Pachinko gaming machine

Abstract

To provide a Pachinko game machine capable of facilitating replacement of a performance board for controlling a performance operation and suppressing damage at the time of the replacement.SOLUTION: A Pachinko game machine includes a main board for executing lottery processing and controlling a game operation, and a performance board for controlling a performance operation for notifying a player of a result of the lottery processing. The Pachinko game machine is given signal transmission means including a first relay port for receiving a game signal including the information on the lottery processing from the main board, and a second relay port for sending out the game signal to the performance board, which transmits a game signal in a non-contact manner between the first relay port and the second relay port.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pachinko game machine that facilitates replacement of a performance board that controls performance operations and that can suppress damage during the replacement. [Background technology]

[0002] As gaming machines become more diverse, more innovative ones are being developed frequently, and the replacement cycle of gaming machines at halls is becoming shorter. Due to social demands for environmental conservation, these replacement gaming machines are being required to be designed with reuse and recycling in mind. It has been proposed to make it easy to recycle the presentation devices that strongly reflect the unique characteristics of individual gaming machines.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that in order to make it possible to reuse a performance control sub-board that performs performance processing in a gaming machine, an interface unit is provided so that a drive unit for driving a display device that displays the results of the performance processing can be detachably connected to the performance control sub-board. This allows the performance control sub-board to be reused in gaming machines equipped with different types of display devices. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-067428 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In a typical pachinko gaming machine, a main board that performs lottery processing and controls game operations is connected to a performance board ('sub-board') that performs performance operations to notify players of the results of this lottery processing, and after transmitting game signals, control signals are sent from the performance board to each performance device directly or via sub-sub-boards. Here, if the work required to remove the performance board, etc. from the gaming machine main body is complicated, recycling costs will increase and the progress of recycling will be hindered. Furthermore, if damage is caused by the work of removing the performance board, etc., it may become difficult to recycle it.

[0006] The present invention was made in consideration of the above situation, and its purpose is to provide a pachinko gaming machine that makes it easy to replace the presentation board that controls the presentation operation and can reduce damage during that replacement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The gaming machine according to the present invention is a pachinko gaming machine comprising a main board that performs lottery processing and controls gaming operations, and a presentation board that controls presentation operations to notify players of the results of the lottery processing, and is characterized in that it includes a first relay port that receives a gaming signal containing information about the lottery processing from the main board, and a second relay port that sends the gaming signal to the presentation board, and is provided with a signal transmission means that transmits the gaming signal non-contact between the first relay port and the second relay port.

[0008] According to this feature, the first relay port on the main board side and the second relay port on the performance board side can be easily separated, making it easier to replace the performance board and reducing damage during replacement.

[0009] In the above invention, the signal transmission means may be a means for optically transmitting the game signal. According to this feature, game signals can be transmitted at high speed even between the first relay port and the second relay port which are separable from each other.

[0010] In the above-described invention, the gaming signal may be encrypted and transmitted at the first relay port, and decrypted at the second relay port. The signal transmission means may include an image display device that displays an image of the encrypted gaming signal, and the signal transmission means captures the image displayed on the image display device and decodes the gaming signal. This feature enables faster and more stable transmission of gaming signals even between the first and second relay ports that are separable from each other. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a pachinko gaming machine in one embodiment according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a top view of a pachinko gaming machine in one embodiment according to the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view of a pachinko gaming machine in one embodiment according to the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the main parts of a pachinko gaming machine. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A pachinko gaming machine as one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, gaming machine 1, which is a pachinko gaming machine, is attached inside outer frame 2, which is a frame body installed in an island facility in an amusement parlor (not shown). Gaming machine 1 has a main body frame 5 attached to outer frame 2 so as to be able to open and close freely, and a door frame 3 having an opening 3a attached to main body frame 5 so as to be able to open and close freely. Door frame 3 is further equipped with a transparent plate 6 that closes opening 3a, a handle 7 that is operated to launch gaming balls, an upper tray 8 that stores gaming balls, and a lower tray 9. Note that, when directions are indicated hereinafter, the directions will be those seen from the perspective of a player facing gaming machine 1 as shown in the figures.

[0014] The main frame 5 is a frame body with a roughly rectangular cross section that is provided along the outer frame 2. A game board 10 is fixed inside the main frame 5, forming a play area 19 between itself and a transparent plate 6 fitted into the door frame 3, along whose surface game balls roll. A first presentation unit 12 is provided in the approximate center of the game board 10 to display the results of the jackpot lottery process with accompanying presentation to notify the player. The first presentation unit 12 may be, for example, a liquid crystal panel display device, but may also be an LED dot matrix or a rotating belt display device. The game board 10 is further provided with prize slots such as a start chucker 13 and an attacker 14, as well as other prize slots, pegs, and other devices (not shown), which can distribute the paths of the game balls that roll and fall within the play area 19.

[0015] The door frame 3 is separate from the second presentation unit 4 provided at the top, and can be opened and closed by rotating around the rotation axis between the middle hinge 11b and the lower hinge 11c. The upper hinge 11a, together with the lower hinge 11c, is used to obtain the rotation axis for rotating the main frame 5 relative to the outer frame 2. The second presentation unit 4 is arranged to protrude forward from the periphery of the transparent plate 6 when the door frame 3 is closed, and can provide presentations in accordance with the progress of the game using the installed lighting and speakers. The second presentation unit 4 is a so-called decorative element made of LEDs, and together with the first presentation unit 12, its presentation operation is controlled by the presentation board 30.

[0016] 3, the gaming machine 1 is provided with a main board 20 that performs lottery processing and controls game operations, located at the rear of the gaming board 10 and below the first presentation unit 12. The main board 20 is enclosed in a board case (not shown) and attached to the back of the gaming board 10. Furthermore, at the rear of the first presentation unit 12, a presentation board 30 is provided that mainly controls presentation operations for notifying the results of the lottery processing.

[0017] 4, the main board 20 includes a CPU 21, a ROM 22, a RAM 23, and an input / output port 24. In the main board 20, the CPU 21 executes processing related to game operations in accordance with a program recorded in the ROM 22. The CPU 21 also advances processing while rewritably recording data generated during processing in the RAM 23 as necessary. Through these operations, the main board 20 mainly controls game operations.

[0018] The main board 20 receives, for example, a signal detecting the entry of a game ball from a sensor provided in a prize opening such as the start chucker 13 via the input / output port 24, and performs lottery processing for a jackpot or the like. The main board 20 also sends a signal to the payout control board 60 (described later) to pay out prize balls in response to the entry. Furthermore, the main board 20 sends signals to operate solenoids such as the electric devices involved in the progression of the game and the attacker 14. In this way, the main board 20 can control game operations such as detection of a win, lottery processing, and payout. Furthermore, the main board 20 sends a game signal including information about the lottery processing, such as the result of the lottery processing, to the performance board 30. The game signal includes, for example, information such as whether or not a jackpot lottery was won and the time required for the performance to display the lottery result.

[0019] A payout control board 60 is connected to the main board 20, and includes a CPU 61, a ROM 62, a RAM 63, and an input / output port 64. The payout control board 60 can control mainly payout-related operations among the gaming operations performed by the main board 20 described above based on signals from the main board 20. It can also control the payout of prize balls and payouts in response to requests for loaned game balls.

[0020] Generally, the performance boards that receive signals from the main board, such as the payout control board described above, are electrically connected directly to the main board by wiring. In contrast, in this embodiment, the game signals from the main board 20 are transmitted to the performance board 30 contactlessly via two relay ports.

[0021] In detail, the first relay port 40 connected to the main board 20 is capable of receiving game signals transmitted unidirectionally from the main board 20. In addition, a second relay port 50 is connected to the performance board 30, and game signals or signals corresponding thereto can be transmitted unidirectionally from the second relay port 50 to the performance board 30. A signal transmission means for transmitting game signals non-contactly is provided between the first relay port 40 and the second relay port 50, and game signals can be transmitted unidirectionally from the first relay port 40 to the second relay port 50. As the signal transmission means, an emission device 41 for transmitting game signals to the first relay port 40 is provided, and a reader 51 for reading game signals emitted from the emission device 41 is provided at the second relay port 50.

[0022] For example, an image display device capable of displaying two-dimensional codes is used as the issuing device 41, and a camera capable of recognizing two-dimensional codes through image processing is used as the reading device 51. This converts the game signal into a two-dimensional code, allowing the game signal to be transmitted without contact. Alternatively, by appropriately using optical signal transmission means, game signals can be transmitted at high speed and with high stability. Instead of optical means, other means capable of transmitting game signals without contact, such as sound waves or magnetic waves, can also be used as signal transmission means.

[0023] In this way, the performance board 30 can receive a game signal from the second relay port 50. The performance board 30 is equipped with a CPU 31, a ROM 32, a RAM 33, an input port 34, and an output port 35. In the performance board 30, the CPU 31 executes processing related to performance operations in accordance with a program recorded in the ROM 32. The CPU 31 also proceeds with processing while rewritably recording data generated during processing in the RAM 33 as necessary. These operations enable the performance board 30 to control performance operations.

[0024] The performance board 30 extracts the result of the jackpot lottery from the game signal received via the input port 34, and the time required for the performance to display the lottery result, and controls the performance operation to notify the player of the result of the lottery process accordingly. For example, the performance operation may involve varying a multi-digit number on the first performance unit 12, stopping the multi-digit number at a repeating number if the result of the lottery process is a jackpot, or stopping the number at a different number (number) if the result is a loss. This series of operations from the number variation to the number stopping is performed in accordance with the time required for the performance. Furthermore, as a performance operation, light and sound effects using lighting and speakers mounted on the second performance unit 4 can be performed in accordance with the progress of the game.

[0025] In detail, the performance board 30 can select one pattern corresponding to the game signal from a plurality of predetermined performance patterns and send a signal indicating this pattern via the output port 35. Such signals are input to the respective sub-sub-boards for image performance, LED performance, and sound performance (not shown). Each sub-sub-board operates the lighting and speakers of the first performance unit 12 and the second performance unit 4 in a pattern corresponding to the input signal, thereby performing the performance of the pattern selected by the performance board 30.

[0026] As described above, game signals are transmitted from the main board 20 to the performance board 30 without contact between the first relay port 40 on the main board 20 side and the second relay port 50 on the performance board 30 side. This allows the first relay port 40 on the main board 20 side and the second relay board port 50 on the performance board 30 side to be easily separated. As a result, replacement of the performance board 30 is made easy and damage during replacement can be reduced.

[0027] Although the example above shows that the game signal is transmitted from the issuing device 41 to the reading device 51 using a two-dimensional code, this may also be done using a code. For example, the game signal is encrypted at the first relay port 40, an image corresponding to the code is displayed on the image display device used as the issuing device 41, this image is captured by the reading device 51, and the image is decoded at the second relay port 50 to obtain the game signal.

[0028] Furthermore, predetermined codes can also be used as game signals. A correspondence table that defines codes corresponding to each set of information, such as whether a jackpot lottery has been won or not, and the time required for the effects to display the lottery results, is stored in the main board 20, and this code is extracted when the main board 20 creates a game signal. The extracted code is then transmitted as a game signal to the effect board 30 that stores the same correspondence table, and the effect board 30 selects an effect corresponding to the code and performs the effect. Furthermore, a second correspondence table that defines effect patterns corresponding to the codes can be stored in the effect board 30, and the effect can be performed based on this table.

[0029] Although the embodiments of the present invention and modifications based thereon have been described above, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these examples. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will be able to find various alternative embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention or the scope of the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1. Gaming machines 10 Game Board 20 Main board 30 Production board 40 First relay port 41 Emission Device 50 Second relay port 51 Reading device

Claims

1. a main board that performs lottery processing and controls game operations; A pachinko game machine that is replaceable with a performance board that controls a performance operation for notifying a player of the result of the lottery process, a first relay port that receives a game signal including information about the lottery process from the main board and extracts a code corresponding to each combination of information included in the game signal according to a correspondence table that is provided in advance, and a second relay port that sends the code to the performance board, and is provided with a signal transmission means that optically transmits the code from the first relay port to the second relay port in a non-contact manner; The signal transmission means an image display device of the first relay port that displays an image corresponding to the code; an image reader at the second relay port that captures the image displayed on the image display device and extracts the code corresponding to the image, The performance board performs the performance operations based on the correspondence table given in advance and a second correspondence table that defines performance patterns corresponding to the codes.

2. A pachinko gaming machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that the signal transmission means has a means for displaying the image in which the code is encrypted on the image display device, capturing the image displayed on the image display device, and decrypting the code.

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