JPH08995U - Slot machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] When a prize request signal for controlling reel stop is generated so that the player can easily win the prize, the player is notified of the signal and the interest is enhanced. The notification of the generation of the winning request signal is stopped at the time when it is not obtained, and the player is prevented from being disturbed. A random number value is sampled by a random number sampling circuit and it is determined whether or not a prize is generated. When generating a prize, the request signal generating circuit 38 outputs a prize request signal. In response to the generation of the winning request signal, the display lamp 16 is turned on and the player is informed accordingly. Stop button 11
When the reels 4 to 6 are stopped by the operations of to 13, when the symbol detection circuits 56 to 58 detect that something other than the symbol corresponding to the winning request signal appears on the winning line, the display lamp 16 is turned off. To do.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Technical field to which the device belongs]

 The present invention relates to a slot machine which displays a prize to a player when the prize is easily obtained.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 In the slot machine, the game is started by simultaneously rotating, for example, three reels having a plurality of different symbols arranged on the circumference. Then, when all of these reels are stopped, the presence or absence of a prize is determined by the combination of symbols between the reels.

In order to further enhance the game quality of such a slot machine, there is known a slot machine that is provided with benefits such as a bonus game. As a bonus game, a predetermined number of medals will be paid out if, as a result of playing the game, the combination of symbols between the reels becomes "7"-"7"-"7", for example. At the same time, the bonus game can be performed 12 times, that is, 4 times for each reel.

In the bonus game, the winning is contested by only one reel, and when the reel stops displaying the bonus symbol, a predetermined number of medals are immediately paid out. When such a bonus game is started, unlike a normal game, the probability of winning a prize is very high, which gives the player a great opportunity to obtain a large number of medals.

On the other hand, in the slot machine, the probability of winning is determined by the type and the number of symbols arranged on each reel, but the winning is concentrated or the winning is made for a long time. In some cases, a situation may occur in which no In order to avoid such a state, a slot machine in which a prize is generated on average is known.

For example, in the slot machine described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-186580, a microcomputer is operated at the time of starting a game, and when a microcomputer generates a winning request signal, it is operated by a player. Even if the operation timing of the reel stop button is slightly deviated, when it is within the allowable range, each reel is stopped at a position where a winning according to the winning request signal is obtained.

[0007]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the conventional slot machine, even if the winning request signal is obtained by the microcomputer, it is not displayed, so that the player can know this while it is a great opportunity. Can not. In particular, even if the request signal for the bonus game as described above is generated, the game is continued without attracting special attention. Considering these circumstances, attempts have been made to activate the display device to notify the player of the request signal when the request signal is generated, thereby increasing the interest.

However, when the reel stop control is performed based on the winning request signal, when the timing of the stop button operation by the player deviates greatly from the above-mentioned allowable range, a symbol that satisfies the winning request signal is a winning line. It will not stop at the top. For example, when a bonus game request signal is generated and a symbol that cannot constitute a bonus prize appears on the winning line by the reel that is stopped first, the bonus prize cannot be obtained at that time. Nevertheless, if the display device keeps displaying the generation of the winning request signal, the player may be confused and even distrusted.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and activates the display device in response to the generation of the winning request signal, and notifies the player of a state in which the winning probability is increased. It is intended to provide a slot machine that can inform the player of the fact that when the prize corresponding to the prize request signal cannot be obtained, the player can be informed as well.

[0010]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the present invention activates the display device in response to the generation of the prize request signal during the game, displays the fact to the player while all the reels are rotating, and stops the reels. When the symbol corresponding to the winning request signal appears on the winning line when controlled, the display device is continuously operated, and when the movement of the symbol array is stopped and controlled, the winning symbol is configured by the symbol array. When another symbol that does not appear appears on the pay line, the operation of the display device is stopped.

The present invention can be applied not only to the above slot machine using reels, but also to a video type slot machine in which symbol images are sequentially displayed on a CRT screen based on graphic data. . Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012]

[Embodiment of device]

 In FIG. 4 showing the appearance of the slot machine using the present invention, a predetermined number of medals are inserted from the medal insertion slot 2 provided on the front panel of the main body 1 and the reels 4 to 6 are operated by operating the start lever 3. Rotates. During the rotation of the reels 4 to 6, it is very difficult to identify the symbols arranged on each reel.

After the game is started in this way and after the reels 4 to 6 have reached the steady rotation, the stop buttons 11 to 13 provided for each reel can be operated. When the player operates the stop buttons 11 to 13 at any timing, the reels 4 to 6 are stopped each time. If the combination of symbols between the reels observed through the observation windows 7 to 9 is a predetermined combination on the winning line activated by the number of inserted medals, the winning type is determined. The number of medals according to the above is paid out to the receiving tray 14. A payout panel 15 that displays winning combinations is provided on the top of the main body 1, and the payout panel 15 is arranged in a line for displaying bonus game chances, as will be described later. A lamp 16 is provided.

This slot machine has the circuit configuration shown in FIG. The main control block A includes a main CPU 20, a ROM 21 and a RAM 22. The ROM 21 stores a combination of symbols corresponding to a prize, the number of payout medals for each prize, a basic game program of a slot machine, a program for executing a bonus game, and the like. Further, the RAM 22 stores symbol data which is sequentially rewritten during the game execution, random number values which are temporarily sampled and held to generate a request signal, and the like. The data stored in the ROM 21 and RAM 22 are appropriately accessed by the main CPU 20.

The reel control block B inputs the drive pulse to the stepping motors M1 to M2 for driving the reels 4 to 6, and the rotation position and the stop position of the reels 4 to 6 by the drive pulse. It has a position detection input port 24 for detecting the number of pulses and inputting it to the main CPU 20. Further, a reel stop input port 25 for inputting the operation timing of the stop buttons 11 to 12 to the main CPU 20 as a signal having a correlation with the drive pulse is provided.

The main CPU 20 is operated by a clock pulse generated by a clock pulse generation circuit 26 and having a constant frequency by a frequency divider 27. The stop buttons 11 to 13 are operated, and the combination of symbols identified as the rotation stop positions of the reels 4 to 6 that have stopped is input to the main CPU 20. As a result of checking the combination with the data of the ROM 21, winning is obtained. If so, the hopper 29 operates via the hopper drive input port 28.

By the operation of the hopper 29, the medals housed in the main body 1 of the slot machine are dispensed to the tray 14. The medals to be paid out are detected by the medal detection unit 30, and this detection signal is input to the main CPU 20 via the switch input port 31. When the number of paid-out medals reaches the specified number set according to the winning, the operation of the hopper 29 is finished. The payout of medals is displayed by the counter lamp 33 via the counter drive input port 32.

As a result of playing the game, when the symbol combination among the reels 4 to 6 is “7”-“7”-“7”, the bonus game privilege is given. There is. When a bonus game is played, winnings occur very frequently, so the generation of the bonus game is controlled by the main CPU 20 by software. For this reason, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, the random number value generated by the random number generating circuit 35 is sampled by the random number sampling circuit 36.

The random number sampling circuit 36 is adapted to sample a random number value after a predetermined time with reference to the time point at which the start lever 3 is operated, and the random number generating circuit 35 circulates the random number value. It is configured so that random number values are always sampled at regular intervals from the random number sequence so that once sampled random number values will not be sampled thereafter. The random number value sampled in this way is stored in the counter 37. The request signal generation circuit 38 compares the random number value thus obtained with the data in the ROM 39, and outputs a request signal when it is within a certain range. If the random number value is out of the fixed range, the normal game processing is performed.

When the request signal is output from the request signal generation circuit 38, the motor control circuits 40 to 42 for controlling the drive of the reels 4 to 6 are respectively arranged at the positions where the reels 4 to 6 display the symbol “7”. The motors M1 to M3 are controlled so as to stop at. The motors M1 to M3 are stepping motors, and the drive pulses supplied to them are counted by counters 43 to 45. Further, every time the reels 4 to 6 make one rotation, the reset signals are supplied from the photo sensors 47 to 49 to the counters 43 to 45. Therefore, the count values of the counters 43 to 45 correspond to the rotation positions within one rotation of the reels 4 to 6, and the movement of the symbols of the rotating reels 4 to 6 can be monitored based on this count value. become able to.

Thus, when the stop buttons 11 to 13 are operated while the reels 4 to 6 are rotated, the stop signals are supplied from the stop signal generation circuits 50 to 52 to the motor control circuits 40 to 42. To be done. When the request signal is input to the motor control circuits 40 to 42, the count values of the counters 43 to 45 are fed back to the motor control circuits 40 to 42. Then, the motor control circuits 40 to 42 refer to the count values of the respective counters 43 to 45 for the reels 4 to 6 so that the symbol “7” stops on a predetermined pay line, and the motor M1. Control the drive of M3.

On the other hand, when the request signal generation circuit 38 generates a request signal, a drive signal is output to the display lamp drive circuit 55. As a result, the reels 4 to 6 are stopped and controlled so that the display lamp 16 provided in the payout panel 15 is turned on to easily generate a request signal, that is, a combination of symbols for a bonus game. Is displayed.

However, if the operation timing of the stop buttons 11 to 13 and the stop timing of the reels 4 to 6 are too far apart from each other, an unnatural feeling appears, so that the symbol “7” is displayed as described above. There is a limit to performing stop control of the reels 4 to 6 as described above. For example, if there is "7" within the range of 3 to 4 symbols shifted from the symbol when the stop buttons 11 to 13 are operated, the symbol "7" is displayed and the reels 4 to 6 are stopped. However, when the symbol "7" does not exist within the range, the reels 4 to 6 cannot be stopped and controlled so that the symbol "7" appears, and the bonus game may not be obtained.

For example, when the operation timing of the stop button 11 deviates from the range in which the reel 4 can be stopped and controlled so that the symbol “7” appears, the symbol type is determined by the count value of the counter 43. The symbol data other than the symbol “7” is output from the symbol detection circuit 56. This symbol data is supplied to the winning determination circuit 60 and also to the display lamp drive circuit 55. As a result, the operation of the display lamp drive circuit 55 is stopped and the display lamp 16 is turned off. The same processing is performed regardless of which of the stop buttons 11 to 13 is operated first.

Further, as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 3, even when the stop timing of the second stop button operated cannot be stop-controlled at the position of the symbol “7” for the reel, the driving of the display lamp 16 is performed. Is stopped, the request signal is reset, and normal game processing is performed.

Based on the symbol data supplied from the symbol detection circuits 56 to 57, as a result of the winning determination by the winning determination circuit 60, it is determined that the combination is “7”-“7”-“7”. When this is done, the hopper 29 is activated to pay out the specified number of medals, and then the bonus game is started. In addition, if the request signal is not generated, or even if the request signal is generated, if the operation timing of the stop buttons 11 to 13 is bad and the request signal is reset midway, each reel stopped The combination of symbols 4 to 6 is determined by the winning determination circuit 60, and if there is a winning, a specified number of medals according to the type are paid out, and one game is completed.

It should be noted that, in order to display that the request signal is generated, a sounding display device may be used instead of the display lamp 16. In addition to the bonus game described above, the request signal may be generated when the reel stop control is performed so that a combination of high payout symbols can be easily obtained.

Further, as is apparent from the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention is very effective when used in a slot machine equipped with a stop button. That is, when the display lamp 16 is turned on, the player operates the stop button while gazing at the movement of the symbols, which greatly enhances the interest of the game. Then, when the request signal is generated, it is more preferable to effectively use the request signal by lowering the rotation speed of the reel so that even a beginner can recognize the movement of the symbol to some extent.

[0029]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, according to the slot machine of the present invention, when the movement of the symbol array is controlled to be stopped so that the winning can be easily obtained, the display device notifies the player of the fact. Therefore, it will be possible to obtain a very thrilling interest that conventional slot machines do not have. Moreover, when either reel is stopped, the operation of the display device is stopped when the prize corresponding to the prize request signal cannot be obtained, so the player is confused. It will not be given, and it will also be possible to inform which reel stopped the winning corresponding to the winning request signal when stopped.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a control circuit used in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a slot machine of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an external view of a slot machine using the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 to 6 reels 11 to 13 stop button 16 display lamp 20 main CPU 38 request signal generation circuit 40 to 42 motor control circuit 55 lamp drive circuit M1 to M3 motor

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. When generating a prize in a game, in addition to the operation timing of a stop button operated by a player, the movement of a plurality of symbol columns is stopped based on a prize request signal generated during the game. In a slot machine that is controlled to facilitate the appearance of the symbols constituting the prize on the winning line, the symbols operate to operate in response to the generation of the prize request signal, and the symbols constituting the prize are controlled by stopping the symbol row. Is displayed on the winning line, a display device for continuously displaying that the winning request signal has been generated is provided, and this display device displays the symbol string when the movement of the symbol string is stopped. The operation is stopped when another symbol that does not constitute the winning prize appears on the winning line. Slot machine.