NL8302741A - Cash game machine with a stop button for prematurely stopping rotational bodies. - Google Patents

Description

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Cash machine with a stop button for prematurely stopping rotating bodies.

The invention relates to a cash machine with a random number generator for the determination of profit, in which detent positions are determined, on which profit symbols bearing rotating bodies are halted to indicate the game result and provided with a stop button for prematurely stopping rotating bodies.

A cash slot machine of the aforementioned type is known from German patent application 31 39 586. The random generator of the known cash slot machine forms random numbers, from which a profit recognizer determines the profit possibly to be distributed later. The random numbers are also written as stop addresses at a time determined by a game progress control in markers associated with each individual rotary body. Sensors on the rotating bodies control the content of a position recognizer, so that the current position address of each rotating body is always known. When the current position address corresponds to the marked stop address, a stop signal is generated, whereby the respective rotating body is immediately stopped.

It is customary to use a stop button for prematurely stopping the rotating body, with which, as a result of applicable legal provisions, no profit advantages may be achieved. With the stop key in the known ATMs, the marking time could be moved forward if the chance is maintained. However, between actuation of the stop button and the freezing of the rotating body, a delay of up to the time required for one revolution can paralyze the gaming pleasure, in particular when a game result without profit is set.

The object of the invention is to provide a cash machine of the type mentioned in the preamble which, while maintaining the randomness of the game result, maintains the freeze. procedure after pressing the stop button shortened, especially 8302741 2 «· * without when the game result will bring a small or no profit at all.

The object is achieved in that a matching generator controlled by the determined profit is provided, which determines alternative arresting position addresses for indicating the determined profit for prematurely stopping the rotating body.

Profit symbols that lead to small winnings are, according to their frequent occurrence, arranged on the rotating body a number of times, so that from a random circumferential position to the next repetition symbol or alternative symbol only a small circumferential angle need be covered. The delay after actuation of the stop button is correspondingly short and the player gets the impression that he can immediately stop the rotating body. However, if the random generator has determined the highest possible gain, which can be achieved for example with a probability of 7 x 10 ~ ^ *, a delay must be taken into account when the stop button is pressed, since the associated symbol is only applied once .

Further developments of the cash machine according to the invention are evident from the subclaims.

The invention will be elucidated on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing. The only figure of the drawing comprises a block diagram with all parts of a cash machine that are important for the understanding of the invention.

At the start of the game, a game sequence control indicated by 1 causes three cylindrical rotating bodies 2, 3 and 4 to rotate via separate control lines 30, 5, 6 and 7 and with the aid of separate motors 8, 9 and 10. The rotating bodies 2, 3 and 4 are provided with profit symbols on the periphery of the arresting positions to be provided by the respective motor 8, 9 and 10. The rotating bodies 2, 3 and 4 are coupled to opto-electric position sensors 11, 12 and 13, which influence a position register 14, 15, 16 in each case, so that for each rotation body 2, 3 and 4 a position recognizer 11, 14; 12, 15 and 13, 16 are formed, the contents of which represent the current 8302 741 3 position address of the respective rotation body 2, 3 and 4.

The game progression controller 1 starts - also at the start of the game - via an activation line 17 a random generator 5, which determines in a known manner three stop addresses for the three rotation bodies 2, 3 and 4, which in three address registers 19, 20 and 21 are stored to be on output lines 22, 23 and 24 thereof.

The output lines 22, 23 and 24 lead to a profit recognizer 25, which determines the associated profit from the combination of the stop addresses and puts it on its output 26 in coded form.

At a certain point in time, the game progression control 1 sends a first control signal via a control line 27 to an address comparator 28, which on the one hand via the output lines 22, 23 and 24 with the address registers 19, 20 and 21 and on the other hand with the position registers 14, 15 and 16 is connected. The first control signal activates a first rotary body 2 relating to comparator circuit 29, which, when the stop address and the current position address is matched, sends a stop signal to the motor 8 via the control line 5, which is then immediately moved to the stop position with the stop address remains, whereby a window (not shown) for the rotating body 2 shows at least one profit symbol, which forms a partial result.

From the partial result, the player can determine the potentially achievable profit, where it is known that small profits are often paid out and large profits are rarely paid out. In order to take into account the temperament of the player, a rotating body 2 and a restart button 30 are arranged under the first 50, after the operation which is only active within a signaled phase, the gameplay control 1 of which completely repeats the operation described above. Here, the random generator 18 is also restarted to load the address registers 19, 20 and 21 with new 55 stop addresses.

After the detent position for the first rotation body 2 has been determined, it is possible for the second rotation body 3 to stop it prematurely by pressing a stop button 31 arranged below the rotation body 3.

A possibly generated stop signal comes via a line 32 into a first activation input 33 of a matching generator 34. This is connected to the output 26 of the profit recognizer 25 and generates alternative stop addresses for the second rotary body 3. Alternative stop addresses mean detent positions, in which the rotating body indicates a symbol that has the same value as the original symbol, or indicates the profit achieved in combination with the other symbols 10 and stored in a memory S of the matching generator 34.

To form the alternative stop addresses, the matching generator 34 supplies all addresses of the second rotation body 3 one after the other via a multiple line 15 to the profit recognizer 25, which, because it knows the stop address of the first rotation body 2, reports the possibly occurring gains back to the matching generator 34. The reported gains are compared with the gains originally determined and stored in the memory S in a comparison circuit V and stored accordingly in a register 3R for alternative stop addresses, so that then via a multiple line 36 to the comparator 37 of the address comparator 28 associated with the second rotary body 3, which is thereby activated.

As soon as the current address from the position register 15 corresponds to either the original or one of the alternative stop addresses, the comparison circuit 37 sends the stop signal through the game sequence control 1 via control line 6 to the motor 9 of the second rotary body 3, so that the latter remains at the associated detent position and loads the stop address of the position register 15 into the address register 20.

When the stop key 31 is not actuated, the game sequence control 1 sends a second control signal via the control line 27 to the address comparator 28 at a specific time, in order to stop the second rotation body 3 at the stop address stored in the address register 20.

8302741 * -¾ 5

The third rotary body 4, like the second one, can be stopped prematurely either with a stop key 38 or at a time determined by the game progress control 1.

A special case occurs when the stop button 5 31 for prematurely stopping the second rotation body 3 would be pressed after the profit recognizer 25 has signaled a zero profit. The match generator 34 then supplies all addresses as stop addresses to the comparator 37, so that the rotary body 3 is immediately stopped at the detent position with the current address in the position register 15. The stop address is loaded back into the address register 20. The matching generator 34 now determines - without the need to operate the stop button 38 for the third 4 rotary body 4 - with the aid of the profit recognizer 25 stop addresses for the third rotary body 4, in the associated detent positions of which the third rotary body 4 has a symbol. will indicate that also in combination with the symbols which indicate the two stationary rotating bodies 2 and 3 means no profit. When the comparison circuit 39 associated with the third rotary body 4 is activated - either prematurely by the stop key 38 or at the time determined by the game sequence control 1 - only stop addresses of the match generator 34 are sent to the address comparison.

The data processing parts 1, 14 to 19, 33 to 37 and 39 shown in blocks are physically indicated on a common board as an integrated circuit, which also includes a microprocessor. The profit recognizer 25 includes three programmable dead memories (PROMs) for the three rotation bodies 2, 3 and 4 which record the gains associated with respective detents. When the symbols indicated on the detent positions are changed, the PROMs must be exchanged in order to adapt the profit determination performed in the device to the profits indicated with the changed symbols.

Instead of the registers 3R and 4R, a freely accessible memory (RAM) can also be used to implement the correspondence generator 34, until the addresses of the rotary bodies 3 and 4 addressable with the position 8302741 * * 6 microprocessor.

As already described, the profit determined in the profit recognizer 25 is stored coded in the memory S.

A priority signal is thereby formed which causes the microprocessor to terminate its running operations at a suitable location, in order to then successively supply all position addresses of the rotary bodies 3 or 4 to the profit recognizer 25 and the RAM. When the profit recognizer 25 has determined a profit corresponding to the profit entered in the memory S from the supplied position-10 addresses, the comparison circuit V forms a one, which is stored in the addressed memory location of the RAM. When the gains deviate from each other, the comparison circuit V forms a zero which is stored in the addressed memory location. After all addresses have been issued, the microprocessor resumes normal operation.

After actuation of the stop keys 31 or 38, the microprocessor is interrupted again in order to prematurely stop the rotating bodies 3, 20 or 4. To this end, it calls the current position addresses from the position registers 15 or 16 to read the contents from the memory location associated with these addresses in the RAM. When reading a one, the microprocessor forms the stop signal for immediately stopping the rotating bodies 3 and 4. When reading a zero, the microprocessor waits for the next current position address from the position register 15 or 16, in order to read the contents. from the next memory location in RAM. This operation is repeated until a read cycle 50 reads one before stop 50.

The described determination of the alternative stop addresses is made at rest time. Although this can also be done in real time (real time), execution in rest time is preferred, because this allows a simple function check. For example, the coded gain signal formed by the profit recognizer 25 can be applied through a decoder to a numerical display indicating the determined gain. After all rotation - 8302741 * * r%

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7 bodies 2-4 are frozen, the profit determined by the profit symbols must correspond to the previously determined and numerically indicated profit.

3302741

Claims (7)

1. An automatic gaming machine with a random number generator for determining the profit, in which detent positions are determined on which rotating symbols carrying profit symbols must be stopped for indicating the game result and with a stop button for prematurely stopping a rotation body, characterized in that a value determined by the determined Profit-driven matching generator (34) is provided which determines alternative detent addresses for indicating the determined Profit for prematurely stopping the rotating body. An automatic gaming machine according to claim 1, characterized in that address registers (19 to 21) associated with each individual rotating body are provided for storing detention * 5 position addresses formed in the random generator (29), that the rotating bodies ( 2 to 4) are coupled to the rotation-controlling position recognizers (11, 14, 12, 15 and 13, 16), that an address comparator (28) is provided, which, in accordance with the addresses stored in the address registers and the current addresses, provides a stop signal for the respective rotary body (2 to 4) constitutes that a gain recognizer (25) is provided, which is from the combined detent addresses formed by the random generator (18) by means of a dead memory, in which at the detent positions associated winnings are stored, forming a signal representing the height of the winnings, which can be stored during the running game, that the match generator (34) is activated by stop signals from the stop button (31 , 38) after which the alternative detent position addresses for forming the stop signal are fed to the address comparator (28). A slot machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the correspondence generator (34) comprises an address generator (A), the addresses of which can be supplied to the profit recognizer (25), which combination of the supplied addresses with an existing stop address -35 s of the remaining rotary bodies (2 or 2 and 3) sends a coded gain signal back at its output (26) to the correspondence generator (34), for the addresses supplied, the gain signal of which is equivalent to the stored profit signal, as alternative detent addresses to 5 g evenly. 4. Money-playing machine according to claim 3, characterized by a memory (S) for storing the signal representing the profit height, which is applied as a reference signal to the comparator (V) when determining the alternative detent position addresses and by at least one register (3R, 4R) associated with the rotation body (3, 4) for storing the alternative detent addresses, the memory (S), the comparator (V) and the register (3R, 4R) associated with the match generator ( 34). A slot machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a microprocessor-controlled matching generator (34) and by exchangeable dead memories in the profit recognizer (25). 6. A slot machine according to claim 5, with a freely accessible memory (RAM), characterized in that the register (3R, 4R) is formed in the RAM, wherein for each position address of the rotating bodies (3, 4) a there is a memory location to which the microprocessor having the position address has access, that the microprocessor supplies successively all position addresses of the rotating bodies (3, 4) to the gain recognizer (25) and the RAM, in order to store the memory card the addresses of which are alternative detent addresses, each time to be filled with a stop signal and that the microprocessor so often calls up a current position address one after another from the position register (20, 21) for prematurely stopping a rotation body, with which it each time addresses the RAM in a read cycle, until it reads and issues a stop signal. 7. A gaming machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the filling of the memory (S) generates a priority signal, which causes the microprocessor to send the addresses to the profit recognizer (25) and the RAM. 8302741