each period of the timing presentation (beginning period, middle period, end period). If the value of this difficulty level counter 223γ is 0, a presentation mode corresponding to difficulty level 1 is selected, if the value is 1, a presentation mode corresponding to difficulty level 2 is selected, and if the value is 2, a presentation mode corresponding to difficulty level 3 is selected. If the value of the difficulty level counter 223γ is 3, a presentation mode corresponding to difficulty level 4 is selected, and if the value is 4, a presentation mode corresponding to difficulty level 5 is selected.

The difficulty counter 223γ is initially set to 0. That is, it is reset to 0 when the power is turned on. In addition, when setting the presentation mode for the middle period of the timing presentation, if it is determined that the player has acquired a relatively large number of points (the difficulty level is too low for the player currently playing), 1 is added to the counter value (see S6203 in FIG. 170). As a result, the presentation mode selected for the middle period can be made more difficult than the presentation mode for the early period. On the other hand, when setting the presentation mode for the middle period, if it is determined that the player has acquired a small number of points (the difficulty level is too high for the player currently playing), 1 is subtracted from the counter value (see S6207 in FIG. 170). As a result, the presentation mode selected for the middle period can be made less difficult than the presentation mode for the early period. In this way, by using the difficulty counter 223γ, the difficulty level can be changed according to the player's skill, so that it can be adjusted to a level more suitable for the player. This can improve the player's motivation to participate in the timing presentation.

The timing effect pointer 223δ is a pointer that indicates the elapsed time since the timing effect started, and is updated every millisecond. When the timing effect is being executed, this timing effect pointer 223δ is referenced to determine the type of press period. This timing effect pointer 223δ is updated periodically, for example, during the main processing.

The continuous hits counter 223ε is a counter for counting how many times the corresponding button is pressed during the continuous hits period of the timing effect. Whether or not the continuous hits were successful is determined based on the value of this continuous hits counter 223ε. This continuous hits counter 223ε is incremented by 1 each time an operation of the corresponding button is detected during the continuous hits period (see S6007 in FIG. 168), and is reset to 0 when a prescribed number of continuous hits is reached during the continuous hits period (see S6011 in FIG. 168). It is also reset to 0 at the end of the continuous hits period. This continuous hits counter 223ε makes it possible to accurately determine the number of continuous hits.

The successive hits flag 223ζ is a flag that indicates whether or not a prescribed number of consecutive hits has been reached during a consecutive hit period; if it is on, it indicates that the number of consecutive hits has been reached. On the other hand, if it is off, it indicates that the number of consecutive hits has not been reached or that the consecutive hit period is not yet reached. This successive hits flag 223ζ is set on when it is determined that the prescribed number of consecutive hits has been reached (see S6011 in FIG. 168), and is set off when the consecutive hit period ends. While this successive hits flag 223ζ is on, control is exercised so that even if the button corresponding to the set consecutive hit period is pressed more than the prescribed number of times, it is not determined to be a failure. This allows the player to make consecutive hits with peace of mind without worrying about the number of consecutive hits.

The score counter 223η is a counter for counting the points (score) acquired by the player during one timing performance. At the end of the timing performance, the value of this score counter 223η is compared with the quota of 1000 points to determine whether the quota has been achieved. This score counter 223η is updated each time a press of the frame button 229 is detected during the timing performance (see S6010, S6014, S6016 in FIG. 168).

Next, referring to FIG. 166, the change in the display mode over time when a variation pattern in which a timing effect is set is executed will be described. First, as a premise, a timing effect is an effect that is selected with a certain probability (for example, a 10% probability) when the timing effect permission flag 223α is on and a variation effect with a variation time of 30 seconds or more (a variation effect that results in a reach) is selected.

As shown in FIG. 166, when 10 seconds have passed since the start of the variable performance for which the timing performance is set, a reach performance occurs on the third pattern display device 81. Then, when 5 seconds have passed since the occurrence of the reach performance (15 seconds have passed since the start of the variable performance), the performance mode for the early stage is selected, and the timing performance of the selected performance mode begins on the sub display device 690.

Five seconds after the timing performance begins (20 seconds after the fluctuation begins), the early period ends, the performance mode for the middle period is selected, and the middle period begins based on the selection. Furthermore, five seconds after the middle period begins (25 seconds after the fluctuation begins), the middle period ends, the performance mode for the final period is selected, and the final period begins based on the selection. Then, two seconds after the start of the final period, the final period ends and a notification is set of the result of this timing performance (whether or not the quota was achieved). This notification lasts for one second.

<Electrical configuration of the voice lamp control device in the third control example>
Next, various processes executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 in the third control example will be described with reference to Fig. 167 to Fig. 173. First, Fig. 167 is a flowchart showing a main process executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 in the third control example.

In this main process, steps S1501 to S1511 and steps S1513 to S1520 are the same as steps S1501 to S1511 and steps S1513 to S1520 executed in the main process in the first control example (see FIG. 106). In the main process in the third control example, when the process of S1510 ends, a timing effect process (S1541) is executed to perform various settings during the timing effect, and the process proceeds to S1511. In the process of S1511, the same process as the command determination process (S1511) in the first control example is executed, and then, instead of the variable display setting process in the first control example (see FIG. 109), a variable display setting process 2 (S1542) is executed. When this variable display setting process 2 ends, the processes from S1513 onwards are executed, as in the first control example.

Here, the details of the frame button input monitoring and rendering process (S1507) executed in the main processing (see FIG. 167) will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 168. The frame button input monitoring and rendering process itself was also executed in the main processing (see FIG. 106) in the first control example, but detailed explanations of this have been omitted, so it will be explained again.

In the frame button input monitoring and performance process (S1507), first, it is determined whether or not a timing performance is in progress (S6001), and if it is determined that a timing performance is not in progress (S6001: No), this process is terminated as is. On the other hand, if it is determined that a timing performance is in progress (S6001: Yes), it is then determined whether or not a press of the operation button (frame button 229) has been detected (S6002). Then, if it is determined that a press of the operation button (frame button 229) has not been detected (S6002: No), this process is terminated as is.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6002 that pressing of an operation button (frame button 229) has been detected (S6002: Yes), the pressing period table 222e corresponding to the type of button that was detected to be pressed is read (S6003). After that, the pressing period type is identified based on the read pressing period table 222e and the value of the timing effect pointer 223δ (S6004).

After the process of S6004 is completed, it is next determined whether or not the period is a continuous tapping period (S6005). If it is determined that the period is a continuous tapping period (S6005: Yes), it is then determined whether or not the continuous tapping success flag 223ζ is on (S6006). If it is determined that the continuous tapping success flag 223ζ is on (S6007: Yes), this means that the frame button has been successfully pressed a predetermined number of times (10 times) during the continuous tapping period, and there is no need to count the number of continuous taps, so this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6006 that the successive hits flag 223ζ is off (S6006: No), 1 is added to the successive hits counter 223ε (S6007), and it is determined whether the value after the increment is 10 or more (S6008). In other words, it is determined whether or not the predetermined number of successive hits (10 times) has been achieved in one successive hit period. If it is determined in the process of S6008 that the value of the successive hits counter 223ε after the increment is less than 10 (S6008: No), this process is terminated.

In contrast, if it is determined that the updated value of the hit counter 223ε is 10 or more (S6008: Yes), this means that the predetermined number of hits has been achieved, so a display success effect command is set (S6009) to set an effect corresponding to successful hits, and 50 is added to the score counter 223η as points (score) corresponding to successful hits (S6010). After that, the hit counter 223ε is reset, the hit success flag 223ζ is set to ON (S6011), and this process ends.

In the process of S6005, if it is determined that the period is not a period of repeated taps (S6005: No), then it is determined whether or not the period is a period of successful pressing (S6012). If it is determined that the period is not a period of successful pressing (a period of unsuccessful pressing) (S6012: No), a failure display command is set (S6013). This failure display command displays a display that notifies the player that the timing of pressing the frame button 229 is off from the timing suggested by the sub display device 690 (see FIG. 164(a)). By notifying the player of the failure of pressing, an opportunity is given to correct the timing of pressing the frame button 229, and the player can be made to press the button more carefully the next time. This can improve the player's motivation to participate. When the process of S6013 is completed, 10 is subtracted from the score counter 223η as a penalty for the failure of pressing (S6014), and this process is terminated. Note that, in the process of S6014, if the value of the score counter is already 0, no subtraction of points is performed.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6012 that it is the successful press period (S6012: Yes), a display success effect command is set (S6015) to notify the player that the press was successful (see FIG. 163(b)). This notification allows the player to recognize the timing of the success, and allows the player to operate the frame button 229 at the same timing next time. This increases the player's motivation to participate. Then, points (score) according to the type of bar that was overlapping the press suggestion area 911a when the press was successful are added to the success score counter 223η (S6016), and this process ends.

Next, the timing effect process (S1541) executed during the main process (see FIG. 167) will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 169. As described above, this timing effect process (S1541) is a process for making various settings during the timing effect.

In this timing effect process (S1541), first, it is determined whether or not a timing effect has been set (S6101), and if it is determined that a timing effect has not been set (S6101: No), this process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that a timing effect has been set (S6101: Yes), it is then determined whether or not 15 seconds have passed since the start of the fluctuation (S6102), and if it is determined that 15 seconds have passed (S6102: Yes), this means that it is time to start the timing effect, so in order to determine the mode of this timing effect, first, the value of the difficulty level counter 223γ is read (S6103).

When the processing of S6103 is completed, the presentation mode (difficulty level) corresponding to the read counter value is then selected from the timing presentation selection table 222d (see FIG. 160) (S6104). For example, if the difficulty level counter 223γ is 4, the opening presentation for difficulty level 5 is selected as the presentation mode, and if the difficulty level counter 223γ is 1, the opening presentation for difficulty level 2 is selected. Then, a display opening mode command is set to notify the display control device 114 of the presentation mode selected in the processing of S6104 (S6105). By receiving this display opening mode command, the display control device 114 starts a timing presentation of the corresponding difficulty level on the sub display device 690.

When the processing of S6105 is completed, the table corresponding to the value of the difficulty counter 223γ read in S6103 is read from the pressing period table 222e (S6106), the read table is stored in the pressing period storage area (S6107), and this processing is terminated. This pressing period storage area is provided in the RAM 223 of the voice lamp control device 113 (not shown). In the processing of S6004 of the frame button input monitoring/performance processing (see FIG. 168), the pressing period table 222e stored in this pressing period storage area is referenced to determine whether the pressing of the frame button 229 was successful.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6102 that 15 seconds have not yet elapsed since the start of the fluctuation (S6102: No), it is determined whether or not 20 seconds have elapsed since the start of the fluctuation (S6108). In other words, it is determined whether or not it is time to transition to the middle period of the timing performance. If it is determined in the process of S6108 that 20 seconds have elapsed since the start of the fluctuation (time to transition to the middle period) (S6108: Yes), a middle setting process is executed to set the state of the middle period (S6109), and this process is terminated. Details of this middle setting process (S6109) will be described later with reference to FIG. 170.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6108 that 20 seconds have not passed since the start of the fluctuation (it is not the timing to transition to the middle period) (S6108: No), then it is determined whether or not 25 seconds have passed since the start of the fluctuation (S6110). In other words, it is determined whether or not it is the timing to transition from the middle period to the end period. If it is determined in the process of S6110 that 25 seconds have passed since the start of the fluctuation (S6110: Yes), an end period setting process is executed to set the presentation mode for the end period (S6111), and this process is terminated. Details of this end period setting process (S6111) will be described later with reference to FIG. 171.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6110 that 25 seconds have not passed since the start of the fluctuation (S6110: No), then it is determined whether or not 27 seconds have passed since the start of the fluctuation (S6112). In other words, it is determined whether or not it is the timing to set the notification effect (notification mode) that notifies the result of the timing effect. If it is determined in the process of S6112 that 27 seconds have passed since the start of the fluctuation (S6112: Yes), a notification mode setting process is executed to set the notification effect (notification mode) that notifies the result of the timing effect (S6113), and this process is terminated. Details of this notification mode setting process will be described later with reference to FIG. 172.

On the other hand, if it is determined that 27 seconds have not passed since the start of the fluctuation (S6112: No), then it is determined whether or not it is the end of the successive hitting period (S6114). If it is determined that it is not the end of the successive hitting period (S6114: Yes), this process is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is the end of the successive hitting period (S6114: Yes), the successive hitting success flag 223ζ is set to OFF (S6115), and this process is terminated.

Next, referring to FIG. 170, the mid-game setting process (S1507) executed in the timing effect process (S1541, see FIG. 169) will be described in detail. FIG. 170 is a flowchart showing this mid-game setting process (S1507). In the mid-game setting process (S6109), first, the value of the score counter 223η is read (S6201), and it is determined whether the value of the score counter 223η is greater than 600 (S6202).

If it is determined that the read value is greater than 600 (S6202: Yes), a relatively large number of points have been acquired in the early stage period, and there is a risk that the difficulty level is too easy for the currently playing player. In this case, therefore, by adding 1 to the value of the difficulty counter 223γ (S6203), control is performed so that a presentation mode for the middle stage period is set to a more difficult presentation than that for the early stage period. This makes it possible to change the presentation mode (difficulty level) midway through the timing presentation to one that better matches the player's skill, thereby increasing the player's motivation to participate in the timing presentation. After processing of S6203 is completed, processing proceeds to S6209.

In the process of S6202, if it is determined that the value of the score counter 223η is 600 or less (S6202: No), it is next determined whether the value of the score counter 223η read out is less than 50 (S6204). If it is determined that the read value is less than 50 (S6204: Yes), it indicates that the points acquired by the player in the early stage period are extremely small. In other words, the difficulty of the timing performance in the early stage period is too difficult, and the player may not be able to keep up with the timing performance, or may have abandoned the timing performance itself. In this case, by setting the value of the difficulty counter 223γ to 0 (S6205), the performance mode set in the middle stage period or later is controlled so that the performance mode with the lowest difficulty is selected. This can improve the willingness to participate in the timing performance for players who found it difficult to time their presses because the difficulty level in the early stage period was too high, or players who were given the impression that the performance mode in the early stage period was difficult and abandoned the timing performance. When processing of S6205 is completed, processing proceeds to S6209.

In the process of S6204, if it is determined that the value of the score counter 223η is 50 or more (S6204: No), it is then determined whether or not the value of the score counter 223η is smaller than 200 (S6206). In the process of S6206, if it is determined that the value of the score counter 223η is smaller than 200 (S6206), it means that the difficulty level is too high for the player, and at this pace, there is a high possibility that the player will end up with points significantly lower than the quota. In this case, there is a risk that the player will decide that he or she cannot achieve the quota in the middle of the timing performance and give up participating in the timing performance. In addition, even if the player has participated in the current timing performance to the end, the points acquired are too low compared to the quota, and there is a risk that the player will give up participating in the timing performance from the next time onwards. Therefore, in order to prevent these situations, in the process of S6207, the value of the difficulty level counter 223γ is subtracted by 1 (S6207). This makes it possible to make the difficulty level easier from the middle period onwards, and therefore it is possible to increase the motivation of players who have not acquired many points in the early period to participate in the timing performance. When processing of S6207 is completed, processing proceeds to S6209.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the processing of S6206 that the value of the score counter 223η that was read is 200 or more (S6206: No), the value of the difficulty counter 223γ is read (S6208) and the processing proceeds to S6209.

In the process of S6209, a mid-game presentation mode is selected from the presentation selection table 222d based on the value of the difficulty counter 223γ (S6209), and an early-game presentation mode command for display is set to notify the display control device 114 of the selected mode (S6210). Then, a data table corresponding to the value of the difficulty counter 223γ is read from the press period table 222e (S6211), the read table is stored in the press period storage area (S6212), and this process ends.

By executing this mid-game setting process, the presentation style from the mid-game period onwards can be changed to a difficulty style that better matches the player's skill level, depending on the points the player has acquired in the early game period, thereby increasing the player's motivation to participate in the timing presentation.

Next, the details of the end stage setting process (S6111) executed in the timing performance process (S1541, see FIG. 169) will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 171. As described above, this end stage setting process (S6111) is a process for setting the performance mode for the end period of the timing performance.

In this end game setting process (S6111), first, the value of the score counter 223η is read (S6301), and it is determined whether or not the value is greater than 900 (S6302). In other words, it is determined whether or not 900 points or more have been acquired by the time the middle game period ends. Then, if it is determined that the value of the score counter 223η is greater than 900 (S6302: Yes), it is then determined whether or not the value of the difficulty level counter 223γ is greater than 3 (S6303).

If it is determined that the value of the difficulty counter 223γ is 3 or less (S6303: No), a table with a normal range of successful periods is read from the press period table 222e, and processing proceeds to S6309. On the other hand, if it is determined that the value of the difficulty counter 223γ is greater than 3 (S6303: Yes), a table for a narrow range of successful periods corresponding to the value of the difficulty counter 223γ is read from the press period table 222e (S6304), and processing proceeds to S6309.

In this way, a table with different lengths of success periods depending on the value of the difficulty counter 223γ is set in order to match the difficulty level to the player. In other words, if a relatively high level of difficulty (difficulty level 4 or difficulty level 5) is set even after the middle period, the player is likely to have a high level of skill. Then, since the transition to processing of S6303 occurs when a relatively large number of points have been acquired, there is a risk that even the current level of difficulty is too easy for the player. Therefore, in order to provide an even more difficult level of difficulty for players with high skill, the success range is configured to be narrower than in the early and middle periods. This makes it possible to provide a more difficult timing performance for players with high skill, thereby increasing the player's interest in the timing performance.

On the other hand, if the process proceeds to S6303 with the value of the difficulty counter 223γ being 3 or less, it is possible that the player has acquired many points by chance despite having a relatively low level of skill. In this case, if the difficulty level is increased, there is a risk that the player will fail to press the frame button 229 consecutively at the end of the game, which may result in a negative impression of the timing performance. In particular, if the player exceeds the quota of 1000 points at the start of the end performance, but fails consecutively during the end period, and the accumulated penalties cause the player to fall below the quota at the end of the performance, this may significantly reduce the player's motivation for the timing performance. Therefore, in this control example, when the difficulty counter 223γ is 3 or less, which is inferred to indicate low skill, the range of the successful period is configured to remain normal even if a relatively large number of points have been acquired. This makes it possible to improve the motivation of players with low skill for the timing performance.

In the process of S6302, if it is determined that the value of the score counter 223η is 900 or less (S6302: No), it is then determined whether or not the value of the score counter 223η is less than 600 (S6306). In the process of S6305, if it is determined that the value of the score counter 223η is less than 600 (S6206: Yes), a wide range table corresponding to the value of the difficulty counter 223γ is read from the pressing period table 222e (S6307), and the process proceeds to S6309. If the value of the score counter 223η is less than 600, the player has relatively few points acquired by the middle period, so that the difficulty level is likely to be too high for the player. Therefore, in this case, by selecting a pressing period with a wide success period, the possibility of determining that the frame button 229 is successful when pressed is increased. In other words, the difficulty level can be adjusted to the player. In addition, by widening the successful period in the final stage, it becomes easier to press the button successfully, giving the player the illusion that he or she is getting on track (getting the hang of it). Therefore, even if the player does not reach the quota, the feeling of success in the final stage can give the player the illusion that he or she will be able to earn more points next time. This can increase the player's motivation to participate in the next timing performance.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6306 that the value of the score counter 223η is 600 or more (S6305: No), the process reads out a table for the normal range corresponding to the value of the difficulty level counter 223γ from the press period table 222e, and proceeds to the process of S6309. In the process of S6309, which is executed after any of the processes of S6104, S6105, S6107, and S6108 is executed, the data table read out from the press period table 222e is stored in the press period storage area (S6308), and this process ends.

This end-game setting process allows the range of the successful period in the end-game period to be varied to a range that better matches the player's skill, depending on the points the player has earned by the end of the middle period. This can increase the player's motivation to participate in the timing production.

Next, referring to FIG. 172, the notification mode setting process (S6113) executed in the timing performance process (S1541, see FIG. 169) will be described in detail. FIG. 172 is a flowchart showing this notification mode setting process (S6113). As described above, this notification mode setting process is a process for setting the notification performance (notification mode) for notifying the result of the timing performance.

In the notification mode setting process (S6113), first, the value of the score counter 223η is read (S6401), and it is determined whether or not the value is equal to or greater than 1000 (S6402). That is, it is determined whether or not the quota of 1000 points has been achieved in the timing performance. In the process of S6402, if it is determined that the value of the score counter 223η is less than 1000 (that is, the quota was not achieved in the current timing performance) (S6402: No), then the notification mode in the event of failure (see FIG. 165) is set for the display control device 114 (S6403).

After the processing of S6303 is completed, it is next determined whether the value of the score counter 223η is 50 or less (S6404). If the value of the score counter 223η is 50 or less (S6404: Yes), the value of the difficulty counter 223γ is set to 0 (S6405), and the processing proceeds to S6412. If the value of the score counter 223η is 50 or less, it is highly likely that the player gave up early after merely visually checking the early stage mode. In this case, therefore, the easiest mode of difficulty is selected in the next timing performance, which makes the player feel that they are likely to achieve the quota. This makes it possible to increase the player's motivation to participate in the next timing performance.

On the other hand, if the value of the score counter 223η is greater than 50 (S6404: No), 1 is subtracted from the value of the difficulty counter 223γ (S6406), and the process proceeds to S6412. If the value of the score counter 223η is greater than 50, this means that the player participated in the timing performance to a certain extent but did not meet the quota. Therefore, in this case, the difficulty level selected for the next timing performance is lowered by one level, which is designed to increase the player's motivation to participate.

In the process of S6402, if it is determined that the value of the score counter 223η is 1000 or more (the timing performance quota has been achieved), the probability change state flag 223β is read (S6407) and it is determined whether or not the current state is a probability change state for the special symbol (whether or not the probability change state flag 223β is on) (S6408). If it is determined that the current state is a probability change state (S6408: Yes), a notification mode for notifying the display control device 114 of the probability change state is set, and the process proceeds to S6411. On the other hand, in the process of S6408, if it is determined that the current state is not a probability change state for the special symbol (a low probability state for the special symbol) (S6408: No), a notification mode for notifying the low probability state (normal state) for the special symbol is set (S6409), and the process proceeds to S6411.

In the process of S6411, 1 is added to the value of the difficulty counter 223γ, and the process proceeds to S6412. If the value of the difficulty counter 223γ is 4, which is the maximum value, the value remains 4. In the process of S6412, the timing effect permission flag 223α is set to OFF, so that the timing effect will not be selected until the next 2R special big win or small win (S6412), and this process ends.

Next, referring to FIG. 173, details of the variable display setting process 2 (S1542) executed in the main process (see FIG. 167) will be described. FIG. 173 is a flowchart showing the variable display setting process 2 (S1542) executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113.

In this variable display setting process 2 (S1542), each of the processes S1801 to S1810 is the same as each of the processes S1801 to S1810 executed in the variable display setting process in the first control example (S1512, see FIG. 109).

In addition, in the variable display setting process 2 (S1542) in this control example, when the process of S1805 is completed, it is determined whether or not the variable pattern notified by the variable pattern command corresponds to a jackpot C (2R special jackpot) (S1821). In the process of S1821, if it is determined that the variable pattern corresponds to a jackpot C (S1821: Yes), this means that a transition to a special symbol special state will occur, so the special state flag 223β is set to ON (S1823) and the process transitions to S1824.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S1821 that the fluctuation pattern does not correspond to a big win C (S1821: No), then it is determined whether or not the fluctuation pattern corresponds to a small win (S1822), and if it is determined that the fluctuation pattern corresponds to a small win (S1822: Yes), the process proceeds to S1824. In the process of S1824, the timing effect permission flag 223α is set to ON, so that the timing effect mode can be selected as an interesting effect in the subsequent fluctuation effects (S1824), and the process proceeds to S1806.

In the process of S1822, if it is determined that the fluctuation pattern is not a small win (S1822: No), then it is determined whether or not the fluctuation pattern corresponds to the big win A or the big win B (S1825). In the process of S1825, if it is determined that the fluctuation pattern is neither a big win A nor a big win B (S1825: No), the process proceeds to S1806. On the other hand, if it is determined that the fluctuation pattern corresponds to either the big win A or the big win B (S1825: Yes), the high probability state flag 223β is updated to a value according to the big win type (S1826). That is, if it is a big win A (16R high probability jackpot), the high probability state flag 223β is set to ON, and if it is a big win B (16R time-saving jackpot), the high probability state flag 223β is set to OFF. Next, the timing performance permission flag 223α is set to OFF (S1827), and the process from S1806 onwards is executed.

As explained above, the pachinko machine 10 of this control example is configured to be able to execute a timing effect in which points can be earned by operating multiple types of buttons in a timely manner, and is configured to notify the current game status as a bonus when a quota is achieved. This allows players who want to know the current game status to actively participate in the timing effect, thereby increasing the player's interest in the game.

In addition, by setting the bonus for a successful timing performance to something that does not affect the game result (notification of the current game state), it is possible to determine whether or not to grant a bonus purely based on the skill of the player's pressing (operation) timing. In contrast, if a bonus is set to something whose result is already determined at the start of the fluctuation (before the timing performance starts) (for example, a big win, etc.), the result of the timing performance (whether or not the mode in which the quota is achieved can be displayed) will be determined before the timing performance starts. If there is a timing performance in which the quota cannot be achieved, there is a risk that the player's motivation to participate in the timing performance will decrease. In contrast, in this control example, the bonus that is granted when the quota is achieved in the timing performance is set to a "game state notification" that does not affect the game result. This makes it possible to determine whether or not to grant a bonus purely based on the skill of the timing of pressing the frame button 229. In other words, when a bonus is granted, the player can have a stronger sense of having won the bonus on his or her own. This can increase the player's motivation to participate in the timing performance.

In addition, in this control example, the difficulty level can be changed depending on the player's point acquisition status while the timing performance is being performed. In other words, the player's skill is determined from the point acquisition status, and the performance mode is changed to a difficulty level that better suits the player. This makes it possible to prevent the difficulty level from being too high, or conversely, too easy, which would reduce the player's desire to participate in the timing performance. This can further increase the player's desire to participate in the timing performance.

Furthermore, in this control example, when the timing performance ends, the difficulty level of the next timing performance is changed to a level that better suits the player, depending on the player's point acquisition status. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to further increase the player's motivation to participate in the timing performance.

In this control example, when three types of periods, an early period, a middle period, and an end period, are set, the presentation mode is selected according to the player's skill and participation status in the timing presentation, but the number of periods is not limited to three. For example, it may be configured to set a presentation mode for each of five types of periods. By increasing the number of periods, it is possible to more accurately determine the player's skill, etc., and provide a presentation mode that matches the skill. Conversely, the period may be reduced. This reduces the number of processes required to determine the player's skill, etc., thereby reducing the processing load on the MPU 221.

In this control example, when three types of periods, an early period, a middle period, and an end period, are set, the presentation mode is selected according to the player's skill and participation status in the timing presentation. However, the difficulty level of one or more periods may be fixed, and the difficulty level of only some periods may be made variable according to the player's skill, etc. More specifically, for example, the difficulty level of the early period may be set to a presentation mode with a relatively easy difficulty level. This gives a player who visually checks the mode of the early period the impression that the quota can be easily achieved with the timing presentation, thereby improving the player's motivation to participate in the timing presentation.

In this control example, the points are added based on the operation of the 10-time frame button 229 during the continuous tapping period, but the criteria for determining whether the continuous tapping is successful are not limited to 10 operations. Any value can be set according to the length of the continuous tapping period and the length of the continuous tapping bar. In addition, the number of times that the continuous tapping is determined to be successful may be varied according to the set presentation mode. For example, in the case of a presentation mode with a low difficulty level (e.g., difficulty level 1), the number of times that the continuous tapping is determined to be successful may be set to less than 10 times (e.g., 6 times), and conversely, in the case of a presentation mode with a relatively high difficulty level (e.g., difficulty level 4 or 5), the number of times that the continuous tapping is determined to be successful may be set to more than 10 times (e.g., 15 times). This allows the difficulty level to be differentiated not only by the display pattern of the scroll bar and the range of the successful period, but also by the number of times that the continuous tapping is determined to be successful, so that the variation for varying the difficulty level can be made more diverse.

In this control example, the points are added based on the fact that the frame button 229 is operated a predetermined number of times (10 times) during the continuous tapping period, but the system may be configured to determine that the continuous tapping is successful based on operations other than the continuous tapping. For example, the continuous tapping may be determined to be successful by continuing to press the corresponding type of button for a predetermined period (e.g., 2 seconds or more) during the continuous tapping period, in the same way as when the button is pressed a predetermined number of times (10 times). This reduces the burden on the player, since even a player who is not good at continuous tapping can earn points by simply continuing to press (long press) the frame button 229. In this case, the points awarded for performing continuous tapping a predetermined number of times (10 times) during the continuous tapping period may be configured to be greater than the points awarded when the frame button 229 is simply pressed (long press) during the continuous tapping period. By configuring in this way, it is possible to encourage highly skilled players to actively perform continuous tapping, and to encourage players with low skills (who are not good at continuous tapping) to perform long presses to earn as many points as possible. In other words, various ways to participate in the rapid-fire period can be provided depending on the player's skill, which can increase the player's motivation to participate in the timing production.

In this control example, multiple periods are provided as periods for setting the difficulty level of the timing effect, but instead, the difficulty level may be dynamically changed according to the number of times the player fails or succeeds in operating the frame button 229. This allows the difficulty level to be reflected in real time in the operation status of the player.
The presentation mode in the early stage is configured to be set to a presentation mode of a difficulty level corresponding to the value of the difficulty level counter 223 γ, but is not limited to this.
In this control example, the notification of the game state is the benefit of the timing effect, but this is not limited to this. For example, the result of the lottery for the special symbol may be notified by the timing effect. That is, the big win may be notified when the quota is achieved in the timing effect. In this case, when the lottery for the special symbol is not successful and the timing effect is selected, the timing effect of the effect mode in which the quota cannot be achieved may be selected. More specifically, for example, when the timing effect is executed in the case of a miss of the special symbol, the total points that can be acquired by the scroll bar or the continuous hitting bar that is scrolled and displayed from the early period to the late period may be configured to be 900 to 990 points at maximum, and when the special symbol is a hit, a pattern in which a maximum of 1000 points to 1200 points can be acquired may be selected. That is, as the effect mode to be specified for the timing effect selection table 222d, the effect mode for the big win corresponding to each period and each difficulty level and the effect mode for the miss may be separately specified. In addition, when the performance mode for each period is set in the timing performance process (see FIG. 169) (S6104 in FIG. 169, S6209 in FIG. 170, S6104, S6105, S6107, S6108 in FIG. 171), the performance mode may be selected by determining the result of the variable performance being executed (whether it is a big win or a miss). By configuring in this way, the difficulty level in the timing performance can be matched to the skill of the player, so that the player's motivation to participate in the timing performance can be improved. In addition, by changing the upper limit of the points that can be acquired in the big win mode and the miss mode, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the quota being achieved even if the lottery result of the special pattern is a miss. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the big win from starting even if the quota is achieved, which causes the player to feel distrustful, and to allow the player to participate in the timing performance with confidence.

In this control example, the timing effect is not set unless at least one small win or one big win C occurs after the end of the big win A or big win B, but the execution conditions of the timing effect are not limited to this. For example, the ease of selection of the timing effect may be changed according to the number of reserved balls. Specifically, the timing effect may be configured so that the more the number of reserved balls, the easier it is to select, and the fewer the reserved balls, the harder it is to select. As described above, the timing effect of this control example requires the multiple buttons (upper button UB, right button RB, left button LB, lower button DB) constituting the frame button 229 to be pressed with good timing. For this reason, it is difficult to participate in the timing effect with one hand, and it is configured so that it is easier to successfully press the buttons by using both hands. In other words, a player who is trying to achieve a quota in the timing effect may temporarily take his/her hands off the operating handle 51 to participate in the timing effect. Therefore, if a player participates in the timing effect with a small number of reserved balls, the reserved balls cannot be increased during the timing effect, so there is a risk that the lottery for the special pattern will be interrupted after the variable effect in which the timing effect is set ends. In other words, there is a risk that gaming efficiency will decrease. Therefore, by configuring the game so that it is difficult to set a timing effect when there are few reserved balls, it is possible to have the player shoot balls when there are few reserved balls, making it easier to save reserved balls. This can improve gaming efficiency. On the other hand, when there are many reserved balls, the number of reserved balls may increase further by continuing to shoot balls during the fluctuation, and there is a risk that a number of balls that exceeds the upper limit of the number of reserved balls will be detected. Therefore, in this case, by increasing the frequency of occurrence of a timing effect that makes it easier to achieve the quota by participating with both hands, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the number of reserved balls from overflowing.

In this control example, the timing performance is performed by pressing a plurality of buttons (upper button UB, right button RB, left button LB, and lower button DB) constituting the frame button 229 at the right time, but the number of buttons is not limited to four types. For example, a timing performance may be performed by pressing a single frame button at the right time. By configuring in this way, the player can participate in the timing performance without reducing the game efficiency, while operating the handle 51 with one hand. Therefore, the player can participate in the timing performance without reducing the game efficiency. Therefore, the player's motivation to participate in the timing performance can be improved. In addition, by reducing the types of buttons to be operated in the timing performance, the game can be made easier to understand. On the other hand, the types of buttons to be operated may be more than those in this control example. The more buttons to be operated, the more difficult the timing performance can be, so that players with high skill in the timing performance can feel a sense of satisfaction. In addition, the player's skill may be determined from the point acquisition status and the total points acquired in the previous timing performance, and the number of buttons to be used may be increased or decreased according to the skill. That is, if it is determined that the player has low skill or did not participate at all last time, the timing presentation can be configured to execute a mode in which participation is possible with one type of button, and for other players, a timing presentation mode using four types of buttons can be set. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to make it clear from the appearance that the difficulty level has been clearly lowered, thereby increasing the motivation of players with low skill to participate.

In this control example, when a variable performance with a timing performance is executed, the timing performance is configured to start 5 seconds after the occurrence of a reach, and is configured to be executed for 14 seconds, but the start period and duration of the timing performance are not limited to this and can be set arbitrarily. For example, it may be configured to execute the timing performance using the entire variable time. Even if a timing performance is executed on the sub display device 690, the lottery result for the special pattern is displayed on the third pattern display device 81, so that it is possible to prevent (suppress) the lottery result for the special pattern being overlooked even if the timing performance is executed using the entire variable time. Therefore, since the timing performance can be executed for a longer period of time, it is possible to further increase the interest of the player.

In this control example, the timing effect is executed during the execution of the variable effect, but the execution period of the timing effect is not limited to this. For example, the timing effect may be executed during a jackpot (special game state). In this case, the timing effect may be configured to notify the player that the player will move to a special pattern probability state after the jackpot ends by achieving the quota. By configuring in this way, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the jackpot from becoming a mere task for acquiring prize balls during the jackpot, so that the interest in the game during the jackpot can be improved. In this case, if the player fails to achieve the quota despite the jackpot A (16R probability jackpot), for example, a low probability state of the special pattern may be notified during the notification period of the timing effect, and a reversal effect may be performed at the ending of the jackpot to notify the probability state of the special pattern. As a result, even if the player fails to achieve the quota in the timing effect, the player can play the game in the hope that a reversal effect will occur during the ending period, so that the interest in the game of the player can be improved.

<Fourth control example>
Next, the pachinko machine 10 in the fourth control example will be described with reference to Figures 175 to 186. In the first control example, a control example in which each role performs a variable action alone or in combination was described. In contrast, in the fourth control example, a preferred control method for a role that performs a variable action and a lighting action in combination will be described.

The pachinko machine 10 in this fourth control example differs in configuration from the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example in that a rotating lighting unit 800 has been added as a role that performs a movable performance in a variable performance, the configuration of the RAM 223 provided in the sound lamp control device 113 has been partially changed, and some of the processing performed by the MPU 221 of the sound lamp control device 113 has been changed from that of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. The other configurations, various processing performed by the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, other processing performed by the MPU 221 of the sound lamp control device 113, and various processing performed by the MPU 231 of the display control device 114 are the same as those of the pachinko machine 10 in the first control example. Hereinafter, the same elements as those in the first control example are given the same reference numerals, and illustrations and explanations thereof will be omitted.

First, referring to Figures 185 and 186, a front view of the game board 13 in this control example will be described. Figure 185 is a front view of the game board 13 when the above-mentioned rotating lighting unit 800 is in the retracted position, and Figure 186 is a front view of the game board 13 when the rotating lighting unit 800 is in the extended position. When the rotating lighting unit 800 is outside the execution period of a performance in which it performs a variable operation, it is placed in the retracted position shown in Figure 185. On the other hand, when a performance in which the rotating lighting unit 800 performs a variable operation is set, the rotating lighting unit 800 is placed in the extended position shown in Figure 186, and the operation (rotation operation and lighting operation) according to the performance is performed.

As shown in Figure 185, the retracted position of the rotating lighting unit 800 is at the bottom left when viewed from the front of the third pattern display device 81. As shown in Figure 185, when the rotating lighting unit 800 is placed in the retracted position, only a small portion of the upper right portion of the rotating lighting unit 800 is visible, and most of it is hidden by other components and cannot be seen from the front. On the other hand, the protruding position of the rotating lighting unit 800 is below the third pattern display device 81, as shown in Figure 186. In this case, most of the rotating lighting unit 800 can be seen by the player from the front.

Next, the configuration of the rotating lighting unit 800 in this control example will be described with reference to Figs. 175 to 178. First, Fig. 175(a) is an exploded perspective view of the rotating lighting unit 800 in this control example, and Fig. 175(b) is a side view of the rotating lighting unit 800 from the left side.

As shown in FIG. 175(a), the rotating lighting unit 800 has a substantially circular rotating member 820 on the front side that can rotate around a rotating shaft 822, and a lighting device 810 that can be turned on and off on the back side. The rotating member 820 has six through holes 821a to 821f. These through holes 821a to 821f are all circular with the same diameter and are arranged at equal intervals (every 60 degrees) on a circumference centered on the rotating shaft 822. As a result, the rotating member 820 has the same shape (appearance) every time it rotates 60 degrees (six-fold symmetry). In addition, the rotating member 820 is made of a translucent material (for example, PS material). Therefore, even if the parts other than the back side of the through holes 821a to 821f are lit, the general lighting status can be seen from the front side.

The lighting device 810 is provided with an insertion hole 812 for inserting the rotating shaft 822 of the rotating member 810 (see FIG. 175(b)). Through this insertion hole 812, the rotating shaft 822 is physically connected to a drive motor for rotating the rotating member 810. In other words, only the rotating member 810 is rotated by the drive motor, and the lighting device 810 is not rotated.

The front side of the lighting device 810 is composed of a light guide plate, and LEDs are provided on the back side of the light guide plate (inside the lighting device 810). By lighting the internal LEDs, the player can see the light of the LEDs through the light guide plate. The LEDs are also evenly placed on the back side of the light guide plate so that they can illuminate the entire front side, and by lighting all the LEDs, the front side of the lighting device 810 appears to be evenly lit.

The front side of the lighting device 810 is provided with multiple areas that can emit light locally in a circular shape. That is, six circular lighting areas 811a to 811f are provided. The circular lighting areas 811a to 811f are shaped as circles with approximately the same diameter as the through holes 821a to 821f. They are also arranged at equal intervals (every 60 degrees) around the circumference of a circle centered on the insertion hole 812. The circumference on which the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f are arranged and the circumference on which the through holes 821a to 821f are arranged are configured to have approximately the same diameter, so that when the rotating member 820 rotates and one of the through holes reaches the front side of one of the circular lighting areas, all of the through holes are completely overlapped in front of all of the circular lighting areas.

In order to locally illuminate the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f, for example, the light guide plate may be divided from other areas at the circumferential portion of each of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f, and a partition may be provided inside to prevent the light of the LEDs provided in the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f from leaking into other areas. The LEDs provided in the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f may then be configured so that they can be controlled to be lit separately. With this configuration, when all the LEDs are lit, the front side of the lighting device 810 appears to be lit as a whole, while when the LEDs provided in any of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f are lit independently, only that area appears to be lit in a circular manner.

Here, the LEDs provided in the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f are composed of red LEDs and white LEDs, and the LEDs provided in the other areas are composed of only white LEDs. When lighting the entire lighting device 810, all of the white LEDs are turned on, so that the entire lighting device 810 appears to be lit in white. On the other hand, when only some or all of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f are turned on, the lighting is configured to set the red LEDs provided in the corresponding areas to be lit.

Next, referring to Figures 176 to 178, a method of controlling the lighting of the lighting device 810 for each rotation speed of the rotating member 820 will be described. Here, first, an overview of the performance using the rotating lighting unit 800 will be described. In this control example, as a performance using the rotating lighting unit 800, each time the rotating member 820 rotates and each of the through holes 821a to 821f and each of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f overlap each other (i.e., each time the rotating member 820 rotates 60 degrees), a performance is provided in which the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f are turned on in red one by one. In this performance, the number of circular lighting areas that are turned on in red indicates the expectation of a jackpot in the variable performance. For this reason, the player can check the state of the rotating lighting unit 800 in the hope that as many circular lighting areas as possible will be turned on. During this period, the rotation speed of the rotating member 820 is set to a relatively slow speed (for example, a rotation speed of 60 degrees per second) so that the player can easily visually check the number of circular lighting areas that are lit (a low-speed rotation state is set).

The above-mentioned low-speed rotation state continues until the rotating member 820 rotates once. When the rotating member 820 rotates once, the rotation speed is accelerated. When the rotation speed reaches a predetermined speed or more (for example, one rotation per second or more), the lighting device 820 is switched to a fully lit state. The rotation speed continues to accelerate even after the rotation speed reaches a predetermined speed or more (for example, one rotation per second or more). When it is determined that the rotation speed has reached a relatively high speed (three rotations per second) (a high-speed rotation state has been reached), the lighting device 810 is set to intermittent lighting in the same phase on the front (that is, all white LEDs are set to be turned on and off repeatedly at a constant frequency). Details will be described later with reference to FIG. 178, but the lighting frequency and lighting period of this intermittent lighting are set so that the rotation direction of the rotating rotating member 810 appears to be reversed due to the so-called wagon wheel effect.

After the reels appear to be rotating in reverse, the number of circular lighting areas that were lit in the slow rotation state are lit again in accordance with the lighting frequency of the intermittent lighting. Even in this fast rotation state, the number of lit circular lighting areas may be increased. This allows the player to see the performance until the end, which increases the player's motivation to participate in the game.

In this control example, only the rotational movement of the rotating member 820 is specified in the operation scenario as the operation of the rotating lighting unit 800. The lighting device 810 is configured to determine the rotation speed from the actual rotational movement of the rotating member 820 and switch the lighting mode. In more detail, the operation scenario corresponding to the performance of operating the rotating lighting unit 800 first specifies the operation of moving the rotating lighting unit 800 from the retracted position (see FIG. 185) to the extended position (see FIG. 186). Then, as the operation when the movement to the extended position (see FIG. 186) is completed (the sensor detects that the extended position has been reached), the operation scenario specifies the rotational movement of the rotating member 820 in a low-speed rotation state. In addition, as the operation when a predetermined period (for example, 6 seconds) has elapsed since the low-speed rotation state was set, the operation of accelerating the rotational speed of the rotating member 820 is specified. Then, as an operation to be set after the operation of accelerating the rotation speed, when a predetermined period (for example, 6 seconds) has elapsed in a high-speed rotation state, the operation of decelerating the rotation speed and stopping the rotation of the rotating member 820 is specified, and as an operation thereafter, the operation of moving the rotating lighting unit 800 to a retracted position is specified. In this way, by specifying only the operation of the rotating member 820 in the operation scenario and varying the lighting mode of the lighting device 810 according to the speed of the rotating member 820, it is possible to prevent the rotation operation of the rotating member 820 and the lighting control of the lighting device 810 from being misaligned. In other words, when the rotation speed of the rotating member 820 is changed, the lighting mode can be changed more reliably, thereby improving the visual quality of the rotating lighting unit 800.

Next, a method of lighting control in a low-speed rotation state (low-speed operation) will be described with reference to Figs. 176 and 177. First, Fig. 176 is a diagram showing an example of lighting control that results in poor visual quality in a low-speed rotation state (low-speed operation), and Fig. 177 is a diagram showing an example of lighting control during low-speed rotation (low-speed operation) in this control example. In other words, a control method that prevents the appearance of Fig. 176 during low-speed rotation (low-speed operation) and results in the appearance of Fig. 177 will be described.

Figure 176 is a diagram illustrating an example of lighting control that, as described above, results in a deterioration in visual quality in a low-speed rotation state (low-speed operation). In this example, the figure shows a case in which the rotating member 820 rotates 60 degrees in a low-speed rotation state with two circular lighting areas turned on.

When the arrangement of the through holes 821a to 821f overlaps with the positions of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f, the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f become visible through the through holes 821a to 821f. Figure 176(a) shows a state in which the through holes 821e and 821f overlap with two circular lighting areas that are each set to a lit state.

Figure 176 (b) shows a state in which the rotating member 820 rotates and the arrangement of the through holes 821a-821f and the position of the circular lighting areas 811a-811f are misaligned. In this bad example, the next lighting position is turned on before the arrangement of the through holes 821a-821f and the position of the circular lighting areas 811a-811f match, so the red light of the circular lighting areas leaks out partially from the through holes 821a, 821e, and 821f. This results in a poor appearance. This is because the through holes 821a-821f change continuously depending on the amount of rotation of the rotating member 820, while the circular lighting areas 811a-811f are fixed in position. In other words, the lighting positions of the circular lighting areas cannot be made to continuously follow the through-holes 821a-821f, so if the arrangement of the through-holes 821a-821f and the position of the circular lighting areas 811a-811f are misaligned, the visual quality will deteriorate.

Figure 176 (c) shows a case where the rotating member 820 rotates 60 degrees while the lighting status of each circular lighting area is kept as in Figure 176 (b), and the arrangement of the through holes 821a to 821f and the position of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f match again. In this case, as in Figure 176 (a), the arrangement of the two circular lighting areas set to the lit state overlaps with the arrangement of the through holes 821e and 821f, so the light from the circular lighting areas can be clearly seen from the front. In this way, if one or more circular lighting areas are in the lit state at a rotation position where the arrangement of the through holes 821a to 821f and the position of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f do not match, the visual quality will deteriorate (see Figure 176 (b)). Therefore, in this control example, in order to improve the visual quality, lighting control is performed to achieve the lighting state shown in Figure 177.

Figure 177 is a diagram illustrating a lighting control method in a low-speed rotation state (low-speed operation) in this control example. As shown in Figure 177, in this control example, only when the arrangement of the through holes 821a to 821f and the position of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f match, control is performed to light up the corresponding circular lighting areas (see Figures 177 (a) and (c)), and in other intermediate positions, all of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f are set to an unlit state. By configuring in this way, it is possible to prevent (suppress) one or more circular lighting areas from lighting up in a state where the positions of the through holes 821a to 821f and the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f are misaligned, resulting in an incomplete appearance. Therefore, the quality of the appearance in the low-speed rotation state (low-speed operation) can be improved.

Whether the arrangement of the through holes 821a to 821f and the position of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f coincide with each other is detected by a rotation sensor (not shown). This rotation sensor is configured to output H every time the rotating member 820 rotates 60 degrees. For example, the output is set to H when the through hole 821a coincides with (overlaps with) the position of the circular lighting area 811a, coincides with (overlaps with) the circular lighting area 811b, coincides with (overlaps with) the circular lighting area 811c, coincides with (overlaps with) the circular lighting area 811d, coincides with (overlaps with) the circular lighting area 811e, or coincides with (overlaps with) the circular lighting area 811f. On the other hand, when the arrangement of the through holes 821a to 821f and the position of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f are misaligned, the output is set to L.

Next, referring to FIG. 178, a method of controlling lighting during high-speed rotation (high-speed operation) will be described. As described above, during high-speed rotation, all white LEDs are set to repeatedly turn on and off at a constant frequency (24 Hz). In addition, each lighting period is configured to be extremely short (for example, on duty 0.5%), and the period is configured to be long enough that the position of the rotating member 810 at the moment of lighting can be just about seen (it is not possible to recognize that it is rotating).

As shown in FIG. 178, in the high-speed rotation state, the entire lighting device 810 is momentarily lit in white (fully lit) every time the rotating member 820 rotates 45 degrees. In the high-speed rotation state, the rotating member 820 rotates three times per second (1080 degrees per second), but the lighting frequency is set to 24 Hz (24 times per second) (1080 degrees ÷ 24 = 45 degrees). On the other hand, except for the period when it is momentarily lit, the lighting device 810 is in an off state, and the rotating member 820 cannot be seen. Therefore, from the player's line of sight, the rotating rotating member 820 cannot be seen continuously, and it is perceived as looking like a 24 Hz frame-by-frame feed.

With reference to Figure 178, we will explain in more detail how the rotating member 820 appears from the player's point of view. When the lighting device 810 is momentarily fully lit in the arrangement shown in Figure 178(a), the player will recognize the arrangement in Figure 178(a). However, since the lighting period is momentary (on duty 0.5%), the player can only recognize the arrangement of the rotating member 820, and cannot recognize the direction of rotation. After that, the lighting device 810 is set to an off state until the rotating member 820 rotates 45 degrees (see Figure 178(b)), so the player cannot see the rotating member 820 during this period.

When the next 24 Hz period arrives (i.e., when the arrangement in FIG. 178(b) is reached), the lighting device 810 again momentarily turns fully on. In this case, as with the arrangement in FIG. 178(a), the lighting period is short enough that the player can only recognize the arrangement of the rotating members 820. The lights are then set to off again until the next 24 Hz period (see FIG. 178(d)), and when the next 24 Hz period arrives, the lights are instantly set to fully on and the arrangement in FIG. 178(e) is recognized by the player. Thereafter, the arrangement of the rotating members 820 is recognized at 24 Hz by similar control.

As described above, the rotating member 820 is configured to have the same shape (visual appearance) every time it rotates 60 degrees (six-fold symmetry), so that the rotation direction can be mistaken by periodically recognizing only the arrangement of the rotating member 820 as shown in FIG. 178. That is, even though the arrangement of FIG. 178(c) is reached by actually rotating the through holes 821a to 821f clockwise (positive direction) 45 degrees from the arrangement of FIG. 178(a), it can be recognized as if the rotating member 820 has rotated 15 degrees counterclockwise. This is because the through holes 821a and 821f cannot be distinguished visually, so the through hole 821f in FIG. 178(c), which is closest to the position where the through hole 821a was located in FIG. 178(a) (different by 15 degrees), can be recognized (misidentified) as the through hole 821a.

Similarly, by continuing to make the player perceive the rotation as being in the direction with the least amount of apparent rotation thereafter, the original direction of rotation and the direction of rotation as perceived by the player can be reversed. In this way, by configuring the rotation direction to appear as if it has been changed simply by switching the lighting control, it is possible to omit changing the direction of rotation of the rotating member 820. This makes it possible to prevent (suppress) excessive load being placed on the drive motor when a sudden stop or sudden reversal is performed to change the direction of rotation, making it less likely for the drive motor to break down. It is therefore possible to provide a pachinko machine 10 that can operate stably for a longer period of time.

In this control example, the lighting device 810 is set to full lighting every time the rotating member 820 rotates 45 degrees in the high-speed rotation state (i.e., at 24 Hz), but the frequency at which the lighting device 810 is turned on is not limited to this. In the high-speed rotation state, the angle by which the rotating member 820 rotates from full lighting 1 to the next full lighting can be set arbitrarily within a range that is greater than 30 degrees (i.e., half of the 60 degrees that is the interval between adjacent through holes) and smaller than 60 degrees (i.e., the interval between adjacent through holes). In other words, the angle when comparing the arrangement of the through hole 1 before rotation with the arrangement of the through hole adjacent to the through hole 1 in the opposite direction to the rotation direction (i.e., on the left side) after rotation is smaller than the angle by which the through hole 1 actually rotates. By configuring in this way, it is possible to erroneously recognize that the through hole has moved (rotated) in a direction with a small movement angle (small movement distance), so that each time the lighting device 810 is instantaneously set to full lighting, it is possible to make it look as if the through hole has moved to the position of the through hole adjacent to the opposite side. Therefore, it is possible to make it feel as if the ball is rotating in the reverse direction just by controlling the lighting, without changing the rotation speed or direction, which prevents (suppresses) excessive load on the drive motor and provides a pachinko machine 10 that can operate stably for a longer period of time.

<Electrical configuration in the fourth control example>
Next, referring to Fig. 174, the configuration of the RAM 223 provided in the voice lamp control device 113 in this control example will be described. Fig. 174 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the RAM 223 in this control example. As shown in Fig. 174, in addition to the configuration of the RAM 223 in the first control example, the RAM 223 in this control example has a lighting state counter 223θ, a lighting position storage area 223ι, a lighting setting completion flag 223κ, a first identification completion flag 223λ, a speed identification timer 223μ, a previous value storage area 223ν, and a speed storage area 223ξ.

The lighting state counter 223θ is a counter that indicates the type of lighting state of the lighting device 810, and can indicate different lighting states depending on the counter value. Specifically, "01H" means a lighting state (see FIG. 177) for lighting control in a low-speed rotation state (during low-speed operation), "02H" means a lighting state (full lighting state) during acceleration of the rotation speed that transitions from a low-speed rotation state to a high-speed rotation state, and "03H" means a lighting state (see FIG. 178) in a high-speed rotation state (during high-speed operation). On the other hand, if the counter value is "00H", it means that the lighting control of the lighting device 810 is not performed. This lighting state counter 223θ is updated at the timing of switching the lighting state (see S6613 in FIG. 181, S6805 in FIG. 183, and S6909 in FIG. 184). This lighting state counter 223θ is referenced in the lighting control process (see FIG. 180) executed in the main process, and lighting control according to the counter value is set.

The lighting position storage area 223ι is an area in which information indicating the lighting state of each circular lighting area 821a to 821f is stored. This lighting position storage area 223ι is composed of, for example, 1 byte, and the 0th to 5th bits correspond to the circular lighting areas 821a to 821f, respectively. Each bit constituting this lighting position storage area 223ι indicates that the corresponding circular lighting area is in a lighting state when the value is 1 (on), and indicates that the corresponding circular lighting area is in an unlit state when the value is off. The information stored in this lighting position storage area 223ι is updated each time the output of the rotation sensor is detected to be H in a low-speed rotation state or a high-speed rotation state (each time the arrangement of the through holes 821a to 821f and the position of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f overlap) (see S6608, S6610 in FIG. 181, and S6911, S6912 in FIG. 184). In addition, all values are cleared when the performance using the rotating lighting unit 800 ends.

The lighting setting flag 223κ is a flag indicating whether the lighting state has been updated based on the rotation sensor output becoming H. If the lighting setting flag 223κ is on, it indicates that the lighting state has been updated based on the rotation sensor output becoming H, and if it is off, it indicates that the lighting state has not been updated. If the lighting setting flag 223κ is off and the rotation sensor output H is detected, the lighting state is updated and the lighting setting flag 223κ is set to on (see S6612 in FIG. 181 and S6913 in FIG. 184). Also, if the rotation sensor output L is detected for the first time after the lighting state is updated, the lighting setting flag 223κ is set to off (see S6604 in FIG. 181 and S6910 in FIG. 184). By controlling the lighting state to be updated with reference to the lighting setting flag 223κ, it is possible to prevent the lighting state from being updated multiple times while the output of the rotation sensor is H.

The first-time identification flag 223λ is a flag indicating whether or not a reference value (value of the speed identification timer 223μ) for identifying the rotation speed of the rotating member 820 has been acquired. If the first-time identification flag 223λ is on, it indicates that a reference value (value of the speed identification timer 223μ) for identifying the rotation speed has been acquired, and if it is off, it indicates that the reference value has not been acquired. If the first-time identification flag 223λ is on, the rotation speed is calculated based on the already acquired reference value (see S6701 in FIG. 182). On the other hand, if the first-time identification flag 223λ is off, the flag is set to on after the reference value for identifying the rotation speed is acquired (see S6703 in FIG. 182). By using the first-time identification flag 223λ, the rotation speed of the rotating member 820 can be accurately determined.

The speed identification timer 223μ is a timer used to calculate the rotation speed of the rotating member 820. This speed identification timer 223μ is updated periodically (every 1 millisecond), for example, during the main processing. The rotation speed of the rotating member 820 is calculated by determining the time from when the output of the rotation sensor becomes H until the next time the output becomes H based on the difference in the value of the speed identification timer 223μ.

The previous value storage area 223ν is a memory area for storing the value of the speed identification timer 223μ at the time when the rotation sensor detects an H output. Next time the rotation sensor outputs H, the time required for 60 degrees rotation is calculated from the difference between the value stored in this previous value storage area 223ν and the current value of the speed identification timer 223μ. The rotation speed is calculated based on this calculated time (S6706 in FIG. 182). The data stored in this previous value storage area 223ν is overwritten with the current value of the speed identification timer 223μ after the rotation speed is calculated each time the rotation speed identification process (see FIG. 182) is executed.

The speed storage area 223ξ is a memory area for storing information corresponding to the rotation speed of the rotating member 820. The data stored in this speed storage area 223ξ is overwritten each time the rotation speed is calculated in the rotation speed identification process (see S6706 in FIG. 182). The rotation speed of the rotating member 820 is determined based on the information corresponding to the rotation speed stored in this speed storage area 223ξ, and lighting control of the lighting device 810 is performed according to the rotation speed.

<Regarding the control process of the voice lamp control device in the fourth control example>
Next, various control processes executed by the MPU 221 of the voice lamp control device 113 in the fourth control example will be described with reference to Fig. 179 to Fig. 184. First, Fig. 179 is a flowchart showing the main process of the voice lamp control device 113 in this control example. In the main process, each process of S1501 to S1520 is the same as each process of S1501 to S1520 in the first control example.

In addition, in the main processing of this control example, when the LCD performance execution management processing of S1510 ends, the speed identification timer 223μ is updated by adding 1 (S1551), and the processing proceeds to S1511. This speed identification timer 223μ is a timer used to calculate the speed of the rotating member 820, as described above.

In addition, in the main processing in this control example, when the ball entry effect setting processing in S1515 is completed, a lighting control processing is then executed to control the lighting state of the lighting device 810 (S1552). After the lighting control processing (S1551) is executed, the processing in S1516 to S1520 is executed, and this processing is terminated.

Next, the above-mentioned lighting control process (S1552) will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 180 to 184. First, Fig. 180 is a flowchart showing the lighting control process (S1552). This lighting control process (S1552) is a process for controlling the lighting state of the lighting device 810 according to the speed of the rotating member 820.

In the lighting control process (S1552), first, it is determined whether the value of the lighting state counter value 223θ is "01H" (S6501). In the process of S6501, if it is determined that the lighting state counter value 223θ is 01H (S6501: Yes), low-speed processing is executed to set the lighting state when the rotating member 820 is set to a low-speed rotation state (S6502), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6501 that the value of the lighting state counter 223θ is not "01H" (S6501: No), then it is determined whether or not the value of the lighting state counter 223θ is "02H" (S6503). If it is determined that the value of the lighting state counter 223θ is "02H" (S6503: Yes), acceleration processing is executed to set the lighting state in an acceleration state in which the rotating member 820 is transitioning from a low-speed rotation state to a high-speed rotation state (S6504), and this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6503 that the value of the lighting state counter 223θ is not "02H" (S6503: No), it is determined whether the value of the lighting state counter 223θ is "03H" (S6505). If it is determined in the process of S6505 that the value of the lighting state counter 223θ is "03H" (S6505: Yes), high speed processing is executed to set the lighting state in the high speed rotation state of the rotating member 820 (S6506), and this process ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the value of the lighting state counter 223θ is not "03H" (S6505: No), the value of the lighting state counter 223θ is "00H" and there is no need to control the lighting device 810, so this process is terminated.

Next, the details of the low speed processing (S6502) described above will be described with reference to FIG. 181. FIG. 181 is a flowchart showing the low speed processing (S6502). As described above, this low speed processing (S6502) is processing for setting the illumination state when the rotating member 820 is set to a low speed rotation state.

In the low-speed processing (S6502), first, it is determined whether the output of the rotation sensor is H (high) (S6601), and if it is determined that the output is not H (the output is L) (S6601: No), it is then determined whether the lighting setting flag 223κ is on (S6602). In the processing of S6602, if it is determined that the lighting setting flag 223κ is off (S6602: No), this means that the through holes 821a-821f are positioned in positions that are offset from the positions of the circular lighting areas 811a-811f, and the lighting device 810 has already been set to an off state, so this processing is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6602 that the lighting setting completion flag 223κ is on (S6602: Yes), this means that the through holes 821a to 821f are positioned at positions that are offset from the positions of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f when any of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f are lit, so all of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f are turned off (S6603). This makes it possible to prevent (suppress) the position of the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f from being offset from the through holes 821a to 821f when there is a circular lighting area that is set to be in an lit state (see FIG. 176(b)), thereby improving the visual quality. When the process of S6603 is completed, the lighting setting completion flag is set to off (S6604), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, in the process of S6601, if it is determined that the output of the rotation sensor is H (S6601: Yes), it is determined whether the lighting setting flag 223κ is on (S6605), and if it is determined that the lighting setting flag 223κ is on (S6605: Yes), the lighting state has already been set and there is no need to set the lighting state again, so this process is terminated.

In contrast, if it is determined that the illumination setting flag 223κ is not on (i.e., it is off) (S6605: No), this means that the output of the rotation sensor is in the H position (where the circular illumination areas 811a-811f overlap with the through holes 821a-821f), but the illumination state has not been set. Therefore, in this case, first, a rotation speed identification process is executed to identify the rotation speed of the rotating member 820 (S6606). Details of this rotation speed identification process (S6606) will be described later with reference to FIG. 182.

When the processing of S6606 is completed, it is determined whether the rotation speed is faster than one rotation per second (S6607). If it is determined that the rotation speed is slower than one rotation per second (S6607: No), the rotation speed is within the range of a low rotation speed state, so in order to set the lighting state illustrated in FIG. 177, first, the data of each bit in the lighting position storage area 223ι is shifted to the higher bit side (S6608), and then it is determined whether the number of bits with a value of 1 (on) among the shifted data matches the target value (expectation level) of the current performance (S6609).

If it is determined in the process of S6609 that the number of bits with a value of 1 (on) is less than the target value (S6609: No), among the bits with a value of 0 (off), the bits with the next higher bit set to 1 are set to 1 (S6610), and the process proceeds to S6611. The process of S6610 makes it possible to increase the number of circular lighting areas that are set to a lit state by one. On the other hand, if the number of bits with a value of 1 (on) matches the target value (expectation), the process of S6610 is skipped and the process proceeds to S6611.

In the process of S6611, the lighting position (circular lighting area) corresponding to the ON bit among each bit of the lighting position storage area 223ι is set to light red, and the lighting setting completion flag 223κ is set to ON (S6611), and this process ends.

Furthermore, if the process of S6607 determines that the rotation speed is faster than one rotation per second (S6607: Yes), this means that the rotating member 820 is in an accelerating state in the middle of transitioning from a low-speed rotation state to a high-speed rotation state, so all white EDs provided inside the lighting device 810 are set to a lit state (S6612). Then, the value of the lighting state counter 223θ is set to "02H" (S6613), the initial identification flag 223λ is set to off (S6614), and this process ends.

By executing this low-speed processing, the lighting state described above in FIG. 177 can be set during low-speed rotation, improving the visual quality.

Next, the above-mentioned rotation speed identification process (S6606) will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 182. As described above, this rotation speed identification process (S6606) is a process for identifying (calculating) the rotation speed of the rotating member 820. In this rotation speed identification process (S6606), it is first determined whether the initial identification flag 223λ is on (S6701).

If it is determined in the processing of S6701 that the initial identification flag 223λ is not on (i.e., it is off) (S6701: No), the value of the speed identification timer 223μ is stored in the previous value storage area 223ν (S6702), the initial identification flag 223λ is set to on (S6703), and this processing ends. As described above, by storing the value of the speed identification timer 223μ in the previous value storage area 223ν, it is possible to easily calculate the time required for the rotating member 820 to rotate 60 degrees in the next rotation speed identification processing.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6701 that the initial identification flag 223λ is on (S6701: Yes), the value of the speed identification timer 223μ is read (S6704), and the difference between the read value and the value stored in the previous value storage area is calculated (S6705). This difference represents the time from when the output of the rotation sensor became H last time until it becomes H again this time. In other words, it means the time required for the rotating member 820 to rotate 60 degrees. When the process of S6705 is completed, the rotation speed of the rotating member 820 is then calculated from the calculated difference (the time required to rotate 60 degrees), stored in the speed storage area (S6706), and this process is terminated. Depending on the rotation speed of the rotating member 820 calculated by this process, an appropriate lighting state can be set.

Next, the above-mentioned acceleration process (S6504) will be described with reference to FIG. 183. FIG. 183 is a flowchart showing the acceleration process (S6504). This acceleration process (S6504) is a process for setting the illumination state during acceleration in the transition from a low-speed rotation state to a high-speed rotation state.

In the acceleration process (S6504), first, it is determined whether the output of the rotation sensor is H (S6801), and if it is determined that the output is not H (i.e., L) (S6801: No), this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6801 that the output is H (S6802: Yes), the above-mentioned rotation speed identification process (S6802) is executed to determine whether the rotation speed of the rotating member 820 has reached a speed for a high-speed rotation state. This rotation speed identification process is simply the same as the rotation speed identification process described with reference to FIG. 182, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

When the processing of S6802 is completed, it is then determined whether or not the calculated rotation speed is three rotations per second (S6803). If it is determined that the rotation speed is not three rotations per second (one or more rotations per second but less than three rotations per second) (S6803: No), the high-speed rotation state has not been transitioned to and the processing is terminated.

On the other hand, if the rotation speed of the rotating member is determined to be 3 rotations per second in the process of S6803 (S6803: Yes), this means that a transition to a high-speed rotation state has occurred, and lighting control is switched to the high-speed rotation state. That is, a command to set a lighting mode of 24 Hz lighting frequency and 0.5% on duty is set for the LED driver of the lighting device 810 (S6804). Thereafter, the value of the lighting state counter 223θ is set to "03H" to indicate a transition to the high-speed rotation state (S6805), the initial identification flag 223λ is set to OFF (S6806), and this process ends. This acceleration process makes it possible to immediately identify the transition to the high-speed rotation state and switch the lighting state.

Next, the above-mentioned high speed processing (S6506) will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 184. As described above, this high speed processing (S6506) is processing for setting the lighting state when the rotating member 820 is set to a high speed rotation state. In this high speed processing, first, it is determined whether the output of the rotation sensor is H or not (S6901), and if it is determined that the output is not H (i.e., L) (S6901: No), it is then determined whether the lighting setting flag 223κ is ON or not (S6902).

If it is determined in the process of S6902 that the lighting setting flag 223κ is off (S6902: No), this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6902 that the lighting setting flag 223κ is on (S6902: Yes), the lighting state of the circular lighting area in which the red LED is set to be on is canceled (turned off) (S6903), the lighting setting flag 223κ is set to off (S6904), and this process ends.

On the other hand, in the process of S6901, if it is determined that the output of the rotation sensor is H (S6901), it is determined whether the lighting setting completed flag 223λ is on or not, and if the lighting setting completed flag 223λ is on (S6905), this means that the lighting state has already been set, and there is no need to set the lighting state again, so this process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the lighting setting completed flag 223λ is not on (i.e., it is off) (S6906: No), it is then determined whether it is the lighting period in the high-speed rotation state (period of 24 Hz, on-duty 0.5%) or not (S6906), and if it is not the lighting period (S6906: No), this process ends.

If it is determined in the process of S6906 that it is the lighting period in the high-speed rotation state (period of 24 Hz, on-duty 0.5%) (S6906: Yes), then a rotation speed identification process is executed (S6907) to determine whether the high-speed rotation state has ended based on the rotation speed of the rotating member 820. This rotation speed identification process (S6907) is the same as the rotation speed identification process (S6606) described above in FIG. 182, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

When the rotation speed identification process (S6907) is completed, it is then determined whether the calculated rotation speed is less than 3 rotations per second (S6908). If it is less than 3 rotations per second (S698: Yes), this means that the high-speed rotation state based on the operation scenario has ended and the rotating member 820 has begun to decelerate toward stopping rotation, so the process of S6909 to S6911 is executed to set the end of the lighting state. That is, by setting all LEDs to off (S6909) and setting the lighting state counter 223θ to "00H", it is indicated that the state in which the lighting device 810 is controlled to light has ended (S6910). Then, the lighting setting completion flag 223κ is set to off, and all data in the lighting position storage area 223ι is cleared to 0 (S6911), and this process is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in the process of S6908 that the rotation speed is not less than 3 rotations per second (the rotation speed of the high-speed rotation state is being maintained) (S6908: No), first, the data of each bit of the lighting position storage area 223ι is shifted toward the lower bit side (S6912). In other words, the data is shifted in the opposite direction to the low-speed rotation state. Then, by referring to the data after the shift, the red LED provided at the lighting position (circular lighting area) corresponding to the bit whose value is 1 (ON) is set to ON (S6913). Then, the lighting setting completion flag 223κ is set to ON (S6914), and this process ends.

By executing the process of S6913, the red LEDs provided in the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f can be controlled in addition to the white LEDs controlled in the lighting state illustrated in FIG. 178, and the expectation of a jackpot in the variable display can be displayed again. In addition, since the red LEDs are lit only during the lighting period of the white LEDs and when the output of the rotation sensor is H, the red LEDs are set to a lighting state every time the rotating member 820 rotates 180 degrees. This is because the angle at which the rotating member 820 rotates in one lighting cycle is 45 degrees, while the circular lighting areas are arranged every 60 degrees, so the least common multiple of these is 180 degrees. Here, as described above, when the rotating member 820 rotates 45 degrees clockwise in the high-speed rotation state, it appears to have rotated 15 degrees counterclockwise from the player's point of view. Therefore, when the rotating member 820 rotates 180 degrees clockwise, it appears to have rotated 60 degrees counterclockwise from the player's point of view. Therefore, by executing the processes of S6912 and S6913, each time the rotation appears to have progressed by one circular illumination area in the counterclockwise direction, the illumination position of the red LED can be moved by one area in the counterclockwise direction in accordance with the player's perception. Therefore, in a high-speed rotation state, it is possible to make it appear as if the direction of rotation has changed simply by controlling the illumination, without changing the direction or speed of rotation of the rotating member 820. In addition, when it appears that the rotating member has started to rotate in the opposite direction, a lighting effect can be produced in which the red LED, which indicates the degree of expectation, is lit. This can increase the player's interest in the game.

As described above, in the pachinko machine 10 in the fourth control example, a rotating lighting unit 800 that performs a combination of a rotating operation and a lighting operation is added to the configuration. This rotating lighting unit 800 is composed of a rotating member 820 that rotates and a lighting device 810 with a fixed orientation, and the player is made to see the red light emitted by the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f of the lighting device 810 through the through holes 821a to 821f provided in the rotating member 820, and a performance is performed in which the expectation of a jackpot is notified based on the number of light-emitting points. However, if one or more circular lighting areas are lit up with the positions of the through holes 821a to 821f and the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f misaligned, there is a risk that the appearance will be incomplete. Therefore, in this control example, the circular lighting areas are controlled to light only when the positions of the through holes 821a to 821f and the circular lighting areas 811a to 811f match, and the entire lighting device 810 is turned off when the positions are misaligned. By configuring it in this way, the visual quality of the rotating lighting unit 800 can be improved.

In addition, in this control example, the rotation speed of the rotating member 820 is determined according to the detection frequency of the rotation sensor, and the lighting control of the lighting device 810 can be changed according to the rotation speed. Rather than setting the rotation control of the rotating member 820 and the lighting control of the lighting device 810 independently according to the elapsed time, the actual rotation speed of the rotating member 820 is determined and the lighting control of the lighting device 810 is changed, thereby making it possible to execute lighting control that more closely matches the actual operation of the rotating member 820.

In this control example, the lighting device 810 is placed on the back side of the rotating member 820, but this is not limited to this. For example, a liquid crystal display device may be placed on the back side of the rotating member 820, and an image indicating the expected probability of a jackpot may be displayed for each through-hole position. This allows for a more flexible presentation compared to when the lighting device 810 is placed, thereby increasing the player's interest in the game.

In this control example, six through holes 821a to 821f are provided in the rotating member 820, but the number of through holes can be determined arbitrarily. Furthermore, the configuration that allows the lighting state of the lighting device 810 to be seen from the front side of the rotating member 820 is not limited to through holes that penetrate to the back side. For example, instead of through holes, a transparent glass plate or acrylic plate may be arranged to allow the lighting state on the back side to be seen. Furthermore, the thickness of the rotating member 820 may be made thinner than other positions, making it easier to see the lighting state on the back side than other parts.

The present invention has been described above based on the above embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and it can be easily imagined that various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the present invention.

In each of the above embodiments, some or all of the configuration in one embodiment may be combined with or replaced with some or all of the configuration in another embodiment to form another embodiment.

In each of the above embodiments, the front rail portion 715 is formed from a single arc shape, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the front rail portion 715 may be formed from multiple arcs, with the direction of adjacent arcs being reversed (wave shape). In this case, the sliding movement speed of the performance member 620 is intermittently changed, and the posture of the performance member 620 is made unstable, so that it is possible to create an effect in which the performance member 620 rattles.

In each of the above embodiments, when the performance member 620 forms an inverted state, the center of gravity G of the performance member 620 is vertically above the first pivot support portion 613, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the center of gravity may be located diagonally above the first pivot support portion 613.

In the above embodiments, the upper surface of the buffer rib 322 of the lower left plate member 320 is horizontal in the left-right direction, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the upper surface of the buffer rib 322 may be inclined downward as it approaches the outer side in the width direction. In this case, the speed of the ball flowing from the outer side in the width direction of the board surface onto the upper surface of the lower left plate member 320 can be decelerated by acceleration in the direction of gravity, and the deceleration time of the ball can be shortened.

In each of the above embodiments, the sliding hole 643 of the transmission member 640 is formed as an elongated hole, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the sliding hole 643 may be formed in a circular shape, and the positional deviation between the sliding hole 643 and the sliding shaft portion 621a may be adjusted by the transmission member 640 expanding and contracting. In this case, the arrangement range of the transmission member 640 can be restricted.

In the fourth embodiment, the position of the abutment portion 644 can be switched between two positions, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the position of the abutment portion 644 may be continuously variable (movable). In this case, the rate of change in the biasing force of the torsion spring 650 can be continuously increased.

In the sixth embodiment, the posture of the tip oscillating member 6556 changes between two positions, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the posture of the tip oscillating member 6556 may change in multiple stages. In this case, the amount of oscillation of the telescopic performance device 6540 can be varied in multiple ways, increasing the variety of performances.

The present invention may be implemented in a type of pachinko machine or the like different from the above-mentioned embodiments. For example, it may be implemented as a pachinko machine (commonly called a two-time right machine or a three-time right machine) in which the expected value of a jackpot is increased until a jackpot state occurs multiple times (for example, two or three times) including the first jackpot. It may also be implemented as a pachinko machine that generates a special game in which the player is given a predetermined game value after the jackpot pattern is displayed, with the necessary condition being that the ball enters a predetermined area. It may also be implemented as a pachinko machine that has a winning device with a special area such as a V zone, and the special game state is entered with the necessary condition being that the ball enters the special area. Furthermore, in addition to pachinko machines, it may be implemented as various gaming machines such as arepachi, mahjong ball, slot machines, and gaming machines that are a combination of a pachinko machine and a slot machine.

Slot machines are well known in that, for example, after inserting a coin and determining the effective line of symbols, the operation lever is operated to change the symbols, and the stop button is operated to stop and finalize the symbols. Therefore, the basic concept of a slot machine is "a slot machine that has a display device that displays a variable display of a string of identification information consisting of multiple identification information and then displays the finalized identification information, in which the variable display of the identification information is started due to the operation of a start operation means (e.g., an operation lever), the variable display of the identification information is stopped and finalized due to the operation of a stop operation means (e.g., a stop button) or after a predetermined time has passed, and a special game that gives a predetermined game value to the player is generated, provided that the combination of identification information at the time of the stop is a specific one." In this case, typical examples of the game medium include coins, medals, etc.

An example of a gaming machine that combines a pachinko machine and a slot machine is one that has a display device that displays a pattern sequence consisting of multiple patterns in a variable manner and then displays the pattern in a fixed manner, but does not have a handle for shooting balls. In this case, after a specified amount of balls are inserted based on a specified operation (button operation), the pattern starts to change due to, for example, the operation of an operating lever, and the pattern change is stopped due to, for example, the operation of a stop button or after a specified time has passed, and a special game is generated in which a specified gaming value is awarded to the player, provided that the fixed pattern at the time of the stop is a so-called jackpot pattern, and a large number of balls are paid out to the player in a receiving tray at the bottom. If such a gaming machine is used instead of a slot machine, the gaming hall can handle only the balls as the gaming value, which can eliminate problems seen in current gaming halls where pachinko machines and slot machines are mixed, such as the burden on facilities due to the separate handling of medals and balls as the gaming value, and the restrictions on the location of gaming machines.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments and control examples may of course be configured by combining each of them or a part of them. Furthermore, although the above-mentioned embodiment and control examples are configured by multiple control devices, the embodiment may be configured by a single integrated control device or a control device that integrates several control devices.

Below, we will explain the gaming machine of the present invention as well as the various invention concepts included in the above-mentioned embodiments.

<An example of the technical idea of changing the driving force transmission by the irregularly shaped long hole 553 of the rotating arm member 550>
a crank member which rotates around a first axis and has a protrusion protruding from a position eccentric to the first axis; an arm member which has an insertion portion through which the protrusion is inserted and which is formed so as to be movable between a first position and a second position spaced from the first position; and a drive device which generates a drive force to rotate the crank member around the first axis, wherein the insertion portion transmits the drive force to the arm member when the protrusion abuts against an inner surface of the insertion portion which faces the direction of movement of the inserted protrusion, and the insertion portion comprises a transmission region which is formed so as to be able to move the arm member between the first position and the second position, and a non-transmission region which is connected to the transmission region and in which the transmission of the drive force is cut off.

Here, there are gaming machines such as pachinko machines that include a crank member with a protrusion that protrudes from a position eccentric to the rotation axis, and an arm member with an insertion portion through which the protrusion of the crank member is inserted, and the arm member operates in conjunction with the rotation of the crank member (see, for example, JP 2009-000306 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the crank member and the arm member are always linked. Therefore, the arm member is driven from the start of the crank member, and it is not possible to shift the timing of starting the crank member from the timing of driving the arm member. In this case, when starting the crank member, a large force is required to overcome the inertia of the crank member and the arm member, which causes the problem of the drive device becoming larger.

In contrast, according to gaming machine A1, the insertion portion of the arm member has a transmission area and a non-transmission area connected to the transmission area, so that by starting the crank member with the protrusion inserted into the non-transmission area, it is possible to shift the timing of driving the arm member from the timing of starting the crank member. In other words, even if the crank member is started, the driving force is not transmitted to the arm member until the protrusion enters the transmission area from the non-transmission area. This makes it possible to reduce the driving force required to start the crank member, and to miniaturize the drive device.

The arm member may be stopped or moved while the protrusion moves through the non-transmitting area. For example, the arm member may be moved by gravity or the elastic force generated by an auxiliary elastic spring.

Examples of the insertion portion include a recess with a bottom and a long hole that penetrates the hole.

A gaming machine A2 is characterized in that the crank member in the gaming machine A1 is formed so as to be able to rotate more than once, and the insertion portion has a selection area which becomes the transmission area when the crank member is rotated in one rotation direction, and becomes the non-transmission area when the crank member is rotated in another rotation direction that is the opposite direction to the one rotation direction.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A1, gaming machine A2 can change the manner in which the driving force is transmitted to the arm member depending on the rotation direction of the crank member. This makes it possible to create two different speed modes for the arm member when the crank members are arranged in the same phase by reversing the direction of the driving force of the drive device without changing the rotation speed of the crank member, thereby increasing the variation in the speed of the arm member.

A gaming machine A3 is characterized in that the selection area is formed by the insertion portion having a clearance portion that separates the protrusion from the inner peripheral surface of the insertion portion that faces the direction of movement of the protrusion when the crank member is rotated in the one rotation direction, as in the gaming machine A2.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A2, gaming machine A3 has the selective area formed by providing an extra space in the insertion portion, which eliminates the need for other members to change the manner in which the driving force is transmitted to the arm member, thereby reducing material costs.

A gaming machine A4 is characterized in that, in any one of the gaming machines A1 to A3, at least one of the first position and the second position is formed as an end position of the movement range of the arm member, and when the arm member is placed at either the first position or the second position formed as the end position, a bound suppression mechanism is formed to suppress the movement of the arm member toward the other side of either the first position or the second position formed as the end position.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A3, gaming machine A4 can suppress the driving force that the drive device needs to generate to suppress movement of the arm member toward the other side when the arm member is placed in either the first position or the second position, which are formed as the terminal positions of the movable range of the arm member. This can improve the durability of the drive device.

Examples of the bounce suppression mechanism include using the attractive force of a magnet, suppressing movement with a claw-shaped member, and forming the insertion portion of the arm member in such a way that the load that the protrusion of the crank member receives from the arm member is directed in the axial direction of the crank member.

When using magnets for adhesion, the magnets are required as separate components, but the internal composition of the magnets can produce a variety of attractive forces, improving design freedom.

When using a claw-shaped member to restrict movement, a drive device is required to operate the claw-shaped member, but the movement of the arm member can be mechanically blocked by the claw-shaped member.

When the insertion portion of the arm member is formed in such a way that the load that the protrusion of the crank member receives from the arm member is directed toward the axis of the crank member, there is no need to provide a separate member to suppress the movement of the arm member, and the bounding of the arm member can be mechanically suppressed.

A gaming machine A5 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine A4, when the arm member is placed in at least one of the first position and the second position, the outer shape of the non-transmitting area of the insertion part near the connection position with the transmitting area is made substantially the same as the circumscribed circle of the protrusion centered on the rotation axis of the crank member, thereby forming the bounce suppression mechanism.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine A4, gaming machine A5 creates a bounce suppression mechanism by continuing to rotate the crank member after the arm member is placed in the first or second position. This allows the arm member to smoothly change from a moving state to a stopped state.

In addition, in the bounce suppression mechanism, the load applied from the insertion portion to the protrusion is directed toward the rotation axis of the crank member, so the load is prevented from being applied in the rotational direction of the crank member, and the burden on the drive unit is reduced.

A gaming machine A6, characterized in that, in any of the gaming machines A1 to A5, when the arm member is placed at the first position, the external shape of the non-transmission area of the insertion part near the connection position with the transmission area is made substantially the same as the circumscribed circle of the protrusion centered on the rotation axis of the crank member, a biasing force is applied to move the arm member from the first position toward the second position, and at least one of an inner recess protruding inside the insertion part or an outer recess protruding outside the insertion part with a size large enough to accommodate the protrusion is formed on the side surface of the non-transmission area of the insertion part on the first position side.

According to the gaming machine A6, in addition to the effect of any one of the gaming machines A1 to A5, when the arm member is placed in the first position, the external shape of the non-transmission area of the insertion part near the connection position with the transmission area is made substantially the same as the circumscribing circle of the protrusion centered on the rotation axis of the crank member, and a biasing force that moves the arm member from the first position to the second position is applied to the arm member. In this case, the protrusion of the crank member is placed in the non-transmission area of the insertion part, so that the movement of the arm member is prevented by the protrusion, and the arm member is stopped. When the crank member is rotated and the protrusion is moved through the non-transmission area, the protrusion is opposed to the inner recess or the outer recess, and the arm member is moved. That is, when the protrusion is opposed to the inner recess, the inner recess is pushed out by the protrusion, and the arm member is moved to the opposite side of the crank member. Also, when the protrusion is opposed to the outer recess, the protrusion is accommodated in the outer recess, and the arm member is moved toward the crank member.

As a result, the protrusion of the crank member moves through the non-transmission area, which causes a movement of the arm member with a different movement range than the movement of the arm member that occurs when the protrusion moves through the transmission area as a result of the crank member being rotated. This makes it possible to achieve both improved durability of the drive device and changes in the movement range of the arm member.

In other words, to change the movement range of the arm member, it is necessary to reverse the direction of the driving force of the driving device according to the movement range of the arm member. In this case, the control burden on the driving device increases, and it is difficult to perform operations with small movement ranges, such as vibration.

On the other hand, with gaming machine A6, the protrusion of the crank member is moved through the non-transmission area and the protrusion and the inner or outer recess are arranged opposite each other, thereby forming movements of the arm member with different movement ranges. Therefore, the movement range of the arm member can be changed without reversing the direction of the driving force of the drive device. Also, by narrowing the space between adjacent inner or outer recesses, it is possible to cause the arm member to perform actions with small movement ranges, such as vibration.

Note that a configuration in which the protrusion can be accommodated may be a configuration in which the entire protrusion is included in the recess, or a configuration in which only a portion of the protrusion is included in the recess.

<An example of the technical idea of limiting the swing range of the telescopic performance device 540 with the arc-shaped hole 554>
A gaming machine B1 is characterized in that it comprises a movable member that is movable along a predetermined movement trajectory and can be positioned at a first position and a second position that are different from each other, and a stopper member that moves in response to the movable member and abuts against the movable member to limit the movement width of the predetermined movement trajectory of the movable member, and changes the movement width of the movable member depending on whether the movable member is positioned at the first position or the second position.

Here, some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are equipped with a movable member that is formed to be movable, and a stopper member that limits the movement width of the movable member (see, for example, JP 2012-016623 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the stopper member is fixed so that it cannot move, so it is necessary to prepare separate stopper members for when the movable member is located in the first position and when it is located in the second position, which poses the problem that the space required to arrange the stopper members becomes wide.

In contrast, with gaming machine B1, the stopper member moves in response to the movable member, so the stopper member when the movable member is located in the first position can also be used as the stopper member when the movable member is located in the second position. This makes it possible to reduce the space required for arranging the stopper member.

In addition, the stopper member changes the range of movement of the movable member depending on whether the movable member is positioned in the first position or the second position, thereby increasing the variation in the range of movement of the movable member.

Examples of the stopper member include a protrusion that protrudes from the transmission member and abuts against the movable member, and an inner wall of a recess that is recessed in the transmission member and accommodates a part of the movable member.

Examples of the movement mode include linear movement, curved movement, meandering movement, vibration, rocking, and rotational movement. The movement width in each movement mode means, for example, the actual movement distance or the linear distance between two points in the case of linear movement, curved movement, meandering movement, and vibration, and means the actual movement distance or movement angle in the case of rocking and rotational movement.

In the gaming machine B1, the movable member includes an intermediate member that is pivotally supported on a first shaft and expands and contracts in the radial direction of the first shaft, the expansion length of the intermediate member differs between the first position and the second position, the predetermined movement trajectory is formed as an arc centered on the first shaft, and the stopper member extends along the predetermined movement trajectory of the movable member when the intermediate member is in the predetermined expansion state. In the gaming machine B2, the expansion length of the intermediate member differs between the first position and the second position, the predetermined movement trajectory is formed as an arc centered on the first shaft, and the stopper member extends along the predetermined movement trajectory of the movable member when the intermediate member is in the predetermined expansion state.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine B1, gaming machine B2 has an intermediate member that is pivotally supported so that the movable member can swing about a first axis and is formed so that it can expand and contract in the radial direction of the first axis. Therefore, the radius of curvature of the predetermined movement trajectory of the movable member about the first axis can be changed by changing the length of the intermediate member in the expansion and contraction direction.

Here, the stopper member extends along the predetermined movement trajectory of the movable member when the intermediate member is in the predetermined expansion/contraction state (the curvature of the extension direction of the stopper member is the same as the curvature of the predetermined movement trajectory of the movable member when the intermediate member is in the predetermined expansion/contraction state). In this case, when the intermediate member is in the predetermined expansion/contraction state, the movable member moves along the stopper member, and the movable member can be moved in the extension direction of the stopper member. Therefore, the movement range (swing angle) of the movable member can be maximized.

On the other hand, if the intermediate member is put into an expansion/contraction state different from the predetermined expansion/contraction state, the curvature of the predetermined movement trajectory of the movable member can be made different from the curvature of the extension direction of the stopper member, and the predetermined movement trajectory of the movable member can be made to intersect with the extension direction of the stopper member. This makes it possible to shorten the movement range of the movable member. Therefore, by changing the expansion/contraction state of the intermediate member, it is possible to change the movement range of the movable member.

Gaming machine B3, in which the movable member in B2 has a protrusion protruding toward the stopper member, the stopper member has an insertion portion through which the protrusion is inserted, and when the protrusion is inserted into the insertion portion, the movable member and the stopper member move in the direction of extension and contraction of the intermediate member, and the movable member abuts against the insertion portion.

Gaming machine B3 has the same effects as gaming machine B2, and in addition, the protrusion of the movable member is inserted into the insertion portion of the stopper member, so that the movable member and the stopper member are linked in the extension/retraction direction of the intermediate member, and can serve as both a drive device that extends and retracts the movable member and a drive device that moves the stopper member. Furthermore, the insertion portion restricts the movement of the movable member by abutting against it. In other words, the insertion portion of the stopper member has the function of a stopper that restricts the movement of the movable member, and the function of linking the movable member and the stopper member. This allows for the integration of functions.

Gaming machine B4 is characterized in that, in gaming machine B3, the intermediate member expands and contracts, thereby reversing the arrangement of the first axis relative to the insertion portion between the inner circumference side and the outer circumference side.

In gaming machine B4, in addition to the effects of gaming machine B3, the intermediate member is extended and retracted, so that the position of the first axis relative to the insertion portion is reversed between the inner circumference side and the outer circumference side. This makes it possible to change the movement range of the movable member between when the first axis is positioned on the inner circumference side of the insertion portion and when the first axis is positioned on the outer circumference side of the insertion portion.

That is, when the first axis is disposed on the inner circumference of the insertion portion (when the trajectory of the protrusion when the movable member moves on a predetermined trajectory follows the shape of the insertion portion), the trajectory of the protrusion and the shape of the insertion portion are similar, and the movement range of the predetermined trajectory of the movable member can be widened. On the other hand, when the first axis is disposed on the outer circumference of the insertion portion (when the trajectory of the protrusion when the movable member moves on a predetermined trajectory is approximately the reverse of the shape of the insertion portion), the angle formed by the trajectory of the protrusion and the inner wall surface of the insertion portion becomes large, and the movement range of the predetermined trajectory of the movable member can be narrowed.

Gaming machine B5 is characterized in that, in gaming machine B3 or B4, the insertion part is formed so that it can change its position while maintaining the expansion and contraction state of the intermediate member, and the change in position of the insertion part changes the contact position between the movable member and the insertion part, thereby changing the movement width of the predetermined movement trajectory of the movable member.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines B3 and B4, gaming machine B5 changes the contact position between the movable member and the insertion part by changing the posture of the insertion part while maintaining the expansion and contraction state of the intermediate member. In this case, the movement width of the predetermined movement trajectory of the movable member can be changed while maintaining the expansion and contraction state of the intermediate member.

In any of gaming machines B3 to B5, the insertion portion has a groove that allows the protrusion to move in and out along the movement trajectory, and a separation state in which the protrusion is separated from the insertion portion can be formed via the groove, and the movable member has a positioning auxiliary portion that engages with the stopper member in the separation state. Gaming machine B6.

Gaming machine B6 has the same effects as any of gaming machines B3 to B5, but also has a groove that allows the protrusion to be separated from the insertion portion, creating a spaced state, and the movable member includes a positioning auxiliary that engages with the stopper member in the spaced state. This allows the range of the stopper member to be smaller than the operating range of the movable member, reducing the material cost of the stopper member and preventing misalignment between the movable member and the stopper member in the spaced state. In other words, even if the protrusion is separated from the insertion portion of the stopper member, the positioning auxiliary suppresses the relative movement of the movable member with respect to the stopper member, allowing the protrusion to return to the insertion portion.

<An example of the technical idea of supporting the inverted performance member 620 at two points>
Gaming machine C1 comprises a base member, a movable member that is displaceably supported on a support portion formed on the base member and moves upward from a predetermined position, a drive unit that generates a drive force to displace the movable member, and a transmission member that is connected to the movable member and transmits the drive force generated by the drive unit to the movable member, wherein the transmission member is pivotally supported on a support portion formed on the base member so that the length from the support portion to the connection position of the movable member and the transmission member is shorter than the length from the support portion to the connection position of the movable member and the transmission member.

Here, among gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there is a gaming machine in which a movable member that is displaceably supported on a support portion formed on a base member and moves upward from a predetermined position is driven by the transmission of driving force by gears (see, for example, JP 2011-120640 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the amount of movement of the center of gravity of the movable member when the drive device is operated in the smallest unit of control resolution of the drive device (for example, one step in the case of a stepping motor) is proportional to the length from the support portion of the movable member to the center of gravity of the movable member. Therefore, the farther the center of gravity of the movable member is from the support portion in the radial direction, the more difficult it becomes to adjust the position of the center of gravity of the movable member.

In addition, if the center of gravity of the movable member shifts to one side from an inverted state in which the center of gravity of the movable member is located directly above the support, even if a driving force is generated to displace the movable member in the opposite direction to maintain the movable member in the inverted state, if the driving force shifts the center of gravity to the other side, the direction of the driving force will coincide with the direction of gravity, and the movable member will be significantly displaced.

Therefore, the problem was that the longer the movable member was in the radial direction of the support part, the more difficult it became to keep the movable member stationary in an inverted state in which the center of gravity of the movable member was located directly above the support part.

In contrast, according to gaming machine C1, the transmission member that transmits the driving force of the drive unit to the movable member to move the movable member upward is supported on the axis of the base member and connected to the movable member, and the length from the connection position of the movable member and the connecting member to the axis of the base member is made shorter than the length from the connection position of the movable member and the connecting member to the support portion. Therefore, even if the movable member is long in the radial direction of the support portion, the amount of movement of the center of gravity of the movable member when the drive unit is operated in the smallest unit of the control resolution of the drive unit can be suppressed. Therefore, it is easy to stop the movable member in an inverted state where the center of gravity of the movable member is located directly above the support portion.

Examples of the manner in which the movable member is supported by the base member include a manner in which the movable member is pivotally supported by the base member so that it can swing, a manner in which the movable member is supported by the base member so that it can slide, and a combination of these.

A gaming machine C2 is characterized in that the transmission member in the gaming machine C1 has an arm length from the pivot support to the connection position with the movable member that is shortened as the movable member moves upward from the predetermined position.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine C1, gaming machine C2 shortens the arm length of the transmission member from the pivot support to the connection position with the movable member as the movable member, which is displaced around the support, moves upward from a predetermined position. This improves the design freedom of the speed of the movable member compared to when the arm length of the transmission member is constant.

For example, when the rotation speed of the drive device that rotates the transmission member is constant, the following explanation will be given assuming that the arm length of the transmission member is fixed at a predetermined first length, and that the arm length of the transmission member is fixed at a second length that is shorter than the first length. When the rotation speed of the drive device is constant, the movement speed of the center of gravity of the movable member when the transmission member is positioned at a predetermined phase is faster when the transmission member is fixed at the first length than when the arm length of the transmission member is fixed at the second length.

Consider a case where it is desired to move the movable member quickly near a specified position at a speed that occurs when the transmission member is at a first arm length, and slowly near the inverted state at a speed that occurs when the transmission member is at a second arm length. One possible method for doing this is to change the rotation speed of the drive device midway, but this cannot be adopted when it is difficult to change the rotation speed of the drive device. Furthermore, even if it is possible to change the rotation speed of the drive device, changing the rotation speed midway requires a detection sensor to detect the timing of the change, which creates the problem of increased costs.

On the other hand, gaming machine C2, in addition to the effects of gaming machine C1, is formed in such a way that the arm length from the pivot support portion on which the transmission member is pivoted to the connection position between the transmission member and the movable member is shortened as the transmission member moves upward from the predetermined position. Therefore, the transmission member can be made to have a first arm length near the predetermined position and a second arm length near the inverted state, improving the design freedom of the speed of the movable member.

As an example of a configuration in which the arm length from the pivot support to the connection position between the transmission member and the movable member is fixed, a protrusion protruding from the transmission member is inserted into the movable member to connect it, etc. As an example of a configuration in which the arm length is variable, a long hole is formed in the transmission member, and a protrusion protruding from the movable member is slidably inserted into the long hole of the transmission member, or a long hole is provided in the part where the movable member is supported by the support, and an insertion shaft is formed from the base member that is inserted into the long hole, etc.

Gaming machine C3 is characterized in that, in gaming machine C1 or C2, the movable member has a protrusion that protrudes in a direction parallel to the support part, and the transmission member has an insertion part that is a long hole that extends in the radial direction of the shaft support part and through which the protrusion is inserted.

In gaming machine C3, in addition to the effects of gaming machines C1 and C2, an insertion portion extends radially from the support portion, and the transmission member and the movable member are connected by inserting the protrusion of the transmission member into the insertion portion, so that the movement direction of the connection position is limited to the radial direction of the support portion. Therefore, the length from the support portion to the connection position of the transmission member with the movable member can be mechanically changed as the transmission arm swings.

Examples of the insertion portion include a long hole formed through the material, and a recess formed as a bottomed depression.

A gaming machine C4 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine C3, the pivot support is disposed vertically above the support, and the center of gravity of the movable member is disposed on a straight line connecting the support and the protrusion.

Gaming machine C4, in addition to the effects of gaming machine C3, when the movable member is in a position that positions the protrusion vertically above the support, the center of gravity of the support, the pivot, the protrusion, and the movable member are formed on a vertical line. In this case, gravity applied to the center of gravity of the movable member is applied vertically downward to the support and the pivot. Therefore, no rotational force is applied to the movable member, and the position of the movable member can be maintained even if the power of the drive device is cut off. This reduces the burden on the drive device.

Gaming machine C5 is characterized in that, among the gaming machines C1 to C4, a worm gear is interposed between the transmission member and the drive device, and the rotation of the drive device is decelerated by the worm gear.

Gaming machine C5, in addition to the effects of gaming machines C1 to C4, has a worm gear interposed between the transmission member and the drive device, and the rotation of the drive device is slowed down by the worm gear, so that the movement range of the movable member can be significantly reduced when the drive device operates at the minimum unit of control resolution. Also, the direction of force transmission via the worm gear is limited to one direction, from the drive device side to the transmission member side, so that the worm gear can be prevented from rotating due to the load from the transmission member side, and the burden on the drive device when it is stopped can be reduced.

A gaming machine C6 is any one of the gaming machines C1 to C5, and is equipped with a biasing device that generates a biasing force in both directions of the displacement direction of the movable member to move the center of gravity of the movable member above the support portion, and the biasing force is balanced in the displacement direction in an inverted state in which the center of gravity of the movable member is located vertically above the support portion, and becomes larger as the movable member is displaced from the inverted state.

According to gaming machine C6, in any of gaming machines C1 to C5, the biasing device generates a biasing force that moves the center of gravity of the movable member above the support portion, and the biasing force becomes larger as the movable member is displaced from the state in which the center of gravity of the movable member is positioned vertically above the support portion (inverted state). In other words, the biasing force can be minimized in the inverted state.

Therefore, by increasing the biasing force when the movable member moves upward from a predetermined position, the burden on the drive device that moves the movable member upward from a state in which the movable member is disposed at a predetermined position can be reduced.

The biasing force is generated in both directions of the displacement of the movable member, and is balanced in the displacement direction in the inverted state. Therefore, when the movable member is moved upward from a predetermined position and the drive device is controlled to stop, the biasing force can move the attitude of the movable member toward the inverted state even if the movable member does not reach the inverted state or passes through the inverted state. This makes it easy to stop the movable member in the inverted state.

A gaming machine C6, in which the movable member can form a first state in which the center of gravity is displaced a predetermined amount from vertically above the support portion, and a second state in which the center of gravity is displaced by more than the predetermined amount, and in which the rate of change in the biasing force for the same displacement is greater in the second state than in the first state. A gaming machine C7.

According to gaming machine C7, in addition to the effects of gaming machine C6, the rate of change in the biasing force for the same displacement is greater in the second state in which the movable member is displaced from the inverted state by a greater amount than in the first state on the inverted state side in which the center of gravity of the movable member is positioned vertically above the support. In this case, when starting the movable member from a state in which the movable member is positioned in the second state, the load on the drive device at the time of starting can be reduced. Also, since the acceleration of the movable member when it is positioned near the inverted state can be reduced, it becomes easier to stop the movable member in the inverted state.

<An example of the technical idea in which the spring constant of the torsion spring 650 changes during the swing>
Gaming machine D1 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine comprising a movable member formed so as to be movable between a first position and a second position, a drive device which generates a driving force to move the movable member, and a biasing device which generates a biasing force to return the movable member to the first position, the rate of change in the biasing force which occurs when the movable member is positioned in a second biasing region which is formed away from the first position and which is connected to the first biasing region is greater than the rate of change in the biasing force which occurs when the movable member is positioned in a first biasing region from the first position to a predetermined position.

Here, in gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there are gaming machines that use the biasing force of a biasing device such as an elastic spring as an auxiliary force when moving a movable member with the driving force generated by the drive device (see, for example, JP 2011-120640 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, the biasing force of the biasing device increases proportionally to the amount of displacement of the movable member, and there was a problem in that it was difficult to change the purpose of the biasing device by changing the arrangement of the movable member. In other words, it was difficult to suppress the biasing force in one area to make the movement of the movable member smooth, and to increase the biasing force in another area to make the movement of the movable member sudden.

On the other hand, according to gaming machine D1, the rate of change in the biasing force biased toward the first position is greater when the movable member is placed in the second biasing region than when the movable member is placed in the first biasing region. That is, for example, when a movable member stopped at the second position is started toward the first position (second biasing region), a sufficient biasing force can be obtained by the biasing device, whereas when the movable member is placed in the first biasing region, the change in the biasing force is suppressed, allowing the movable member to move smoothly (gently).

Examples of the manner in which the rate of change in the biasing force of the biasing device is changed by the arrangement of the movable member include a case in which the number of biasing devices that generate a biasing force on the movable member increases midway, and a case in which the biasing device is formed from an elastic spring and the spring constant of the elastic spring is changed by the arrangement of the movable member.

In the gaming machine D1, the biasing device is a pair of elongated members arranged on a pair of surfaces that intersect with the moving direction of the movable member and sandwich the movable member in the moving direction, one end of which is arranged opposite each of both sides of the movable member, and the other end, which is the end opposite to the one end, is formed of an elastic spring that is suppressed from moving, the movable member has a main body portion sandwiched between the pair of elongated members, and an abutment portion formed on the opposite side of the main body portion with respect to the pair of elongated members and formed so as to be able to abut against at least one of the pair of elongated members in the moving direction of the main body portion, the abutment portion is connected and fixed to the movable member, and when the movable member is placed in the first biasing area, the movable member is abutted against one of the pair of elongated members that is closer to the movable member due to the movement of the movable member, and is given a biasing force, and the movable member is abutted against the other elongated member and the abutment portion, and is given a biasing force.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine D1, gaming machine D2 can change the rate of change in the biasing force of the biasing device by shifting the timing of contact between the movable member and a pair of long members for each long member. This makes it unnecessary to change the biasing force of the biasing device through control or to prepare a separate member to improve the biasing force.

In other words, because the movement of the other end of the pair of long members is restricted, one of the long members that becomes closer to the movable member as the movable member moves is pressed against the movable member and moves, but the other long member on the opposite side does not receive force from the movable member. Therefore, in the first biasing region, when the movable member moves, the other long member that is disposed on the opposite side of the direction of movement of the movable member remains in place.

On the other hand, in the second biasing region, the movable member is moved, causing the other elongated member to abut against the abutment portion. This causes a biasing force to be generated from the other elongated member as well. Therefore, it is possible to increase the biasing force applied to the movable member in the second biasing region.

Examples of elastic springs include coil springs, torsion springs, and leaf springs.

In the gaming machine D1 or D2, the biasing device is a pair of elongated members that are arranged on a pair of surfaces that intersect with the moving direction of the movable member and sandwich the movable member in the moving direction, one end of which is arranged opposite to each of the two side surfaces of the movable member, and the other end, which is the end opposite to the one end, is formed from an elastic spring that suppresses movement, and the movable member has a main body portion that is sandwiched between the pair of elongated members, and a main body portion that is formed on the opposite side of the main body portion with respect to the pair of elongated members and is arranged on the opposite side of the main body portion with respect to the pair of elongated members in the moving direction of the main body portion. A gaming machine D3 is characterized in that it has an abutment portion that is formed so as to be able to abut against at least one of the long members, the abutment portion is connected and fixed to the movable member, and when the movable member is placed in the first biasing region, the movable member abuts against one of the pair of long members that is closer to the movable member as the movable member moves, and is given a biasing force, and when the movable member is placed in the second biasing region, the middle portion of one of the long members is pressed against the abutment portion that is placed on the one long member side relative to the main body.

According to gaming machine D3, in addition to the effects of gaming machines D1 or D2, the change in the rate of change in the biasing force is created by pressing the middle part of one of the long members against the contact part. That is, the one long member, which has already been deformed by the movement of the movable member, is further deformed starting from the middle part pressed against the contact part, causing a change in the rate of change in the biasing force. Here, the deformation starting from the middle part has a shorter length of the part that is deformed compared to the deformation starting from the other end part, so the rate of change in the biasing force relative to the amount of movement of the movable member increases. This makes it possible to increase the change in the biasing force relative to the amount of movement of the movable member in the second biasing region. Therefore, the rate of change in the biasing force can be increased.

Gaming machine D4 is characterized in that in gaming machine D3, one of the long members has a first bending point where it is bent toward the abutment portion that faces it, and the one of the long members is pressed against the abutment portion at the first bending point.

According to gaming machine D4, in addition to the effects of gaming machine D3, one of the long members abuts against the abutment portion arranged opposite the first bending point, so that the one of the long members is stretched by abutting against the abutment portion. Therefore, the tip portion of the biasing device that applies a biasing force to the movable member can be moved away from the other end of the long member and the first bending point, which are the starting point of the biasing force. Therefore, the moment that the biasing device applies to the movable member in the second biasing region can be made larger.

Gaming machine D5 is characterized in that, in gaming machine D4, the movable member has a tip enlarged region that expands in the direction of movement as it moves away from the other end of the long member, and the movable member and one end of the long member come into contact in the tip enlarged region.

According to gaming machine D5, in addition to the effects of gaming machine D4, the movable member has a tip expansion region, and the movable member and one end of the long member abut in the tip expansion region. Therefore, when one long member is pressed against the abutment portion and stretched, the abutment position between the movable member and the long member is moved in a direction away from the other end of the long member, and the deformation amount of the long member is increased. Therefore, the biasing force applied from the biasing device to the movable member can be increased.

Gaming machine D6 is any of gaming machines D2 to D5, characterized in that the arrangement distance between the abutment portion and the main body portion can be changed.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines D2 to D5, gaming machine D6 can increase the variety of changes in the biasing force generated by the long member. That is, for example, when the spacing between the abutment portion and the main body portion is narrowed, the timing at which the rate of change in the biasing force of the long member increases can be set earlier.

<An example of a technical idea in which multiple outlets are provided and the buffer ribs 322 are formed on the lower plate 320>
A gaming machine E1 comprising an on-board device that is positioned inside a play area formed to allow balls to flow down and that is in contact with the lower edge of the play area, a first outlet that is an opening formed on one widthwise side of the on-board device for discharging balls from the play area, and a second outlet that is an opening formed on the other widthwise side of the on-board device that is the opposite side of the one widthwise side for discharging balls from the play area, wherein the first outlet and the second outlet have lower plate portions that extend from the underside of the opening to the front and have a guide surface on their upper surface, the guide surface of the lower plate portion has a buffer rib that extends in a rib-like manner toward the opening direction of the corresponding side of the first outlet or the second outlet, and has a step portion formed by being raised from the guide surface on the outer side in the width direction, and the aspect ratio of the buffer rib is formed to be smaller toward the outer side in the width direction.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, are equipped with multiple outlets (see, for example, JP 09-192301 A). However, in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines, while it is preferable to keep the size of each outlet small to ensure space for installing attackers and the like, there is a problem that making the outlets too small can cause delays in the discharge of game balls.

For example, if the height at which the ball bounces up and down in front of the outlet exceeds the vertical width of the outlet, the ball will stay in front of the outlet. Also, for example, if the side of the prop is arranged on the widthwise side of the outlet to form a wall, a ball that flows into the front of the outlet from the width direction will collide with the side of the prop and bounce back in the width direction. At this time, if the amount that it bounces back in the width direction exceeds the horizontal width of the outlet, the ball will stay in front of the outlet.

On the other hand, according to gaming machine E1, a buffer rib is formed on the guide surface formed on the lower plate, so that it is possible to prevent the ball from bouncing back and to slow it down. In other words, when a ball collides from above or below, the buffer rib flexes and deforms, acting as a cushion to prevent the ball from bouncing back. Also, when a ball collides from the left or right, the ball gets stuck in the buffer rib and is braked.

Here, the cushioning ribs extending in the direction of the opening are weak against loads from the left and right, and may be damaged by the impact of a ball from the left or right.

In contrast, with gaming machine E1, the guide surface has a step on the outer side in the width direction, so that balls flowing down from the left and right toward the buffer rib fall from above the step onto the buffer rib. In this case, the vertical component of the direction in which the ball collides with the buffer rib can be increased, and damage to the buffer rib can be suppressed.

In addition, the step has the function of blocking the ball moving left and right on the guide surface, preventing the ball moving on the guide surface from bouncing back more than the width of the outlet.

The buffer ribs are formed higher toward the widthwise center of the play area, which provides a significant rebound suppression effect near the widthwise center of the play area where balls tend to concentrate. This allows balls to be discharged smoothly from the outlet. Also, by aligning the curve of the bottom edge of the play area with the underside of the buffer rib, the location of the outlet can be adjusted downward.

The reason why the effect of suppressing the rebound of the ball increases as the cushioning rib is formed higher is because the amount of deflection of the cushioning rib increases. In other words, the greater the amount of deflection of the cushioning rib, the more sufficient the cushioning effect is, making it easier to suppress the rebound. For this reason, in terms of the rebound suppression effect, it is preferable to keep the aspect ratio of the cushioning rib constant in the left-right direction (keeping the vertical length constant).

On the other hand, if the aspect ratio of the cushioning rib is made constant (the vertical length is made constant), the height of the step must be increased, and the path of the ball to reach the step must also be positioned higher, which ultimately narrows the play area and is not desirable in terms of space efficiency.

On the other hand, in gaming machine E1, the aspect ratio (vertical length) of the buffer ribs is small on the outer width sides of the play area where the flowing balls are less likely to concentrate, and the aspect ratio (vertical length) of the buffer ribs is large in the center width of the play area where the flowing balls are more likely to concentrate. This makes it possible to improve the ball discharge efficiency while also ensuring a sufficient play area.

Note that extending in the direction of the opening is not limited to any particular shape, but means extending in the direction of the opening in a straight line, wavy shape, mountain shape, etc.

Gaming machine E2 is characterized in that the guide surface in gaming machine E1 has an outer inclined portion that slopes downward toward the outside in the width direction of the gaming area.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine E1, gaming machine E2 has an outer inclined portion on the guide surface, so the speed of the ball flowing into the guide surface from the outside in the width direction can be slowed down by gravitational acceleration, shortening the time it takes for the ball to decelerate.

Gaming machine E3 is characterized in that, in gaming machine E1 or E2, a non-flow area in which balls cannot flow down is formed diagonally above at least one of the first outlet or the second outlet.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines E1 and E2, gaming machine E3 restricts the flow of balls from the non-flow area diagonally downward toward the guide surface, reducing the number of paths the balls can take to reach the guide surface. This narrows the direction in which the balls bounce after flowing downward. This makes it possible to narrow the external shape of at least one of the first outlet or the second outlet.

In gaming machine E3, an opening/closing device that is disposed in the gaming area and can be opened and closed toward the front side is disposed above at least one of the first outlet or the second outlet, and the non-flow-down area is formed on the front side of the opening/closing device. Gaming machine E4.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine E3, gaming machine E4 creates a non-flow area by using an opening and closing device. This allows the space created by restricting the opening dimensions of the first outlet or second outlet in the desired direction toward the non-flow area to be used as installation space for the opening and closing device.

The opening and closing device also has the function of causing balls flowing down in front of the opening and closing device to flow below the play area when in the closed state, and causing balls flowing down in front of the opening and closing device to flow to the rear of the play area when in the open state. This makes it possible to reliably create a non-flowing area compared to when balls flow down irregularly due to collisions with nails or the like.

A gaming machine E5 is one of the gaming machines E1 to E4, characterized in that it is provided with a direction adjustment rib that extends in a rib-like manner in the opening direction on the upper bottom surface of the first outlet or the second outlet.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines E1 to E4, gaming machine E5 is equipped with a direction adjustment rib that extends in the opening direction on the upper bottom surface of the first outlet or the second outlet, so that the resistance to the ball flowing down while colliding with the upper bottom surface of the first outlet or the second outlet can be reduced.

<Feature F group> (The image displayed when the power is turned on is also used normally)
a setting means for reading out the display data from the storage means and setting it as the display data to be displayed on the display means by the display control means; wherein the storage means stores initial display data corresponding to an initial image to be displayed when an initial setting for a game is being performed, and the setting means reads out the initial display data from the storage means during the initial setting and sets it as the display data to be displayed on the display means; and wherein in a performance performed after completion of the initial setting, the initial display data read out during the initial setting is used as the display data to be displayed on the display means.

Here, conventionally, gaming machines have attempted to increase the entertainment value of games by displaying various presentation images on a display device such as a liquid crystal display device. In such gaming machines, image information of an image to be displayed on the display device is generally stored in advance in a storage means, and when an image is to be displayed, the corresponding image information is read from the storage means, image processing is performed, and the image is displayed on the display device (for example, JP 2006-223598 A). However, the gaming machines described above have had problems in that as the amount of image information increases, the amount of image data used by the gaming machine increases, requiring an increase in the capacity of the storage means for storing the image and increasing the load due to the processing of reading the image, etc. Due to these problems, there has been a demand for improved image display control.

According to gaming machine F1, the initial display data displayed during initial setup is also used for the presentation after the initial setup is complete, so the display data can be standardized, the amount of display data can be reduced, and image display control can be improved.

In a gaming machine F1, the display means is composed of a first display means and a second display means different from the first display means, the display control means causes the first display means or the second display means to display the display mode, the setting means reads the initial display data from the storage means in the initial setting and sets it as display data to be displayed on the first display means and the second display means, and in a performance executed after the initial setting, sets the initial display data read in the initial setting as display data to be displayed on either the first display means or the second display means. In a gaming machine F2, the display control means causes the first display means or the second display means to display the display mode, the setting means reads the initial display data from the storage means in the initial setting and sets it as display data to be displayed on either the first display means or the second display means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine F1, gaming machine F2 has the effect of being able to standardize display data for a display means consisting of a first display means and a second display means, thereby reducing the load on display control.

Gaming machine F3 is characterized in that in gaming machine F2, the initial display data is set so that the display areas of the first display means and the second display means are set as a single display area.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine F2, gaming machine F3 has the effect of simplifying display control by allowing the first display means and the second display means to be set as a single display data.

A gaming machine F4, which is any one of the gaming machines F1 to F3, has an acquisition means for acquiring information based on the establishment of an acquisition condition, a discrimination means for discriminating the information acquired by the acquisition means, and a dynamic display means capable of dynamically displaying identification information indicating the discrimination result discriminated by the discrimination means, and is characterized in that the identification information is composed of initial identification information displayed in the initial image and normal identification information displayed in the dynamic display after the initial setting is completed.

In addition to the effects of any of gaming machines F1 to F3, gaming machine F4 has the effect of allowing the player to recognize that it is an initial setting, since the identification information indicating the result of the determination by the determination means is composed of the initial identification information displayed in the initial image and the normal identification information.

Gaming machine F5 is characterized in that in gaming machine F4, the initial image is at least composed of a display image including the initial identification information displayed on the first display means and a display image including a game information image showing the game content displayed on the second display means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine F4, gaming machine F5 has the effect of being able to notify the player of the game content and the determination result simultaneously even during the initial setting, since the initial image is composed of initial identification information displayed on the first display means and a display image including a game information image displayed on the second display means.

Gaming machine F6 is characterized in that, in gaming machine F4 or F5, the initial identification information displayed on the first display means during the initial setting is composed of a smaller amount of data than the normal identification information.

According to gaming machine F6, the initial identification information is composed of less display data than the normal identification information, which has the effect of reducing the control load during initial setup and allowing the initial identification information to be read and displayed quickly.

Gaming machine F7 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines F4 to F6, the second display means is configured with a display area smaller than that of the first display means, and when no game is played for a specified period of time, a display image including the game information image displayed in the initial image is displayed on the second display means.

In addition to the effects of any of gaming machines F4 to F6, gaming machine F7 has the effect of reducing the control load and informing the user of the game content by displaying a display image including a game information image on the second display means using the initial display data when no game is played for a predetermined period of time.

Gaming machine F8 is characterized in that, in gaming machine F7, when no game is played during the specified period, the display data corresponding to the display image displayed on the first display means among the initial images is set to non-display.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine F7, gaming machine F8 has the effect of being able to display a different image on the first display means because the initial image displayed on the first display means is set to non-display.

Gaming machine F9 is characterized in that in any one of gaming machines F2 to F8, when the setting means is to set the initial display data read in the initial setting to the first display means in a performance executed after the initial setting, the setting means sets the display data corresponding to the second display means to hidden, and when the initial display data is to be set to the second display means, the setting means sets the display data corresponding to the first display means to hidden.

Gaming machine F9 has the effect of being able to display the initial display data independently on the first display means and the second display means, in addition to the effect of any of gaming machines F2 to F8.

In the gaming machine F9, the setting means is configured to set the initial display data read out during the initial setting to the first display means in a performance executed after the initial setting, so that the data is displayed at a different display position than during the initial setting. Gaming machine F10.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine F9, gaming machine F10 has the effect of allowing the player to see a display that appears different from the display displayed in the initial settings, and allows the initial display data to be used in a wide variety of ways.

<Feature G group> (The position of the circle and cross changes depending on the content of the change on the shutter and main LCD)
A gaming machine G1 characterized by having a first display means capable of displaying identification information, a second display means different from the first display means, a dynamic display means for dynamically displaying the identification information displayed on the first display means or the second display means, a bonus granting means for granting a bonus that is advantageous to a player when a specific identification information is displayed on the first display means or the second display means, and a switching display means for switching the display of the identification information dynamically displayed by the dynamic display means between the first display means and the second display means.

Here, for example, there is known a gaming machine that aims to increase the interest of the player by providing multiple display means for performing effects on the gaming machine, and using each display means to perform variable effects and jackpot effects, thereby performing synergistic effects using the multiple display means (for example, JP 2004-081256). However, the above-mentioned gaming machine requires improved convenience by utilizing multiple display devices. Due to these problems, there is a demand for improved convenience.

According to the gaming machine G1, the effect (dynamic display of identification information) displayed on the first display means or the second display means can be switched between the first display means and the second display means by the switching display means. This has the effect of making it possible to display the identification information in a position that is easily visible to the player depending on the state of the game, thereby improving convenience.

A gaming machine G2, which has a first drive means capable of driving the first display means to a first position where the identification information dynamically displayed on the first display means is difficult to see, and a second drive means capable of driving the second display means to a second position where the identification information dynamically displayed on the second display means is difficult to see, and the switching display means switches the first display means to display the identification information when the first drive means is in the first position, and switches the first display means to display the identification information when the second drive means is in the second position.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine G1, gaming machine G2 has the effect of suppressing defects that prevent the identification information from being visible due to the first drive means and the second drive means.

A gaming machine G3, which is characterized in that in the gaming machine G1 or G2, the second display means has a moving means capable of moving in front of the first display means, and the switching display means switches so that the identification information is displayed on the second display means when the second display means is moved by the moving means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines G1 and G2, gaming machine G3 has the effect of suppressing the problem of the second display means preventing the identification information from being seen.

A gaming machine G4, which is one of the gaming machines G1 to G3, is characterized in that the display data for the display mode displayed on the first display means and the second display means is composed of composite display data corresponding to the first display means and the second display means as display data displayed in one display area.

According to gaming machine G4, in any of gaming machines G1 to G3, the display data of the first display means and the second display means can be set as composite display data, which has the effect of reducing the control load.

A gaming machine G5, characterized in that in the gaming machine G4, coordinate information is set for setting the display areas of the first display means and the second display means as a single display area, and the composite display data is composed of display data that corresponds to the coordinate information and is displayed for each coordinate.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine G4, gaming machine G5 has the effect of easily setting the display data to be displayed on the first display means and the second display means.

<Feature Group H> (Fall Control)
A gaming machine H1 having a movable member having a movable part that can move at least between a first position and a second position, and a drive means for driving the movable member to a third position and a fourth position, characterized in that the gaming machine H1 further comprises a regulating means for regulating movement from the first position to the second position, and a drive control means for driving the movable member from the third position to the fourth position by the drive means in a state in which the regulation by the regulating means is released based on the establishment of a first condition, and for driving the movable member from the third position to the fourth position by the drive means in a state in which it is restricted by the regulating means based on the establishment of a second condition different from the first condition.

Here, for example, the likelihood of hitting the jackpot is suggested by moving a movable accessory installed in the gaming machine. For such gaming machines, gaming machines have been proposed that increase the number of movement patterns of the movable accessory to enhance the interest of the player (for example, JP 2008-079687 A). In this case, it is necessary to use more drive devices (for example, motors, etc.) to increase the number of movement patterns of the movable accessory, which causes the problem of increased power consumption. Due to such problems, there has been a demand for reducing power consumption.

According to the gaming machine H1, by driving the drive means, the movable part can be moved by the drive vibration, etc., which has the effect of suppressing the increase in power consumption compared to when the movable part is moved electrically, etc.

A gaming machine H2 is characterized in that it has a moving means for moving the movable part from the second position to the first position in the gaming machine H1.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine H1, gaming machine H2 has the effect that, by driving the movable member to the fourth position by the driving means, even if the movable part is moved to the second position, it can be returned to the first position by the moving means. Note that in this case, it is also possible to configure the movable part to be moved to the first position by the inertial force (acceleration) that drives the movable member from the fourth position to the third position without providing a moving means.

A gaming machine H3, which has a bonus granting means for granting a bonus advantageous to a player when a predetermined condition is met in the gaming machine H1 or H2, and an effect execution means for executing an effect indicating whether or not the bonus will be granted by the bonus granting means for a predetermined effect period, and the drive control means drives the movable member from the third position to the fourth position if a movement condition is met during the period in which the effect execution means executes the effect, and is easy to drive in a state where the restriction by the restriction means is released when the bonus granting means executes the effect indicating that the bonus will be granted.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines H1 and H2, gaming machine H3 has the effect of making it easier to receive a bonus, because the movable member is more likely to be driven to the fourth position when the restriction is released, and the player can expect to receive a bonus when the movable part moves to the second position.

Gaming machine H4 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines H1 to H3, the drive control means moves the movable member in the same manner when the restriction by the restriction means is released and when the restriction is applied.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines H1 to H3, gaming machine H4 has the effect of suppressing the determination of whether or not the movable member is restricted based on differences in the operation of driving the movable member. Here, the operation refers to differences in speed, driving pattern, driving direction, etc.

Among any of the gaming machines H1 to H4, the drive control means temporarily stops the movable member for a predetermined period of time at an intermediate position between the third and fourth positions when driving the movable member from the third position to the fourth position. Among the gaming machines H5, the drive control means temporarily stops the movable member for a predetermined period of time at an intermediate position between the third and fourth positions.

In addition to the effects of any of gaming machines H1 to H4, gaming machine H5 has the effect of making it easier to move the movable part to the second position by inertial force or the like when it is not excited by temporarily stopping it.

Gaming machine H6 is any one of gaming machines H1 to H5, characterized in that the fourth position is configured to be a position lower than the third position, and the drive means is configured to be capable of reciprocating between the third position and the fourth position.

Gaming machine H6 has the same effect as any of gaming machines H1 to H5, but has the advantage of being able to configure the moving part to be easily moved by gravity downwards.

Among any of the gaming machines H1 to H6, gaming machine H7 is characterized in that the movable means is composed of a stepping motor, and the regulating means energizes the stepping motor in a stopped state.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines H1 to H6, gaming machine H7 has the advantage that the moving means and regulating means can be configured with stepping motors, simplifying the configuration.

<Feature I> (Avoiding the execution of similar performances)
A gaming machine I1 has an effect execution means capable of executing an effect, a specific period setting means for setting a specific period during which a specific effect is executed by the effect execution means, and a specific condition determination means for determining whether a specific condition that can be executed by the effect execution period is established when the specific period is set by the specific period setting means and the specific effect is to be executed, and the effect execution means executes the specific effect based on the specific condition determination means determining that the specific condition is established.

For example, a gaming machine has been proposed that aims to increase the player's interest by transitioning to a specific effect that is different from the normal general effect when a certain amount of time has passed since the gaming machine was turned on, and displaying a periodic effect that is executed periodically (for example, JP 2007-252534). In this case, if a periodic effect that is executed periodically is accompanied by an effect that is accompanied by sound or images similar to the regular effect, it becomes difficult to determine whether or not the regular effect is being executed, which causes confusion for the player. Due to these problems, a gaming machine that is easy for players to understand is needed.

With gaming machine I1, during the period in which a specific effect is to be executed, whether or not it can be executed is determined before execution, which has the effect of preventing player confusion due to issues with the execution timing of the effect and allowing players to play in an easy-to-understand manner.

Gaming machine I2 is characterized in that it has a timing means capable of timing timing information in gaming machine I1, and the specific period setting means at least sets the start of the specific period based on the timing of predetermined timing information by the timing means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine I1, gaming machine I2 has the effect of making it easier to set specific periods at the same time on other gaming machines, since the start of the specific period is set based on the timing of predetermined timing information.

Gaming machine I3, in which the effect execution means executes a normal effect other than the specific effect during the specific period, and the specific condition determination means determines whether the specific condition is met based on the normal effect being executed.

According to gaming machine I3, in addition to the effect provided by gaming machine I1 or I2, the establishment of a specific condition is determined based on the normal presentation, so that a specific presentation can be executed while taking into account the relationship between the specific presentation and the normal presentation.

Gaming machine I4 is characterized in that it has an operating means that can be operated by a player and a detection means that detects that the operating means has been operated in gaming machine I3, at least one of the specific effects and the normal effects includes an operation effect that causes the player to operate the operating means, and the specific condition is met when the operation effects of the specific effect and the normal effect are not synchronized.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine I3, gaming machine I4 can suppress malfunctions in which specific effects and normal operation effects are executed at the same time, providing players with an easier-to-understand gameplay.

Gaming machine I5 is characterized in that it has a dynamic display execution means for executing dynamic display of identification information based on the establishment of a start condition in any one of gaming machines I1 to I4, and a special gaming state setting means for setting a special gaming state in which the specific identification information that will grant an advantageous benefit to the player is likely to be displayed, and the specific presentation includes a suggestive presentation that indicates whether the special gaming state is set or not.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines I1 to I4, gaming machine I5 has the effect of making players aware that a special gaming state has been set by a specific presentation, which can create interest in the specific presentation.

Gaming machine I6 is characterized in that in any one of gaming machines I2 to I5, the specific period setting means sets the specific period for a predetermined period each time a predetermined time has elapsed since the power was turned on, the performance execution means executes the specific performance when the specific condition is met for each predetermined period based on the specific period being set, and has a delay means for delaying the specific performance and having it executed by the performance execution means when the specific condition determination means determines that the specific condition is not met.

In addition to the effects of any of the gaming machines I2 to I5, gaming machine I6 executes a specific effect with a delay even if a specific condition is not met, which has the effect of preventing confusion for the player.

<Feature J Group> (0.125 second performance)
a display means for displaying an identification information showing a result of the determination made by the determination means; a bonus granting means for granting a bonus advantageous to a player when the identification information showing a specific result of the determination is displayed on the display means; a performance mode output means for outputting a predetermined performance; a pre-determination means for determining the information acquired before the establishment of the start condition based on the information acquired by the information acquisition means; and a performance execution means for executing an output of a performance based on the determination result of the pre-determination means to the performance mode output means, wherein the performance mode output means has a plurality of output areas in which the output of the performance is set, and when the performance execution means executes output of a new performance, the output of the new performance is executed to an output area different from the output area to which the previous performance was output.

For example, in a pachinko machine, when a game ball enters the starting hole and the number of reserved balls increases, the random number information of the reserved ball is judged in advance (pre-read) and an effect is executed suggesting that the judgment result is a predetermined result (such as a jackpot), thereby aiming to heighten the player's anticipation as to whether the variable display corresponding to the reserved ball will be a jackpot or not (for example, JP 2012-16499). In such a gaming machine, if the variable time is set to a short time to increase the efficiency of play, the presentation period for the lottery result, etc., is also shortened, making it difficult for the player to understand. In response to this problem, the objective is to provide a gaming machine that is easy for the player to understand even when the variable time is shortened.

According to gaming machine J1, multiple output areas are set in which an effect based on the determination result of the pre-determination means (an effect suggesting a hold determination result) is output, and the next effect is output to an output area different from the output area that previously output the effect. As a result, even if a new determination result of the pre-determination means is obtained while the effect is being executed, the effect based on the determination result of the pre-determination means can be displayed in a different output area, making it possible to execute an effect based on the new determination result of the pre-determination means without terminating the effect currently being executed. As a result, problems such as player confusion can be suppressed.

Gaming machine J2 is characterized in that in gaming machine J1, a predetermined order is set for the multiple output areas, and when executing a new effect, the effect execution means executes output of the new effect to the output area that is next in order to the output area that previously output the effect.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine J1, gaming machine J2 has the effect of suppressing the problem of overlapping of the output areas of the most recent effect and a new effect, since the effects are output in sequence according to the order set in the output area.

Gaming machine J3 is characterized in that in gaming machine J1 or J2, the presentation mode output means is composed of a display means that displays a predetermined display mode that is the predetermined presentation, and the output area is set by dividing the display area of the display means into a number of small areas.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines J1 and J2, gaming machine J3 has the following effect. That is, the display area can be effectively used to display multiple effects simultaneously. This has the effect of allowing the effect period to be set longer.

Gaming machine J4, characterized in that in gaming machine J2 or 3, the storage means is configured to be able to store the information up to a predetermined number, the information acquisition means acquires the information if the information stored in the storage means is less than the predetermined number when the acquisition condition is met, and the performance execution means executes the output of a performance to the output area corresponding to the next output area in the order in which the previous output was made, even when the acquisition condition is met and the information has not been acquired by the information acquisition means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines J2 and J3, gaming machine J4 has the effect of making the player feel as if more information is being obtained.

Gaming machine J5 is characterized in that it has a performance content determination means for determining the performance content to be executed by the performance execution means based on the discrimination result of the pre-discrimination means for the information when the information is acquired by the acquisition means in gaming machine J3 or J4, and for determining the performance content to be executed by the performance execution means based on the discrimination result other than the specific discrimination result when the acquisition condition is met and the information is not acquired by the information acquisition means.

In addition to the effect of gaming machine J3, gaming machine J5 has the effect of making the player feel as if information has been acquired while playing the game.

A gaming machine J5, characterized in that the effect content determination means determines the effect duration together with the effect content, and has a termination means for forcibly terminating the effect being executed when the effect is being executed in the output area where the effect execution means executes the output of the effect and the determined effect duration has not yet elapsed.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine J5, gaming machine J6 has the effect of suppressing the problem of different effects being output to the same output area, providing the player with an easy-to-understand gameplay.

In the gaming machine J5, the effect content determination means determines the effect duration together with the effect content, and the effect execution means, when an effect whose effect duration has not yet elapsed is being executed in the output area in which the newly determined effect is to be output, overwrites the effect currently being executed and executes the newly determined effect. A gaming machine J7.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine J5, gaming machine J7 has the effect of suppressing the problem of different effects being output to the same output area, providing the player with an easy-to-understand gameplay.

<Feature K group> (operating parts that operate in combination under one operating condition)
a first movable means movable within a first movable range; a second movable means different from the first movable means movable within a second movable range; a first movable setting means for setting a first movable pattern for the first movable means; a second movable setting means for setting a second movable pattern for the second movable means; a determination means for determining correction data for correcting at least one of the first or second movable patterns so that an operating condition corresponding to the operation of the first movable means movable according to the first movable pattern and the operation of the second movable means movable according to the second movable pattern is satisfied when the operating condition is not satisfied; and a correction means for correcting at least one of the first or second movable patterns based on the correction data determined by the determination means.

Here, some gaming machines such as pachinko machines include variable members that are variable by a motor or the like. Some of these gaming machines can execute a wide variety of performance actions by varying multiple variable members (for example, JP 2008-012194 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, if the number of variable members is increased, it may be difficult to set the appropriate action. Also, some of the above gaming machines vary multiple variable members in combination for one performance, and can execute a wider variety of performance actions. However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, when multiple variable members are varied in combination, the variable states may be misaligned, resulting in a deterioration in the quality of the action.

In contrast, according to the gaming machine K1, the first movable means is moved in a first movable range, and the second movable means different from the first movable means is moved in a second movable range. A first movable pattern is set for the first movable means by the first movable setting means, and a second movable pattern is set for the second movable means by the second movable setting means. When an operating condition according to the operation of the first movable means moved according to the first movable pattern and the operation of the second movable means moved according to the second movable pattern is not established, correction data for correcting at least one of the first or second movable patterns so that the operating condition is established is determined by the determination means. Based on the correction data determined by the determination means, at least one of the first or second movable patterns is corrected by the correction means.

This has the effect of preventing the execution of operations contrary to the operating conditions, thereby enabling the first movable means and the second movable means to be moved in an optimal manner.

A gaming machine K2 is characterized in that, in the gaming machine K1, it is provided with an effect execution means for executing a predetermined moving effect, and the first moving means and the second moving means are moved at least in the predetermined moving effect.

According to the gaming machine K2, a predetermined moving effect is executed by the effect execution means. In addition, the first moving means and the second moving means are moved at least in the predetermined moving effect.

This allows the first moving means and the second moving means, which are moved in a specified moving performance, to operate in accordance with the operating conditions. This has the effect of preventing operations that go against the operating conditions in a specified moving performance from being performed, thereby improving the operating quality of the first moving means and the second moving means in a specified moving performance.

Gaming machine K3 is characterized in that in gaming machine K1 or K2, the second moving means is configured in association with the first moving means and is configured to be movable together with the first moving means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines K1 and K2, gaming machine K3 has the effect that the second moving means is configured in association with the first moving means and moves together with the first moving means, so that the first moving means and the second moving means can be operated in a unified manner.

A gaming machine K4 is characterized in that it is provided with a storage means in which a plurality of different correction data determined by the determination means are stored in any one of the gaming machines K1 to K3, and an information discrimination means for discriminating information required to establish the operating condition based on the respective movable positions of the first movable means and the second movable means when the operating condition is not established, and the determination means determines the correction data from the storage means based on the information determined by the information discrimination means.

According to gaming machine K4, in any of gaming machines K1 to K3, a plurality of different correction data determined by the determination means are stored in the storage means. When the operating condition is not satisfied, the information necessary to satisfy the operating condition is determined based on the respective movable positions of the first movable means and the second movable means by the information discrimination means, and the correction data is determined from the storage means by the determination means based on the information determined by the information discrimination means.

As a result, when the operating conditions are not met, the movable pattern can be corrected by a process that has a relatively light processing load, determining the correction data from the storage means, which has the effect of reducing the processing load.

In any one of the gaming machines K1 to K4, the determination means determines the correction data for correcting the movement pattern of the second moving means so that the movement satisfies the operation condition when the operation condition is not satisfied. Gaming machine K5.

Gaming machine K5 has the following effect in addition to the effect of any of gaming machines K1 to K4. That is, when the operating condition is not satisfied, the determination means determines correction data for correcting the movement pattern of the second moving means so that the operation satisfies the operating condition, and therefore has the effect of improving the quality of operation without correcting the second moving means.

A gaming machine K5 is provided with a period setting means for setting an input period for checking the operation contents of the first movable setting means and the second movable setting means based on power-on of the gaming machine, the determination means determines the correction data for correcting the second movable pattern so that the operating condition is satisfied if the operating condition is not satisfied during the input period, and the correction means corrects the movable pattern to be set after the input period ends based on the correction data determined by the determination means. A gaming machine K6 is characterized in that:

Gaming machine K6 achieves the following effect in addition to the effect achieved by gaming machine K5. That is, a power-on period for checking the operation of the first movable setting means and the second movable setting means is set by a period setting means based on power-on of the gaming machine, and if the operating conditions are not met during the power-on period, correction data for correcting the second movable pattern so that the operating conditions are met is determined by a determination means. Based on the determined correction data, the correction means corrects the movable pattern that is set after the power-on period ends.

As a result, after the input period ends, a corrected movable pattern can be set to a state in which the operating conditions are satisfied. That is, there is an effect that the first movable means and the second movable means can be moved in a state in which the operating conditions are satisfied during most of the time that the gaming machine is in operation.
<Feature L group> (matching the movement of one character to that of the other)
A gaming machine L1 having a first movable means movable within a first movable range, a second movable means different from the first movable means movable within a second movable range, and a movable control means for moving the first movable means and the second movable means based on predetermined movable data, characterized in that it further comprises a first movable setting means for setting first movable data corresponding to a predetermined first movable pattern for the first movable means, a determination means for determining movable data of the second movable means corresponding to the operation of the first movable means moving in the first movable pattern based on the set first movable data, and a second movable setting means for setting the second movable means to be movable by the movable control means with the movable data determined by the determination means.

Here, some gaming machines such as pachinko machines include variable members that are variable by a motor or the like. Some of these gaming machines can execute a wide variety of performance actions by varying multiple variable members (for example, JP 2008-012194 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, if the number of variable members is increased, it may be difficult to set the appropriate action. Also, some of the above gaming machines vary multiple variable members in combination for one performance, and can execute a wider variety of performance actions. However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, when multiple variable members are varied in combination, the variable states may be misaligned, resulting in a deterioration in the quality of the action.

In contrast to this, according to gaming machine L1, first movement data corresponding to a first movement pattern predetermined for the first moving means is set by the first movement setting means. Movement data for the second moving means corresponding to the operation of the first moving means moving in the first movement pattern according to the set first movement data is determined by the determination means. The second movement setting means sets the second moving means to be moved by the movement control means with the movement data determined by the determination means.

This allows the second movable means to be moved in a manner that corresponds to the operation of the first movable means, thereby providing the effect of allowing the first movable means and the second movable means to be moved in an optimal manner.

A gaming machine L2 is characterized in that the gaming machine L1 is provided with an effect execution means for executing a predetermined moving effect, and the first moving means and the second moving means are moved at least in the predetermined moving effect.

In addition to the effect of gaming machine L1, gaming machine L2 provides the following effect. That is, a predetermined moving effect is executed by the effect execution means. The first moving means and the second moving means are moved at least in the predetermined moving effect.

This allows the second moving means to move in a manner that corresponds to the operation of the first moving means in a specified moving performance. This has the effect of improving the quality of operation of the first moving means and the second moving means in a specified moving performance.

Gaming machine L3 is characterized in that, in gaming machine L1 or L2, the second moving means is configured in association with the first moving means and is configured to be movable together with the first moving means.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines L1 and L2, gaming machine L3 has the effect that the second moving means is configured in association with the first moving means and moves together with the first moving means, so that the first moving means and the second moving means can be operated in a unified manner.

Gaming machine L4 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines L1 to L3, the determination means determines the movement data of the second moving means corresponding to the movement of the first moving means moved in the first moving pattern based on the end of the movement of the first moving means that moves in the first moving pattern.

According to gaming machine L4, in addition to the effect achieved by any of gaming machines L1 to L3, the determination means determines movement data for the second moving means corresponding to the movement of the first moving means moved in the first moving pattern based on the end of the movement of the first moving means that moves in the first moving pattern, so that it is possible to determine movement data that takes into account the movement of the series of first moving patterns. Therefore, since it is possible to operate the second moving means in a manner that is more suited to the movement of the first moving means, there is an effect that the operation quality of the first moving means and the second moving means can be further improved.

Gaming machine L5 is characterized in that it includes a period setting means for setting an initial setting period for performing initial settings based on powering on the gaming machine L4, and the first movable setting means sets the first movable data based on the initial setting period being set.

Gaming machine L5 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine L4. That is, an initial setting period for performing initial settings based on power-on of the gaming machine is set by the period setting means. Then, based on the initial setting period being set, first movable data is set by the first movable setting means.

This has the effect of determining movement data corresponding to the operation of the first moving means that is moved in the first movement pattern during the initial setting period, so that after the end of the initial setting period, the second moving means can be moved in an operation corresponding to the first moving means.

Gaming machine L6 is characterized in that it includes a movement determination means for determining whether or not to move the first moving means after the end of the initial setting period, and a specific movement setting means for setting specific movement data corresponding to a predetermined specific movement pattern when the movement determination means determines that the first moving means is to be moved, and the determination means determines the movement data of the second moving means for setting an operation corresponding to the specific movement pattern.

Gaming machine L6 achieves the following effect in addition to the effect achieved by gaming machine L5. That is, the movement determination means determines whether or not to move the first moving means after the end of the initial setting period, and when the movement determination means determines that the first moving means is to be moved, specific movement data corresponding to a predetermined specific movement pattern is set by the specific movement setting means. The movement data of the second moving means for setting an operation corresponding to the specific movement pattern is determined by the determination means.

This allows the second moving means to be moved in a manner that corresponds to a specific movement pattern, thereby improving the quality of operation of the first moving means and the second moving means.

Gaming machine L7 is characterized in that, in any one of gaming machines L1 to L6, the determination means determines movement data so that the timing at which the operation of the first moving means, to which at least the first movement pattern is set, ends coincides with the timing at which the operation of the second moving means ends.

In addition to the effect of any of the gaming machines L1 to L6, the gaming machine L7 has the effect of improving the quality of operation of the first moving means and the second moving means at the end of the operation, which is one of the timings that the player pays most attention to, because the determination means determines the movement data so that the timing at which the operation of the first moving means, to which at least the first moving pattern is set, ends coincides with the timing at which the operation of the second moving means ends.

Gaming machine L8 is characterized in that in any one of gaming machines L1 to L3, the operation discrimination means discriminates the operation of the first moving means based on the fact that the amount of movement of the first moving means, which moves in the first moving pattern according to the set first movement data, has reached a predetermined amount of movement.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines L1 to L3, gaming machine L8 has the effect that the operation of the first moving means can be made to correspond more precisely to the operation of the first moving means because the operation determination means determines the operation of the first moving means based on the fact that the amount of movement of the first moving means, which moves in the first moving pattern according to the set first movement data, has reached a predetermined amount of movement.

Gaming machine L9, characterized in that in gaming machine L8, the determination means determines movement data of the second moving means corresponding to the operation from when the movement amount of the first moving means becomes the predetermined movement amount to when the first movement pattern ends.

According to gaming machine L9, in addition to the effect of gaming machine L8, the determination means determines the movement data of the second moving means corresponding to the operation from when the movement amount of the first moving means becomes a predetermined movement amount until the first movement pattern ends, so that the operation of the second moving means after the predetermined movement amount is reached can be an operation corresponding to the operation of the first moving means. Therefore, there is an effect that the operation quality of the first moving means and the second moving means can be improved.

Gaming machine L11 is characterized in that it is provided with a movement setting means for setting second movement data corresponding to a predetermined second movement pattern for the second movement means based on the first movement data being set by the first movement setting means in gaming machine L10.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine L10, gaming machine L11 has the effect of preventing the player from feeling uncomfortable because second movement data corresponding to a predetermined second movement pattern for the second moving means is set by the movement setting means based on the first movement data being set by the first movement setting means, and the second moving means can be operated in the second movement pattern even before the movement amount of the first moving means reaches a predetermined movement amount. This prevents the second moving means from coming to a stop until the predetermined movement amount is reached, which has the effect of preventing the player from feeling uncomfortable.

<Feature M Group> (Lighting control of LEDs for role play)
a light-emitting means provided on the rear side of the movable means and having a light-emitting portion capable of illuminating the visible portion in a predetermined light-emitting manner from the rear side of the movable means; a movable control means capable of movably controlling the movable means; a movable pattern determination means capable of at least determining a specific movable pattern as a movable pattern to be moved by the movable control means; and a light-emitting control means capable of at least controlling the light-emitting in a specific light-emitting pattern in which, when the specific movable pattern is determined by the movable pattern determination means, the light-emitting portion is caused to light up when the movable part is positioned at a light-emitting position where the visible portion faces the light-emitting portion of the light-emitting means, and is turned off when the movable means is moved a predetermined amount from the light-emitting position.

Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, include a variable means operated by a motor or the like. Some of these gaming machines can perform a wide variety of presentation actions by operating multiple variable means (for example, JP 2008-012194 A). However, in the conventional gaming machines described above, as the variety of variable means increases, it may be difficult to operate each variable means appropriately in a variable means with a complex configuration. In addition, some of the conventional gaming machines described above vary the light emission state of a light-emitting device composed of an LED or the like in accordance with the movement of the variable means. In such gaming machines, a presentation action with a stronger impact can be performed by making the light-emitting device emit light in accordance with the operation of the variable means. However, in these conventional gaming machines, there are cases where the operation of the variable means and the light emission state of the light-emitting device are not aligned. In such cases, there is a risk that the visual quality of the presentation action may be reduced.

In contrast, in gaming machine M1, the movable means is movable within a predetermined movable range. The movable means is configured to have a plurality of visible parts configured so that the light emission pattern from the rear side can be visible from the front. A light emitting means having a light emitting part capable of illuminating the visible part in a predetermined light emission pattern is provided on the rear side of the movable means. The movable means is movably controlled by the movement control means, and a specific movable pattern is determined at least by the movement pattern determination means as a movable pattern to be moved by the movement control means. When the specific movable pattern is determined by the movement pattern determination means, the light emitting part is caused to emit light when the movable part is positioned at a light emitting position where the visible part is positioned opposite the light emitting part of the light emitting means, and the light emission is controlled at least by the light emission control means in a specific light emission pattern that emits light when the movable means is moved a predetermined amount from the light emitting position.

This prevents the light-emitting unit from emitting light when the visual recognition unit and the light-emitting unit are misaligned, improving the visual quality of the movable means when the light-emitting unit is emitting light. This has the effect of allowing the light-emitting unit and the movable means to operate optimally.

A gaming machine M2 is characterized in that the movable means in the gaming machine M1 is composed of a rotating body that can rotate around a predetermined rotation axis.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine M2, the movable means is composed of a rotating body that can rotate around a predetermined rotation axis, so that while the movable means is rotating, the light-emitting position and a position other than the light-emitting position are repeated alternately. This has the effect of making it possible to operate the light-emitting position, which may be positioned multiple times, with a high-quality appearance every time.

In gaming machine M1 or M2, the moving pattern determination means is capable of determining one moving pattern from a plurality of moving patterns including at least the specific moving pattern and a predetermined moving pattern different from the specific moving pattern, and the light emission control means controls the light emission of the light emitting means in a predetermined light emission pattern different from the specific light emission pattern when the predetermined moving pattern is determined. Gaming machine M3.

Gaming machine M3 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machines M1 or M2. That is, the moving pattern determination means determines one moving pattern from a plurality of moving patterns including at least a specific moving pattern and a predetermined moving pattern different from the specific moving pattern. When the predetermined moving pattern is determined, the light emission control means controls the light emission of the light emitting means in a predetermined light emission pattern different from the specific light emission pattern.

This allows light emission control with different light emission patterns depending on the movement pattern, so the appearance of the moving means can be changed more significantly depending on the light emission pattern. This has the effect of making it easier to tell from the outside which movement pattern the moving means is being moved in.

A gaming machine M4 is characterized in that the predetermined moving pattern in the gaming machine M3 is set to have a moving speed faster than the specific moving pattern.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine M3, gaming machine M4 has the effect that the moving pattern of the moving means can be easily determined from the moving speed because the predetermined moving pattern is set to a faster moving speed than the specific moving pattern.

Gaming machine M5 is characterized in that, in gaming machine M3 or M4, the predetermined light-emitting pattern is a light-emitting pattern that causes the light-emitting means to emit light even when the movable means is positioned other than the light-emitting position.

In addition to the effects of gaming machines M3 and M4, gaming machine M5 has the effect that when light emission is controlled with a predetermined light emission pattern, the light emitting means emits light even when the movable means is positioned other than in the light emitting position, so that the player can more easily recognize the difference in the light emission state of the light emitting means between the specific light emission pattern and the predetermined light emission pattern.

Among any of the gaming machines M1 to M5, the moving means is composed of a rotating body that can rotate around a predetermined rotation axis, the visual confirmation parts are provided at multiple locations at equal intervals on a predetermined circumference centered on the predetermined rotation axis, the moving means has rotational symmetry according to the number of the visual confirmation parts, and the light emitting parts are provided in the same number of locations as the number of the visual confirmation parts. Among the gaming machines M6, the moving means is characterized by having rotational symmetry according to the number of the visual confirmation parts.

Gaming machine M6 provides the following effects in addition to the effects provided by any of gaming machines M2 to M5. That is, the movable means is composed of a rotating body that can rotate around a predetermined rotation axis. The visible parts are provided at multiple locations at equal intervals on a predetermined circumference centered on the predetermined rotation axis. The movable means also has rotational symmetry according to the number of visible parts. The light emitting parts are provided in the same number of locations as the number of visible parts.

As a result, when the variable means is rotating, the light emitting position is reached at every certain rotation angle, improving the visual quality before and after the certain rotation angle in the specific movable pattern.

In the gaming machine M6, the light emission control means controls the specific light emission pattern so that, each time the rotating body reaches the light emission position, the number of light emission parts that is equal to or greater than the number of light emission parts that were illuminated the previous time the rotating body reached the light emission position is illuminated. In the gaming machine M7,

Gaming machine M7 has the following effect in addition to the effect of gaming machine M6. That is, as a specific light-emitting pattern, each time the rotating body reaches the light-emitting position, the light-emitting control means controls the number of light-emitting parts to be illuminated so that the number of light-emitting parts illuminated is equal to or greater than the number of light-emitting parts that were illuminated the previous time the rotating body reached the light-emitting position.

This has the effect of making it easier to recognize when movement patterns or lighting patterns change in response to changes in appearance.

Among any of the gaming machines M3 to M7, the moving pattern determined by the moving pattern determination means includes a high-speed moving pattern set to a moving speed faster than the predetermined moving pattern, and the light emission control means controls the light emitting unit to emit light at the predetermined cycle when transitioning from the predetermined moving pattern to the high-speed moving pattern. Among the gaming machines M6, the moving pattern determined by the moving pattern determination means includes a high-speed moving pattern set to a moving speed faster than the predetermined moving pattern, and the light emission control means controls the light emitting unit to emit light at the predetermined cycle when transitioning from the predetermined moving pattern to the high-speed moving pattern.

Gaming machine M6 has the following effect in addition to the effect of any of gaming machines M3 to M7. That is, the moving patterns determined by the moving pattern determination means include a high-speed moving pattern in which the moving speed is set faster than the predetermined moving pattern. When transitioning from the predetermined moving pattern to the high-speed moving pattern, the light emitting means controls the light emitting section to emit light at predetermined intervals.

This has the effect of making it easier to recognize that the high-speed movement pattern has been entered based on the cycle at which the light-emitting section emits light.

In gaming machine M6, the predetermined period is shorter than the period in which the movable means to which the high-speed movement pattern is set reaches the light-emitting position, and is longer than the time it takes to reach the midpoint between the light-emitting position and the next light-emitting position. Gaming machine M7.

According to gaming machine M6, in addition to the effect of gaming machine M7, the predetermined period is shorter than the period in which the movable means to which the high-speed moving pattern is set becomes the light-emitting position, and is longer than the time it takes to reach the midpoint between the light-emitting position and the next light-emitting position. Therefore, compared to the rotation angle at which the visible portion moves by rotation during the predetermined period, the angle at which the adjacent visible portion on the opposite side to the direction of rotation is positioned by rotation during the predetermined period relative to the position of the visible portion before rotation is smaller. In other words, since the adjacent visible portion on the opposite side to the direction of rotation can be mistaken for the visible portion recognized before the predetermined period has elapsed, the rotation direction of the movable means can be made to appear to be reversed. Therefore, since the rotation direction can be made to appear to be changed without changing the operation of the variable means, the load on the variable means can be reduced.

Gaming machine M8 is characterized in that in gaming machine M7, the light emission control means causes the light emitting means to emit light in a third light emission pattern in which each of the light emitting sections emits light in a predetermined sequence.

In addition to the effects of gaming machine M7, gaming machine M8 has the following effect. That is, the light emitting means is illuminated by the light emission control means in the third light emission pattern in which each light emitting section is illuminated in a predetermined sequence, so that the light can be emitted in a more interesting manner. This has the effect of increasing the player's interest in the game.

Gaming machine Z1 is a slot machine in any one of gaming machines A1 to A6, B1 to B6, C1 to C7, D1 to D6, E1 to E5, F1 to F10, G1 to G5, H1 to H7, I1 to I6, J1 to J7, K1 to K6, L1 to L11, and M1 to M8. Among them, the basic configuration of a slot machine is "a gaming machine equipped with a variable display means for dynamically displaying a sequence of identification information consisting of a plurality of identification information and then displaying the identification information in a definite manner, and equipped with a special game state generating means for generating a special game state advantageous to a player, the dynamic display of the identification information being started due to the operation of a start operation means (e.g., an operation lever), the dynamic display of the identification information being stopped due to the operation of a stop operation means (a stop button) or by the passage of a predetermined time, and the necessary condition being that the determined identification information at the time of the stop is a specific identification information." In this case, typical examples of the game medium include coins and medals.

Gaming machine Z2 is a pachinko gaming machine in any one of gaming machines A1 to A6, B1 to B6, C1 to C7, D1 to D6, E1 to E5, F1 to F10, G1 to G5, H1 to H7, I1 to I6, J1 to J7, K1 to K6, L1 to L11, and M1 to M8. Among them, the basic configuration of a pachinko gaming machine includes an operation handle, a ball is launched into a predetermined play area in response to the operation of the operation handle, and the identification information dynamically displayed on the display means is fixed and stopped after a predetermined time, with the necessary condition being that the ball enters (or passes through) an operating port arranged at a predetermined position in the play area. In addition, when a special game state occurs, a variable winning device (specific winning port) located at a specific position within the game area opens in a specific manner, allowing balls to win, and a value (including not only prize balls but also data written to a magnetic card, etc.) is awarded according to the number of winning balls.

Gaming machine Z3 is characterized in that in any of gaming machines A1 to A6, B1 to B6, C1 to C7, D1 to D6, E1 to E5, F1 to F10, G1 to G5, H1 to H7, I1 to I6, J1 to J7, K1 to K6, L1 to L11, and M1 to M8, the gaming machine is a fusion of a pachinko gaming machine and a slot machine. In particular, the basic configuration of the combined gaming machine is "a gaming machine equipped with a variable display means which dynamically displays an identification information string consisting of a plurality of identification information and then definitively displays the identification information, variation of the identification information is started due to operation of a start operation means (e.g., an operation lever), the dynamic display of the identification information is stopped due to operation of a stop operation means (e.g., a stop button) or after a predetermined time has passed, and which generates a special gaming state advantageous to the player, with the necessary condition that the definitive identification information at the time of stopping is a specific identification information, and which uses balls as gaming media, requires a predetermined number of balls to start the dynamic display of the identification information, and is configured so that a large number of balls are paid out when the special gaming state is generated."
＜Other＞
Some gaming machines, such as pachinko machines, include variable members operated by motors, etc. Among such gaming machines, there are some that can execute a wide variety of performance actions by operating multiple variable members (for example, Patent Document 1: JP 2008-012194 A).
However, in the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines, when the number of variable members is increased, there is a concern that it may become difficult to set an appropriate operation.
The present technical idea has been made to solve the problems exemplified above, and has an object to provide a gaming machine in which the operation of a variable member can be suitably set.
<Means>
In order to achieve this object, the gaming machine of technical idea 1 is provided with a first movable means capable of moving within a first movable range, a second movable means different from the first movable means capable of moving within a second movable range, and a movable control means for moving the first movable means and the second movable means based on predetermined movable data, and further comprises a first movable setting means for setting first movable data corresponding to a predetermined first movable pattern for the first movable means, a determination means for determining movable data for the second movable means corresponding to the operation of the first movable means moving in the first movable pattern based on the set first movable data, and a second movable setting means for setting the second movable means to be movable by the movable control means with the movable data determined by the determination means.
The gaming machine of technical idea 2 is a gaming machine described in technical idea 1, which is equipped with an effect execution means for executing a predetermined moving effect, and the first moving means and the second moving means are moved at least in the predetermined moving effect.
A gaming machine according to a third technical concept is the gaming machine according to the first or second technical concept, wherein the second movable means is configured to be movable together with the first movable means.
A gaming machine of technical idea 4 is a gaming machine described in any one of technical ideas 1 to 3, wherein the determination means determines movement data of the second moving means corresponding to the movement of the first moving means moved in the first moving pattern based on the completion of the movement of the first moving means which moves in the first moving pattern.
A gaming machine of technical idea 5 is a gaming machine described in any of technical ideas 1 to 4, which is provided with a period setting means for setting an initial setting period for performing initial settings based on powering on the gaming machine, and the first movable setting means sets the first movable data based on the initial setting period being set.
＜Effects＞
According to the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 1, first movement data corresponding to a first movement pattern predetermined for the first moving means is set by the first movement setting means. Movement data for the second moving means corresponding to the operation of the first moving means moving in the first movement pattern according to the set first movement data is determined by the determination means. The second movement setting means sets the second moving means so that it is moved by the movement control means according to the movement data determined by the determination means.
This allows the second movable means to be moved in a manner corresponding to the operation of the first movable means, thereby providing the effect of allowing the first movable means and the second movable means to be moved in a suitable manner.
According to the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 2, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 1, the following effects are achieved. That is, a predetermined moving effect is executed by the effect execution means. And, the first moving means and the second moving means are moved at least in the predetermined moving effect.
This allows the second moving means to move in a manner corresponding to the operation of the first moving means in a predetermined moving performance, thereby improving the operation quality of the first moving means and the second moving means in a predetermined moving performance.
According to the gaming machine described in Technical Idea 3, in addition to the effects achieved by the gaming machines described in Technical Idea 1 or 2, since the second movable means is moved together with the first movable means, there is an effect that the operation of the first movable means and the operation of the second movable means can be made to have a sense of unity.
According to the gaming machine described in Technical Concept 4, in addition to the effects of the gaming machine described in any one of Technical Concepts 1 to 3, the determining means determines the movement data of the second moving means corresponding to the movement of the first moving means moved in the first moving pattern based on the end of the movement of the first moving means moved in the first moving pattern, so that it is possible to determine the movement data taking into account the movement of the series of first moving patterns. Therefore, since it is possible to operate the second moving means in a mode more suited to the movement of the first moving means, there is an effect that the operation quality of the first moving means and the second moving means can be further improved.
The gaming machine according to Technical Concept 5 has the following effect in addition to the effect of the gaming machine according to any one of Technical Concepts 1 to 4. That is, an initial setting period for performing initial setting based on power-on of the gaming machine is set by the period setting means. Then, based on the setting of the initial setting period, the first movable data is set by the first movable setting means.
This makes it possible to determine movement data corresponding to the operation of the first moving means which is moved in the first movement pattern during the initial setting period, thereby having the effect that after the end of the initial setting period, the second moving means can be moved in an operation corresponding to the first moving means.

10. Pachinko machines (amusement machines)
113 Audio and lamp control device (part of the performance execution means)

Claims (1)

A determination means for performing a predetermined determination;
a privilege granting means for granting a privilege based on the determination result of the determining means being a specific determination result;
a game state setting means for setting a first game state in which the bonus is easily awarded and a second game state in which the bonus is more difficult to award than the first game state;
A performance execution means capable of executing a performance;
A specific period setting means for setting a specific period during which a specific effect is executed by the effect execution means,
The effect execution means is capable of executing a suggestion effect indicating that the first gaming state is set during execution of the specific effect,
The above suggestive performance is,
This can be executed when a game based on the determination is being played in a state where the specific period is set,
When the specific period is not set or when a standby effect that can be executed because the discrimination game has not been executed for a certain period is executed during the specific period , the standby effect is not executed;
The gaming machine is capable of executing a predetermined special effect,
The above suggestive performance is,
A gaming machine characterized in that the special effect is not executed during the period in which the special effect is being executed, and is enabled to be executed when the specific period is set to continue after the period in which the special effect is being executed ends .

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