JPH01293894A - Slot machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to simplify an inner mechanism and to play the next game even through the payment unit for winning a prize is operating, by a method wherein game mediums are conveyed into a machine when a game is on standby, and the variation of the number of the mediums is converted to an electrical signal and inputted when the game is in playing, and then surplus game mediums at the end of the game are directly delivered. CONSTITUTION:After a player puts actual game mediums such as pinballs, etc., when a standby button 11 is pushed, the actuator 10a of a shutter 10 is shifted to the right, and a port 9a for taking in is opened, and then the balls in the saucer 9 are conveyed by a dropping duct 12 to the outside of a machine. The number of the balls which are dropping, is counted by a detector 13a on a counter 13 and indicated on a visual display unit 19. Since the difference between the number of the mediums used for a game and paid for winning a prize is calculated by a subtracter 17 each time the game is played, the number of the mediums for the game which are kept in the machine, is always being counted. On the other hand, when the output number of the subtracter 17 is one and over, when a game-over button 20 is pushed, a driver 22 is started by the output of a decision device 21 and a payment gate 23a is opened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a slot machine that is characterized in the handling of game media.

[Conventional technology]

Conventional slot machines are configured so that game media such as medals, coins, or pachinko balls are used.

In addition, so-called card-type slot machines have also been proposed that do not use any so-called physical game media such as medals.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

For slot machines that use physical media such as medals, it is essential to provide a mechanism for handling the game media that is inserted into the game and a mechanism for handling the game media that is paid out when winning a prize in the machine itself. , the mechanical structure of the machine becomes complicated, and the manufacturing cost of the machine increases.
The problem is that not only is the system pushed up, but there are also many operational troubles due to the complicated structure.

To solve this problem, the game media that are input or paid out are temporarily stored in the machine, and the media that are input into the game are counted each time and temporarily stored in the storage section. A slot machine has been proposed in which M1 media for winning and paying out are temporarily reserved in this storage section.

However, since this type of machine stores the game media itself, there are still problems when distributing the game media, and it takes time to count the game media itself when storing the media to be paid out. However, since the game 11 cannot be played during the counting, there is a problem that the game cannot be progressed quickly.

On the other hand, card-type slot machines that do not use game media at all do not insert game media such as medals or pay out winnings, so there are no problems caused by processing game media within the machine, but traditional slot machines There is a problem in that the game lacks interest, especially the sense of volume and texture associated with winnings and payouts.

An object of the present invention is to provide a slot machine that does not have the problems described above in the current slot machines and the proposed Scot 1 machines.

[Means to solve the problem]

The configuration of the present invention that can solve the above problems is that the pattern visible from the display window is changed as the reels rotate, and the change and stop of the pattern can be controlled by a start lever or a stop button. In a slot machine that is operated using an operating section, the preparation state for the game is created by supplying game media such as medals into the machine, and the number of game media during the game is changed. , the number of game media is replaced with an electric signal or the like representing the number of game media, and when there is surplus game media at the end of the game, that media is directly paid out.

[For production]

The game media is actually fed into the slot machine before starting the game, and any surplus game media is paid out at the end of the game, so the sense of realism of slot machine games is different from that of conventional machines. You can feel it equally.

While the game is in progress, the increasing and decreasing amount of game media is handled and processed by electrical signals equivalent to the game content, so a mechanism for handling and processing the game media while the game is in progress is not required.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an example of the slot machine of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the separate configuration of a payout section in the slot machine of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is the outer peripheral surface, 2 is three reels with predetermined patterns (not shown) displayed on them, 2 is the rotation of each reel,
A stepping motor 3 provided for each reel as a stop drive source is a drive control unit for each motor 2, and this control unit 3 includes a start signal generating unit 4a of a start lever 4 that instructs each motor 2 to start. And each motor 2
A command signal is supplied from the stop signal generating section 5a of the three stop buttons 5 that instruct each of the stop buttons 5 to stop, and each of these members 1 to 5 can display an example of the pattern display and change section. Form.

Instead of the reel 1 and motor 2 described above, a CRT (cathode tray tube) equipped with a pattern display function or a flap-shaped display board attached radially to the rotating shaft may be used to display or change the pattern. good.

6 is a winning line (not shown) that is preset when each reel 1 is rotated and stopped arbitrarily.
a pattern detection unit that detects a signal indicating a row of patterns on the top;
7 determines whether or not the pattern signal on each detected line matches the signal of the winning pattern string written in advance, and if a winning pattern has been won, outputs a winning signal corresponding to the grade. A winning determination unit 8 is a winning payout unit that receives the output from the winning determining unit 7 and outputs a winning payout signal.

In conventional slot machines, winning medals and the like are paid out each time based on the output signal of the winning payout unit 8, but in the slot machine of the present invention, such processing is not performed. This point will be discussed later.

On the other hand, numeral 9 is a tray for so-called physical game media such as medals and pachinko balls, and this tray 9 includes an intake port 9a for taking the game media placed into the tray 9 into the machine, and a receiving port 9a for taking the game media inserted into the tray 9 into the machine, and a receiving port 9a for taking the game media put into the tray 9 into the machine. A payout port 9b for surplus game media is formed.

Incidentally, although not shown in the drawings, the tray 9 having the intake port 9a and the tray having the discharge port may be constructed separately, and may be provided separately.

A shutter 1o is attached to the intake port 9a, and when the standby button 11 of the game is pressed and a signal to that effect is supplied to the actuator from the standby signal generator 11a, the operating rod of the drive actuator 10a of the shutter 1o is activated.
The shutter 10 is opened by retreating to the right side of the figure. Note that the shutter 10 is closed by a signal from a set signal generator 14a, which will be described later.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a game media flow duct connected to the intake port 9a, and this duct 12 is connected to the detection section 13 of the counting counter 13.
A is provided, and at the start of the game, the medium, such as a pachinko ball, placed in the saucer 9 by the player, flows down the duct 12 and is carried out of the machine, and also flows downstream. The counter 13 counts the number of items placed in the tray (that is, the number placed in the tray). Therefore, if the set button 14 is pressed while the ball placed in the saucer 9 is flowing down the duct 12,
The shutter 1o is closed and the game can be started.

Reference numeral 14 is a set button that allows you to arbitrarily set the number of game media to be played in one game.Here, for example, if the game media is pachinko balls, pressing this button 14 once will cause 5 balls to be played twice. The setting signal generator 14a is configured to generate a signal representing the number of mediums to be set depending on the number of times the button 14 is pressed, such as 10 balls when pressed. Note that the set buttons 14 may be provided individually depending on the type of number of items to be set.

In this embodiment, 15 is a set number counter that clears the previous count value every time the button 14 is pressed and counts the set signal supplied from the set signal generator 14a at that time. This is an adder that adds the count value of the number of winnings and payouts from the winnings and payout section 8 to the count value of the counting counter 13, and the calculation output of this adder 16 is supplied to the next subtracter 17.

The subtracter 17 is supplied with the above-mentioned set counter 15's count value representing the number of media to be played in one game each time the set button 14 is pressed, and is supplied from the adder 16. Subtract from the count value output.

The outputs of the adder 16 and the subtracter 17 are both supplied to the driver 19a of the display section 19 through the gate circuit section 18, and are displayed on the display section 19 as the number of game media placed in the saucer 9 at the start of the game. On the other hand, during the game, the number remaining in the subtractor 17 (which represents the current value of the number of game items) is displayed.

20 is a game end button, and when this button 20 is pressed, a command signal is supplied from the end signal generating section 20a to the discriminating section 21, which is supplied with the numerical value output from the adder 17, and this discriminating section 21 At , it is determined whether the output content of the adder 17 is 1 or more.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a gate drive unit which opens the payout gate 23a of the payout duct 23, which operates when the determination unit 21 judges that "the adder is 1 or more" and receives that signal; and 24, the payout gate 23a. A payout counter that counts the number of game media paid out by a game media number detection unit (not shown) arranged in The value of container 17 and comparator 25
When the two values match, the comparator 25 outputs a gate closing instruction signal to the gate driving section 22.

The above members 20 to 25 form an example of the payout section of the slot machine of the present invention.

Note that the motor control section 3 and the cent signal generation section 14a.

The end signal generating section 20a enters into an operation ready state using the signal when the input counter 3 is activated as a trigger signal T.

Further, game media such as pachinko balls, which are placed in the tray 9 before the game, are carried out of the machine from the duct 12, and game media for payout are also supplied from outside the machine to the duct 23. . In other words, one of the structural features of the slot machine of the present invention is that it does not have any storage section for game media within the machine body.

Next, an example of an actual game using the above slot machine will be explained.

A person playing the game puts the actual game medium, such as a pachinko ball, into the saucer 9 and presses the standby button 11 for the game.

When the standby button 1 is pressed, the actuator 10a of the shutter 10 moves to the right to open the intake port 9a, and the balls placed in the tray 9 flow down the flow duct 1-12 and are carried out of the machine. The number of balls flowing down is counted by the counter 13 by the action of the detector 13a, and the counted value is displayed on the display section 19. Here, since the game has not been played even once, the count value of the counter 13 is displayed on the display unit 19 via the adder 16 or the subtracter ]-7 via the adder 16. In other words, the initial number of game media used in the game is displayed.

Next, the person playing the game presses the set button 14 for one game so as to indicate the number of media to be played on that one game.

When this cent button 14 is pressed, the cent counter 1
Since the numerical value representing the number of game contents set to 5 is subtracted from the subtractor near, the display contents of the display section 19 change each time the subtraction is performed.

After pressing the set button 14, the player presses down the stars 1 to 4 to rotate each reel 1, and presses each stop button 5 at an arbitrary timing to stop the rotation of each reel 1.

When each reel 1 stops, the signal of the symbol row on the preset winning line is detected by the detecting section 6, and the winning determination section 7 determines whether the detected symbol row has won or not for each winning line. It is determined.

If the symbol row when the reels are stopped does not win a prize, the cent button 14 is operated again to enter the second game for the next game.

If a prize has been won, a winning prize payout section 8 is activated by a signal to that effect, and a numerical signal representing the number of media to be won and paid out is supplied to a subtracter 17 via an adder 1-6.

In other words, the subtracter 17 adds and subtracts the number of media used in the game and the number of media paid out for winning prizes for each game.
The current number of game media held in the machine by the person playing the game is always counted.

As a result, even when a numerical value indicating a winning medium is inputted from the winning payout unit 8 to the adder 16 while the game is in progress, by pressing the cent button 14, it is possible to proceed to the next game immediately. .

This point is also a major feature of the slot machine of the present invention.

Incidentally, in conventional slot machines in which physical game media is processed and paid out within the machine for each game, the player cannot proceed to the next game until the processing and payouts are completed.
The problem was that the waiting time was long.

When the game continues as described above and the numerical value indicating the game content held in the subtracter 17 becomes zero, the game cannot be continued any longer.

That is, when the content of the subtracter 17 becomes zero, it is detected by the discriminator 21 and outputs a signal E to that effect, and the motor controller 3, which was previously set up by the trigger signal T, and the set signal generator 14a , the end signal generating section 20a is reset, and the game ends automatically without pressing the end button 2°.

On the other hand, when the content of the subtracter 17 is 1 or more, the end button 2
When 0 is pressed, the driver 22 is driven in response to the output representing "1 or more" from the discriminator 21, and the payout gate 23a is opened.

This gate 23a counts the number of passing media by a dispensing counter 24 and outputs a coincidence output from a comparator 25.
It remains open until it is actuated to close. When the comparator 25 outputs a matching output.

The control section 3. It outputs a reset signal E for the signal generators 14a and 20a.

As explained above, the slot machine of the present invention supplies the game media to be used in the game into the machine at once before starting the game, and if there is surplus media when the game is to be ended. Only in this case, the surplus amount is paid out using actual game media, and the game media itself is not handled within the slot machine in each individual game.

The second feature is that while the game is continuing, the game can be continued regardless of whether or not there is an output from the prize payout section.

A slot machine having the above-mentioned characteristics may be arranged so that the payout at the end of the game is not based on the actual game medium.

That is, as shown in FIG.
When there is a numerical value representing surplus game media, it is determined by the determination unit 21' and an electrical value representing the amount of the media is determined.
Either a magnetic or pre-emptive signal, or a character, etc. is written on one of the recording media by a predetermined recording means or writing means 26, and this is outputted to the outside from the dispensing section. Bye. In addition, 25' in FIG. 2 is a comparator between the written content of the recording medium and the content of the discriminator 21', and when the two match, the writing means 26 is turned off, and when the process is completed, the writing unit 26 is outputted. do.

Those who played the game can exchange the contents of this recording medium for prizes, etc., or borrow the game medium to play the next game in exchange for compensation.

〔Effect of the invention〕

In a slot machine game, the present invention deals with the actual game medium at the start and end of the game, but does not deal with the game medium itself at all during each game.
Since no processing is required, the internal structure of the slot machine becomes extremely simple, and the next game can be played even while the winning payout section is in operation, which is a special effect.

Furthermore, since the actual game media is handled only before the game starts and when the game ends, it becomes easier to centrally manage the game media for a plurality of slot machines.

Furthermore, since there is no need to handle the actual game media during each game, there are fewer problems with transporting the media and dirty hands compared to conventional slot machines, which handle and process the game media one by one for each individual game. The problem will disappear.

The present invention is as described above, and is extremely useful as a slot machine that uses actual game media.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an example of the slot machine of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the separate configuration of a payout section in the slot machine of the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. The reel is formed so that the pattern visible from the display window can be changed by rotating the reel, and changing and stopping of the pattern can be operated using an operation unit such as a start lever or a stop button. In such a slot machine, the preparation state for the game is created by supplying game media such as medals into the machine, and the increase or decrease in the number of game media during the game is controlled by changing the number of game media. The slot machine is characterized in that the slot machine processes the game by replacing it with an electrical signal representing the game, and directly pays out the surplus game media when the game ends. 2. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the symbols are displayed on a rotating display board or CRT so that they can be changed. 3. The slot machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein while the game is continuing, the player can directly proceed to the next game even when the winning and payout section is activated. 4. When the surplus game media is paid out at the end of the game, a signal, character, symbol, etc. indicating a numerical value equivalent to the number of game media to be paid out is recorded on an appropriate recording medium. Any of the slot machines listed in Section 3. 5. The slot machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the same tray is used for both the input and payout of game media.