JPH06170034A - Slot machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate a change of an array of picture patterns of rotary reels by changing code information stored in reel drums of the rotary reels. CONSTITUTION:The slot machine is provided with a code information reading means for reading code information 41 recorded in reel drums 40, respectively of each rotary reel, and code information recorded in each reel drum, when the rotary reels are rotating at every rotary reel, in accordance with each picture pattern, in order to discriminate the kind of picture patterns displayed on each rotary reel. Also, this slot machine is provided with a random access memory 74 having picture pattern expansion areas 71-73 for storing the code information read by this code information reading means 60, at every rotary reel in order of read.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a slot machine, and more particularly, to changing the code information stored in a reel drum to easily change the design of the rotary reel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of slot machine, a plurality of rotating reels on which a plurality of types of symbols are respectively displayed, a stepping motor for individually rotating these rotating reels, and a stepping motor are supplied. A count table that counts drive pulses, a reset means that resets the count means by detecting the reference position of the rotary reel, and a pattern table that associates the count value of the count means with the arrangement of the symbols displayed on the rotary reel. A device having a read-only memory having the above is known (for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-43111).

[0003]

However, in the conventional slot machine described above, when changing the arrangement of the symbols on the rotary reel, the data written in the symbol table of the read-only memory must be changed. There was a problem that changing the arrangement of the symbols on the rotating reel was troublesome.

Therefore, the invention described in claims 1 to 4 has been made in view of the problems of the above-mentioned prior art, and the purpose thereof is to change the code information stored in the reel drum. By doing so, it is intended to provide a slot machine in which the arrangement of the symbols on the rotating reel can be easily changed. Particularly, in the invention according to the second aspect, the code information can be easily recorded by using the bit data.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the amount of information can be increased by using the bar code. Claim 4
The described invention is to record code information magnetically,
The amount of information can be further increased.

[0006]

The present invention is to achieve the above-mentioned object, and the contents thereof will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The invention according to claim 1 is a stepping motor for individually rotating a plurality of rotating reels (12 to 14) on which a plurality of types of symbols (52) are respectively displayed, and these rotating reels (12 to 14). (32), in order to identify the type of the design (52) displayed on each of the rotating reels (12 to 14), each rotating reel (1
2-14) and the code information (54) recorded on each rotary reel (12-14) and the code information (54) recorded on each rotary reel (12-14). Code information reading means (60) to be read during the rotation of (~ 14) and code information (54) read by the code information reading means (60) are stored for each rotating reel (12 to 14) in the order of reading. Random access memory (74) having a symbol development area for (71-73), read-only memory (75) where the game program is written, and read the game program written in this read-only memory (75), According to the read game program, while reading the code information (54) written in each symbol development area (71 to 73) of the random access memory (74), the stepping motor (32)
And a central processing unit (76) for controlling the drive of each of the rotary reels (12-14), the stepping motor (32)
The reel drum (40) rotated by the reel drum (40) and the reel tape (50) wound around the outer periphery of the reel drum (40) and displaying a plurality of types of symbols (52), respectively. The code information (54) is recorded in 40).

The invention according to claim 2 is the code information (54)
Is composed of a combination of bit data representing one bit depending on the presence or absence of the mark (55) displayed at a predetermined position of the reel drum (40). In the invention according to claim 3, the code information (54) is a barcode (110).
It is recorded on the reel drum (40) by.

The invention according to claim 4 is the code information (54)
Is magnetically recorded on the reel drum (40).

[0009]

[Operation] Therefore, according to the invention of claim 1,
The game program written in the read-only memory (75) is read by the central processing unit (76), and the driving of the stepping motor (32) is controlled according to the read game program. Stepper Motor (32)
When the rotating reels (12
~ 14) are rotated individually.

While the rotating reels (12-14) are rotating, the code information reading means (60) causes the code information (54) stored in the reel drum (40) of each rotating reel (12-14) to It is read for each rotating reel (12-14). Code information reading means
The code information (54) read by (60) is stored in the symbol development areas (71-73) of the random access memory (74) for each rotating reel (12-14) in the order of reading.

The central processing unit (76) reads the code information (54) written in the symbol development areas (71 to 73) and drives the stepping motor (32) in accordance with the read game program. Control. Therefore, when changing the arrangement of the symbols (52) on the rotating reels (12-14),
It suffices to change the code information (54) recorded on the reel drum (40) of the rotating reels (12 to 14), and it is not necessary to change the game program.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the code information reading means (60) displays the mark (55) displayed at a predetermined position on the reel drum (40) of each rotating reel (12-14). By reading, the code information (54) can be read from the combination of bit data representing 1 bit depending on the presence or absence of the mark (55). According to the invention of claim 3, the bar code (110) is read from the bar code (110) by reading the bar code (110) of the reel drum (40) of each rotating reel (12-14) by the code information reading means (60). The code information (54) can be read.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the code information reading means (60) reads the code information (54) magnetically recorded on the reel drum (40) of each rotating reel (12-14). You can get out.

[0014]

1 to 7 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram, FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of a slot machine, and FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a reel unit. 4 is a partial exploded perspective view of the reel unit, FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the surface of the reel tape, FIG. 6 is a side view of the reel drum, and FIG. 7 is a reel corresponding to the pattern arrangement of the reel tape of FIG. Explanatory drawing which developed the code information of a drum, FIG. 8 is an explanatory drawing which modelized the symbol development area, and FIG. 9 shows a flowchart, respectively.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 indicates a slot machine. A rectangular window portion 11 is formed in the center of the height of the slot machine 10, and a plurality of window portions 11 are formed in the window portion 11. In this embodiment, three rotating reels 12 to 14 are arranged. The three rotary reels 12 to 14 are, in order from the left side in FIG. 2, a left rotary reel 12 and a central rotary reel.
It is composed of 13 and a right rotation reel 14.

On the glass surface of the window portion 11, as shown in FIG. 2, a total of five lines 15 to 19 displaying the winning lines of the three rotating reels 12 to 14 are displayed. Above line 15
~ 19 is a substantially horizontal center line 15 and upper and lower lines 16 and 17 which are located above and below and parallel to the center line.
And diagonal lines of upper and lower lines 16 and 17 on both sides, and is composed of a diagonal line 18 rising to the right and a diagonal line 19 descending to the right, intersecting in a dot pattern at the center.

As shown in FIG. 2, a medal insertion slot 20 is provided on the lower right side of the three rotary reels 12-14, and a medal insertion slot is provided on the left side of the three rotary reels 12-14. A 7-segment 2-digit display section 21 for displaying the number of credits of medals inserted through the mouth 20 is arranged. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, below the three rotating reels 12 to 14, the rotating reels 12 to 14 are associated with the rotating reels 12 to 14, respectively.
3 stop switches for individually stopping 14 22
~ 24 are arranged respectively. The three stop switches 22 to 24 are composed of a left stop switch 22, a central stop switch 23, and a right stop switch 24 in order from the left side in FIG.

On the left side of the three stop switches 22 to 24, as shown in FIG. 2, is a lever-shaped start switch.
25 are arranged. On the left side of the start switch 25, as shown in FIG. 2, two switches 26 and 27 are arranged one above the other. The upper switch 26 is a credit insertion switch 26 for inserting a credit medal.
The lower switch 27 is a settlement switch 27 for settlement of credit medals.

Further, below the front of the slot machine 10,
As shown in FIG. 2, a hole having a rectangular shape is provided with a medal discharge port 28 for discharging a medal to the outside. On the other hand, inside the slot machine 10, as shown in FIG. 3, a reel unit 30 including the above-described three rotating reels 12 to 14 is built. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the reel unit 30 is roughly divided into a frame-shaped base frame 31, and a plurality of fixed units in the base frame 31, here, the rotating reels 12 to 12.
Three stepping motors 32 of the same number as 14 and three rotating reels individually rotated by each stepping motor 32
It has 12 to 14 and.

As shown in FIG. 4, each of the rotary reels 12 to 14 is composed of a reel drum 40 rotated by a stepping motor 32 and a reel tape 50 wound around the outer periphery of the reel drum 40. ing. As shown in FIG. 4, the reel drum 40 has its shaft center directly connected to the output shaft of the stepping motor 32.

On the front surface 51 of the reel tape 50, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of kinds of symbols 52 are displayed at predetermined intervals, for example, 21 symbols each. More specifically, in the present embodiment, the types of the symbols 52 are divided into, for example, seven types. Exemplifying seven kinds of symbols 52,
Number "7" design SE, "Bell" picture design BE, fruit "Cherry" picture design CH, "Star (star)" picture design ST, fruit "Apple" picture design AP, fruit OR "orange" picture design OR, fruit "plum" picture design PR is composed.

On the side surface of the reel drum 40, as shown in FIG. 6, a pattern 52 displayed on the surface 51 of the reel tape 50.
Code information 41 for identifying the type is recorded corresponding to each symbol 52 and near each symbol 52. The type of the code information 41 is the same as the type of the symbol 52,
There are seven types. In this embodiment, the code information 41
However, since there are 7 types, 3-bit data is used.

Not limited to 3-bit data, if the number of types of code information 41 is small, it can be displayed with bit data of less than 3 bits, and regardless of the number of types of code information 41 or the number of types, Bit data exceeding 3 bits may be used. More specifically, the code information 41 is coded using 3 bit data for each type of the symbol 52, as shown in the following correspondence table of the type of the symbol 52 and the code information 41.

[0024]

[Table 1] The code information 41 is, as shown in FIGS.
A binary number is displayed on the side surface of the reel drum 40, and a black circle mark 42 is printed only on a portion corresponding to the binary number "1". As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the mark 42 forming the code information 41 is a pattern 52 on the surface 51 of the reel tape 50.
Along the center line of the reel drum 40, the upper bit, the intermediate bit, and the lower bit are displayed in this order from the outer periphery of the reel drum 40 in the axial direction.

The mark 42 is not limited to the side surface of the reel drum 40, but may be formed on the inner peripheral surface or the inner peripheral edge of the reel drum 40. Further, the mark 42 may be formed integrally with the reel drum 40, or may be printed on a sticker or the like and attached to the reel drum 40 later. Further, the mark 42 may be displayed at a position slightly deviated from each symbol 52 of the reel tape 50.

On the other hand, a code information reading means 60 for reading the code information 41 on the side surface of the reel drum 40 is fixed to the base frame 31 of the reel unit 30, as shown in FIGS. The code information reading means 60 is composed of, for example, an optical sensor, and detects the mark 42 forming the code information 41 by using the reflectance of light.

Next, the control circuit of the slot machine 10 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the control circuit of the slot machine 10 is mainly composed of a central controller 70. At the input side of the central control unit 70, as shown in FIG. 1, a code information reading means 60 is provided with an input / output means (I / I).
O) connected through 80.

The output side of the central control unit 70 is shown in FIG.
As shown in, each stepping motor 32 is connected via a motor drive 90. As shown in FIG. 1, the central controller 70 stores the code information 41 read by the code information reading means 60 for each of the rotary reels 12 to 14 in the order of reading, and symbol development areas 71 to 73.
Random access memory (hereinafter referred to as “RAM”) 74 having a memory, a read-only memory (hereinafter referred to as “ROM”) 75 in which a game program is written, and this RO
The game program written in M75 is read out, and the RAM74 is read in accordance with the read game program.
Code information 41 written in each pattern development area 71-73 of
The central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as "CPU") 76 which controls the drive of each stepping motor 32 while reading
It has and.

The symbol development areas 71 to 73 of the RAM 74 are
As shown in FIG. 1, three areas equal to the number of rotating reels 12 to 14 are secured. Each pattern development area 71-73
As shown in FIG. 8, a pattern 52 of one reel tape 50
, For example, 21 store positions equal to 21. Next, a slot machine having the above configuration
The operation of 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, during the rotation of the respective rotary reels 12-14,
As shown in FIG. 9, the process proceeds to step 100 and the reel drum 4
It is determined whether or not the marks 42 forming the code information 41 on the side of 0 are detected by the code information reading means 60. This determination is made by the CPU 76 of the central control unit 70 (FIG. 1).
The CPU 76 is proceeding according to the game program read from the ROM 75.

The mark 42 is detected for each game, but of course, when the slot machine 10 is powered on.
The rotation reels 12 to 14 may be rotated to detect the mark 42. Further, the detection of the mark 42 is started at the time of starting the stepping motor 32 to speed up the detection of the mark 42. However, of course, the detection of the mark 42 is performed after the rotation speed of the stepping motor 32 becomes a constant speed. May be started.

When the mark 42 is detected in the above step 100, as shown in FIG.
Proceed to 101. In this step 101, mark 42 is R
Store in the corresponding symbol development areas 71 to 73 of AM74.
For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the code information reading means 60
When located along the center line of the "OR" symbol OR, the code information reading means 60 to the CPU 76 (FIG. 1)
Then, the code information 41 of “110” in binary number is transmitted. When the CPU 76 inputs the code information 41, as shown in FIG. 8, the hexadecimal "6" is displayed at the first store position.
Write "H".

After the above processing is completed, the process proceeds from step 101 to step 102 as shown in FIG. In this step 102, "1" is added to the previous store position in the symbol development areas 71-73. As a result, for example, the store position advances from the first position to the second position. After the above processing is completed, the process proceeds from step 102 to step 103 as shown in FIG. In step 103, it is determined whether 21 marks 42 have been detected. This is because the number of the symbols 52 on the reel tape 50 of each of the rotating reels 12 to 14 is 21 in total, and it is to determine whether each of the rotating reels 12 to 14 has completed one round. .

In step 103, the mark 42 is 2
When one mark is not detected, as shown in FIG. 9, the process returns to the previous step 100, and every time the mark 42 is detected, the mark 42 is stored at the next store position of the previous store position. . For example, as shown in FIGS.
Next to the design OR, the design of "7" located in the forward direction of rotation
In the case of SE, the binary number is "001", so the hexadecimal number "1H" is written in the second store position (FIG. 8).

In this way, when the 21st "star" symbol ST (Fig. 5) is detected and the hexadecimal "4H" is written in the 21st store position (Fig. 8), the process concerned. To finish. In step 100, mark 42
If is not detected, the step 100 is repeated. However, if a prescribed number of drive pulses are sent to the stepping motor 32 and the mark 42 is not detected, step out of the stepping motor 32 can be detected.

That is, in this embodiment, the code information 41
In addition, since the binary number "000" is not used, the previous pattern
Step-out can be detected within a range of a dozen degrees from the mark 42 of 52 to the mark 42 of the next pattern 52. Therefore, the mark 42 can also be used as a position signal for detecting out-of-step. On the other hand, in the conventional slot machine, the reference position of the rotating reel is detected and the counter of the stepping motor is reset every one rotation of the stepping motor, so the step-out is detected until the stepping motor makes one rotation. I couldn't do that, and I was delayed by that amount. According to the present embodiment, it is possible to detect out-of-steps early and deal with them.

On the other hand, FIG. 10 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, which is a side view of the reel drum. The feature of this embodiment is that the bar code 110 is used for the code information 41 as shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, on the side surface of the reel drum 40, code information 41 composed of a bar code 110 for identifying the type of each symbol 52 displayed on the surface of the reel tape 50 is provided. Each is displayed right next to the pattern 52.

The code information reading means 60 is composed of, for example, a bar code reader, and as shown in FIG. 10, the base frame 31 (not shown) is arranged along the position of the bar code 110 on the side surface of the reel drum 40. ) Is fixed. In addition,
The barcode 110 may be directly printed on the side surface of the reel drum 40, or may be printed on a sticker or the like and attached to the side surface of the reel drum 40 later. In addition, the barcode 110 is
Not only right next to each pattern 52 on the side of the reel drum 40,
It may be displayed at a slightly displaced position.

Further, in the description of this embodiment, the same components as those of the first embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. According to the present embodiment, by reading the bar code 110 by the code information reading means 60, the same operation as that of the first embodiment described above is performed. FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the present invention, which is a side view of the reel drum.

The feature of this embodiment is that, as shown in FIG.
The code information 41 is magnetically recorded. That is,
On the side surface of the reel drum 40, as shown on the right side in FIG. 11, a magnetic recording layer 120 coated with a magnetic material,
It is formed in a ring shape along the circumferential direction of the reel drum 40.

The magnetic recording layer 120 includes a reel tape 50.
Code information 41 is magnetically recorded, for example, by a digital signal, almost right next to each pattern 52 on the surface.
The code information reading means 60 is composed of, for example, a magnetic sensor, and is fixed to the base frame 31 (not shown) along the position of the magnetic recording layer 120 of the reel drum 40 as shown in FIG. ing.

The magnetic recording layer 120 is the reel drum 40.
Alternatively, the magnetic recording layer 120 may be printed on a sticker or the like and may be attached to the side surface of the reel drum 40 later. Further, the magnetic recording layer 120 is the reel drum 40.
However, the reel drum 40 may be formed on the inner and outer peripheral surfaces, the inner and outer peripheral edges, or the like. Further, the magnetic recording layer 120 is formed continuously along the circumferential direction of the reel drum 40,
It may be formed intermittently corresponding to each pattern 52.

The code information 41 is added to the magnetic recording layer 120.
It may be recorded by a digital signal or may be stored by an analog signal. Further, the code information reading means 60,
It may be a contact type or a non-contact type. Further, the code information reading means 60 may utilize an optical sensor as well as a magnetic sensor.

In the description of this embodiment, the same components as those of the first embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. According to the present embodiment, the code information reading means 60 magnetically reads the code information 41, so that the same operation as that of the first embodiment described above is achieved. According to this embodiment, the reel tape
When changing the arrangement of the symbols 52 of 50, the content of the code information 41 can be easily changed by rewriting the code information 41 recorded in the magnetic recording layer 120.

[0045]

Since the present invention is constituted as described above, it has the following effects. Claim 1
According to the invention described above, by changing the code information stored in the reel drum of the rotating reel, it is possible to provide a slot machine in which the arrangement of the symbols on the rotating reel can be easily changed.

In addition to this, according to the second aspect of the invention, the code information can be easily recorded by using the bit data. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the information amount of the code information can be increased by using the barcode. According to the invention of claim 4, the code information is magnetically recorded, so that the information amount of the code information can be further increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a slot machine according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the slot machine according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the reel unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a partially exploded perspective view of the reel unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the surface of the reel tape according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the reel drum according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 Corresponding to the arrangement of the symbols on the reel tape of FIG.
It is explanatory drawing which expanded the code information of a reel drum.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view schematically showing a symbol development area according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the reel drum according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a side view of a reel drum according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 slot machine 11 window 12 to 14 rotating reel 15 to 19 line 20 medal slot 21 display 22 to 24 stop switch 25 start switch 26 credit slot switch 27 settlement switch 28 medal slot 30 reel unit 31 base frame 32 stepping motor 40 reel drum 41 code information 42 mark 50 reel tape 51 surface 52 design 60 code information reading means 70 central control unit 71 to 73 design development area 74 random access memory (RAM) 75 read only memory (ROM) 76 central processing unit ( CPU) 80 Input / output means (I / O) 90 Motor drive 100 to 103 Each step 110 Bar code 120 Magnetic tape

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of rotating reels on which a plurality of types of symbols are displayed, a stepping motor for individually rotating these rotating reels, and a type of the symbol displayed on each of the rotating reels are identified. For this reason, code information recorded on each rotary reel corresponding to each symbol and code information recorded on each rotary reel, code information reading means for reading each rotary reel while the rotary reel is rotating, , A random access memory having a symbol development area for storing the code information read by the code information reading means for each rotating reel in a reading order, a read-only memory in which a game program is written, and the read-only memory The game program written in is read, and according to this read game program, And a central processing unit for controlling the drive of the stepping motor while reading the code information written in each symbol development area of the random access memory, and each of the rotating reels is a reel drum rotated by the stepping motor. A slot machine characterized in that the code information is recorded on the reel drum, the reel tape being wound around an outer peripheral portion of the reel drum and having a plurality of types of symbols displayed thereon. 2. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the code information is composed of a combination of bit data representing 1 bit depending on the presence or absence of a mark displayed at a predetermined position on the reel drum. . 3. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the code information is recorded on the reel drum by a bar code. 4. The slot machine according to claim 1, wherein the code information is magnetically recorded on a reel drum.