JPH1071276A - Apparatus and method for controlling return of travelling body - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To return as automatically as possible a travelling body made unable to travel and decrease the returning operation by a shop-man for smoothly performing a game. SOLUTION: This controller is constituted to travel on a predetermined travelling surface of a game machine, receiving a position signal. Then, when the controller detects a travelling body made unable to travel (S1), it allows the travelling body to move backward by a predetermined distance (S2), further allows the respective travelling bodies to move to the initial position (S3) and allows the game to be resumed (S5) after the respective travelling bodies are moved to the initial position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control device and a method for controlling the return of a traveling body which travels on a predetermined traveling surface of a game machine upon receiving a position signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a traveling body used for a derby game, for example, for moving a model body such as a racehorse on a play field from below. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an example of a conventional traveling body of this type (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-94884).

In FIG. 5, a model horse 20 is placed on a truck 3 via a cart 23. A magnet 27 is provided below the carriage 23. The carrier 50 (traveling body) is arranged between the truck 3 and the traveling path 40. A magnet 65 is provided on the upper part of the carrier 50,
The magnet 27 of the carriage 23 and the magnet 65 of the carrier 50 face each other.

The carrier 50 includes a plurality of current collectors 71 of a current collecting unit 70 in contact with a lower power supply plate 32 of the truck 3.
, And the model horse 20 is moved by the magnetic force between the magnets 27 and 65. At the bottom of the carrier 50,
The oscillation coil 66 is fixed, the position of the carrier 50 is detected via the position detection plate 41 and fed back, and the traveling of the carrier 50 is controlled.

[0005]

However, according to the above-mentioned prior art, when the carrier 50 collides with a wall or the like and cannot move forward, the power of the game machine is turned off and the clerk puts the carrier 50 on the wall. Had to be moved to a position where no collision occurred. For this reason, the return work becomes complicated and
There was a problem that the game was interrupted.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to automatically return a running body as much as possible when the running body becomes unable to run, to reduce the returning work by a clerk, and to play a game smoothly.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a return control device for a traveling body which travels on a predetermined traveling surface of a game machine upon receiving a position signal. Detecting means for detecting that the traveling body has become unable to travel; and moving the traveling body backward by a predetermined distance when the detecting means detects that the traveling body has become unable to travel. It is characterized by comprising a retreating means and a return means for returning the running body to the game after the running body is moved by the retreating means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a return control device for a traveling body which travels on a predetermined traveling surface of a game machine upon receiving a position signal, and detects that the traveling body has become unable to travel. Detecting means for detecting, when the detecting means detects that the traveling body has become incapable of traveling, retreating moving means for retreating the traveling body by a predetermined distance, and each of the moving means provided on the traveling surface. An initial position moving means for moving the running body to an initial position, and a game resuming means for restarting a game after each of the running bodies is moved to the initial position by the initial position moving means.

[0009] The invention of claim 3 is claim 1 or claim 2.
In the traveling body return control device described in the above, in the case where the traveling body is further unable to travel after the traveling body has been disabled for the first time, when the number of times that the traveling body is disabled becomes equal to or more than a predetermined number, the game is played. It is characterized by comprising game interruption means for interrupting.

[0010] The invention of claim 4 is the first to third aspects of the present invention.
The return control device for a traveling body according to any one of the above, wherein the retreating moving means moves the traveling body so as to draw a substantially arc-shaped movement trajectory.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling the return of a running body which travels on a predetermined running surface of a game machine by receiving a position signal. Then, the traveling body is moved backward by a predetermined distance, and after the movement, the traveling body is returned to the game.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling the return of a running body which travels on a predetermined running surface of a game machine by receiving a position signal, and detects that the running body has become unable to run. Then, the running body is moved backward by a predetermined distance, each running body is moved to an initial position, and the game is restarted after each running body moves to the initial position.

[0013] The invention of claim 7 is the invention of claim 5 or claim 6.
In the return control method of the traveling body described in the above, in the case where the traveling body is further unable to travel after the traveling body has been disabled for the first time, if the number of times that the traveling body is disabled becomes equal to or more than a predetermined number, the game is played. It is characterized by interruption.

[0014] The invention of claim 8 is the invention of claims 5 to 7.
In the return control method for a traveling body according to any one of the above, when it is detected that the traveling body has become unable to travel, the traveling body is moved by a predetermined distance so as to draw a substantially arc-shaped movement locus. It is characterized by moving backward.

[0015]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a derby game machine 10 to which a traveling body return control device according to the present invention is applied.
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a game machine 0 (hereinafter, simply referred to as “game machine 100”). On the play field 101 of the game machine 100, a plurality of traveling models 200 are placed. The running model 200 is formed by simulating a racehorse.

On the play field 101, there is provided a gate 102 for arranging the running models 200 at a fixed position at the start of the race. Further, an obstacle unit 300 through which the traveling model 200 passes is provided on the play field 101. The running model 200 runs on the play field 101 in a predetermined direction, and competes in that order. The upper part of the play field 101 is generally covered with a transparent cover or the like. In addition, the game machine 100
Is provided with an image display unit 103 for displaying the running state of the racehorse during a race, the order, and the like in an image.

The operation section 400 is a section for performing operations and the like when a player plays a derby game, and a plurality of operation sections are provided so as to surround the play field 101. The operation panel 401 is a part for specifying a racehorse predicted by a player and specifying the number of bets. The coin insertion slot 402 is a portion where a player inserts a coin for playing a game. The monitor 403 is a part for displaying a racehorse specified by the player or the like. The coin payout port 404 is a portion where the player pays out coins obtained in the game.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the traveling model 200 and the traveling body 500 provided in the game machine 100. The running model 200 is placed on the play field 101 as shown in FIG.
And a model part 200B.

The traveling body 500 is arranged below the play field 101. Therefore, this traveling body 5
00 is in a position that cannot be seen from the player side. Below the play field 101, a position signal transmitting device 110 (road surface) is provided. The traveling body 500 is arranged between the play field 101 and the position signal transmitting device 110 without play.

The position detecting device 501 of the traveling body 500 receives the signal transmitted from the position signal transmitting device 110 and transmits the signal to the microcomputer 502. The microcomputer 502 drives the driving device 503 based on this signal. A magnet 504 is attached to an upper part of the traveling body 500. On the other hand, the base 200 of the traveling model 200
A magnet 201 is attached to the lower part of A. As a result, the magnet 201 and the magnet 504 are attracted by the magnetic force via the play field 101, and the traveling model 200 follows the movement of the traveling body 500.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of the operation of the return control device for the traveling body 500. First, in step S1, it is detected whether or not an error has occurred in the traveling body 500. The case where an error occurs in the traveling body 500 is, for example, a case where the traveling body 500 collides with a wall and cannot travel forward. The error may be detected by any means. For example, when the position detecting device 501 cannot receive the signal transmitted from the position signal transmitting device 110 or when the pulse of the driving motor of the driving device 503 cannot be detected, the microcomputer 502
Determines that an error has occurred.

Next, proceeding to step S2, the microcomputer 502 moves the traveling body 500 backward by a predetermined distance. The retreat of the traveling body 500 here draws a substantially arc-shaped movement locus (see FIG. 4). If you do this,
It is possible to prevent a collision with a wall or the like at the same place again to cause a re-error. Then, in step S3, an initialization process for all the traveling bodies 500 is performed. That is, all the traveling bodies 500 are moved to the initial positions. Subsequently, in step S4, it is detected whether or not the traveling body 500 again has an error. If no error occurs, the process proceeds to step S5 to restart the game.

On the other hand, if it is detected in step S4 that an error has occurred again, the process proceeds to step S6, and it is determined whether or not the error has occurred a specified number of times. Here, the prescribed number of times is a number of times set in advance, for example, about three times. If it is determined in step S6 that an error has occurred a specified number of times, the process proceeds to step S7 to interrupt the game. If it is determined that the specified number of times has not occurred,
Returning to step S2, the traveling body 500 is moved backward again, and the returning process of the traveling body 500 is performed.

As described above, the return process is performed a plurality of times, and when the return is possible, the return can be automatically performed, so that the clerk or the like does not need to perform the return operation. Therefore, the complexity of the return operation can be avoided, and the interruption of the game can be reduced.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications as described below are possible within an equivalent range. (1) After performing the backward movement of the traveling body 500 in step S2, the initialization processing of all the traveling bodies 500 is performed. However, the present invention is not limited to this. You may make it continue. (2) The backward movement of the traveling body 500 is described in a substantially arc-shaped movement trajectory. However, the invention is not limited to this. The trajectory may move backward by a predetermined distance.

[0026]

According to the first or fifth aspect of the present invention,
When the running body becomes unable to run, the running body is automatically returned as much as possible, and the returning work by the clerk is reduced, and the game can be smoothly performed. Further, according to the second or sixth aspect of the present invention, the game can be automatically restarted after the running body returns.

According to the third or seventh aspect of the present invention, the game can be interrupted only when the running body cannot be returned despite the returning process. According to the invention of claim 4 or claim 8, it is possible to prevent the collision with the same wall again after the retreating movement of the traveling body.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of a derby game machine 100 to which a traveling body return control device according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a traveling model 200 and a traveling body 500 provided in the game machine 100.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the operation of the return control device of the traveling body 500.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a movement locus when the traveling body 500 retreats.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an example of a conventional traveling body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Play field 110 Position signal transmission device 200 Travel model 500 Traveling object 501 Position detection device 502 Microcomputer 503 Drive device

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A return control device for a traveling body that receives a position signal and travels on a predetermined traveling surface of a game machine, comprising: a detection unit that detects that the traveling body has become unable to travel; Retreating means for retreating the traveling body by a predetermined distance when the detecting means detects that the traveling body has become unable to travel; and after traveling of the traveling body by the retreating means, the traveling body And a return means for returning the game to the game. 2. A return control device for a traveling body that travels on a predetermined traveling surface of a game machine by receiving a position signal, wherein detection means detects that the traveling body has become incapable of traveling, Retreating means for retreating the traveling body by a predetermined distance when the detecting means detects that the traveling body has become incapable of traveling, and setting each traveling body provided on the traveling surface to an initial position. And a game resuming means for resuming a game after each of the running bodies has moved to the initial position by the initial position moving means. 3. The return control device for a running body according to claim 1, wherein the number of times the running body is disabled when the running body is further disabled after first running disabled. And a game interruption means for interrupting the game when the number of times exceeds a predetermined number. 4. One of claims 1 to 3
3. The return control device for a traveling body according to claim 1, wherein the retreating means moves the traveling body so as to draw a substantially arc-shaped movement locus. 5. A method for controlling the return of a traveling body traveling on a predetermined traveling surface of a game machine by receiving a position signal, the method comprising:
A method for controlling the return of a running body, comprising: moving the running body backward by a predetermined distance, and returning the running body to a game after the movement. 6. A return control method for a traveling body that travels on a predetermined traveling surface of a game machine by receiving a position signal, wherein when it is detected that the traveling body has become unable to travel,
A return control method for a traveling body, comprising: moving the traveling body backward by a predetermined distance; further moving each of the traveling bodies to an initial position; and restarting the game after each of the traveling bodies has moved to the initial position. 7. The return control method for a traveling body according to claim 5 or 6, wherein when the traveling body first becomes incapable of traveling and then becomes incapable of traveling, the number of times the vehicle becomes incapable of traveling. A running control method, wherein the game is interrupted when the number of times exceeds a predetermined number. 8. One of claims 5 to 7
In the return control method of the traveling body according to the paragraph, when it is detected that the traveling body has become unable to travel,
A return control method for a traveling body, wherein the traveling body is moved backward by a predetermined distance so as to draw a substantially arc-shaped movement locus.