Gaming machine

Abstract

To provide a game machine that can enhance operability regarding management of an electronic game value.SOLUTION: A game machine includes management control means capable of managing a game value and communicating with an external device, and counting operation means for accepting a player's operation for making the management control means perform counting processing for transmitting at least a part of the game value managed by the management control means to the external device. In the game machine, when the counting operation means is pressed in a state where communication between the management control means and the external device is not established, and the pressing is continued at the time when communication between the management control means and the external device is established, the counting processing is performed on the basis of the pressing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a gaming machine.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, smart pachislots that can progress the game without the intervention of physical medals while maintaining the gameplay of slot machines have been studied (for example, Patent Document 1). Also, smart pachinko machines that are enclosed and circulated so that players can progress the game without touching the game balls have been studied (for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In such smart pachislots and smart pachinko machines, there is no need to provide a path for circulating game media such as game balls and medals outside the gaming machine. In smart pachislots, the physical game media itself becomes unnecessary. Thus, in smart pachislots, the game media itself is not used, and in smart pachinko machines, by using non-magnetic game balls, it becomes possible to prevent the act of gambling on the premise of using metal game media. Also, since there is no need to provide a mechanism for inserting and dispensing game media inside the gaming machine, design costs and manufacturing costs can be reduced. Furthermore, by centrally managing the lending of game media to players and the counting of acquired game media, it becomes possible to prevent fraud and suppress the element of chance.

[0005] On the other hand, for configurations that utilize electronic game media (game value) or non-magnetic game media instead of physical game media, there is a need to improve the operability related to managing electronic game value.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a gaming machine that can improve the operability related to the management of electronic game value. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This invention provides a management and control means that manages the value of games and can communicate with an external device. The system includes a counting operation means that receives input from a player to cause the management control means to perform a counting process that transmits at least a portion of the game value managed by the management control means to the external device, If the counting operation means is pressed while communication between the management control means and the external device has not been established, and the press is still held down when communication between the management control means and the external device is established, the counting process will be performed based on the press. 、 The state in which communication between the management control means and the external device is not established includes a first state in which the external device has finished starting up but the management control means has not finished starting up, and a second state in which the management control means and the external device are running, but the power supply to the management control means is cut off. If the counting operation means is pressed in the first state, and the press is still held down when the activation of the management control means is completed, the counting process is performed based on the press. If the counting operation means is pressed in the second state, and the press is still held down when the activation of the management control means is completed and the initialization of the external device is completed, the counting process is performed based on the press. It is characterized by the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can improve the operability related to the management of electronic game value. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a diagram illustrating the functional block of a gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This figure shows the winning areas in the internal lottery of a gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and the winning combinations included in each winning area. [Figure 4] (A) is a state transition diagram of the game state in a gaming machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and (B) is a transition diagram relating to the normal section and the advantageous section controlled by the AT control means, and the performance state during the advantageous section. [Figure 5] This figure shows the game results for each turn when a winning area containing a minor role is won in a non-RT state in a gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This figure shows the game results for each turn when a winning area containing a minor role is hit during the internal RBB (Real Big Bonus) state in a gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This figure shows the game results for each turn when a winning area containing a small win is hit in the RBB state in a gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows the process for setting the upper limit of the number of payouts in a gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a table summarizing the winning combinations for each game state in a gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This timing chart illustrates the case where the power is turned on to both the gaming machine and the dedicated unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention, starting from a state where the power to both is cut off, and the counting button is pressed from the point when the power to the gaming machine is cut off, and the gaming machine completes startup before the dedicated unit. [Figure 11] This timing chart illustrates the case where the power to both the gaming machine and the dedicated unit of the first embodiment of the present invention is turned on from a state where the power to both is cut off, and the counting button is pressed starting from the point when the power to the gaming machine is cut off, and the dedicated unit completes startup before the gaming machine. [Figure 12]A timing chart for explaining the case where the power of the dedicated unit is maintained while the power of the dedicated unit is turned on in the state where the power of either the gaming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention or the dedicated unit is turned on, and the power of the gaming machine is turned off and on, and the counting button is pressed and started from the time when the power of the gaming machine is OFF. [Figure 13] A timing chart for explaining the flow of counting processing when the counting switch is briefly pressed in the gaming machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] A timing chart for explaining the flow of counting processing when the counting switch is long-pressed in the gaming machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] A timing chart for explaining another flow of counting processing when the counting switch is long-pressed in the gaming machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] A timing chart for explaining the flow of counting processing when the counting switch is fully counted in the gaming machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] A timing chart for explaining another flow of counting processing when the counting switch is fully counted in the gaming machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] A flowchart showing an example of the flow of counting corresponding processing in the medal number control board according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] A flowchart showing an example of the flow of multiple counting processing shown in FIG. 18. [Figure 20] A flowchart showing an example of the flow of single counting processing shown in FIG. 18. [Figure 21] A flowchart showing an example of the flow of counting corresponding processing in the main control board according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] A flowchart showing an example of the flow of counting corresponding processing in the sub-control board according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23]This is a timing chart illustrating the counting process when the counting switch is fully counted in a gaming machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24] This is a timing chart for illustrating another flow of the counting process when the counting switch is fully counted in a gaming machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 25] This flowchart shows an example of the counting process flow in a medal count control board according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 26] Figure 25 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of multiple counting processes. [Figure 27] This flowchart shows an example of the counting-corresponding processing flow in the sub-control board of the third embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] [First Embodiment] The first embodiment will be described below. The first embodiment described below is not intended to unduly limit the scope of the present invention as described in the claims. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the first embodiment are necessarily essential components of the present invention.

[0011] 1. Overview of the configuration of the gaming machine Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a slot machine 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The slot machine 1 of the first embodiment is a so-called reel-type gaming machine, and is a so-called medalless gaming machine that records the gaming value that can be used by the player by an electromagnetic method based on a lending signal output from an external device provided outside the slot machine 1 and configured to lend and settle electronic tokens that constitute the gaming value by an electromagnetic method, and a dedicated unit SU (see Figure 2) as a specific unit. The slot machine 1 stores information on the number of recorded electronic tokens as the number of gaming tokens, and is configured to transmit the stored number of gaming tokens to the dedicated unit SU. The dedicated unit SU settles the electronic tokens by recording the number of gaming tokens received from the slot machine 1 on a recording medium such as an IC card and dispensing it.

[0012] The slot machine 1 of the first embodiment has a box-shaped enclosure consisting of a chassis BX, an upper front door UD, and a lower front door DD, within which a reel unit RU consisting of multiple reels, from the left reel R1 to the right reel R3, is housed. The enclosure of the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment also houses a control board that controls the operation of the slot machine 1, which is equipped with a CPU, ROM (an example of an information storage medium), RAM, etc.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 are each divided into 20 regions (hereinafter referred to as "frames") at regular intervals on their outer surface, and one of several types of symbols is arranged in each frame.

[0014] The front upper door UD and the front lower door DD are provided to be individually openable and closable. The front upper door UD is equipped with a display device 410, which serves as a display means for displaying various videos and images to assist or enhance the gameplay. The display device 410 has a display area 410a for displaying images, and a specific area 410b facing the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 is made of a transparent liquid crystal display, allowing the rotation and stopping states of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 to be observed through the display device 410. When the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 are stopped, three symbols (upper, middle, and lower) that are arranged consecutively on the outer surface of each of the multiple types of symbols arranged at regular intervals on the outer surface of each of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 can be observed from the front of the slot machine 1 through the display device 410.

[0015] Furthermore, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, each reel is provided with upper, middle, and lower display positions for observing the symbols through the display device 410, and an active line L1 is set for the combination of display positions on each reel. In the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, the number of electronic tokens required for one game, the so-called specified number (specified number), is set to 3 tokens (first specified number) or 2 tokens (second specified number), and when an electronic token equivalent to the specified number is inserted, the active line L1, which is composed of the middle sections of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3, is activated.

[0016] The game result is determined by the combination of symbols that stop and are displayed on the active line L1. If the combination of symbols on the active line L1 corresponds to a predetermined winning combination, that combination is considered to have been won, and control corresponding to the winning combination is executed.

[0017] The front lower door DD is equipped with various operating means. These operating means include a max bet button MB, which is an insertion operation means for setting the electronic medals stored in the slot machine 1 to the insertion state; a start lever SL, which is a game start operation means for allowing the player to perform an operation that triggers the start of the game by rotating the left reel R1 to the right reel R3; stop buttons B1 to B3, which are stop operation means for allowing the player to perform an operation that triggers the stop of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3, which are rotated by stepping motors; a counting button KB, which is a counting operation means for transmitting the number of game medals stored in the slot machine 1 to a dedicated unit SU; a settlement button AB, which is for releasing the insertion state and returning the electronic medals set to the insertion state to the medal counter 311 (see Figure 2); an effect button EB used for effects; and an effect display button PU used to display pre-set effects.

[0018] The performance display button PU is a roughly rectangular button with the word "PUSH" written inside. In the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, when the performance display button PU is operated and the performance signal output to the performance control means 200 (see Figure 2) is activated, a performance is executed on the display device 410 to inform the player that the performance display button PU has been operated, and a performance corresponding to the operation of the performance display button PU is displayed.

[0019] Furthermore, the front lower door DD is equipped with a main control display device 10D controlled by the CPU of the main control board 10 (see Figure 2). The main control display device 10D consists of a 7-segment display and other components, and displays various game information such as information on the winning combination in the current game, and information (notification display) indicating how to press stop buttons B1, B2, and B3, which are related to the payout of electronic tokens. The notification display shown on the main control display device 10D corresponds to the winning combination command, which is a control signal created based on the winning combination information in the current game when a specified number of electronic tokens are inserted and the start lever SL is operated.

[0020] Furthermore, the front lower door DD is equipped with a game token count display device MD controlled by the token count control CPU 31 (see Figure 2). The game token count display device MD consists of a 7-segment display and functions as a conceptual container by displaying the number of game tokens stored in the slot machine 1.

[0021] Furthermore, the front lower door DD is equipped with multiple sound devices 420 for sound-based effects. The sound devices 420 output various sounds to assist or enhance the gameplay.

[0022] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the slot machine 1 according to the first embodiment. The slot machine 1 according to the first embodiment has a main control board 10, a sub-control board 20, and a medal count control board 30 as control boards. The main control board 10 has a main control CPU 11 (game control means) that controls the progress of the game by controlling the game played using game value. The sub-control board 20 has a sub-control CPU 21 that controls the effects related to the game. The medal count control board 30 has a medal count control CPU 31 that manages electronic medals and is configured to communicate with a dedicated unit SU to perform control related to the number of game medals.

[0023] The main control CPU 11 functions as a setting change means 100, an input acceptance means 105, a random number generation means 110, an internal lottery means 120, a reel control means 130, a prize determination means 140, a payout control means 150, a game state transition control means 160, an assist time control means (AT control means) 170, and a complete control means 180. Each means constituting the main control CPU 11 reads and executes the respective control program pre-stored in the main memory means 190 when executing each control process.

[0024] The setting change means 100 performs control (setting change control) to change the setting value stored in the setting value storage means 191 of the main memory means 190. The setting change means 100 operates when a setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder KC provided on the main control board 10 and the setting key is turned, causing the setting change switch SS provided inside the setting key cylinder KC to turn ON. When the setting change switch SS is ON and the power is turned on, the setting change means 100 transitions to a setting change permission state, which allows setting changes. On the other hand, the setting change means 100 is configured not to transition to the setting change permission state if the setting change switch SS is ON while the power is on.

[0025] The setting change means 100, in the setting change permission state, receives an input signal output when the setting change button BS on the power supply is operated, and cyclically changes the setting value in the order of setting 1 → setting 2 → ... → setting 6 → setting 1 → ..., and confirms the setting value based on the reception of a start signal output when the start lever SL is operated. In the slot machine 1, the probability of winning in some of the winning areas among the winning areas that can be won in the internal lottery by the internal lottery means 120 is changed according to the setting value confirmed in the setting value storage means 191. In other words, the setting change means 100 is configured to change the setting value, which is a value that can change the probability of winning a role in the internal lottery by the internal lottery means 120.

[0026] In the first embodiment of the slot machine 1, when the setting change control by the setting change means 100 is executed, the control related to the game state executed by the game state transition control means 160 and the control related to the advantageous section executed by the AT control means 170 are initialized, the game state is set to the non-replay time state (hereinafter, replay time is also referred to as "RT"), and the control related to auxiliary games that the AT control means 170 was executing before the setting change is also initialized and the normal section is set. On the other hand, in the slot machine 1, when the power supply to the main control CPU 11 is cut off (power out) and then the power supply is resumed, the control related to the game state executed by the game state transition control means 160 and the control related to the advantageous section executed by the AT control means 170 are restarted from the state before the power outage, and the control related to auxiliary games that the AT control means 170 was executing before the power outage is also maintained in the state before the power outage.

[0027] The input receiving means 105, during the input receiving period for accepting the insertion of electronic tokens, receives an input signal output when the max bet button MB is operated (bet operation) while the number of game tokens stored in the token counter 311 (described later) is greater than or equal to a predetermined number. Based on this, it sets the electronic tokens stored in the token counter 311 to the insertion state, up to a predetermined number set for each game state, and activates the game start operation on the start lever SL based on the fact that the electronic tokens corresponding to the predetermined number have been set to the insertion state.

[0028] In the first embodiment of the slot machine 1, the initial press of the start lever SL, which is activated based on the insertion of a predetermined number of electronic tokens, is accepted as the player's operation to start playing, triggering the rotation of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3, and also triggering the internal lottery means 120, which will be described later, to perform an internal lottery. Details of the predetermined numbers set for each game state will be described later.

[0029] Furthermore, the input receiving means 105, during the period between when the electronic tokens are set to the input state and when the start lever SL is started, receives an input signal output when the settlement button AB is operated, thereby releasing the input state and adding the same number of electronic tokens that were set to the input state to the number of game tokens stored in the token counter 311, thereby settling the electronic tokens that were set to the input state.

[0030] The random number generation means 110 is a means for generating random numbers for the lottery. In the first embodiment, the term "random number" includes not only values ​​that occur randomly in a mathematical sense, but also values ​​that, even if their generation is regular, can function as effectively random numbers because the timing of their acquisition is irregular.

[0031] The internal lottery means 120 is a means for performing an internal lottery to determine whether a winning combination is achieved based on a start signal output when a player performs a start operation on the start lever SL, and performs lottery table selection processing, random number determination processing, lottery flag setting processing, etc.

[0032] In the lottery table selection process, the system selects which of the multiple internal lottery tables stored in the internal lottery table storage means 192 of the main memory means 190 will be used to perform the internal lottery, based on the current game state. In each internal lottery table, each of the multiple random numbers (for example, 65,536 random numbers from 0 to 65,535) is associated with various roles such as replays, minor roles, and bonuses, as well as losses (misses).

[0033] In the following description, "bonus" refers to a feature that activates a special mechanism or a continuous special mechanism activation device upon winning; "bonus activated" means that a bonus is won and the special mechanism or continuous special mechanism activation device is activated; and "bonus state" means the state in which the special mechanism or continuous special mechanism activation device is activated.

[0034] In the random number determination process, a random number (random number for drawing) is obtained for each game based on the start signal output when the start lever SL is started. The obtained random number is then compared with the internal drawing table selected in the drawing table selection process, and a determination is made based on the comparison result as to whether or not a winning combination has been achieved.

[0035] In the lottery flag setting process, based on the result of the random number determination process, the lottery flag corresponding to the winning combination is set from a non-established state (first flag state, OFF state) to an established state (second flag state, ON state). In the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, if two or more combinations are won simultaneously, the lottery flag corresponding to each of the two or more combinations that were won simultaneously is set to an established state. In the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, there are lottery flags that can be carried over to subsequent games until a win is achieved (carry-over flags) and lottery flags that are reset to a non-established state without being carried over to subsequent games regardless of whether a win is achieved (carry-over non-carry-over flags). The lottery flag setting information is stored in the lottery flag storage means 193 of the main memory means 190.

[0036] The reel control means 130 starts the rotation drive of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 and performs reel rotation control to control the rotation pattern of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 based on the player performing a start operation on the start lever SL and outputting a start signal. Furthermore, when the rotation state of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 reaches a state of steady rotation at a predetermined speed (for example, about 80 rpm), the reel control means 130 performs control to activate the stop operation by operating the stop buttons B1 to B3 corresponding to each reel. Then, when the stop buttons B1 to B3 are stopped and a reel stop signal is output, the reel control means 130 performs control (reel stop control) to stop each of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 corresponding to the stopped stop buttons B1 to B3.

[0037] In the following description, when the reel control means 130 starts the rotation of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3, and the player operates the valid stop buttons B1 to B3 respectively, the first operation will be referred to as the first stop operation, the second operation as the second stop operation, and the third operation as the third stop operation.

[0038] In the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, for the left reel R1 to the right reel R3, the rotating reel corresponding to the pressed stop button is stopped within a predetermined period of 190 ms (milliseconds, msec) from the time the stop buttons B1 to B3 are pressed. In the following description, pressing the stop buttons B1 to B3 will also be referred to as the operation. Furthermore, the slot machine 1 may be configured to output a stop signal not only when the stop buttons B1 to B3 are pressed, but also, for example, when the operation of pressing the stop buttons B1 to B3 and then releasing the pressed stop buttons B1 to B3 is performed.

[0039] Here, if the spinning reels are to be stopped within 190ms from the time the stop button is pressed, the stopping position of each spinning reel is configured such that, based on the diameter and rotation speed of each reel, it can rotate up to 4 frames from the time the stop button is pressed until the reels stop. For this reason, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, for the left reel R1 to the right reel R3, the range in which symbols can be pulled onto the active line L1 (pulling range) is a total of 5 frames from the frame displayed on the active line L1 at the time the stop button is pressed until it rotates 4 frames.

[0040] When reel stop control is executed, the reel control means 130 performs a logic calculation process to determine the stopping position of the rotating reel based on a predetermined priority order, which includes a pull-in process that stops the rotating reel so that as many winning combinations as possible with the lottery flag set to the "established" state can be awarded, and a kick-off process that stops the rotating reel so that winning combinations with the lottery flag set to the "not established" state cannot be awarded, and a table reference process that determines the stopping position of the rotating reel by referring to the stop control table stored in the reel control data storage means 194 of the main memory means 190, thereby stopping the rotating reel and displaying a symbol on the active line L1 (hereinafter, stopping the rotating reel by reel stop control and displaying a symbol on the active line L1 is also referred to as "stop display").

[0041] In the first embodiment of the slot machine 1, when multiple types of small wins are won in the internal lottery, there are two methods for determining the priority of candidate stopping positions: one is to determine the priority according to the number of symbol combinations that can be displayed on the active line L1 (quantity priority control), and the other is to determine the priority according to the number of electronic medals dispensed based on the predetermined payout for each small win (coin priority control). However, when executing coin priority control, if the same small win with the same payout is won multiple times, the priority of candidate stopping positions that can award each of these small wins is treated as the same.

[0042] The prize determination means 140 performs a prize determination process to determine whether a winning combination has been achieved based on the stopping patterns of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3. Specifically, while referring to the prize determination table stored in the prize determination table storage means 195 of the main memory means 190, it determines whether the symbol combinations displayed on the active line L1 when all of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 have stopped correspond to predetermined winning combinations. The prize determination table is provided so that the presence or absence of a bonus, replay, or minor win can be determined (hereinafter referred to as "prize determination") based on the symbol combinations displayed on the active line L1 in the state in which each reel has stopped. In the following description, the symbol combinations that indicate the winning combination will also be referred to as "prize symbol combinations".

[0043] In the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, each process is executed based on the result of the prize determination means 140 in the prize determination process. As for each process executed based on the result of the prize determination, for example, if a small prize is won, the payout control means 150 is instructed to determine the number of game tokens to be paid out as electronic tokens; if a replay is won, the payout control means 150 is instructed to execute a process that will allow the next game to be played without consuming electronic tokens; and if a prize that triggers a transition to a game state such as a bonus is won, the game state transition control means 160 is instructed to transition to a game state.

[0044] The payout control means 150 performs payout processing related to the payout of electronic tokens according to the game result. Specifically, when a minor win occurs, it determines the number of electronic tokens to be paid out in the game based on the predetermined payout for each win, and virtually controls the payout by adding the number of game tokens corresponding to the determined payout number to the token counter 311.

[0045] Furthermore, the payout control means 150, when the winning determination means 140 determines that a combination of symbols indicating the winning of one of the multiple types of replay symbols described later has stopped and is displayed on the active line L1, performs a replay process (re-play process) to set the machine to a ready state that allows the next game to be played without requiring the insertion of electronic tokens. In other words, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, when a replay is won, an automatic insertion process is performed in which a predetermined number of electronic tokens are automatically inserted without using the electronic tokens held by the player, and the machine waits for the start operation of the next start lever SL with the same active line L1 as the previous game set.

[0046] In slot machine 1, the system is configured so that even if the settlement buttons A and B are operated during the period from when a replay is awarded until the start of the next game, that is, during the period when a predetermined number of electronic tokens are automatically inserted due to the replay process and the game has not yet started, the same number of game tokens as the predetermined number will not be added to the token counter 311.

[0047] The game state transition control means 160 performs the process of transitioning game states between multiple game states, and the process of activating and terminating bonuses. Here, the transition conditions for each game state may be defined as one condition or multiple conditions. If multiple conditions are defined, the game state can be transitioned to another game state based on the fulfillment of any one of the multiple predetermined conditions, or on the fulfillment of all of the multiple predetermined conditions.

[0048] The AT control means 170 is an auxiliary game control means that performs control related to the transition between an advantageous section (advantageous period), which is a section (period) in which control related to instruction functions, including auxiliary games that display notifications assisting in winning specific roles on the main control display device 10D, can be executed, and a normal section (non-advantageous period, non-advantageous section), which is a section (period) in which control related to auxiliary games (control related to instruction functions) based on the results of internal lottery by the internal lottery means 120 cannot be executed, using data stored in the AT control data storage means 196, thereby performing control related to the normal section, advantageous section, and auxiliary games.

[0049] The AT control data storage means 196 stores data used in various controls related to multiple types of performance states, including the normal state and the AT state, which are executed within the advantageous period (various flags, counters, etc., which are set to the ON state or OFF state in a predetermined control process).

[0050] The AT control means 170 sets the performance state to the AT state (assist time state) under predetermined conditions during the advantageous section, and provides operation notification to assist in winning specific roles by displaying information (an example of operation instruction information) corresponding to the operation patterns of stop buttons B1 to B3 that enable the winning of specific roles on the main control display device 10D, which consists of a 7-segment display. Furthermore, in the slot machine 1, when operation notification by the AT control means 170 is executed, the performance control means 200, described later, executes a navigation performance that displays an indicator corresponding to the correct sequence of hits on the display device 410. In this way, in the slot machine 1, in the AT state, the operation patterns of stop buttons B1 to B3 are notified through operation notification and navigation performance assistance, thereby executing an advantageous auxiliary game (AT game, notification game) for the player.

[0051] The AT control means 170, when a predetermined termination condition for ending the advantageous period, as will be described in more detail later, is met, executes a predetermined termination process that ends the advantageous period and starts the normal period from the next game, and a predetermined initialization process that initializes various flags, numerical values, and other information related to the advantageous period that were set within the advantageous period.

[0052] The AT control means 170 performs an update process (advantageous section difference in tokens update process) that cumulatively records the difference (difference in tokens, number of tokens acquired) obtained by subtracting the number of electronic tokens dispensed from the game in which the advantageous section started by the number of electronic tokens inserted into the advantageous section counter 196a. When the AT control means 170 is in an advantageous section, it performs an advantageous section difference in tokens update process that cumulatively updates the value stored in the advantageous section counter 196a to a value equivalent to the difference in electronic tokens, regardless of the game state.

[0053] Furthermore, in the process of updating the difference in the number of tokens in the advantageous section, the AT control means 170 subtracts the stored value of the advantageous section counter 196a when the number of electronic tokens dispensed in the game is less than a specified number, and if the stored value of the advantageous section counter 196a becomes less than "0", the AT control means 170 also sets the result of the subtraction to the advantageous section counter 196a. In other words, the AT control means 170 is configured to be able to set a negative value to the advantageous section counter 196a.

[0054] The AT control means 170 determines that a specific termination condition has been met as a predetermined termination condition for ending the advantageous section when more than 2400 electronic medals are acquired during the advantageous section, that is, when the stored value of the advantageous section counter 196a exceeds the value "2400", and executes a predetermined termination process to end the advantageous section and start the normal section from the next game. For example, in slot machine 1, if the stored value of the advantageous section counter 196a was a negative value of "-900" before transitioning to a performance state in which electronic medals can be acquired, a total of 3301 electronic medals can be acquired: 900 medals until the stored value of the advantageous section counter 196a becomes "0", and 2401 medals until the stored value of the advantageous section counter 196a becomes "2401" or more.

[0055] The AT control means 170 initializes all information used in various control processes during the advantageous period, such as each flag set to the ON state during the advantageous period and values ​​set during the advantageous period, during a predetermined initialization process. The AT control means 170 can also terminate the advantageous period if a predetermined termination condition (normal termination condition) other than the specific termination condition is met, and executes the predetermined initialization process and predetermined termination process when the normal termination condition is met. Details of the normal termination conditions set by the AT control means 170 in the first embodiment will be described later.

[0056] The complete control means 180 controls the slot machine 1 to activate a complete function, which stops the game when the cumulative number of electronic tokens acquired since the slot machine 1 was powered on reaches a predetermined value (for example, 19,000 tokens). The complete control means 180 performs an update process (complete acquired number update process) in which the difference (difference in tokens, acquired number) obtained by subtracting the number of electronic tokens dispensed in each game from the number of electronic tokens inserted after the slot machine 1 is powered on is cumulatively recorded in the token acquired counter 197a of the complete storage means 197. However, the complete control means 180 does not update the stored value of the token acquired counter 197a when a replay is awarded.

[0057] In the complete medal acquisition update process, which updates the stored value of the medal acquisition counter 197a, the complete control means 180 subtracts the stored value of the medal acquisition counter 197a when the number of electronic medals dispensed in the game is less than a predetermined number, and if the stored value of the medal acquisition counter 197a becomes less than "0", the complete control means 180 sets the stored value of the medal acquisition counter 197a to "0". As a result, the complete control means 180 can fix the value of the stored value of the medal acquisition counter 197a to "0" when it reaches its lowest point, eliminating the need to change the threshold value for judgment according to the specific numerical value at the lowest point in the control process using the stored value of the medal acquisition counter 197a, thereby reducing the load on the control process using the stored value of the medal acquisition counter 197a.

[0058] The complete control means 180 determines that the conditions for activating the complete function have been met when the number of medals acquired from the lowest point of the number of electronic medals paid out after the slot machine 1 is powered on reaches 19,000, that is, when the stored value of the medal acquisition counter 197a reaches the value "19,000".

[0059] The complete control means 180 activates the complete function when none of the following are activated: the regular bonus (RB) as a first-class special feature, the regular big bonus (RBB) as a continuous feature activation device related to the first-class special feature, and the challenge big bonus (CBB) as a continuous feature activation device related to the second-class special feature. Based on the fulfillment of the conditions for activating the complete function, the complete function is activated in the game in which the conditions are met, after the stop buttons B1 to B3 are stopped and the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 have stopped.

[0060] On the other hand, if RB, RBB, or CBB is active, the complete control means 180 activates the complete function after the stop buttons B1 to B3 are stopped and the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 have stopped in a game where the active RB, RBB, or CBB has finished.

[0061] The complete control means 180 sets the complete function activation flag stored in the complete flag storage means 197b of the complete storage means 197 to the ON state when activating the complete function. When the complete function activation flag is set to the ON state, the slot machine 1 enters a stop state, and no further play can be performed until the complete function activation flag is set to the OFF state. The complete function activation flag, which is set to the ON state, is reset to the OFF state when the front upper door UD of the slot machine 1 is opened and the setting change button BS located inside is operated to initialize it. Due to this configuration, the slot machine 1 is configured so that when the complete function is activated, the complete function cannot be deactivated by the player's operation.

[0062] The sub-control CPU 21 functions as a performance control means 200. Each means constituting the sub-control CPU 21 reads and executes the control program pre-stored in the sub-storage means 210 when executing each control process.

[0063] The performance control means 200 controls game-related effects based on performance data stored in the performance control data storage means 211 of the sub-storage means 210, such as image and video effects using the display device 410 and sound effects using the sound device 420. Specifically, when a player operates various components of the slot machine 1, such as the max bet button MB, start lever SL, stop buttons B1 to B3, counting button KB, and performance display button PU, or when a game event occurs such as a change in the game state, the performance control means 200 controls the execution of effects that enhance the game, assist the game, or notify the player that an operation has been performed by lighting or flashing lamps and LEDs, outputting sound from the sound device 420, etc. Furthermore, the performance control means 200 causes each component of the performance device 400 to execute effects based on each performance state.

[0064] Furthermore, when the performance control means 200 performs control related to images and video, it draws to the corresponding layer among the multiple layers provided in the sub-storage means 210. The performance control means 200 superimposes the images drawn on the multiple layers onto the frame buffer 213 provided in the sub-storage means 210 to create a single image, and displays the superimposed image in the display area 410a of the display device 410. When the performance control means 200 draws images to the frame buffer 213, it draws the images drawn on the lower layers first, so that the images drawn on the higher layers are displayed in the display area 410a with priority over the images drawn on the lower layers.

[0065] The medal count control CPU 31 functions as a medal count control means 300. Each means constituting the medal count control CPU 31 reads and executes the control program pre-stored in the medal count storage means 310 when executing each control process.

[0066] The medal count control means 300 is configured to transmit signals to the dedicated unit SU via the dispensing device connection terminal board 40, and to receive signals transmitted from the dedicated unit SU via the dispensing device connection terminal board 40. The medal count control CPU 31 stores the total number of electronic medals that can be used for playing games in the slot machine 1, which is the number of game medals, using the medal count counter 311, and displays the number of game medals stored in the medal count counter 311 on the game medal count display device MD.

[0067] The medal count control means 300 primarily updates (adds or subtracts) the number of game medals stored (held) in the medal count counter 311 in response to commands received from the main control board 10, notifications received from the dedicated unit SU, or operations on the counting button KB. The medal count control means 300 also displays the updated number of game medals on the game medal count display device MD.

[0068] Specifically, the medal count control means 300, when the counting button KB is operated while the game is playable, transmits a value corresponding to the number of game medals stored in the medal count counter 311 to the dedicated unit SU via the dispensing device connection terminal board 40, and subtracts the number of medals corresponding to the transmitted value from the medal count counter 311. Here, "while the game is playable" means that the game machine and the dedicated unit SU are electrically connected, power is supplied to both the game machine and the dedicated unit SU, neither the game machine nor the dedicated unit SU is undergoing maintenance, and no error has occurred that would prevent the game from being played. Furthermore, the slot machine 1 is controlled so that the stored value of the medal count counter 311 is not subtracted by operation of the counting button KB when it is not connected to the dedicated unit SU, thereby preventing a situation in which the stored value of the medal count counter 311 is subtracted but no signal is transmitted to the dedicated unit SU.

[0069] If the counting button KB is pressed for less than 500ms, the medal count control means 300 transmits a value of "1" equivalent to one medal to the dedicated unit SU via the lending device connection terminal board 40, and subtracts the stored value of the medal count counter 311 by the value of "1". If the counting button KB is pressed for 500ms or more, the medal count control means 300 transmits a value of "50" equivalent to 50 medals to the dedicated unit SU via the lending device connection terminal board 40 at the counting timing after 500ms have elapsed, and subtracts the stored value of the medal count counter 311 by the value of "50". Thereafter, every 300ms that elapse while the counting button KB is pressed, a value of "50" equivalent to 50 medals is transmitted to the dedicated unit SU via the lending device connection terminal board 40, and the stored value of the medal count counter 311 is subtracted by the value of "50". Furthermore, when 500ms or more have elapsed since the counting button KB was pressed, if the stored value of the medal counter 311 is less than "50", the medal count control means 300 transmits a value corresponding to the stored value of the medal counter 311 to the dedicated unit SU via the dispensing device connection terminal board 40, and subtracts the stored value of the medal counter 311 by the value corresponding to that stored value, thereby setting the stored value of the medal counter 311 to "0".

[0070] The medal count control means 300 determines that a medal overflow has occurred when the stored value of the medal count counter 311 exceeds the value "16369", which is set as the limit of 16368 medals to be stored in the slot machine 1. Based on the determination that a medal overflow has occurred, the slot machine 1 issues a medal overflow error, and when the counting button KB is operated and the stored number of medals in the medal count counter 311 is counted, the stored value of the medal count counter 311 becomes "16368" or less, the medal overflow error is cleared.

[0071] When the coin count control means 300 is powered on while the coin count clear button CL, which is located inside the gaming machine, is pressed, it initializes the coin count counter 311 and clears (initializes) the coin count, setting the stored value of the coin count counter 311 to "0". As a result, the slot machine 1 can initialize the information on the number of coins that remained in the coin count counter 311 before the power was turned off when the power is turned on.

[0072] 2. Configuration of the gaming machine in the first embodiment Next, with reference to Figures 2 to 12, the details of each component of the slot machine 1 in the first embodiment will be described.

[0073] <Control related to the specified number via input acceptance means> In the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, during the insertion acceptance period in which the insertion acceptance means 105 accepts the insertion of electronic tokens, when the max bet button MB is operated (bet operation) while the number of game tokens stored in the token counter 311 is greater than or equal to a predetermined number, the same number of input signals as the predetermined number set for each game state are output. Each time an input signal is received, the insertion acceptance means 105 adds a value of "1" corresponding to one electronic token to the insertion count storage means 198 of the main storage means 190, and continues to add values ​​to the insertion count storage means 198 up to the predetermined number set for each game state.

[0074] In the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, the number of specified coins for the non-RT state and the RBB internal state is set to 3 (first specified number), and the number of specified coins for the RBB state is set to 2 (second specified number).

[0075] In other words, when the game state is not RT state or RBB internal state, the coin insertion receiving means 105 stores the value "3" in the coin insertion count storage means 198 based on the fact that the input signal is received three times when the Max Bet button MB is operated with three or more game tokens stored in the medal count counter 311. Also, when the game state is RBB state, the coin insertion receiving means 105 stores the value "2" in the coin insertion count storage means 198 based on the fact that the input signal is received twice when the Max Bet button MB is operated with two or more game tokens stored in the medal count counter 311.

[0076] <Winning areas subject to internal lottery> Figure 3 shows the winning areas subject to internal lottery in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, and the winning numbers and winning combinations associated with each winning area. In addition, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment has an RBB as a bonus, which is a continuous activation device for a special first-class bonus.

[0077] As shown in Figure 3, in the first embodiment of the slot machine 1, the winning areas that are subject to internal lottery include the winning area "All Small Wins", the winning area "All Single Wins", the winning area "Replay 1", the winning area "Replay 2", the winning areas "Bat Order Bell 1" to "Bat Order Bell 4", the winning area "Rare Win", the winning area "RBB & Single Win", and the winning area "RBB", and the winning numbers 1 to 11 are associated with each of these areas. In addition, in the slot machine 1, the winning number 0 is associated with the result of the internal lottery when the result is not a win (miss).

[0078] Here, "batting order" refers to the sequence in which operations are performed on stop buttons B1 through B3. Furthermore, in the following description, the timing at which stop buttons B1 through B3 are operated will also be referred to as "operation timing."

[0079] In the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, the sequence of operations for the three stop buttons B1 to B3 consists of six types of sequences, from sequence 1 to sequence 6. Sequence 1 is a sequence where the stopping operations are performed in the order of stop button B1 → stop button B2 → stop button B3, which is known as a "sequential pressing" sequence. Sequence 2 is a sequence where the stopping operations are performed in the order of stop button B1 → stop button B3 → stop button B2, which is known as a "scissors pressing" sequence. Sequence 3 is a sequence where the stopping operations are performed in the order of stop button B2 → stop button B1 → stop button B3. Sequence 4 is a sequence where the stopping operations are performed in the order of stop button B2 → stop button B3 → stop button B1. Sequence 5 is a sequence where the stopping operations are performed in the order of stop button B3 → stop button B1 → stop button B2. Furthermore, batting order 6 is a so-called reverse batting order, where the stopping operation is performed in the order of stop button B3 → stop button B2 → stop button B1.

[0080] The internal lottery means 120 determines whether each winning area is a winner or loser in the random number determination process, starting from the winning area associated with winning number 11 and moving towards the losing area associated with winning number 0.

[0081] In the first embodiment of the slot machine 1, there are small wins 1 to 9 that can be won when selected by internal lottery, and there are replays 1 and 2 that can be won by internal lottery. Each small win and each replay is associated with each winning area in the combinations shown in Figure 3. Also, as shown in Figure 3, in the slot machine 1, there is a winning area "RBB&1-coin win" which includes both bonuses and small wins, and a winning area "RBB" which includes only bonuses.

[0082] In slot machine 1, the winning probability for the "Replay 2" area is set lower than that for the "Replay 1" area. Also, in slot machine 1, the winning probability for the "Rare Role" area is set lower than that for each of the winning areas, including the "Bat Order Bell 1" to "Bat Order Bell 4" areas and the "RBB & 1-Coin Role" area.

[0083] In the first embodiment of the slot machine 1, the carry-over flag is associated with the RBB, while the minor role and replay are associated with the non-carry-over flag. That is, in the lottery flag setting process, if the internal lottery hits a winning area including the RBB, the state in which the RBB lottery flag is established is carried over until the RBB is won. At this time, the internal lottery means 120 also performs an internal lottery to determine whether the minor role and replay are won, even in a game where the RBB lottery flag's established state has been carried over. That is, in the lottery flag setting process, in a game where the RBB lottery flag's established state has been carried over, if a minor role or replay is won, the lottery flags corresponding to two or more roles, consisting of the already won RBB lottery flag and the minor role or replay lottery flag won in the internal lottery, are set to the established state.

[0084] <Internal Lottery Table> In the first embodiment, the slot machine 1 stores in the internal lottery table storage means 192 an internal lottery table used in the internal lottery conducted by the internal lottery means 120, which includes an internal lottery table used in the non-RT state (general mode) (hereinafter referred to as internal lottery table A), an internal lottery table used in the RBB internal mode (internal mode) (hereinafter referred to as internal lottery table B), and an internal lottery table used in the RBB state (hereinafter referred to as internal lottery table C). In each of the internal lottery tables A to C, a lottery value is associated with each winning area that is the target of the lottery.

[0085] In the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, the internal lottery table A has 65,536 lottery values, each corresponding to one of the following: winning area "Bat Order Bell 1" to "Bat Order Bell 4", winning area "Rare Role", winning area "Replay 1", winning area "Replay 2", winning area "RBB & 1-Coin Role", and winning area "RBB", and is configured so that in the internal lottery, the player will win either a small role, a replay, or a bonus.

[0086] Furthermore, the internal lottery table B has 65,536 lottery values, each corresponding to one of the following winning areas: "Bat Order Bell 1" to "Bat Order Bell 4", "Rare Role", "Replay 1", "Replay 2", or "RBB & 1-Coin Role". The internal lottery is configured to result in winning either a small role, a replay, or a bonus.

[0087] Internal draw table A and internal draw table B are such that the number of draw values ​​associated with the winning area "RBB" in internal draw table A is associated with the winning area "Replay 2" in internal draw table B. The probability of winning for each winning area other than "Replay 2" and "RBB" in internal draw table A is the same as the probability of winning for each winning area other than "Replay 2" in internal draw table B. Specifically, for example, the probability of winning for winning areas "Batting Order Bell 1" to "Batting Order Bell 4" in internal draw table A is the same as the probability of winning for winning areas "Batting Order Bell 1" to "Batting Order Bell 4" in internal draw table B.

[0088] Internal lottery table C has 65,536 lottery values, each associated with either the winning area "all minor roles" or the winning area "all single roles," and is configured to result in winning a minor role in the internal lottery. Furthermore, in the internal lottery using internal lottery table C, the probability of winning each of minor roles 1 through 9 is higher than the probability of winning each of minor roles 1 through 9 in the internal lottery using internal lottery table A and internal lottery table B.

[0089] With this configuration, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment is configured so that it will not result in a loss (failure) in the internal lottery in any of the game states: non-RT state, RBB internal state, or RBB state.

[0090] <Random number generation process> In the first embodiment, the internal lottery means 120, in the random number determination process, sequentially subtracts the random number obtained from the random number generation means 110 by the number of lottery values ​​associated with each winning area in the internal lottery table obtained from the internal lottery table storage means 192. If the result of the subtraction is a negative value, it is determined that the player has won in the winning area corresponding to the number of lottery values ​​that was subtracted. Furthermore, if the result of the subtraction is a positive value after subtracting by all the number of lottery values ​​stored in the internal lottery table, it is determined that the player has not won any role and is therefore unsuccessful.

[0091] <Reel control means> In the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, regardless of the game state, the priority order for the winning combinations to be stopped on the active line L1 in the reel stop control is set to "replay > small win > bonus". In other words, when a bonus and a small win or a bonus and a replay are both won, the reel control means 130 performs a stop control that prioritizes the small win or replay over the bonus.

[0092] Furthermore, as described above, the reel control means 130 is configured to rotate up to 4 frames from the time the stop button is pressed until the reel stops. Therefore, it is configured to stop and display on the active line L1 regardless of the timing of pressing the stop buttons B1 to B3 for symbols arranged at intervals of 4 frames or less among the symbols arranged on the left reel R1 to the right reel R3.

[0093] <Payouts for minor roles> In the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, the payouts for minor wins 1 to 9 are set for both when three electronic tokens, which constitute the first predetermined number, are inserted to start the game (3-token bet) and when two electronic tokens, which constitute the first predetermined number, are inserted to start the game (2-token bet).

[0094] Small win 1 has the same payout when betting 3 coins as when betting 2 coins, and is set at 7 coins, which is more than the first specified number. Small win 2 has the same payout when betting 3 coins as when betting 2 coins, and is set at 3 coins, which is the same as the first specified number. Small wins 3 to 9 have the same payout when betting 3 coins as when betting 2 coins, and are set at 1 coin, which is less than the first specified number.

[0095] With this configuration, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment has the same payout set for all small wins from small win 1 to small win 9, whether the game is played with a 3-coin bet or with a 2-coin bet. As a result, there is no need to set a predetermined number of parameters for the data related to setting the payouts, and there is no need to set the payouts for the 3-coin bet and the payouts for the 2-coin bet separately. Therefore, the data capacity of the data related to small wins in the area of ​​the main memory means 190 that stores various data can be reduced.

[0096] <Setting the number of payouts> In the payout process for dispensing electronic tokens according to the game result, the payout control means 150, when a minor win is achieved, stores a value corresponding to a predetermined payout for each win in the payout number storage means 199 (see Figure 2) of the main storage means 190.

[0097] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when a game with two bets is played, the payout control means 150 compares the upper limit of the number of payouts that can be paid out with the value stored in the payout number storage means 199 during the payout process. If the value stored in the payout number storage means 199 is greater than the upper limit, the payout for that game is set to the upper limit to determine the number of electronic tokens to be paid out in that game, and the number of game tokens corresponding to the determined payout is added to the token counter 311 to virtually control the payout. Details of the process that references the upper limit of the number of payouts that can be paid out when a game with two bets is played will be described later.

[0098] <Game state transition control means> Figure 4(A) is a state transition diagram showing the game states that can be transitioned from each game state in the control related to the transition of game states performed by the game state transition control means 160 of the first embodiment.

[0099] As shown in Figure 4(A), the non-RT state is the initial state among several types of game states (initial game state, normal game state), and is a non-bonus state in which no bonus is activated or established. In the non-RT state, the game state transition control means 160 causes the internal lottery means 120 to perform an internal lottery using internal lottery table A, in which the probability of winning a replay is set to 8978 / 65536 (approximately 1 / 7.3). In slot machine 1, when the game state is the non-RT state, the game can be started by setting a first predetermined number (3) of electronic tokens to the insertion state.

[0100] The internal RBB state is a gaming state that transitions when winning in the internal lottery in the non-RT state in either the winning area "RBB & 1 card combination" or the winning area "RBB", and the RBB is set to the established state. In the internal RBB state, the game state transition control means 160 causes the internal lottery means 120 to perform an internal lottery using the internal lottery table B in which the winning probability of replay is set to 8982 / 65536 (approx. 1 / 7.3). In the slot machine 1, when the game state is the internal RBB state, the game can be started by setting the first specified number (3) of electronic medals to the inserted state.

[0101] The RBB state is a gaming state that transitions when the RBB wins and the RBB activates. In the RBB state, when the game state transition control means 160 determines that the end condition of the RBB is satisfied when more than a predetermined payout number (for example, 100) of electronic medals are paid out, the operation of the RBB is terminated and the game state is transitioned to the non-RT state. In the RBB state, the game state transition control means 160 causes the internal lottery means 120 to perform an internal lottery using the internal lottery table C. In the slot machine 1, when the game state is the RBB state, the game can be started by setting the second specified number (2) of electronic medals to the inserted state. Details of the gameplay in the RBB state will be described later.

[0102] <AT control means> FIG. 4(B) is a state transition diagram showing details of the normal section and the advantageous section controlled by the AT control means 170 of the first embodiment, and the effect state controlled during the advantageous section.

[0103] As described above, the normal section is a period in which control related to the auxiliary game based on the result of the internal lottery by the internal lottery means 120 is not executed. The AT control means 170 performs an advantageous section lottery, which is a lottery for determining whether to end the normal section and start the advantageous section based on the winning area won in the internal lottery by the internal lottery means 120 during the game in the normal section.

[0104] In the advantageous section lottery, the AT control means 170 first obtains an advantageous section transition lottery table from the AT control data storage means 196, which is a data table in which "start of advantageous section" and "miss (failure)" are associated with each of several random numbers. Then, the AT control means 170 obtains a random number from the random number generation means 110, compares the obtained random number with the advantageous section transition lottery table, and decides whether or not to start the advantageous section based on the comparison result.

[0105] The AT control means 170 performs a favorable section lottery so that the probability obtained by multiplying the probability of winning a winning area in the internal lottery and the probability of winning "start of favorable section" in the favorable section lottery is 1 / 17500 or more.

[0106] In the first embodiment, the AT control means 170 is configured to perform a favorable section lottery when the winning area "Bat Order Bell 1" to "Bat Order Bell 4", the winning area "Rare Role", the winning area "RBB & 1-Coin Role", or the winning area "Replay 1" is selected in the internal lottery, and not perform a favorable section lottery when any other winning area is selected. Furthermore, the AT control means 170 performs a favorable section lottery with a high probability of approximately 1 / 1.5 in which it selects "Start of Favourite Section".

[0107] In the advantageous period, the AT control means 170 has states (performance states) related to the instruction function, namely a normal state, a CZ state, and an AT state. In the normal state, it is configured not to perform assistance for winning small role 1 when winning in the winning areas "batting order bell 1" to "batting order bell 4". In the CZ state and the AT state, it is configured to perform assistance for winning small role 1 when winning in the winning areas "batting order bell 1" to "batting order bell 4". Furthermore, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment is configured such that the proportion of time spent in the advantageous period during the overall gameplay can be 70% or more.

[0108] The normal state is the performance state that corresponds to the normal state among several types of performance states (normal performance state), which is set when the performance state has not transitioned to any other performance state. When the performance state transitions to the normal state, the AT control means 170 performs an incremental update to the normal game counter (not shown), which counts the number of games played in the normal state, by adding a value of "1" corresponding to one game each time a game is played. When the value of the normal game counter reaches the value of "700", the AT control means 170 determines that the conditions for transitioning to the CZ state (CZ transition conditions) have been met, and transitions the performance state from the normal state to the CZ state.

[0109] The AT control means 170 is configured to perform a CZ lottery to determine whether or not to transition to the CZ state in a game in which the internal lottery in the normal state has resulted in a winning area that does not include RBB.

[0110] Furthermore, the AT control means 170 performs a normal AT lottery to determine whether or not to transition to the AT state when it wins the winning area "rare role" in the internal lottery. If it wins "transition to AT state", it determines that the conditions for transitioning to the AT state (AT transition conditions) have been met, and transitions from the normal state to the AT state.

[0111] The CZ state is configured to allow transition to the AT state with a higher probability than the normal state when a control is executed to determine whether or not to transition to the AT state as part of the auxiliary gameplay control, making it a more advantageous state for the player than the normal state. The AT control means 170 sets a value corresponding to a predetermined number of games (for example, 10 games) in the CZ game counter (not shown) of the AT control data storage means 196 at the start of the CZ state, and performs a decrement update each time a game is played by subtracting the stored value of the CZ game counter by a value of "1" which corresponds to 1 game.

[0112] The AT control means 170 is configured to perform a CZ-in AT lottery in each game played in the CZ state to determine whether or not to transition to the AT state. If the CZ-in AT lottery results in "transition to AT state", the AT control means 170 transitions the performance state from the CZ state to the AT state after 10 games have been played from the start of the CZ state.

[0113] The AT control means 170, in the gameplay from the end of the CZ until the "transition to AT state" is won in the AT lottery during the CZ, executes a lottery during the CZ to determine whether or not to add (add) the number of times one set of AT state is executed for the AT state to which the transition is made from the CZ state.

[0114] On the other hand, if 10 games are played in the CZ state without winning the "transition to AT state" lottery during the CZ, the AT control means 170 terminates the CZ state and transitions the performance state back to the normal state.

[0115] The AT control means 170 is configured to execute lotteries related to auxiliary games performed in the CZ state (AT lottery during CZ, lottery for increasing the number of sets during CZ) regardless of the results of the internal lottery. Furthermore, the AT control means 170 is configured such that, with respect to lotteries related to auxiliary games performed in the CZ state, if the winning area "rare role" is won in the internal lottery, the probability of "not winning (miss)" is reduced compared to when other winning areas are won, resulting in a more favorable outcome for the player (in the case of AT lottery during CZ, the probability of "transitioning to AT state" is increased).

[0116] The AT state is a more advantageous state for the player than the normal state because it provides assistance for winning small wins when winning in the winning areas "Batting Order Bell 1" to "Batting Order Bell 4".

[0117] The AT control means 170 sets an initial value (50 games) corresponding to a predetermined number of games in the AT game counter (not shown) of the AT control data storage means 196 at the start of the AT state, and performs a decrement update each time a game is played by subtracting the stored value of the AT game counter by a value of "1" which corresponds to one game.

[0118] Furthermore, the AT control means 170 is configured to perform an add-on lottery to determine whether or not to add the value determined by the lottery to the stored value of the AT game counter when the winning area "rare role" is won in the internal lottery by the internal lottery means 120, thereby determining whether or not to add (add) the period during which the AT state continues, and if the value determined by the add-on lottery is 1 or greater, it performs an add-on process to add the determined value to the AT game counter.

[0119] The AT control means 170 determines that the AT state termination condition (AT termination condition) has been met when the stored value of the AT game counter becomes "0" due to a decrement update performed each time a game is played in the AT state, terminates the AT state, and also determines that the normal termination condition among the termination conditions of the advantageous section has been met, and performs a predetermined initialization process which initializes information related to the advantageous section, and a predetermined termination process which terminates the advantageous section and starts the normal section from the next game.

[0120] Furthermore, the AT control means 170 also determines that the AT termination condition has been met if the stored value of the advantageous section counter 196a exceeds the value "2400" while in the AT state, terminates the AT state, and determines that a specific termination condition among the termination conditions of the advantageous section has been met, and executes a predetermined initialization process which initializes information related to the advantageous section, and a predetermined termination process which terminates the advantageous section and starts the normal section from the next game.

[0121] As shown in Figure 4(B), the AT control means 170 is configured to set the performance state at the start of the advantageous period to the CZ state when it wins the "start of advantageous period" lottery in the advantageous period during the normal period and starts the advantageous period. Furthermore, as described above, the AT control means 170 is configured to end the advantageous period and start the normal period when the AT state ends.

[0122] With this configuration, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment is configured such that when the AT state ends and the player transitions from the normal section to the advantageous section, the CZ state is started, and the probability of transitioning back to the AT state is higher than when the player is set to the normal state at the start of the normal section. As a result, once the AT state is started, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment can start the AT state again via the normal section and the CZ state, allowing the player to acquire electronic medals through multiple AT states, thereby increasing the player's enjoyment of the game.

[0123] 3. Gameplay in each game state Next, the gameplay characteristics of the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment in each game state will be described.

[0124] <Game results in each game state> Figure 5 shows the game results for each operation method of stop buttons B1 to B3 when a winning area including a small win is selected in the internal lottery during a non-RT state. Figure 6 shows the game results for each operation method of stop buttons B1 to B3 when a winning area including a small win is selected in the internal lottery during an RBB internal state. Figure 7 shows the game results for each operation method of stop buttons B1 to B3 when a winning area including a small win is selected in the internal lottery during an RBB state.

[0125] As shown in Figure 5, in slot machine 1, when the winning area "Bat Order Bell 1" to "Bat Order Bell 4" is selected during a non-RT state, it is possible to win one of the small wins 3 to 8, which are set to pay out 1 coin in a 3-coin bet game, regardless of how stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated.

[0126] In other words, in slot machine 1, when not in RT mode, even if you win in the winning area "Batting Order Bell 1" to "Batting Order Bell 4", which are winning areas that include small win 1 with a payout of 7 coins in a 3-coin bet game, small win 1 cannot be won.

[0127] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6, in slot machine 1, when the player wins in the winning area "Beat Order Bell 1" to "Beat Order Bell 4" during the RBB internal state, the stop order (correct hit order) of stop buttons B1 to B3 is set so that the small prize 1, which has a payout of 7 coins in a 3-coin bet game, can be won with a 1 / 1 probability.

[0128] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, when a player wins in the winning area "Bat Order Bell 1" to "Bat Order Bell 4" during a non-RT state or RBB internal state, minor prizes 3 and 4 are awarded with a probability of 1 / 1 when stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated in a batting order that allows for winning, and minor prizes 5 to 8 are awarded with a probability of 1 / 2 when stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated in a batting order that allows for winning.

[0129] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, when the winning area "Rare Role" is selected in a non-RT state or RBB internal state, the stop button B3 is stopped at the timing when small role 2 can be awarded, and small role 2, which is set to pay 3 coins in a 3-coin bet game, is awarded, with an award probability of approximately 1 / 1.3. In slot machine 1, if the winning area "Rare Role" is selected but small role 2 is not awarded, it is considered a missed win (non-award).

[0130] Furthermore, if the winning area "RBB & 1-coin payout" is selected while in a non-RT state or RBB internal state, regardless of how stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated, one of the 9 small payouts, which are set to pay 1 coin in a 3-coin bet game, will be awarded with a 1 / 1 probability.

[0131] As shown in Figure 7, in slot machine 1, when the winning area "All Small Wins" is hit in RBB state, if stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated in turn 1 and turn 2, either small win 2, which has a payout of 3 coins in a 2-coin bet game, or small win 9, which has a payout of 1 coin in a 2-coin bet game, will be awarded with a probability of 1 / 1. If stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated in turn 3 to turn 6, small win 1, which has a payout of 7 coins in a 2-coin bet game, will be awarded with a probability of 1 / 1.

[0132] The winning symbol combinations for minor role 2 and minor role 9 include a common symbol in the symbols on the left reel R1 and the middle reel R2. In addition, the winning symbol combinations for minor role 2 and minor role 9 consist of different symbols on the right reel R3. The symbols on the right reel R3 that make up the winning symbol combination for minor role 2 are symbols that have a pull-in range of 15 out of 20 frames on the right reel R3, while the symbols on the right reel R3 that make up the winning symbol combination for minor role 9 are symbols that are arranged to be stoppable on the active line L1 regardless of the timing of operation of stop button B3.

[0133] Given this configuration, in slot machine 1, if the winning area "All Small Wins" is won and stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated in turn 1 and turn 2, if stop button B3 is operated at a timing when the symbols on the right reel R3 that constitute the winning symbol combination for small win 2 can be stopped and displayed on the active line L1, small win 2 is awarded. If stop button B3 is operated at a timing when the symbols on the right reel R3 that constitute the winning symbol combination for small win 2 cannot be stopped and displayed on the active line L1, small win 9 is awarded.

[0134] In slot machine 1, if you win the "All 1-coin payout" area while in RBB state, regardless of the order in which you press stop buttons B1 to B3, there is a 1 / 1 probability that you will win the small payout 9, which is set to pay 1 coin in a 2-coin bet game.

[0135] In this first embodiment, the slot machine 1 is configured to set an upper limit on the number of electronic tokens that can be paid out when a two-coin bet is played, and when a winning combination with a payout equal to or greater than the upper limit is achieved, the number of payouts is set to the upper limit and electronic tokens are paid out. Specifically, the slot machine 1 is configured to set the upper limit on the number of electronic tokens that can be paid out to one when a two-coin bet is played.

[0136] <Processing to set the upper limit of the number of payouts> Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the process by which the slot machine 1 sets an upper limit on the number of payouts. The process shown in Figure 8 is executed in the payout process by the payout control means 150, which is performed when a winning combination is achieved, after the payout value set for the winning combination has been stored in the payout storage means 199.

[0137] As shown in Figure 8, the payout control means 150 first obtains the payout amount stored in the payout amount storage means 199 (S1). In this process, the payout control means 150 obtains the stored value of the payout amount storage means 199, which stores the payout values ​​set for the winning combinations in the current game.

[0138] Next, the payout control means 150 confirms the number of electronic tokens set to be inserted for the current game (S2). In this process, the payout control means 150 can determine whether the current game is a 2-coin bet game or a 3-coin bet game by checking the value stored in the number of tokens inserted storage means 198.

[0139] Next, the payout control means 150 determines whether the number of electronic tokens set to be inserted in the current game was 2 (S3). In this process, the payout control means 150 determines whether the stored value of the inserted number storage means 198, which was confirmed in step S2, was the value "2". By executing the process in step S3, the payout control means 150 can determine whether the current game was played in an RBB state with a second predetermined number (2 tokens) set.

[0140] In step S3, if it is determined that the number of electronic tokens set to be inserted for this game is 2 (YES), the payout control means 150 determines whether the number of tokens to be paid out for this game is 2 or more (S4). In this process, the payout control means 150 determines whether the number of tokens to be paid out stored in the payout number storage means 199 obtained in step S1 is 2 or more.

[0141] In step S4, if it is determined that the number of payouts for this game is 2 or more (YES), the payout control means 150 sets the number of payouts to 1 (S5). In this process, the payout control means 150 sets the number of payouts for this game to 1 by changing the value of 2 or more stored in the payout number storage means 199 to the value "1".

[0142] This process in step S5 constitutes a process that sets the upper limit of the number of electronic tokens that can be dispensed to a specific number (1 token) less than the second specified number (3 tokens) when the game starts with a second specified number (2 tokens) of electronic tokens inserted.

[0143] After executing the process in step S5, if in the process of step S3 it is determined that the number of electronic tokens set to be inserted in this game is 3 (NO), or if in the process of step S4 it is determined that the number of tokens to be paid out in this game is 1 (NO), the payout control means 150 executes the process of paying out electronic tokens (S6) and terminates the payout process. In this process, the payout control means 150 determines the value stored in the payout number storage means 199 as the number of electronic tokens to be paid out in the game, and adds the number of electronic tokens corresponding to the determined payout number to the token counter 311.

[0144] <Dispensing of electronic tokens in each game state> As shown in Figure 5, slot machine 1 is configured so that, in the non-RT state, no payout is awarded based on the winning of small role 1, which is set to have a payout greater than the first specified number. For this reason, the payout rate in the non-RT state is configured to be less than 50% regardless of how stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated.

[0145] The payout rate is the ratio of the total number of electronic tokens paid out during a predetermined number of games (e.g., 17,500 games) to the total number of electronic tokens inserted during that predetermined number of games, assuming that the effects of temporary probability biases are sufficiently ignored.

[0146] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, in slot machine 1, when stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated in turn 1 or turn 2 during the RBB internal state, small win 1, which is set to have a payout greater than the first specified number, will not be awarded. However, when stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated in turn 3 to turn 6, small win 1 becomes possible to win. Therefore, the payout rate in the RBB internal state is configured to be less than 50% when stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated in turn 1 or turn 2, and more than 50% when they are operated in any of turn 3 to turn 6. Also, when stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated in a random turn order during the RBB internal state, the payout rate is configured to be less than 50%.

[0147] As shown in Figure 8, the payout control means 150 is configured to skip steps S4 and S5 from step S3 and proceed to step S6 when a game with a 3-coin bet is played. The payout control means 150 determines the value stored in the payout number storage means 199, which stores the value set as the payout for the winning combination in the game, as the number of electronic medals to be paid out in the game, and adds the number of electronic medals corresponding to the determined payout number to the medal counter 311.

[0148] Due to this configuration, slot machine 1 is set up so that in non-RT state and RBB internal state, the same number of electronic tokens as the payout set for the winning combination are dispensed. In other words, in slot machine 1, in non-RT state and RBB internal state where the specified number is set to the first specified number (3 tokens), if the winning combination 1 is achieved, a payout exceeding the first specified number is executed.

[0149] On the other hand, the payout control means 150 is configured to proceed to step S6 after executing the process in step S5 if a game with a 2-coin bet is played and a small win with a payout of 2 or more coins is awarded in the game with a 2-coin bet. Regardless of the value set as the payout for the small win awarded in the game, the value stored in the payout number storage means 199, which is set to the value "1", is determined as the number of electronic medals to be paid out in the game, and the number of electronic medals (1) corresponding to the determined payout is added to the medal counter 311.

[0150] As described above, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, in the RBB state which is set to a predetermined number of 2 coins, the internal lottery selects the winning area "all small wins", and when stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated in turn 1 and turn 2, small win 2, which has a payout of 3 coins in a 2-coin bet game, becomes possible to win, and when stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated in turn 3 to turn 6, small win 1, which has a payout of 7 coins in a 2-coin bet game, is possible to win. However, when the payout control means 150 shown in Figure 8 performs the process of setting the upper limit of the number of payouts, the number of electronic tokens paid out in a game in which small win 1 is won is set to 1.

[0151] With this configuration, in the first embodiment of the slot machine 1, when a game is played with a 3-coin bet and when a game is played with a 2-coin bet, if a minor role 1 or minor role 2, which has the same payout and a payout of more than 1 coin, is won, a payout of 1 coin will be made, which is less than the set payout and less than the prescribed number (2 coins) in the RBB state.

[0152] Furthermore, as mentioned above, when a game is played with two bets, the payout for minor wins 3 through 9 is set to one coin.

[0153] In other words, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, when the machine transitions to an RBB state where the specified number is set to 2 coins, and a winning area including a minor role is hit, a payout of 1 coin is executed regardless of which minor role is hit. To put it another way, in the slot machine 1, when the specified number is set to the second specified number (2 coins) in an RBB state, if minor role 1 is hit, a payout of less than the second specified number is executed.

[0154] Furthermore, as mentioned above, in slot machine 1, during the internal lottery in the RBB state where the internal lottery table C is used, the machine is configured to win either the "all small wins" area or the "all single wins" area.

[0155] In other words, in the first embodiment of the slot machine 1, when a game is started with a first predetermined number of game values ​​inserted, it is possible to pay out game values ​​exceeding the first predetermined number, and when a game is started with a second predetermined number of game values ​​which is less than the first predetermined number, the upper limit of the number of game values ​​that can be paid out is set to a specific number less than the second predetermined number.

[0156] With this configuration, in the first embodiment, the slot machine 1 is set to insert two electronic tokens and dispenses one electronic token during the RBB state. This allows for a reduction in the payout rate during the RBB state to 50%, while also enabling the design of the game value acquisition performance for when the RBB is not active. As a result, the design flexibility of the slot machine 1 can be dramatically improved.

[0157] Furthermore, as mentioned above, slot machine 1 is configured such that, in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state, the payout rate when stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated in a random order is less than 50%, and the payout rate in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state is lower than the payout rate in the RBB state (50%).

[0158] With this configuration, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment has a payout rate in the RBB state that is lower than in the non-RT state where RBB is not operating and in the RBB internal state, and the performance of the RBB state does not deteriorate excessively, thus ensuring sufficient performance of the gaming machine.

[0159] <Winning combinations available in each game state> Next, using Figure 9, there is a table summarizing the small wins that are awarded based on winning in each game state of the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment: non-RT state, RBB internal state, and RBB state.

[0160] As shown in Figure 9, the small win 1, which has a payout of 7 coins for both the 3-coin bet and the 2-coin bet, is configured not to award a prize if won in a non-RT state, but to award a prize based on whether it was won in the RBB internal state or in the RBB state.

[0161] Furthermore, the small win 2, which is set to pay out 3 coins for both 3-coin bets and 2-coin bets, is configured to award based on whether it is won in a non-RT state, an RBB internal state, or an RBB state.

[0162] Furthermore, regarding the payouts for both the 3-coin bet and the 2-coin bet, among the minor roles 3 to 9, which are set to 1 coin each, minor role 9 is awarded based on winning in the non-RT state, the RBB internal state, and the RBB state, while minor roles 3 to 8 are not awarded if won in the RBB state, but are awarded based on winning in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state.

[0163] As described above, in slot machine 1, in the RBB state where the game starts with the second specified number (2) of electronic tokens inserted, even if a small win with a payout of 2 or more tokens is achieved, the payout limit setting process shown in Figure 8 is executed, resulting in a payout of 1 token.

[0164] In other words, in slot machine 1, when small wins 1 and 2 are set to pay out more than 1 coin each, both when 3 electronic coins are inserted and the game starts, the payout will be different from when 3 electronic coins are inserted and the game starts.

[0165] In other words, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment is configured such that when each of the minor role 1 and minor role 2 is won in the RBB state, which is set to insert two electronic tokens and the game starts, the payout amount is different from when the game starts with three electronic tokens inserted. Furthermore, minor role 1 and minor role 2 are configured to be won when the game state is the RBB state, based on the fact that they have been won.

[0166] In other words, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, the internal lottery determines whether multiple types of winning combinations are achieved, and these multiple types of winning combinations include minor winning combinations that belong to a predetermined group. The predetermined group consists of minor winning combinations for which the amount of game value paid out differs depending on whether the game is started with a first predetermined number of game value or with a second predetermined number of game value, which is less than the first predetermined number. Each minor winning combination in the predetermined group is awarded based on being won in the internal lottery, regardless of whether the game is started with a first predetermined number of game value or with a second predetermined number of game value.

[0167] Furthermore, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, the minor roles included in a predetermined group include a first minor role (minor role 1) and a second minor role (minor role 2). The first minor role can be won by operating multiple stop buttons in a first operation pattern (batting order 3 to batting order 6) when it is won in an internal lottery during a game started with a second predetermined number of game values ​​inserted. The second minor role can be won by operating multiple stop buttons in a second operation pattern (batting order 1, batting order 2) different from the first operation pattern when it is won in an internal lottery during a game started with a second predetermined number of game values ​​inserted.

[0168] With this configuration, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, although the number of electronic tokens paid out when small win 1 and small win 2 are won in the RBB state, which is set to a second predetermined number (different from the first predetermined number in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state), is less than the number of electronic tokens paid out when they are won in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state, the performance of small win 1 and small win 2 is prevented from being excessively reduced by winning based on the fact that both small win 1 and small win 2 are won in the RBB state, and the performance of the gaming machine can be sufficiently guaranteed.

[0169] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, in slot machine 1, the payout when three electronic tokens are inserted and the game starts is set to 1 token, and the payout when two electronic tokens are inserted and the game starts is also set to 1 token. For small wins 3 to 9, which pay out the same amount when a win occurs in the RBB state when two electronic tokens are inserted and the game starts when three electronic tokens are inserted, the machine is configured to award a win based on whether it is won in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state. However, in the RBB state, while small win 9 is awarded based on whether it is won, small wins 3 to 8 are configured not to award a win regardless of how stop buttons B1 to B3 are operated when they are won.

[0170] In other words, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, the internal lottery determines whether multiple types of winning combinations are achieved, and these multiple types of winning combinations include minor winning combinations included in the first group and minor winning combinations included in the second group. The first group consists of minor winning combinations for which the amount of game value paid out is the same whether the game is started with a first predetermined number of game value or with a second predetermined number of game value (which is less than the first predetermined number) inserted. The second group consists of minor winning combinations for which the amount of game value paid out is different whether the game is started with a first predetermined number of game value or with a second predetermined number of game value inserted. The minor winning combinations included in the first group include minor winning combinations that will not result in a win regardless of the operation mode of the multiple stop buttons when the game is started with a second predetermined number of game value inserted.

[0171] With this configuration, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment is configured such that, in the RBB state, where the number of electronic medals paid out does not change when a win occurs in the RBB state compared to when a win occurs in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state, the number of wins for minor roles 3 to 8 does not occur in the RBB state. This eliminates the need to pre-store stop control data related to reel stop control that enables wins for minor roles 3 to 8 in the reel control data storage means 194, thereby reducing the data capacity related to stop control data in the RBB state.

[0172] These minor roles 1 and 2 constitute a second group of minor roles and a predetermined group of minor roles, each having a different payout amount based on whether the game is started with a first predetermined amount of game value or with a second predetermined amount of game value. Minor roles 3 to 9 constitute a first group of minor roles, each having the same payout whether the game is started with a first predetermined amount of game value or with a second predetermined amount of game value (which is less than the first predetermined amount).

[0173] <Summary of gameplay in each game state> Thus, in the first embodiment of the slot machine 1, the number of specified coins is fixed to the first specified number (3 coins) in the first game state, which is the non-RT state and the RBB internal state, when the RBB is not operating, and in the second game state, which is the RBB state, when the RBB is operating, the number of specified coins is fixed to the second specified number (2 coins). Furthermore, the slot machine 1 is configured such that the payout rate in the RBB state is higher than the payout rate in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state. In addition, the slot machine 1 is configured such that the probability of winning each small win is higher in the RBB state than in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state.

[0174] Furthermore, slot machine 1 is configured such that when a win occurs in the RBB state, which is set to insert a second predetermined number of electronic tokens and the game starts, the payout for small wins 1 and 2 will be different from when the game starts with inserting a first predetermined number of electronic tokens. The slot machine is configured to award prizes based on the win when the game state is RBB.

[0175] Then, in the RBB state, when slot machine 1 is set to insert the second specified number of electronic tokens and gameplay begins, the payout limit setting process is executed, so that the maximum number of electronic tokens that can be paid out in that game is set to a specific number (1 token) which is less than the second specified number. Therefore, even if small win 1 or small win 2 is achieved, 1 token will be paid out.

[0176] With this configuration, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment can reduce the payout rate in the RBB state to less than 100% (50% in the first embodiment), and the performance of the RBB state can be designed to acquire game value in the state when the RBB is not operating while adhering to the performance required for a gaming machine, thereby dramatically improving the design freedom of the slot machine 1.

[0177] In other words, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, when the machine transitions to an RBB state with a predetermined number of 2 coins, and a winning area including a minor role is hit, the payout limit setting process (see Figure 8) is executed, so that 1 coin is paid out regardless of which minor role is hit. As a result, the payout rate in the RBB state is reduced to 50%, and the performance of acquiring game value in the state when the RBB is not activated can be designed, thereby dramatically improving the design freedom of the slot machine 1.

[0178] Furthermore, in the first embodiment of the slot machine 1, although the number of electronic medals paid out when small win 1 and small win 2 are won in the RBB state, which is set to a second predetermined number (different from the first predetermined number in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state), is less than the number of electronic medals paid out when they are won in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state, the performance of small win 1 and small win 2 is prevented from being excessively reduced by the fact that a win occurs based on the fact that both small win 1 and small win 2 are won in the RBB state, thereby ensuring sufficient performance of the gaming machine.

[0179] Furthermore, in the first embodiment of the slot machine 1, the number of specified numbers is set to a second specified number, which is different from the specified number set to a first specified number in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state. In the RBB state, the number of electronic medals paid out for small wins 3 to 8 does not change when a win occurs in the RBB state compared to when a win occurs in the non-RT state and the RBB internal state. By configuring the machine so that these small wins do not occur in the RBB state, it is no longer necessary to pre-store stop control data related to reel stop control that enables wins for small wins 3 to 8 in the reel control data storage means 194, thereby reducing the data capacity related to stop control data in the RBB state.

[0180] Furthermore, as mentioned above, slot machine 1 is configured such that the payout rate becomes 50% when the RBB state is set to a second specified number (2 coins) which is different from the first specified number (3 coins) as the specified number, by executing a process to set the upper limit of the number of payouts.

[0181] Here, as a gaming machine that suppresses the payout rate in the bonus state and allows medals to be won by executing AT game in a game state different from the bonus state (for example, a non-bonus state where the bonus is not activated, such as a bonus-established state), conventionally, there are multiple types of first specific small wins in which multiple types of first specific small wins, which are set to pay out more than the number of game value inputs required to start the game, do not overlap with each other but overlap with second specific small wins different from the first specific small wins, and a third type of first specific small wins in which multiple types of first specific small wins overlap and are won, and the internal lottery means is in the normal game state, bonus state It is known that a machine is configured such that, in the standing state, an internal lottery is conducted so that there are multiple types of first winning patterns, and in the bonus state, an internal lottery is conducted so that there is a third winning pattern, and the probability of winning the third winning pattern in the internal lottery in the bonus state is lower than the probability of winning any of the multiple types of first winning patterns in the internal lottery in the normal game state and the bonus state, and the probability of winning each of the small roles in the internal lottery in the bonus state is higher than or equal to the probability of winning each of the small roles in the internal lottery in the normal game state and the bonus state.

[0182] In a gaming machine configured as described above, while compressing the probability of winning the first specific minor winning combination in the bonus state to the reciprocal of the number of types of the first specific minor winning combination (for example, 1 / 4 in a configuration having 4 types of the first specific minor winning combination), the performance of the bonus state is ensured as sufficient performance required for the gaming machine, and in the non-bonus state, by executing winning assistance for the first specific minor winning combination, the winning probability of the first specific minor winning combination is increased compared to the case where winning assistance is not executed, and although it is possible to obtain medals in AT games, it is necessary to have a plurality of types of the first specific minor winning combination.

[0183] In a gaming machine, for a minor winning combination that can obtain medals by winning, although it is common to stop and display a specific symbol (for example, a bell symbol) in a visible form to the player, when each of the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 is configured to be visible in three frames in a specific area where the left reel R1 to the right reel R3 are visible, since the patterns for displaying a specific symbol in a row are limited to 5 patterns, when the number of types of the first specific minor winning combination exceeds 5 types, it is necessary to display it in the specific area in a display mode different from the display mode for displaying in a row.

[0184] Also, in a gaming machine, the method for determining the priority of stop position candidates when a plurality of types of minor winning combinations are won in an internal lottery includes a method for determining the priority according to the number of symbol combinations that can be displayed on the effective line L1 (number priority control), and a method for determining the priority according to the number of medals paid out based on the payout predetermined for the minor winning combination (number of medals priority control).

[0185] Therefore, in a gaming machine, when setting the operation mode of the stop buttons B1 to B3 that enable the first specific minor winning combination to win and the operation mode of the stop buttons B1 to B3 that disable the first specific minor winning combination and enable the second specific minor winning combination to win, in order to enable the second specific minor winning combination to win, it is necessary to enable the second specific minor winning combination by number priority control.

[0186] Because of these limitations, in gaming machines, the more you try to increase the number of types of the first specific small win and compress the payout rate in the bonus state, the more types of the second specific small win also need to be increased. Furthermore, the arrangement of symbols required to make the second specific small win possible also needs to be increased. As a result, compressing the payout rate in the bonus state increases the amount of data related to the small wins, and the difficulty of design tends to increase.

[0187] In contrast, in a slot machine 1 configured such that the payout rate becomes 50% when the payout limit setting process is executed in an RBB state where the number of specified tokens is set to a second specified number (2 tokens) different from the first specified number (3 tokens), even if the machine is configured to have one small win with a payout greater than the first specified number when the first specified number of tokens are inserted and the game starts, the performance of the RBB state can be guaranteed to be sufficient for the performance required of a gaming machine, while the payout rate in the RBB state can be sufficiently reduced.

[0188] With this configuration, slot machine 1 can reduce the payout rate in the RBB state and prevent an increase in the data capacity related to small wins when designing the medal acquisition performance when the RBB is not activated. This reduces the data capacity related to small wins and improves the design freedom related to the arrangement of symbols. Furthermore, by reducing the data capacity related to small wins, data capacity can be allocated to various data used in other control processes executed by the main control CPU 11, thereby improving the design freedom of the gaming machine.

[0189] 4. Structure related to numerical data Next, we will describe the details of the configuration related to the counting of game tokens in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment.

[0190] <Overview of Quantitative Analysis> As described above, the medal count control means 300 of the first embodiment is configured such that when the counting button KB is operated while the game is still playable, it transmits a value corresponding to the number of game medals stored in the medal count counter 311 to the dedicated unit SU via the dispensing device connection terminal board 40, and subtracts the transmitted value from the number of game medals stored in the medal count counter 311. In other words, in the first embodiment, the medal count control CPU 31, which can function as the medal count control means 300, is configured as a management control means that manages electronic medals and can communicate with the dedicated unit SU. Furthermore, the counting button KB is configured as a counting operation means that accepts an operation from the player to cause the medal count control means 300 to perform a counting process in which it transmits (transfers) at least a portion of the number of game medals that the medal count control means 300 manages by storing in the medal count counter 311 to the dedicated unit SU.

[0191] In other words, the medal count control means 300 is configured to perform a counting process in the slot machine 1, which involves transmitting the number of game medals stored in the slot machine 1 to the dedicated unit SU located outside the slot machine 1 when the counting button KB is operated while communication between the slot machine 1 and the dedicated unit SU is established.

[0192] The dedicated unit SU is configured to receive digitized medals transmitted by the medal count control means 300 when counting is performed in the slot machine 1, add a value corresponding to the received digitized medals to the medal count storage means (not shown) of the dedicated unit SU, and perform counting in the dedicated unit SU so that the digitized medals stored in the slot machine 1 can be transmitted to a recording medium capable of storing digitized medals.

[0193] In a gaming system including a slot machine 1 and a dedicated unit SU, counting is performed in the slot machine 1 when the counting button KB on the slot machine 1 is operated, counting is performed in the dedicated unit SU when it receives the electronic tokens transmitted from the slot machine 1, and then the return button (not shown) on the dedicated unit SU is operated when the electronic tokens stored in the dedicated unit SU are transmitted to a card medium, resulting in counting in the gaming system, which allows the player to settle the electronic tokens via the storage medium.

[0194] <Details of the counting button and counting operation> The counting button KB incorporates a counting switch 126 (see Figure 2) composed of push switches. The counting switch 126 detects operations that transmit (subtract from) part or all of the number of game tokens electronically held by the slot machine 1 to the dedicated unit SU. Here, an operation of the counting switch 126 in which it is ON for less than 500ms is called a "short press operation" or "short press," and an operation in which it is ON continuously for 500ms or more is called a "long press operation" or "long press." With a short press operation of the counting switch 126, only one electronic token is counted (transmitted) from the number of game tokens with each operation. With a long press operation, 50 electronic tokens are counted from the number of game tokens at the timing of counting notifications every 300ms after the ON time has been 500ms or more. If the number of game tokens is less than 50 while a long press operation is being performed, all of the remaining game tokens will be counted. Furthermore, if the counting switch 126 is operated while the game is playable, the counting process will always be executed regardless of the game state at that time.

[0195] <Details of counting in slot machines> The medal count control CPU 31 of the first embodiment is configured to notify (transmit) a game machine information notification to the dedicated unit SU at a period of 300ms. The game machine information notification includes serial number information indicating the notification number and game medal count information indicating the number of game medals stored in the medal count counter 311.

[0196] The serial number information is updated each time a gaming machine information notification is sent and consists of a number in the range of 0 to 255. The first gaming machine information notification sent when slot machine 1 is powered on is set to serial number 0. The serial number information is configured so that after 255 is assigned, 1 is assigned, and thereafter the numbers 1 to 255 loop. In this case, when updating the serial number, slot machine 1 updates the serial number by adding 1 if the serial number before the update was between 0 and 254, and by adding 2 if the serial number before the update was 255.

[0197] In other words, slot machine 1 is configured such that the serial number of the first game machine information notification sent after the power to slot machine 1 is turned on is 0. The dedicated unit SU is configured to determine whether or not the power to slot machine 1 has just been turned on by receiving a game machine information notification that has been assigned serial number 0.

[0198] With this configuration, slot machine 1 periodically sends gaming machine information notifications to the dedicated unit SU, assigning the serial number 0 only to the first gaming machine information notification sent after power is turned on, and not assigning 0 when updating the serial number thereafter. This allows the dedicated unit SU to be notified that power has just been turned on without using other data indicating whether or not power has just been turned on, thereby reducing the data capacity required for gaming machine information notifications.

[0199] Furthermore, the medal count control CPU 31 is configured to send a count notification to the dedicated unit SU 100ms after notifying the gaming machine information notification. In other words, the count notification is sent at a 300ms cycle, just as the gaming machine information notification is sent at a 300ms cycle.

[0200] The counting notification includes information on the counting serial number indicating the number of the counting notification, information on the counted medals, indicating the number of medals sent to the dedicated unit SU when the counting button KB is operated, and information on the cumulative counted medals, indicating the cumulative number of medals sent from slot machine 1.

[0201] The counting serial number information is updated each time a counting notification is sent and consists of a number in the range of 0 to 255. The first counting notification sent when slot machine 1 is powered on is set to counting serial number 0. The counting serial number information is structured so that after 255 is assigned the number 1, the number 1 is assigned, and thereafter the numbers 1 to 255 loop. In this case, when updating the counting serial number, slot machine 1 updates the counting serial number by adding 1 to the counting serial number if the counting serial number before the update was between 0 and 254, and by adding 2 to the counting serial number if the counting serial number before the update was 255.

[0202] In other words, slot machine 1 is configured such that the counting serial number is 0 only for the first counting notification sent after the power to slot machine 1 is turned on. The dedicated unit SU is configured to determine whether or not the power to slot machine 1 has just been turned on by receiving a counting notification with the counting serial number 0.

[0203] With this configuration, slot machine 1 periodically sends counting notifications to the dedicated unit SU, assigning the counting sequence number 0 only to the first counting notification sent after power is turned on, and not assigning 0 when updating the counting sequence number thereafter. This allows the dedicated unit SU to be notified that power has just been turned on without using other data indicating whether or not power has just been turned on, thereby reducing the data capacity required for counting notifications.

[0204] Furthermore, as mentioned above, slot machine 1 is configured to notify the counting notification when the counting button KB is pressed for 500ms or more, i.e., a long press is performed, and the information of the number of electronic medals to be counted is set to a maximum of 50. In slot machine 1, if the counting button KB is long-pressed and the stored value of the medal counter 311 is 50 or greater, that is, if the number of game medals is 50 or greater, 50 is set as the number of electronic medals to be set as the number of medals to be counted. If the counting button KB is long-pressed and the stored value of the medal counter 311 is 49 or less, that is, if the number of game medals is 49 or less, the same value as the stored value of the medal counter 311 is set as the information to be set as the number of medals to be counted.

[0205] When the counting button KB is pressed, the medal count control means 300 starts timing the time the counting button KB is pressed using the timing counter 312 (see Figure 2). When the time measured by the timing counter 312 reaches 500ms or more, it sets the long-press flag stored in the long-press flag storage means 313 (see Figure 2) to the ON state. In the slot machine 1, when notifying the dedicated unit SU of the count, it refers to the ON / OFF state of the long-press flag stored in the long-press flag storage means 313. If the long-press flag is in the ON state, it sets a value of up to 50 medals as the information to be set for the counted medals.

[0206] <Details regarding cases where communication with the dedicated unit cannot be established> In the first embodiment, when the power is turned on and power is supplied to the dedicated unit SU, and the dedicated unit SU starts up, it sets the VL connection signal (specific signal) to the ON state as a connection signal indicating that power is being supplied, and outputs the VL connection signal to the medal count control board 30. The slot machine 1 determines that communication with the dedicated unit SU has been successfully established when it receives the VL connection signal output from the dedicated unit SU.

[0207] On the other hand, if the VL connection signal output from the dedicated unit SU is not received by the slot machine 1, it determines that the dedicated unit SU is not connected and determines that a dispensing device connection error has occurred. In other words, the state in which a dispensing device connection error occurs means that communication between the medal count control CPU 31 and the dedicated unit SU has not been established. In other words, a dispensing device connection error occurs when the medal count control means 300 of the medal count control CPU 31 does not detect the VL connection signal output from the dedicated unit SU.

[0208] If a loan device connection error occurs, the main control CPU 11 displays the error code "EL" on the main control display device 10D. When a loan device connection error occurs, the slot machine 1 will be unable to proceed with the game. The slot machine 1 will also clear the loan device connection error when it receives a VL connection signal output from the dedicated unit SU and determines that the dedicated unit SU is connected to the loan device connection terminal board 40.

[0209] <Details of communication and counting between the slot machine and the dedicated unit> Next, we will describe in detail the case where the counting button KB is pressed and held down in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment. The slot machine 1 of the first embodiment is configured to count electronic medals based on the pressed and held down counting button KB when the counting button KB is pressed and held down in a state where counting is not possible, and when the counting button KB is pressed and held down until the state where counting is possible is reached.

[0210] Here, the conditions under which counting cannot be performed include the state in which the VL connection signal from the dedicated unit SU mentioned above is not input and a lending device connection error occurs, and the state in which the VL connection signal is output from the dedicated unit SU, but the slot machine 1 has not finished starting up and it is not possible to determine whether or not the VL connection signal is input.

[0211] The details of what happens when the counting button KB is pressed and held down while counting is not possible, and the press and hold continues until counting becomes possible, will be explained using the timing charts in Figures 10 to 12. Note that in Figures 10 to 12, time progresses from the bottom of the diagram.

[0212] Figure 10 is a timing chart illustrating the case where the power to both the slot machine 1 and the dedicated unit SU is turned on from a state where the power is cut off (OFF), and the counting button KB is pressed starting from the point when the power to the slot machine 1 is OFF, and the slot machine 1 completes startup faster than the dedicated unit SU.

[0213] As shown in Figure 10, the VL connection signal is OFF because the power to the slot machine 1 and the dedicated unit SU is cut off. In the slot machine 1, the counting button KB is pressed before the power is turned on. At the time the button is pressed, the slot machine 1 is not powered on and no power is being supplied to the medal count control board 30, so the timer does not start to measure the time the counting button KB is pressed.

[0214] When the power to slot machine 1 and the dedicated unit SU is turned on, they both begin to start up. As shown in Figure 10, the VL connection signal is not output until the dedicated unit SU has finished starting up, so when slot machine 1 starts up and is in the process of starting up, the VL connection signal is in the OFF state.

[0215] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the slot machine 1 completes startup earlier than the dedicated unit SU. In the first embodiment, the slot machine 1 completes startup in approximately 10 seconds, and the dedicated unit SU completes startup in approximately 1 minute.

[0216] Slot machine 1 determines that the dedicated unit SU is not connected and that a dispensing device connection error has occurred, based on the fact that no VL connection signal is input and the medal count control means 300 does not detect a VL connection signal during the period from when slot machine 1 has finished starting up until when the dedicated unit SU has finished starting up.

[0217] Based on the completion of startup, the medal count control CPU 31 begins notifying the dedicated unit SU of a game machine information notification with serial number 0. Also, 100ms after notifying the game machine information notification, the medal count control CPU 31 notifies the dedicated unit SU of a count notification with count serial number 0. At this time, because a dispensing device connection error has occurred, the medal count control CPU 31 sets the information of the number of medals to be included in the count notification to 0, regardless of the operation of the count button KB. The slot machine 1 notifies the dedicated unit SU of the game machine information notification and the count notification with the information of the number of medals to be included to 0 at 300ms intervals.

[0218] In slot machine 1, once startup is complete and power supply to the medal count control board 30 is stable, the pressing of the counting button KB is detected, and the timing of the duration for which the counting button KB is pressed and held down is started using the timing counter 312. When the time measured by the timing counter 312 reaches 500ms or more, the medal count control means 300 sets the long-press flag stored in the long-press flag storage means 313 to the ON state.

[0219] Once the dedicated unit SU has finished starting up, the slot machine 1 receives the VL connection signal output from the dedicated unit SU. Based on the detection of the VL connection signal by the medal count control means 300, the slot machine 1 determines that the VL connection signal is in the ON state and clears the dispensing device connection error.

[0220] Since the VL connection signal is ON and the lending device connection error has been cleared, the medal count control CPU 31 notifies the dedicated unit SU of a game machine information notification with serial number n, including the information of the number of game medals stored in the medal count counter 311. In the example shown in Figure 10, when the slot machine 1 has finished starting up, 150 game medals are stored in the medal count counter 311.

[0221] In the example shown in Figure 10, the long press of the counting button KB begins even before the power of the slot machine 1 is turned on, and as this long press continues, the long press flag stored in the long press flag storage means 313 is set to the ON state. Based on this long press, the counting process is executed by the medal count control means 300.

[0222] In the counting process, the medal count control means 300 sets the value of 50 as the information to be set for the number of medals counted in the counting notification for counting serial number m. Also, based on the fact that the counting notification is sent from the slot machine 1, the medal count control means 300 subtracts 50 from the number of game medals stored in the medal counter 311. Furthermore, since counting in the slot machine 1 starts from the counting notification for counting serial number m, the medal count control means 300 sets the value of 50 as the information to be set for the cumulative number of medals counted.

[0223] In slot machine 1, when a counting notification is sent, 50 electronic tokens are transmitted from slot machine 1 to the dedicated unit SU. When the dedicated unit SU receives the counting notification with the value 50 set as the information of the number of tokens to be counted, it adds the value "50" to the token count storage means of the dedicated unit SU, making it possible to transmit 50 electronic tokens to the storage medium.

[0224] In the example shown in Figure 10, since the counting button KB is held down, the slot machine 1 will continue to perform counting operations at a cycle of 300ms, counting 50 game tokens stored in the slot machine 1 and sending the count to the dedicated unit SU.

[0225] Thus, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, when the power to the slot machine 1 is turned on and power is supplied to the medal count control CPU 31, and a dispensing device connection error occurs as a specific error because power is not supplied to the dedicated unit SU, if the counting button KB is pressed and the dispensing device connection error is cleared based on the medal count control means 300 detecting a VL specific signal, and the counting button KB is still pressed, the medal count control means 300 performs counting processing based on the press, and the number of game medals stored in the medal count counter 311 is transmitted to the dedicated unit SU in increments of 50.

[0226] With this configuration, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment can count the number of game tokens stored in the slot machine 1 without releasing the count button KB and then pressing it again, even if the count button KB has been pressed and held down before the dispensing device connection error has been cleared. This improves the operability related to the management of electronic game value.

[0227] Figure 11 is a timing chart illustrating the case where the power to both the slot machine 1 and the dedicated unit SU is turned on from a state where the power is cut off (OFF), and the counting button KB is pressed starting from the point when the power to the slot machine 1 is OFF, and the dedicated unit SU completes startup before the slot machine 1.

[0228] As shown in Figure 11, the dedicated unit SU is powered on when the power to slot machine 1 is cut off. The dedicated unit SU is configured not to output the VL connection signal until startup is complete, and the VL connection signal is in the OFF state. Once startup is complete, the dedicated unit SU starts outputting the VL connection signal. At this point, the dedicated unit SU outputs the VL connection signal in the ON state while waiting for slot machine 1 to finish starting up.

[0229] In slot machine 1, the counting button KB is pressed before the power is turned on. At the time the button is pressed, slot machine 1 is not powered on and no power is being supplied to the medal count control board 30, so the timer does not start to count the time the counting button KB is pressed.

[0230] Slot machine 1 starts up when the power is turned on. As shown in Figure 11, although the dedicated unit SU has finished starting up and is outputting a VL connection signal from the dedicated unit SU, the medal count control CPU 31 cannot determine the input VL connection signal while slot machine 1 is starting up, so the VL connection signal is in the OFF state in slot machine 1.

[0231] The medal count control CPU 31 determines whether the VL connection signal is ON or ON when it becomes possible to determine that the VL connection signal is being input during startup. In the example shown in Figure 11, the dedicated unit SU is started up before the slot machine 1 starts up, and the VL connection signal is output from the dedicated unit SU. Therefore, before the slot machine 1 has finished starting up, and when it becomes possible to determine that the VL connection signal is being input, it is determined that the VL connection signal is ON.

[0232] In slot machine 1, once startup is complete and power supply to the medal count control board 30 is stable, the pressing of the counting button KB is detected, and the timing counter 312 begins timing the duration for which the counting button KB is pressed. In addition, based on the completion of startup, the medal count control CPU 31 starts notifying the dedicated unit SU of game machine information with serial number 0, including the information of the number of game medals stored in the medal count counter 311. In the example shown in Figure 11, when slot machine 1 has finished starting up, 150 game medals are stored in the medal count counter 311.

[0233] Furthermore, 100ms after notifying the game machine information notification, the medal count control CPU 31 notifies the dedicated unit SU of a count notification with count serial number 0. At this time, the medal count control CPU 31 cannot determine the number of electronic medals to be counted from the medal count counter 311 from the operation pattern of the count button KB because the count button KB has been pressed and held down, and the duration of the press has not reached 500ms. Therefore, it sets the information of the number of counted medals to be included in the count notification with count serial number 0 to 0.

[0234] The medal count control means 300 sets the long-press flag stored in the long-press flag storage means 313 to the ON state when the time measured by the timing counter 312 reaches 500ms or more. In the example shown in Figure 11, the long-press of the counting button KB is started before the power of the slot machine 1 is turned on, and as this long-press continues, the long-press flag stored in the long-press flag storage means 313 is set to the ON state, and the medal count control means 300 performs the counting process based on this long-press.

[0235] In the counting process, the medal count control means 300 sets the value of 50 as the information to be set for the number of medals counted in the counting notification for counting serial number 1. Also, based on the fact that the counting notification is sent from the medal count control CPU 31, the medal count control means 300 subtracts 50 from the number of game medals stored in the medal count counter 311. Furthermore, since counting in the slot machine 1 starts from the counting notification for counting serial number 1, the medal count control means 300 sets the value of 50 as the information to be set for the cumulative number of medals counted.

[0236] In slot machine 1, when a counting notification is sent, 50 electronic tokens are transmitted from slot machine 1 to the dedicated unit SU. When the dedicated unit SU receives the counting notification with the value 50 set as the information of the number of tokens to be counted, it adds the value "50" to the token count storage means of the dedicated unit SU, making it possible to transmit 50 electronic tokens to the storage medium.

[0237] In the example shown in Figure 11, since the counting button KB is held down, the slot machine 1 will continue to perform counting operations at a cycle of 300ms, counting 50 game tokens stored in the slot machine 1 and sending the count to the dedicated unit SU.

[0238] Thus, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, when power is supplied to the dedicated unit SU, and the power supply to the medal count control CPU 31 is cut off because the power supply to the slot machine 1 is cut off, and communication between the medal count control CPU 31 and the dedicated unit SU is not established despite no dispensing device connection error occurring, the counting button KB is pressed, and when the power supply to the slot machine 1 is turned on and power is supplied to the medal count control CPU 31, enabling the medal count control means 300 to perform counting processing, the counting button KB is pressed and the counting button KB remains pressed, the counting processing is performed by the medal count control means 300 based on the press, and the number of game medals stored in the medal counter 311 is transmitted to the dedicated unit SU in increments of 50.

[0239] With this configuration, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment can count the number of game tokens stored in the slot machine 1 without releasing the count button KB and then pressing it again, even if the count button KB has been pressed and held down before the power to the slot machine 1 is turned on. This improves the operability related to the management of electronic game value.

[0240] Figure 12 is a timing chart illustrating the case where both the slot machine 1 and the dedicated unit SU are powered on, the power to the dedicated unit SU is kept powered on, the power to the slot machine 1 is turned off and then on, and the counting button KB is pressed starting from the point when the power to the slot machine 1 is off.

[0241] As shown in Figure 12, when the power to slot machine 1 is cut off while the power to both slot machine 1 and the dedicated unit SU is on, the VL connection signal on slot machine 1 turns OFF based on the power cut-off. The dedicated unit SU also determines that it cannot communicate normally with slot machine 1 and sets the VL connection signal to OFF.

[0242] In slot machine 1, the counting button KB is pressed before the power is turned on. At the time the button is pressed, slot machine 1 is not powered on and no power is being supplied to the medal count control board 30, so the timer does not start to count the time the counting button KB is pressed.

[0243] Slot machine 1 starts up when the power is turned on. As shown in Figure 12, the dedicated unit SU is outputting a VL connection signal, and when the power to slot machine 1 is cut off and communication with slot machine 1 is severed, it sets the VL connection signal to the OFF state and stops outputting it. Therefore, the VL connection signal is in the OFF state while slot machine 1 is running.

[0244] When slot machine 1 has finished starting up, it determines that communication with the dedicated unit SU has not been established based on the fact that no VL connection signal has been input from the dedicated unit SU, and therefore determines that a loan device connection error has occurred.

[0245] Based on the completion of startup, the medal count control CPU 31 begins notifying the dedicated unit SU of a game machine information notification with serial number 0. Furthermore, 100ms after notifying the game machine information notification, the medal count control CPU 31 notifies the dedicated unit SU of a count notification with count serial number 0. At this time, because a dispensing device connection error has occurred, the medal count control CPU 31 sets the information of the number of medals to be included in the count notification to 0, regardless of the operation of the count button KB. The medal count control CPU 31 notifies the dedicated unit SU of the game machine information notification and the count notification with the number of medals set to 0 at 300ms intervals.

[0246] In slot machine 1, once startup is complete and power supply to the medal count control board 30 is stable, the pressing of the counting button KB is detected, and the timing counter 312 begins timing the duration for which the counting button KB is pressed and held down. When the time measured by the timing counter 312 reaches 500ms or more, the medal count control means 300 sets the long-press flag stored in the long-press flag storage means 313 to the ON state.

[0247] The dedicated unit SU is reset in order to resume communication with slot machine 1. The reset of the dedicated unit SU is initiated by the arcade staff confirming the number of electronic tokens stored in the dedicated unit SU, and then receiving an initialization signal output from the controller (not shown). The controller is a portable transmitter for the arcade staff and is configured to transmit various signals, including the initialization signal, to the receiver (not shown) located in the dedicated unit SU.

[0248] In the dedicated unit SU, the initialization process begins when a reset is initiated. During the initialization process, the dedicated unit SU executes the initial setup process in much the same way as when the power is turned on.

[0249] Once the dedicated unit SU has finished resetting and initializing, the dedicated unit SU begins outputting the VL connection signal. Based on the detection of the VL connection signal by the medal count control means 300, the slot machine 1 determines that the VL connection signal is ON and clears the dispensing device connection error. Since the VL connection signal is ON and the dispensing device connection error has been cleared, the medal count control CPU 31 notifies the dedicated unit SU of a game machine information notification with serial number n, which includes the information of the number of game medals stored in the medal count counter 311. In the example shown in Figure 12, when the slot machine 1 has finished starting up, 150 game medals are stored in the medal count counter 311.

[0250] In the example shown in Figure 12, the long press of the counting button KB begins even before the slot machine 1 is powered on, and as this long press continues, the long press flag stored in the long press flag storage means 313 is set to the ON state. Based on this long press, the counting process is executed by the medal count control means 300.

[0251] In the counting process, the medal count control means 300 sets the value of 50 as the information to be set for the number of medals counted in the counting notification for counting serial number m. Also, based on the fact that the counting notification is sent from the slot machine 1, the medal count control means 300 subtracts 50 from the number of game medals stored in the medal counter 311. Furthermore, since counting in the slot machine 1 starts from the counting notification for counting serial number m, the medal count control means 300 sets the value of 50 as the information to be set for the cumulative number of medals counted.

[0252] When a counting notification is sent from slot machine 1, the number of game tokens stored in the token counter 311 of slot machine 1 is reduced by 50. Also, by sending the counting notification, slot machine 1 sends 50 electronic tokens to the dedicated unit SU. Upon receiving the counting notification with the value 50 set as the information for the number of tokens to be counted, the dedicated unit SU adds the value "50" to its token count storage means and makes it possible to send 50 electronic tokens to the card medium.

[0253] In the example shown in Figure 12, since the counting button KB is held down, the slot machine 1 will continue to perform counting operations at a 300ms cycle, counting 50 game tokens stored in the slot machine 1 and sending the count to the dedicated unit SU.

[0254] Thus, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, the power to the slot machine 1 is turned on and power is supplied to the medal count control CPU 31 and to the dedicated unit SU, but a dispensing device connection error occurs because the dedicated unit SU does not output a VL connection signal. When the counting button KB is pressed and the dispensing device connection error is cleared based on the medal count control means 300 detecting a VL specific signal, if the counting button KB is still pressed, the medal count control means 300 performs counting processing based on the press, and the number of game medals stored in the medal count counter 311 is transmitted to the dedicated unit SU in increments of 50.

[0255] With this configuration, the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment can count the number of game tokens stored in the slot machine 1 without releasing the count button KB and then pressing it again, even if the count button KB has been pressed and held down before the dispensing device connection error has been cleared. This improves the operability related to the management of electronic game value.

[0256] 5. Summary of the First Embodiment As described above, in the slot machine 1 of the first embodiment, if the counting button KB is pressed while communication between the medal count control CPU 31 and the dedicated unit SU has not been established, and the counting button KB is still pressed when communication between the medal count control CPU 31 and the dedicated unit SU is established, the medal count control means 300 performs counting processing based on the press, and the number of game medals stored in the medal count counter 311 is transmitted to the dedicated unit SU in increments of 50.

[0257] With this configuration, in the first embodiment, if the counting button KB is pressed and held down before communication between the medal count control CPU 31 and the dedicated unit SU is established, the number of game medals stored in the slot machine 1 can be counted without releasing the counting button KB and pressing and holding it down again, thereby improving the operability related to the management of electronic game value.

[0258] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the slot machine 1, which is a modified version of the first embodiment, will be described.

[0259] The player can transmit some or all of the electronic tokens (number of game tokens) held by the slot machine 1 to the dedicated unit SU by operating the counting button KB, that is, by operating the counting switch 126 built into the counting button KB. There are two types of operation for the counting switch 126: a short press operation where it is ON for less than 500 msec, and a long press operation where it is ON continuously for 500 msec or more. With a short press of the counting switch 126, only one electronic token is counted (transmitted) from the number of game tokens with each operation. With a long press operation, 50 electronic tokens are counted from the number of game tokens at the timing of counting notifications that occur every 300 msec after the ON time has been 500 msec or more (hereinafter simply referred to as the "counting timing"). Therefore, by performing a long press operation, the player can transmit a large number of electronic tokens to the dedicated unit SU.

[0260] In such a long-press operation, the number of digitized medals that can be transmitted per unit time is determined. This is because if a large number of digitized medals can be transmitted at once, the impact when something goes wrong will be greater, and also the damage in case of fraud (cheating) will be greater. In the counting process based on the long-press operation, the number of gaming medals is divided into groups of 50 each, and counted repeatedly at an interval of 300 msec. Therefore, the store clerk at the hall can easily grasp that the counting process is being executed, and it becomes possible to prevent fraud.

[0261] However, if the number of digitized medals that can be transmitted per unit time is determined in this way, the more gaming medals are attempted to be transmitted, the longer the counting process will take. For example, if the number of gaming medals is 5000, the counting notification every 300 msec will be repeated 100 times (5000 medals / 50 medals), so it will take 30 seconds to complete the counting process. The player has to continuously keep the counting switch 126 ON during this time in order to maintain the long-press operation. If the counting switch 126 is turned OFF during the counting process based on the long-press operation, the counting process itself will stop.

[0262] Therefore, here, as an operation mode, in addition to the short-press operation and the long-press operation, a "total counting operation" is provided. The total counting operation is equal to the long-press operation in that the counting process is continuously performed at a predetermined cycle, but it is more convenient than the long-press operation in that the counting process can be continued without continuously operating the counting switch 126. Hereinafter, the flow of the counting process based on each of the short-press operation, the long-press operation, and the total counting operation will be described. The counting process based on the short-press operation is referred to as "single counting process", the counting process based on the long-press operation is referred to as "continuous counting process", and the counting process based on the total counting operation is referred to as "total counting process". Also, the continuous counting process and the total counting process may be collectively referred to as "plural counting process" in that the counting process of a plurality of medals is possible every 300 msec.

[0263] In the following description, components common to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

[0264] <Counting process during short press operation> FIG. 13 is a timing chart for explaining the flow of the counting process when the count switch 126 is short-pressed. The medal count control means 300 in the medal count control board 30 determines (monitors) the operation state of the count switch 126 at a predetermined cycle (for example, at an interval of 1 msec), and executes a counting process based on whether the count switch 126 is ON or OFF and the duration for which the ON state continues. Note that, in order to prevent chatter of the count switch 126, the medal count control means 300 determines that the count switch 126 has turned ON for the first time (ON edge) when the ON state has continued for 16 msec if the count switch 126 is in the OFF state, and determines that the count switch 126 has turned OFF for the first time (OFF edge) when the OFF state has continued for 16 msec if the count switch 126 is in the ON state. Here, the ON edge refers to the rising edge from OFF to ON, and the OFF edge refers to the falling edge from ON to OFF.

[0265] As shown in Figure 13, when a player turns on the counting switch 126, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 1 (short press) according to the ON edge of the counting switch 126. Here, the operation status flag is a flag that indicates the operation status of the counting switch 126 by the player, where 0 indicates that the operation status is "not operated", 1 indicates that the operation status corresponds to "short press", 2 indicates that the operation status corresponds to "long press", 3 indicates that the operation status corresponds to "full count", and 4 indicates that the operation status corresponds to "full counting released", which is the operation status where the full counting operation is released and the counting switch 126 is waiting to be turned OFF. In addition, the medal count control means 300 updates the counting process that is the target of the operation in response to the change in the operation status. Here, for example, a counting process state management buffer is provided, and bit 0 of the counting process state management buffer is assigned to "single counting process", bit 1 is assigned to "continuous counting process", and bit 2 is assigned to "full counting process". The medal count control means 300 sets the bit corresponding to the target counting process to 1. Therefore, in response to the counting switch 126 being turned ON, the medal count control means 300 sets bit 0 (single counting process) of the counting process state management buffer to 1, and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 to 001b. For the sake of explanation, only bits 2 to 0 of the counting process state management buffer will be mentioned below. The medal count control means 300 also measures the time from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 using a counting timer.

[0266] Then, when the player turns OFF the counting switch 126, the medal count control means 300 refers to the counting timer according to the OFF edge of the counting switch 126, and if the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 has not reached 500 msec, it determines that the player's operation is a short press operation and executes single counting processing. Specifically, the medal count control means 300 sets the counting reservation flag to 1 (singular) according to the OFF edge of the counting switch 126. Here, the counting reservation flag is a flag that reserves the first counting process, where 0 indicates that no counting process is reserved, 1 indicates a reservation for the first single counting process, 2 indicates a reservation for the first continuous counting process, and 3 indicates a reservation for the first full counting process. In this way, by setting the counting reservation flag, the first counting process is executed according to the arrival of the counting timing. Subsequently, the medal count control means 300 cancels the short press operation by setting the operation status flag to 0 (no operation).

[0267] As will be described later, in the second embodiment, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag from 1 (short press) to 2 (long press) when the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 reaches 500 msec. Therefore, instead of referring to the counting timer, the medal count control means 300 can also determine that the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 has not reached 500 msec by confirming that the operation status flag is 1 (short press).

[0268] After the OFF edge of the counting switch 126 due to a short press operation by the player, when the counting timing arrives, the medal count control means 300 sets the number of medals to be counted in the counting notification to "1" based on the fact that the counting reservation flag is set to 1 (single counting processing), resets the counting reservation flag to 0, and resets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing state management buffer to 000b. The medal count control means 300 also subtracts 1 from the current number of game medals "171" and updates the number of game medals to "170". Accordingly, the number of game medals "170" is displayed on the game medal count display device MD. The medal count control CPU 31 sends a counting notification with the number of medals to be counted set to the dedicated unit SU. In this way, single counting processing is executed.

[0269] Here, the timing of the OFF edge of the counting switch 126, which is determined to be a short press operation, differs from the counting timing. Therefore, in the case of a short press operation, the counting reservation flag is set to 1 in accordance with the OFF edge of the counting switch 126, and the transmission of one electronic medal is reserved. Then, when the counting timing arrives, the counting process for one medal is performed based on the fact that the counting reservation flag is 1. With this configuration, even if the timing of the OFF edge of the counting switch 126, which is determined to be a short press operation, differs from the counting timing, it is possible to reliably perform single counting at the counting timing. Furthermore, for example, even if multiple short press operations are detected between counting timings due to chattering of the counting switch 126, the counting reservation flag does not change from 1 once it has been set, so it is possible to reliably perform counting of only one medal.

[0270] Furthermore, in this case, single counting is performed at the counting timing after the OFF edge of the counting switch 126 during a short-press operation. Therefore, not only when the short-press operation is completed within the 300 msec interval between counting timings as illustrated in Figure 13, but also, for example, when a counting timing occurs during a short-press operation, single counting is not performed at that counting timing, but rather at the first counting timing that occurs after the OFF edge of the counting switch 126 during a short-press operation.

[0271] In this manner, when the single counting process is executed, the medal count control CPU 31 sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that the single counting process has been executed and the number of game medals after counting. Here, the medal count control CPU 31 may also communicate to the main control CPU 11 that the single counting process has been executed by including the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 (001b) of the counting process state management buffer as data in the counting process state management buffer (hereinafter simply referred to as "counting process state management data") in the command. Upon receiving the command, the main control CPU 11 adds information to the sub-control CPU 21 that allows it to identify the command as having been sent from the medal count control board 30, and sends a command indicating that the single counting process has been executed and the number of game medals after counting. Then, upon receiving a command, the sub-control CPU 21 notifies the player that the digitized medals have been transmitted to the dedicated unit SU by single counting processing, via the display device 410, the sound device 420, and the performance lamp 136 (see Figure 2), which is a light-emitting device whose lighting and extinguishing modes are controlled by the sub-control CPU 21.

[0272] Specifically, the performance control means 200 of the sub-control CPU 21, upon receiving a command, displays, for example, the message "Single counting complete" and the number of game tokens after the single counting process is complete, "170," on the display device 410, and deletes the display after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the command, or in response to the player operating a switch. The performance control means 200 also, upon receiving a command, causes, for example, a predetermined counting sound (for example, a short beep "piro") to be output from the sound device 420 for a predetermined time. The performance control means 200 also, upon receiving a command, causes, for example, a performance lamp 136 to light up in a predetermined color for a predetermined time.

[0273] In this case, the medal count control means 300 determines whether a short press operation has occurred based on the OFF edge of the counting switch 126, not the ON edge of the counting switch 126. Therefore, if the OFF edge of the counting switch 126 is not detected until 500 msec or more has passed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126, the single counting process will not be executed. However, the medal count control means 300 may also determine whether a short press operation has occurred based on the ON edge of the counting switch 126. In this case, in response to the ON edge of the counting switch 126, the single counting process will first be executed based on the short press operation, and then, when 500 msec or more has passed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126, the continuous counting process will be executed based on the long press operation.

[0274] <Counting process during long-press operation> Figure 14 is a timing chart illustrating the counting process when the counting switch 126 is pressed and held.

[0275] As shown in Figure 14, when a player turns on the counting switch 126, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 1 (short press) in response to the ON edge of the counting switch 126, sets bit 0 (single counting processing) of the counting processing status management buffer to 1, and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 to 001b. The medal count control means 300 also measures the time from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 using a counting timer.

[0276] Then, when the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 500 msec, the medal count control means 300 determines that the player's operation is a long press operation and executes continuous counting processing. Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag from 1 (short press) to 2 (long press), resets bit 0 (single counting processing) of the counting processing status management buffer to 0, sets bit 1 (continuous counting processing) to 1, and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 to 010b. In addition, the medal count control means 300 sets the counting reservation flag to 2 (continuous counting processing) to reserve continuous counting processing.

[0277] The medal count control means 300 then refers to the operation status flag at the counting timing, and if the operation status flag is set to 2, it sets the counted medal count in the counting notification to "50". The medal count control means 300 also subtracts 50 from the current number of game medals, for example, "170", and updates the number of game medals to "120". Accordingly, the number of game medals "120" is displayed on the game medal count display device MD. The medal count control CPU 31 sends a counting notification with the counted medal count set to the dedicated unit SU. After the initial continuous counting process is executed, there is no longer a need to keep the counting reservation flag, so the medal count control means 300 resets the counting reservation flag to 0. After that, the medal count control means 300 executes the continuous counting process each time there is a counting timing. Therefore, the number of game medals is subtracted by 50 each time, changing from "70" to "20", and so on. Then, if the number of game tokens falls below 50, for example to "20", the token count control means 300 sets the number of tokens to be counted in the count notification at the counting timing to the remaining number of game tokens, "20". Consequently, the number of game tokens becomes 0, and the continuous counting process via long press operation ends.

[0278] Then, if the player turns off the counting switch 126 before the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 reaches 4000 msec, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 0 (not operated) according to the OFF edge of the counting switch 126, and resets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing state management buffer to 000b to release the long press operation.

[0279] Here, the timing at which a long press operation is determined (500 msec from the ON edge) and the counting timing are different. Therefore, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 2 at the timing at which a long press operation is determined, and performs a continuous counting process of 50 medals at each counting timing based on the operation status flag being 2. With this configuration, even if the timing at which a long press operation is determined and the counting timing are different, the medal count control means 300 can reliably perform the counting process at the counting timing.

[0280] Furthermore, the medal count control means 300 sets the count reservation flag to 2 when 500 msec has elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126, reserving a continuous counting process for 50 medals. When the counting timing arrives, the continuous counting process for 50 medals is performed based on the fact that the count reservation flag is set to 2. With this configuration, even if the counting switch 126 is turned OFF after 500 msec has elapsed since the ON edge but before the next counting timing arrives, the continuous counting process will be performed at least once during the subsequent counting timing, thus avoiding situations where the counting process does not occur even when the counting switch 126 is pressed and held down.

[0281] As described above, when the continuous counting process is executed, the medal count control CPU 31 sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that the continuous counting process has been executed and the number of game medals after counting. Upon receiving this command, the main control CPU 11 sends a command to the sub-control CPU 21 to that effect. The sub-control CPU 21 then informs the player that the digitized medals have been sent to the dedicated unit SU by the counting process through the display device 410, sound device 420, and effect lamp 136.

[0282] Specifically, the performance control means 200 of the sub-control CPU 21, upon receiving a command, displays, for example, the message "Counting" and the number of game tokens after the first continuous counting process, "120," on the display device 410, and updates the display of the number of game tokens from "70" to "20" each time a command is received. Furthermore, when the number of game tokens becomes 0 through the continuous counting process, the performance control means 200 displays the message "Counting Complete" and the number of game tokens, "0," on the display device 410, and deletes this display after a predetermined time has elapsed since the command was received, or in response to the player's operation of a switch. In addition, upon receiving a command, the performance control means 200 outputs a predetermined counting sound from the sound device 420 until the number of game tokens becomes 0 through the continuous counting process. Furthermore, when the number of game tokens becomes 0 through the continuous counting process, the performance control means 200 determines that the game has ended and outputs an ending sound such as "Thank you for your hard work" from the sound device 420. Furthermore, the performance control means 200, in response to receiving a command, for example, illuminates the performance lamp 136 in a predetermined light color until the number of game tokens becomes 0 through continuous counting processing.

[0283] Furthermore, the performance control means 200 can determine the number of game tokens that have been counted by subtracting the number of game tokens after counting included in the current command from the number of game tokens after counting included in the previous command.Therefore, based on the subtracted value, the performance control means 200 can confirm that the counting process has been executed correctly, for example, by confirming that the subtracted value is 1 token in the case of single counting, or by confirming that the subtracted value is 50 tokens (except when the number of game tokens after counting is 0) in the case of continuous counting or total counting.

[0284] In the second embodiment, the medal number control means 300 has terminated the counting process because the number of game medals has reached zero in the continuous counting process. Also, for example, when the VL connection signal becomes OFF (lending device connection error) as described above, or when it is no longer "during playable games", the medal number control means 300 stops the counting process. In this case, an error code "EL" is displayed on the main control display device 10D, and a message indicating that a connection error has occurred with the dedicated unit SU is displayed on the display device 410. Also, when the player turns off the counting switch 126 during a long-press operation, the medal number control means 300 stops the continuous counting process on the assumption that the player has intentionally interrupted the counting process. Hereinafter, the flow of the counting process when the player turns off the counting switch 126 while the continuous counting process is being executed by the long-press operation will be described.

[0285] Figure 15 is a timing chart for explaining another flow of the counting process when the counting switch 126 is long-pressed.

[0286] As shown in Figure 15, when the player turns on the counting switch 126, the medal number control means 300 temporarily sets the operation state flag to 1 (short press) in response to the ON edge of the counting switch 126, and sets the values of bits 2 to 0 of the counting process state management buffer to 001b. Also, the medal number control means 300 measures the time from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 using a counting timer.

[0287] When the time from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 becomes 500 msec or more, the medal number control means 300 determines that the player's operation is a long-press operation and executes the continuous counting process. Specifically, the medal number control means 300 switches the operation state flag from 1 (short press) to 2 (long press), and sets the values of bits 2 to 0 of the counting process state management buffer to 010b. Also, the medal number control means 300 sets 2 (continuous counting process) in the counting reservation flag to reserve the continuous counting process.

[0288] The medal count control means 300 then refers to the operation status flag at the counting timing, and if the operation status flag is set to 2, it sets the counted medal count in the counting notification to "50". The medal count control means 300 also subtracts 50 from the current number of game medals, for example, "170", and updates the number of game medals to "120". Accordingly, the number of game medals "120" is displayed on the game medal count display device MD. The medal count control CPU 31 sends a counting notification with the counted medal count set to the dedicated unit SU. After the initial continuous counting process is executed, there is no longer a need to keep the counting reservation flag, so the medal count control means 300 resets the counting reservation flag to 0. After that, the medal count control means 300 executes the continuous counting process that is performed each time the counting timing occurs. Therefore, the number of game medals is subtracted by 50 and updated to "70". Accordingly, the number of game medals "70" is displayed on the game medal count display device MD.

[0289] If the player turns off the counting switch 126 before the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 reaches 4000 msec, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 0 (not operated) according to the OFF edge of the counting switch 126, and resets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing state management buffer to 000b to release the long press operation. In this way, the continuous counting process stops.

[0290] As described above, when the continuous counting process is executed, the medal count control CPU 31 sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that the continuous counting process has been executed and the number of game medals after counting. Upon receiving this command, the main control CPU 11 sends a command to the sub-control CPU 21 to that effect. The sub-control CPU 21 then informs the player that the digitized medals have been sent to the dedicated unit SU by the counting process through the display device 410, sound device 420, and effect lamp 136.

[0291] Specifically, the performance control means 200 of the sub-control CPU 21, upon receiving a command, displays, for example, the message "Counting" and the number of game tokens after the first continuous counting process is completed, "120," on the display device 410. Upon receiving the next command, it updates the display of the number of game tokens to "70," and deletes the display after a predetermined time has elapsed since the command was received, or in response to the player operating a switch. The performance control means 200 also, upon receiving a command, outputs a predetermined counting sound from the sound device 420, for example, until the continuous counting process is stopped. The performance control means 200 also, upon receiving a command, illuminates the performance lamp 136 in a predetermined color, for example, until the continuous counting process is stopped.

[0292] Here, the performance control means 200 can determine that the continuous counting process has been interrupted (terminated) based on the fact that it did not receive a command from the main control CPU 11 at the timing when it should have received a command indicating that the continuous counting process had been executed (for example, not receiving a command for 400 msec). Here, the timing for determining that a command was not received is given as 400 msec elapsed since the previous command was received, but it is not limited to this case. It can be any value that has elapsed, for example, 310 msec or more, which is the interval of 300 msec that the medal count control CPU 31 sends commands to the main control CPU 11 plus a transmission delay. Also, if the counting switch 126 is turned ON / OFF repeatedly, there is a possibility that a command indicating that the continuous counting process has been executed will be received at intervals of 600 msec, so it is preferable to set the timing for determining that a command was not received to less than 600 msec from the previous command was received, for example, 590 msec. Furthermore, even if the counting switch 126 is turned ON / OFF consecutively, if the second operation is determined to be a short press, it will not be considered that commands indicating that continuous counting processing has been executed have been received consecutively, so no problem will occur.

[0293] <Counting process during full counting operations> Figure 16 is a timing chart illustrating the counting process when the counting switch 126 is fully counted in the slot machine 1 of the second embodiment.

[0294] As shown in Figure 16, when a player turns on the counting switch 126, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 1 (short press) in response to the ON edge of the counting switch 126, and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer to 001b. The medal count control means 300 also measures the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 using a counting timer.

[0295] Then, when the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 500 msec, the medal count control means 300 determines that the player's operation is a long press operation and executes continuous counting processing. Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag from 1 (short press) to 2 (long press) and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer to 010b. In addition, the medal count control means 300 sets the counting reservation flag to 2 (continuous counting processing) and reserves continuous counting processing.

[0296] The medal count control means 300 then refers to the operation status flag at the counting timing, and if the operation status flag is set to 2, it sets the counted medal count in the counting notification to "50". The medal count control means 300 also subtracts 50 from the current number of game medals, "1020", and updates the number of game medals to "970". Accordingly, the number of game medals "970" is displayed on the game medal count display device MD. The medal count control CPU 31 sends the counting notification with the counted medal count set to the dedicated unit SU. After the initial continuous counting process is executed, there is no longer a need to keep the counting reservation flag, so the medal count control means 300 resets the counting reservation flag to 0. After that, the medal count control means 300 executes the continuous counting process that is performed each time a counting timing occurs. Therefore, the number of game tokens is reduced by 50 each time, changing as follows: "920" → "870" → "820" → "770" → "720" → "670" → "620" → "570" → "520" → "470".

[0297] Then, when the player keeps the counting switch 126 ON and the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 4000 msec, the medal count control means 300 determines that the player's operation is a full counting operation and executes the full counting process. Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag from 2 (long press) to 3 (full counting), resets bit 1 (continuous counting) of the counting process status management buffer to 0, sets bit 2 (full counting) to 1, and sets the value of bits 2 to 0 to 100b. The medal count control CPU 31 sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that the full counting process has been executed and the number of game medals after counting.

[0298] Here, the condition for switching to the full counting operation is described as the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 being 4000 msec or more. However, this time is not limited to 4000 msec; it can be arbitrarily determined as long as it is determined that the counting switch 126 has been kept ON for a certain period of time. Furthermore, the medal count control means 300 may determine whether or not the condition for switching to the full counting operation is met based on other triggers equivalent to 4000 msec (for example, the number of counting timings described later).

[0299] The medal count control means 300 then refers to the operation status flag at the counting timing. If the operation status flag is set to 3, it sets the counted medal count in the counting notification to "50," similar to when the operation status flag is set to 2. The medal count control means 300 also subtracts 50 from the current number of game medals, "470," and updates the number of game medals to "420." Consequently, the number of game medals, "420," is displayed on the game medal count display device MD. The medal count control CPU 31 sends the counting notification with the counted medal count set to the dedicated unit SU. The medal count control means 300 executes the counting process each time a counting timing occurs. Therefore, the number of game medals is subtracted by 50 each time, changing as follows: "370" → "320" → "270" → "220" → "170" → "120" → "70" → "20." Then, if the number of game tokens is less than 50, for example, "20", the token count control means 300 sets the number of tokens to be counted to the remaining number of game tokens, "20", at the counting timing. Therefore, the number of game tokens becomes 0, and the counting process by the total counting operation is completed. When the counting process by the total counting operation is completed, the token count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 0 (no operation) and resets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting process status management buffer to 000b to cancel the total counting operation.

[0300] Thus, when the operation state is determined to be a full counting operation, the player can perform the same counting process as a long press operation without having to continuously operate the counting switch 126. For example, as shown in Figure 16, even if the player turns OFF the counting switch 126 after the operation state flag has switched to 3, the counting process will continue without interruption and will continue counting until the number of game tokens reaches 0.

[0301] Here, the timing at which a full counting operation is determined (4000 msec from the ON edge) differs from the counting timing. Therefore, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 3 at the timing at which a full counting operation is determined, and performs a counting process of 50 medals at each counting timing based on the operation status flag being 3. With this configuration, even if the timing at which a full counting operation is determined differs from the counting timing, the medal count control means 300 can reliably perform the counting process at the counting timing.

[0302] Once the entire counting process is completed, the medal count control CPU 31 sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that the entire counting process has been completed and the number of game medals after counting. Upon receiving this command, the main control CPU 11 sends a command to the sub-control CPU 21 to that effect. The sub-control CPU 21 then informs the player that the digitized medals have been sent to the dedicated unit SU through the display device 410, sound device 420, and effect lamp 136.

[0303] Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag to 3 and sets bit 2 (full counting) of the counting processing status management buffer to 1 when the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 becomes 4000 msec or more. The medal count control CPU 31 then refers to the counting processing status management buffer and sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that full counting has been performed. At this time, the medal count control CPU 31 may also communicate that full counting has been performed by sending the counting processing status management data as is, as part of the command, to the main control CPU 11. Upon receiving the command, the main control CPU 11 refers to the command and sends a command to the sub-control CPU 21 indicating that full counting has been performed. At this time, the main control CPU 11 may also communicate that full counting has been performed by sending at least the counting processing status management data of the command sent from the medal count control board 30 as is, as part of the command, to the sub-control CPU 21. The main control CPU 11 may also send a command to the sub-control CPU 21 only when a command sent from the medal count control board 30 changes, for example, only when bit 2 (all counting processing) of the counting processing state management data changes from OFF to ON.

[0304] The performance control means 200 of the sub-control CPU 21 displays, for example, the message "Counting" and the number of game tokens after the first continuous counting process is completed, "970", on the display device 410 in response to the reception of a command, and updates the display of the number of game tokens each time a command is received, in the order of "920" → "870" → "820" → "770" → "720" → "670" → "620" → "570" → "520" → "470". In addition, the performance control means 200 updates the display of the message "Counting" to the message "All counting" (it is also possible to display it with the addition of "Counting switch can be turned OFF", etc.) in response to the reception of a command in which bit 2 (all counting process) of the counting process state management data becomes 1. The performance control means 200 continues to update the display of the number of game tokens each time it receives a command, in the following order: "420" → "370" → "320" → "270" → "220" → "170" → "120" → "70" → "20". When the number of game tokens becomes 0 through the total counting process, the performance control means 200 displays the message "Total counting complete" and the number of game tokens "0" on the display device 410, and deletes the display after a predetermined time has elapsed since the command was received, or in response to the player's operation of a switch. The performance control means 200 also outputs a predetermined counting sound from the sound device 420 in response to the receipt of a command, for example, until the number of game tokens becomes 0 through continuous counting. When the number of game tokens becomes 0 through continuous counting, the performance control means 200 determines that the game has ended and outputs an ending sound such as "Thank you for your hard work" from the sound device 420. Here, the performance control means 200 may change the sound output from the sound device 420 or execute a specific performance that outputs a specific sound to notify that the game has moved to full counting processing, in response to bit 2 (full counting processing) of the counting processing state management data in the command becoming 1. In addition, the performance control means 200 may, in response to receiving a command, for example, illuminate the performance lamp 136 in a predetermined light color until the number of game tokens becomes 0 through continuous counting processing.Here, the performance control means 200 may change the light color emitted by the performance lamp 136, output a specific light color to indicate that the system has transitioned to full counting, or execute a specific performance that indicates the system has transitioned to full counting by changing the lighting pattern, depending on whether bit 2 (full counting) of the counting processing state management data in the command becomes 1.

[0305] Furthermore, the performance control means 200 may change the counting sound output from the sound device 420 each time a command is received, or each time a command is received a predetermined number of times (for example, twice), in order to inform the player of the progress of the multiple counting process. For example, the performance control means 200 can appeal to the player that many electronic tokens are being counted by repeating stepwise counting sounds such as "Do," "Re," "Mi," "Fa," "So," "La," "Si," and "Do."

[0306] The player can understand that the system has transitioned to full counting processing, and that the counting process can continue even if the counting switch 126 is turned OFF, by observing the changes in the display on the display device 410, the changes in the sound output from the sound device 420, and the changes in the illumination pattern of the effect lamp 136.

[0307] In the second embodiment, the counting process is terminated when the number of game tokens becomes 0 during the entire counting process. Also, as described above, if the VL connection signal is turned OFF or if it is no longer possible to play, the token count control means 300 stops the counting process.

[0308] As mentioned above, the full counting operation continues even if the counting switch 126 is turned OFF, so unlike the long-press operation, the counting process is not stopped by turning off the counting switch 126. However, it would be less convenient if the continuous counting process could be stopped with the long-press operation, but the full counting process could not be stopped with the full counting operation. Therefore, in the full counting process, a function has been added that stops the full counting process when the player turns the counting switch 126 ON again after initially turning it OFF. The following explains the flow of the counting process when the player turns the counting switch 126 ON again while the full counting process is being executed by the full counting operation.

[0309] Figure 17 is a timing chart illustrating another flow of the counting process when the counting switch 126 is fully counted.

[0310] As shown in Figure 17, when a player turns on the counting switch 126, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 1 (short press) in response to the ON edge of the counting switch 126, and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer to 001b. The medal count control means 300 also measures the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 using a counting timer.

[0311] Then, when the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 500 msec, the medal count control means 300 determines that the player's operation is a long press operation and executes continuous counting processing. Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag from 1 (short press) to 2 (long press) and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer to 010b. In addition, the medal count control means 300 sets the counting reservation flag to 2 to reserve continuous counting processing.

[0312] The medal count control means 300 then refers to the operation status flag at the counting timing, and if the operation status flag is set to 2, it sets the counted medal count in the counting notification to "50". The medal count control means 300 also subtracts 50 from the current number of game medals, "1020", and updates the number of game medals to "970". Accordingly, the number of game medals "970" is displayed on the game medal count display device MD. The medal count control CPU 31 sends the counting notification with the counted medal count set to the dedicated unit SU. After the initial continuous counting process is executed, there is no longer a need to keep the counting reservation flag, so the medal count control means 300 resets the counting reservation flag to 0. After that, the medal count control means 300 executes the continuous counting process that is performed each time a counting timing occurs. Therefore, the number of game tokens is reduced by 50 each time, changing as follows: "920" → "870" → "820" → "770" → "720" → "670" → "620" → "570" → "520" → "470".

[0313] Then, when the player keeps the counting switch 126 ON and the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 4000 msec, the medal count control means 300 determines that the player's operation is a full counting operation and executes the full counting process. Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag from 2 (long press) to 3 (full counting) and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting process status management buffer to 100b. The medal count control CPU 31 sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that the full counting process has been executed and the number of game medals after counting.

[0314] The medal count control means 300 then refers to the operation status flag at the counting timing, and if the operation status flag is set to 3, it sets the counted medal count in the counting notification to "50". The medal count control means 300 also subtracts 50 from the current number of game medals, for example, "470", and updates the number of game medals to "420". Accordingly, the number of game medals "420" is displayed on the game medal count display device MD. The medal count control CPU 31 sends the counting notification with the counted medal count set to the dedicated unit SU. The medal count control means 300 executes the counting process each time the counting timing occurs. Therefore, the number of game medals is subtracted by 50 each time, changing from "370" → "320" → "270" → "220".

[0315] Thus, when the operation state is determined to be a full counting operation, the player can perform the same counting process as a long press operation without having to continuously operate the counting switch 126. For example, as shown in Figure 17, even if the player turns OFF the counting switch 126 after the operation state flag has switched to 3, the counting process will continue without interruption and will continue counting until the number of game tokens reaches 0.

[0316] Now, suppose the player turns the counting switch 126 OFF and then ON again. The medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 4 (all counting canceled) in response to the ON edge of the counting switch 126, and resets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer to 000b to cancel the all counting operation. Therefore, the counting process stops at the ON edge of the counting switch 126, and the number of game medals stops at "220" at the counting timing before the ON edge of the counting switch 126. The medal count control CPU 31 sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that the all counting process has stopped and the number of game medals after counting.

[0317] In this type of total counting process, if the counting switch 126 is turned ON again, it is sufficient that the total counting process stops in accordance with the operation of the counting switch 126. Therefore, it is not necessary to determine whether the re-turning ON of the counting switch 126 is a short press, a long press, or a new total counting operation. Here, in the total counting process, if the counting switch 126 is turned ON to stop the counting process, the medal count control means 300 does not determine whether the ON state of the counting switch 126 is continued as a short press, a long press, or a new total counting operation. Therefore, even if the time from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 500 msec, the continuous counting process will not start, and even if the counting switch 126 is subsequently turned OFF, the single counting process will not be executed in accordance with that OFF edge.

[0318] Once the entire counting process is completed, the medal count control CPU 31 sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that the entire counting process has been completed and the number of game medals after counting. Upon receiving this command, the main control CPU 11 sends a command to the sub-control CPU 21 to that effect. The sub-control CPU 21 then informs the player that the digitized medals have been sent to the dedicated unit SU through the display device 410, sound device 420, and effect lamp 136.

[0319] Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag to 3 and sets bit 2 (full counting) of the counting processing status management buffer to 1 when the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 reaches 4000 msec or more. The medal count control CPU 31 then refers to the counting processing status management buffer and sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that the full counting process has been executed. The main control CPU 11, upon receiving this command, refers to the command and sends a command to the sub-control CPU 21 indicating that the full counting process has been executed. In addition, when the full counting process stops, this fact is communicated to both the main control CPU 11 and the sub-control CPU 21. When the full counting process stops, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag to 4 and resets bit 2 (full counting) of the counting processing status management buffer to 0. The medal count control CPU 31 then refers to the counting processing status management buffer and sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that all counting processing has stopped. Upon receiving this command, the main control CPU 11 refers to the command and sends a command to the sub-control CPU 21 indicating that all counting processing has stopped.

[0320] The performance control means 200 of the sub-control CPU 21 displays, for example, the message "Counting" and the number of game tokens after the first continuous counting process is completed, "970", on the display device 410 in response to the reception of a command, and updates the display of the number of game tokens each time a command is received, in the order of "920" → "870" → "820" → "770" → "720" → "670" → "620" → "570" → "520" → "470". In addition, the performance control means 200 updates the display of the message "Counting" to the message "Total Counting" in response to the reception of a command in which bit 2 (total counting process) of the counting process state management data becomes 1. The performance control means 200 continues to update the display of the number of game tokens each time a command is received, in the order of "420" → "370" → "320" → "270" → "220". Furthermore, the performance control means 200 updates the message "Counting all" to the message "Counting all" in response to the receipt of a command in which bit 2 (all counting) of the counting processing state management data becomes 0, and deletes the display after a predetermined time has elapsed since the command was received, or in response to the player operating a switch. In addition, the performance control means 200 causes the sound device 420 to output a predetermined counting sound in response to the receipt of a command, for example, until the all counting process is stopped. Here, the performance control means 200 may change the sound output from the sound device 420 or execute a specific performance that outputs a specific sound to indicate that the process has transitioned to all counting, in response to bit 2 (all counting) of the counting processing state management data in the command becoming 1. The performance control means 200, in response to receiving a command, for example, illuminates the performance lamp 136 in a predetermined light color until the full counting process is stopped. Here, the performance control means 200 may change the light color emitted by the performance lamp 136, output a specific light color to indicate that the full counting process has started, or execute a specific performance that indicates the full counting process has started by blinking, depending on whether bit 2 (full counting process) of the counting process status management data in the command becomes 1.Furthermore, the performance control means 200 may change the light color emitted by the performance lamp 136, output a specific light color to indicate that the entire counting process has stopped, or execute a termination performance that indicates the entire counting process has stopped by blinking, depending on whether bit 2 (total counting process) of the counting process status management data in the command becomes 0.

[0321] Players can understand that the system has transitioned to full counting and that counting can continue even if the counting switch 126 is turned OFF, based on the changes in the display on the display device 410, the changes in the sound output from the sound device 420, and the changes in the illumination pattern of the effect lamp 136. Furthermore, players can understand that after the system has transitioned to full counting, they can stop the full counting process by turning the counting switch 126 OFF and then ON again.

[0322] Note that the timing at which a full counting operation is determined (4000 msec from the ON edge) and the counting timing are independent of each other. Therefore, the timing at which a command is received with bit 2 (full counting) of the counting processing state management data set to 1 is unlikely to overlap with the timing at which a command is received according to the counting timing. However, if the timings at which both commands are received are close, the notification that full counting processing has started and the notification that counting processing has been completed may overlap, making it difficult for the player to recognize one of the notifications. Therefore, here, the notification that full counting processing has started is given priority over the notification that counting processing has been completed. For example, in the display device 410, the message "Full counting in progress" is placed on a higher layer than the display of the number of game tokens, or the sound indicating that full counting processing has started is output from the sound device 420 at a higher volume than the sound indicating that counting processing has been completed, or the performance lamp 136 is illuminated in a lighting pattern that indicates that full counting processing has started. With this configuration, the player can be sure that the entire counting process has started, and even if the counting switch 126 is turned OFF, the counting process can continue.

[0323] <Details of the counting process> Figure 18 is a flowchart showing an example of the counting process flow in the medal count control board 30. This counting process is executed at a predetermined timer interrupt cycle (for example, every 1 msec).

[0324] (Step S400) The medal count control means 300 refers to the operation status flag and determines whether the operation status flag is 3 (total count). If the operation status flag is not 3, the process moves to step S401; if the operation status flag is 3, the process moves to step S425.

[0325] (Step S401) The medal count control means 300 determines whether the counting switch 126 is ON or OFF. If the counting switch 126 is ON, the process moves to step S402; otherwise, the process moves to step S415.

[0326] (Step S402) The medal count control means 300 determines whether the counting switch 126 was on the ON edge. If the counting switch 126 was on the ON edge, the process moves to step S403; otherwise, the process moves to step S404.

[0327] (Step S403) If the counting switch 126 is ON, the medal count control means 300 first sets the operation status flag to 1, assuming the player's operation is a short press operation, sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer to 001b, and terminates the counting-related processing.

[0328] (Step S404) If the counting switch 126 is ON but it is determined in step S402 that it is not an ON edge, the medal count control means 300 determines whether the operation status flag is 4 (all counting canceled). If the operation status flag is not 4, the process moves to step S405. If the operation status flag is 4, the counting process is terminated so that no counting process is executed, as all counting operations have been canceled.

[0329] (Step S405) Next, the medal count control means 300 determines whether the operation status flag is 2 (long press). If the operation status flag is not 2, the process moves to step S406; if the operation status flag is 2, the process moves to step S410.

[0330] (Step S406) The medal count control means 300 refers to the counting timer and determines whether 500 msec has elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126. If 500 msec has elapsed, the process moves to step S407; if 500 msec has not elapsed, it determines that the operation is still equivalent to a short press operation and moves to step S409 without changing the operation status flag.

[0331] (Step S407) If 500 msec has elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126, the medal count control means 300 determines that the operation is a long press operation, sets the operation status flag to 2 (long press), and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing state management buffer to 010b.

[0332] (Step S408) Next, the medal count control means 300 sets the count reservation flag to 2 (continuous counting process) in order to perform at least one continuous counting process.

[0333] (Step S409) The medal count control means 300 increments the count timer by 1 to measure the time from the ON edge of the count switch 126. Here, since the timer interrupt period is set to 1 msec, incrementing by 1 means that time is measured in 1 msec increments.

[0334] (Step S410) When 500 msec has elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126, and it is determined in step S405 that the operation status flag is 2 (long press), the medal count control means 300 refers to the counting timer and determines whether 4000 msec has elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126. If 4000 msec has elapsed, the process moves to step S411; if 4000 msec has not elapsed, it is determined that the operation is still equivalent to a long press, and the process moves to step S412 without changing the operation status flag.

[0335] (Step S411) If 4000 msec has elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 3 (full count) as the operation is a full counting operation, and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing state management buffer to 100b. The medal count control CPU 31 sends a command (bit 2=1 of the counting processing state management data) to the main control CPU 11 to indicate that the full counting process has been executed, in order to communicate that the full counting process has started.

[0336] (Step S412) Next, the medal count control means 300 determines whether or not it is the counting timing. If it is the counting timing, the process moves to step S413; otherwise, the process moves to step S409 without performing the counting process.

[0337] (Step S413) If it is the counting timing, the medal count control means 300 performs multiple counting processing (continuous counting processing) based on a long press operation. This multiple counting processing will be described in detail later.

[0338] (Step S414) The medal count control means 300 resets the count reservation flag to 0 (no reservation) if it determines that continuous counting processing based on a long press operation has been performed at least once.

[0339] (Step S415) If the counting switch 126 is determined to be OFF in step S401, the medal count control means 300 determines whether the counting reservation flag is 1 (reservation of single counting processing) and whether it is the counting timing. If the counting reservation flag is 1 and it is the counting timing, the process moves to step S416; if the counting reservation flag is not 1 or it is not the counting timing, the process moves to step S418 without performing single counting processing.

[0340] (Step S416) If the counting reservation flag is 1 and it is the counting timing, the medal count control means 300 performs a single counting process based on a short press operation. This single counting process will be described in detail later.

[0341] (Step S417) The medal count control means 300 resets the count reservation flag to 0 (no reservation) and resets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the count processing state management buffer to 000b, assuming that a single counting process based on a short press operation has been performed.

[0342] (Step S418) Next, the medal count control means 300 determines whether the count reservation flag is 2 (meaning a long press operation was performed, but the count switch 126 was turned OFF before the count timing arrived) and whether it is the count timing. If the count reservation flag is 2 and it is the count timing, the multiple counting process in step S413 is executed. If the count reservation flag is not 2, or it is not the count timing, the process moves to step S420 without performing the multiple counting process. The multiple counting process in step S413 will be described in detail later.

[0343] (Step S419) The medal count control means 300 resets the count reservation flag to 0 (no reservation) and resets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the count processing state management buffer to 000b, assuming that multiple counting processes based on a long press operation have been executed.

[0344] (Step S420) The medal count control means 300 determines whether the counting switch 126 was at the OFF edge. If the counting switch 126 is at the OFF edge, the process moves to step S421; otherwise, the counting process ends.

[0345] (Step S421) If the counting switch 126 is OFF and is at the OFF edge, the medal count control means 300 determines whether the operation status flag is 1 (short press). If the operation status flag is 1, the process moves to step S422; otherwise, the process moves to step S423.

[0346] (Step S422) Next, the medal count control means 300 sets the count reservation flag to 1 (single counting process) in order to execute single counting processing. Thus, in step S415, if the count reservation flag is 1 and it is the counting timing, the single counting processing in step S416 is executed.

[0347] (Step S423) The medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 0 (no operation) in response to the OFF edge of the counting switch 126 to reset short-press and long-press operations, and resets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing state management buffer to 000b. However, if the counting reservation flag is 1 or 2, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 0 (no operation), but does not reset the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing state management buffer to 000b in order to maintain the value of the counting processing state management buffer.

[0348] (Step S424) The medal count control means 300 resets the count timer to 0 in response to the OFF edge of the count switch 126. The medal count control means 300 also resets the multiple counting count counter to 0. This multiple counting count counter is a counter that counts the number of times the multiple counting process has been executed.

[0349] (Step S425) If the operation status flag is determined to be 3 in step S400, that is, if it is determined that all counting operations have been performed, the medal count control means 300 determines whether or not it is time to count without determining whether the counting switch 126 is ON or OFF in step S401. If it is time to count, the multiple counting process in step S413 is executed; otherwise, the process moves to step S426 without performing any counting operations.

[0350] (Step S426) The medal count control means 300 determines whether the counting switch 126 was on the ON edge. If the counting switch 126 is on the ON edge, the process moves to step S427; otherwise, the counting process is terminated.

[0351] (Step S427) If the counting switch 126 is ON, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 4 (all counting canceled) as the all counting operation has been canceled, and resets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer to 000b. The medal count control CPU 31 sends a command indicating that the all counting process has been stopped (bit 2=0 of the counting processing status management data) to the main control CPU 11 to communicate that the all counting process has been stopped. Here, by setting the operation status flag to 4, even if the counting switch 126 is turned ON to cancel the all counting process, the counting-related processing is terminated in step S404, so the operation of the counting switch 126 is not newly determined as, for example, a short press operation.

[0352] (Step S428) The medal count control means 300 resets the count timer to 0 in response to the OFF edge of the count switch 126. The medal count control means 300 also resets the multiple count count counter to 0 and terminates the counting process.

[0353] <Details of multiple counting processes> Figure 19 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of multiple counting processing (S413).

[0354] (Step S413-1) The medal count control means 300 determines whether the current number of game medals is 50 or more. If the number of game medals is 50 or more, the process moves to step S413-2; if the number of game medals is less than 50, the process moves to step S413-4.

[0355] (Step S413-2) If the number of game tokens is 50 or more, the token count control means 300 sets the count notification to 50.

[0356] (Step S413-3) The medal count control means 300 increments the multiple count counter by 1. The value of this multiple count counter can be used, for example, to change the display on the display device 410, the sound output from the sound device 420, and the light color of the effect lamp 136 depending on the number of counting operations.

[0357] (Step S413-4) If the number of game tokens is less than 50, the token count control means 300 sets all of the current number of game tokens to be used for the count notification.

[0358] (Step S413-5) The medal count control means 300 determines whether the operation status flag is 3 (total count) and whether the counting switch 126 is OFF. If the operation status flag is 3 and the counting switch 126 is OFF, the process moves to step S413-6; otherwise, the process moves to step S413-7.

[0359] (Step S413-6) If the operation status flag is 3 and the counting switch 126 is OFF, the medal count control means 300 determines that all counting processes are complete, resets the operation status flag to 0 (not in operation), and resets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting process state management buffer to 000b.

[0360] (Step S413-7) The medal count control CPU 31 sends a count notification to the dedicated unit SU with the set number of medals to be counted.

[0361] (Step S413-8) Next, the medal count control CPU 31 sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that multiple counting processes (continuous counting or total counting) have been executed and the number of game medals after counting, and then terminates the multiple counting process.

[0362] <Details of single-unit counting> Figure 20 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of single-count processing (S415).

[0363] (Step S415-1) The medal count control means 300 determines whether the current number of game medals is one or more. If the number of game medals is one or more, the process moves to step S415-2; if the number of game medals is less than one, i.e., zero, the single counting process ends.

[0364] (Step S415-2) If the number of game tokens is one or more, the token count control means 300 sets the count notification to 1.

[0365] (Step S415-3) The medal count control CPU 31 sends a count notification to the dedicated unit SU with the set number of medals to be counted.

[0366] (Step S415-4) Next, the medal count control CPU 31 sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that the single counting process has been executed and the number of game medals after counting, and then terminates the single counting process.

[0367] <Details of the counting processing on the main control board> Figure 21 is a flowchart showing an example of the counting-related processing flow in the main control board 10.

[0368] (Step S450) The main control CPU 11 determines whether it has received a command from the medal count control CPU 31 indicating that the counting process has been executed and the number of game medals after counting. If a command has been received, the process moves to step S451; otherwise, the counting process is terminated.

[0369] (Step S451) The main control CPU 11 determines whether the command received this time is different from a command it holds. If the commands are different, it proceeds to step S452; otherwise, it terminates the counting process.

[0370] (Step S452) If the command is different, the main control CPU 11 sends at least the counting processing status management data of the received command to the sub-control CPU 21 as is. In this way, the sub-control CPU 21 can inform the player that the digitized medals have been sent to the dedicated unit SU by the counting process via the display device 410, sound device 420, and effect lamp 136.

[0371] (Step S453) The main control CPU 11 stores the received command in the main RAM 200c for use in the next comparison and then terminates the counting process.

[0372] <Details of the counting processing in the sub-control board> Figure 22 is a flowchart showing an example of the counting-related processing flow in the sub-control board 20.

[0373] (Step S470) The sub-control CPU 21 determines whether it has received a command from the main control CPU 11 indicating that the counting process has been executed and the number of game tokens after counting. If a command has been received, the process moves to step S471; otherwise, the process moves to step S478.

[0374] (Step S471) The performance control means 200 of the sub-control CPU 21 determines whether the number of game tokens after counting, as indicated in the received command, is 0. If the number of game tokens after counting is not 0, the process moves to step S472; if the number of game tokens after counting is 0, the process moves to step S477.

[0375] (Step S472) The performance control means 200 determines whether bit 2 of the counting processing state management data in the received command is 1 or not. If bit 2 of the counting processing state management data is 1, the process moves to step S473; otherwise, the process moves to step S474.

[0376] (Step S473) If bit 2 of the counting processing status management data is 1, the performance control means 200 assumes that the full counting process has started and performs performances for the full counting process, such as displaying the message "Full counting in progress" on the display device 410, changing the sound output from the sound device 420, or changing the light color emitted by the performance lamp 136.

[0377] (Step S474) The performance control means 200 determines whether bit 2 of the counting processing state management data in the received command is 0. If bit 2 of the counting processing state management data is 0, the process moves to step S475; otherwise, the process moves to step S476.

[0378] (Step S475) If bit 2 of the counting processing status management data is 0, the performance control means 200 assumes that all counting processing has finished (stopped) and performs a performance indicating the end of all counting processing, for example, by displaying the message "All counting finished" on the display device 410, changing the sound output from the sound device 420, or changing the light color emitted by the performance lamp 136.

[0379] (Step S476) The performance control means 200 displays the number of game tokens after counting on the display device 410 and terminates the counting-related processing.

[0380] (Step S477) In step S471, if it is determined that the number of game tokens after counting is 0, the performance control means 200 terminates the performance related to the counting process and terminates the counting-related process.

[0381] (Step S478) In step S470, if it is determined that no command has been received, the performance control means 200 determines whether 400 msec or more has elapsed since the last command was received. If 400 msec or more has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S479; otherwise, the counting process is terminated.

[0382] (Step S479) In step S478, if it is determined that 400 msec or more has elapsed since the last command was received, the performance control means 200 terminates the performance related to the counting process and terminates the counting-related process.

[0383] As described above, the slot machine 1 of the second embodiment includes a game control means (e.g., a main control CPU 11) that controls games played using game value (e.g., electronic tokens), a management control means (e.g., token count control CPU 31, token count control means 300) that manages the game value as, for example, the number of game tokens (managing information related to game value as the number of game tokens), and a player operation that causes the management control means to perform counting processing to transmit at least a portion of the game value managed by the management control means to an external device (e.g., a dedicated unit SU). The system includes a counting operation means (for example, a counting switch 126), and the management control means executes a multiple counting process, which is a counting process that transmits a predetermined number (for example, 50) of game values ​​at predetermined intervals (for example, 300 msec intervals), when the time the counting operation means is continuously ON is 1 hour (for example, 500 msec) or longer, and when the time the counting operation means is continuously ON is longer than 1 hour, which is 2 hours (for example, 4000 msec) or longer, the multiple counting process can be executed even if the counting operation means is turned OFF.

[0384] With this configuration, if the player keeps the counting switch 126 ON for a predetermined period of time, the counting process will continue even if the player subsequently turns the counting switch 126 OFF. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the operational burden involved in the counting process of electronic tokens and improve the convenience for the player.

[0385] [Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the slot machine 1, which is a modified version of the second embodiment, will be described.

[0386] In the second embodiment, an example was described in which the medal count control means 300 executes the full counting process when the player keeps the counting switch 126 ON and the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 4000 msec. However, in such a configuration, it is necessary to refer to the counting timer and determine whether its value is 4000 msec or more. Incidentally, in step S413-3 of the multiple counting process in Figure 19, the multiple counting count counter is counted. Therefore, in the third embodiment, the transition to the full counting process is realized using the value of the counted multiple counting count counter. For example, instead of determining whether the value of the counting timer is 4000 msec or more, the medal count control means 300 determines whether the multiple counting count counter is above a predetermined value and executes the full counting process according to the result.

[0387] Here, a predetermined value is set to be compared with the value of the multiple count counter. The timing at which the player turns on the count switch 126 is different from the counting timing. Also, the timing at which the entire counting operation is determined (4000 msec from the ON edge) is different from the counting timing. Therefore, the timing at which the value of the multiple count counter is updated, i.e., the counting timing, is almost never equal to the timing at which 4000 msec has elapsed from the ON edge. Therefore, a predetermined value is set that ensures a time of 4000 msec or more from the ON edge of the count switch 126.

[0388] The time from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 to the counting count reaching the desired value is minimized when the timing of 500 msec from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 occurs immediately before (or simultaneously with) a counting timing. Thus, when the timing of 500 msec from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 occurs immediately before a counting timing, the time from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 approaches 4000 msec when the counting count reaches 12 counts (3800 msec, 500 + 300 × 11) and when it reaches 13 counts (4100 msec, 500 + 300 × 12). Here, we want the multiple counting counter to be updated when 4000 msec has definitely elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126. Therefore, the medal count control means 300 will determine that the entire counting operation has been completed when the number of counting timings reaches 13, i.e., when the value of the multiple counting counter is 13. In this case, even if the timing 500 msec from the ON edge of the counting switch 126, which maximizes the time from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 until the number of counting timings reaches a predetermined value, is immediately after a counting timing, the time when the number of counting timings reaches 13 will be 4400 msec from the ON edge of the counting switch 126. Thus, the timing when the number of counting timings reaches 13 will be within the range of 4100 msec to 4400 msec from the ON edge of the counting switch 126, which fully satisfies the condition of 4000 msec or more from the ON edge of the counting switch 126.

[0389] In this example, the predetermined value is set to 13, which is the minimum value that satisfies the condition of being 4000 msec or more from the ON edge of the counting switch 126. However, the predetermined value can be set to 14 or more values, as long as the condition of being 4000 msec or more from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 is met.

[0390] The following explanation describes an example in which the medal count control means 300 determines whether the multiple count counter is 13 or more, instead of determining whether the count timer value is 4000 msec or more.

[0391] <Counting process during full counting operations> Figure 23 is a timing chart illustrating the counting process when the counting switch 126 is fully counted in the slot machine 1 of the third embodiment.

[0392] As shown in Figure 23, when a player turns on the counting switch 126, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 1 (short press) in response to the ON edge of the counting switch 126, and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer to 001b. The medal count control means 300 also measures the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 using a counting timer.

[0393] Then, when the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 500 msec, the medal count control means 300 determines that the player's operation is a long press operation and executes continuous counting processing. Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag from 1 (short press) to 2 (long press) and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer to 010b. In addition, the medal count control means 300 sets the counting reservation flag to 2 (continuous counting processing) and reserves continuous counting processing.

[0394] The medal count control means 300 then refers to the operation status flag at the counting timing, and if the operation status flag is set to 2, it sets the counted medal count in the counting notification to "50". At this time, the medal count control means 300 increments the multiple counting count counter by 1 and updates it to "1". The medal count control means 300 also subtracts 50 from the current number of game medals "1020", for example, and updates the number of game medals to "970". Accordingly, the number of game medals "970" is displayed on the game medal count display device MD. The medal count control CPU 31 sends the counting notification with the counted medal count set to the dedicated unit SU. After the initial continuous counting process is executed, there is no longer a need to keep the counting reservation flag, so the medal count control means 300 resets the counting reservation flag to 0. After that, the medal count control means 300 executes the continuous counting process that is performed each time there is a counting timing. Therefore, the multiple count counter is incremented by 1, changing from "2" → "3" → "4" → "5" → "6" → "7" → "8" → "9" → "10" → "11" → "12", and the number of game tokens is decreased by 50, changing from "920" → "870" → "820" → "770" → "720" → "670" → "620" → "570" → "520" → "470" → "420".

[0395] Then, when the player keeps the counting switch 126 ON and the value of the multiple counting counter reaches "13", the medal count control means 300 determines that the player's operation is a full counting operation and executes the full counting process. Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag from 2 (long press) to 3 (full counting). In the third embodiment, the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing state management buffer are not set to 100b, but are kept at 010b. Here, since bit 2 is not used, an area can be reserved for adding information in the counting processing state management data.

[0396] The medal count control means 300 then refers to the operation status flag at the counting timing, and if the operation status flag is set to 3, it sets the counted medal count in the counting notification to "50", just as when the operation status flag is set to 2. The medal count control means 300 also subtracts 50 from the current number of game medals "420", for example, and updates the number of game medals to "370". Accordingly, the number of game medals "370" is displayed on the game medal count display device MD. The medal count control CPU 31 sends the counting notification with the counted medal count set to the dedicated unit SU. The medal count control means 300 executes the counting process each time the counting timing occurs. Therefore, the multiple counting counter is incremented by 1, changing from "14" → "15" → "16" → "17" → "18" → "19" → "20", and the number of game tokens is reduced by 50, changing from "320" → "270" → "220" → "170" → "120" → "70" → "20". When the number of game tokens falls below 50, for example to "20", the token count control means 300 sets the number of tokens to be counted to the remaining number of game tokens, "20", at the counting timing. Therefore, the number of game tokens becomes 0, and the counting process by all counting operations is completed. When the counting process by all counting operations is completed, the token count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 0 (no operation) and resets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer to 000b to cancel the all counting operation. Furthermore, the medal count control means 300 resets the multiple count counter to 0.

[0397] Thus, when the operation state is determined to be a full counting operation, the player can perform the same counting process as a long press operation without having to continuously operate the counting switch 126. For example, as shown in Figure 23, even if the player turns OFF the counting switch 126 after the operation state flag has switched to 3, the counting process will continue without interruption and will continue counting until the number of game tokens reaches 0.

[0398] Once the entire counting process is completed, the medal count control CPU 31 sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that the counting process has been completed and the number of game medals after counting. Upon receiving this command, the main control CPU 11 sends a command to the sub-control CPU 21 to that effect. The sub-control CPU 21 then notifies the player that the digitized medals have been sent to the dedicated unit SU through the display device 410, sound device 420, and effect lamp 136.

[0399] Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag to 2 and sets bit 1 (continuous counting) of the counting processing status management buffer to 1 when the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 becomes 500 msec or more. The medal count control CPU 31 then refers to the counting processing status management buffer and sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that all counting processes have been executed. At this time, the medal count control CPU 31 may also transmit that continuous counting processes have been executed by sending the counting processing status management data as is, as part of the command, to the main control CPU 11. Upon receiving the command, the main control CPU 11 refers to the command and sends a command to the sub-control CPU 21 indicating that continuous counting processes have been executed. At this time, the main control CPU 11 may also transmit that continuous counting processes have been executed by sending at least the counting processing status management data of the command sent from the medal count control board 30 as is, as part of the command, to the sub-control CPU 21. The main control CPU 11 may also send a command to the sub-control CPU 21 only when a command sent from the medal count control board 30 changes, for example, only when bit 1 (continuous counting) of the counting processing state management data changes from OFF to ON.

[0400] The performance control means 200 of the sub-control CPU 21, upon receiving a command in which bit 1 of the counting processing state management data is 1, for example, increments the sub-counting count counter by 1 to update it to "1", and displays the message "Counting" and the number of game tokens after the completion of the first continuous counting process, "970", on the display device 410. Here, the sub-counting count counter is a counter that counts the number of times a command indicating the execution of multiple counting processes has been received. Next, the performance control means 200 updates the sub-counting counter to "2" → "3" → "4" → "5" → "6" → "7" → "8" → "9" → "10" → "11" → "12" each time it receives a command, and updates the display of the number of game tokens to "920" → "870" → "820" → "770" → "720" → "670" → "620" → "570" → "520" → "470" → "420". Also, in response to receiving a command, the performance control means 200 determines that the full counting process has started when the sub-counting counter reaches "13", and updates the displayed message "Counting" to the message "Full Counting" (it is also possible to display it with the addition of "Counting switch can be turned OFF", etc.). The performance control means 200 continues to update the display of the number of game tokens each time it receives a command, in the following order: "370" → "320" → "270" → "220" → "170" → "120" → "70" → "20". When the number of game tokens becomes 0 through the total counting process, the performance control means 200 displays the message "Total counting complete" and the number of game tokens "0" on the display device 410, and deletes the display after a predetermined time has elapsed since the command was received, or in response to the player's operation of a switch. The performance control means 200 also outputs a predetermined counting sound from the sound device 420 in response to the receipt of a command, for example, until the number of game tokens becomes 0 through continuous counting. When the number of game tokens becomes 0 through continuous counting, the performance control means 200 determines that the game has ended and outputs an ending sound such as "Thank you for your hard work" from the sound device 420. Here, the performance control means 200 may change the sound output from the sound device 420 or perform a specific performance that outputs a specific sound to indicate that the process has moved to full counting, in response to the sub-counting counter reaching "13".Furthermore, the performance control means 200, in response to receiving a command, for example, illuminates the performance lamp 136 in a predetermined light color until the number of game tokens becomes 0 through continuous counting processing. Here, the performance control means 200 may change the light color of the performance lamp 136 when the sub-counting counter reaches "13", output a specific light color to indicate that the game has moved to full counting processing, or execute a specific performance that indicates the game has moved to full counting processing by flashing.

[0401] Here, the performance control means 200 self-containedly determines the timing of full counting processing using a sub-counting counter. Therefore, as long as it is known that multiple counting processes are being executed (bit 1=1 in the counting processing state management data), it is not necessary to know that full counting processing is being executed (bit 2=1 in the counting processing state management data), as explained using Figures 16 to 22. Consequently, the design burden associated with changes in commands and programs can be reduced.

[0402] Furthermore, the multiple counting counter in the medal count control CPU 31 reaching 13 and the sub-counting counter in the performance control means 200 reaching 13 occur almost simultaneously, despite a communication delay. Therefore, the timing of the medal count control board 30 entering full counting processing and the timing of the player recognizing the start of full counting processing are the same. Consequently, the player can understand that full counting processing has begun and that counting processing can continue even if the counting switch 126 is turned OFF, based on the changes in the display on the display device 410, the changes in the sound output from the sound device 420, and the changes in the illumination pattern of the performance lamp 136.

[0403] Furthermore, from the standpoint of reliability, the medal count control CPU 31 may change bit 2 of the counting processing state management data in the command. With this configuration, the performance control means 200 can determine that the full counting process has started not only when the sub-counting count counter is 13 or more, but also when bit 2 of the counting processing state management data is 1, thus enabling reliable tracking of the transition of the full counting process. Also, from the standpoint of reliability, the medal count control CPU 31 may include in the command the number of times multiple counting processes (continuous counting process and full counting process) are executed. With this configuration, the performance control means 200 can compare the value of the sub-counting count counter with the number of times multiple counting processes indicated in the command are executed and ensure their consistency.

[0404] Furthermore, it is practically impossible for a player to perform 13 consecutive short-press operations between counting timings. Therefore, the performance control means 200 can determine that the full counting process has started by receiving 13 commands consecutively, without needing to know that multiple counting processes are being executed (bit 1 or bit 2 of the counting process state management data = 1). With this configuration, the performance control means 200 can determine the transition to the full counting process with simple processing, further reducing the design burden.

[0405] Figure 24 is a timing chart illustrating another flow of the counting process when the counting switch 126 is fully counted.

[0406] As shown in Figure 24, when a player turns on the counting switch 126, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 1 (short press) in response to the ON edge of the counting switch 126, and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer to 001b. The medal count control means 300 also measures the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 using a counting timer.

[0407] Then, when the time elapsed since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 500 msec, the medal count control means 300 determines that the player's operation is a long press operation and executes continuous counting processing. Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag from 1 (short press) to 2 (long press) and sets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer to 010b. In addition, the medal count control means 300 sets the counting reservation flag to 2 to reserve continuous counting processing.

[0408] The medal count control means 300 then refers to the operation status flag at the counting timing, and if the operation status flag is set to 2, it sets the counted medal count in the counting notification to "50". At this time, the medal count control means 300 increments the multiple counting count counter by 1 and updates it to "1". The medal count control means 300 also subtracts 50 from the current number of game medals "1020", for example, and updates the number of game medals to "970". Accordingly, the number of game medals "970" is displayed on the game medal count display device MD. The medal count control CPU 31 sends the counting notification with the counted medal count set to the dedicated unit SU. After the initial continuous counting process is executed, there is no longer a need to keep the counting reservation flag, so the medal count control means 300 resets the counting reservation flag to 0. After that, the medal count control means 300 executes the continuous counting process that is performed each time there is a counting timing. Therefore, the multiple count counter is incremented by 1, changing from "2" → "3" → "4" → "5" → "6" → "7" → "8" → "9" → "10" → "11" → "12", and the number of game tokens is decreased by 50, changing from "920" → "870" → "820" → "770" → "720" → "670" → "620" → "570" → "520" → "470" → "420".

[0409] Then, when the player keeps the counting switch 126 ON and the value of the multiple counting counter reaches "13", the medal count control means 300 determines that the player's operation is a full counting operation and executes the full counting process. Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag from 2 (long press) to 3 (full counting). In the third embodiment, the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing status management buffer are not set to 100b, but are kept at 010b. Here, bit 2 is not used, so an area for adding information can be reserved.

[0410] The medal count control means 300 then refers to the operation status flag at the counting timing, and if the operation status flag is set to 3, it sets the counted medal count in the counting notification to "50". The medal count control means 300 also subtracts 50 from the current number of game medals, for example, "420", and updates the number of game medals to "370". Accordingly, the number of game medals "370" is displayed on the game medal count display device MD. The medal count control CPU 31 sends the counting notification with the counted medal count set to the dedicated unit SU. The medal count control means 300 executes the counting process each time there is a counting timing. Therefore, the multiple count count counter is incremented by 1, changing from "14" → "15" → "16", and the number of game medals is subtracted by 50, changing from "320" → "270" → "220".

[0411] Thus, when the operation state is determined to be a full counting operation, the player can perform the same counting process as a long press operation without having to continuously operate the counting switch 126. For example, as shown in Figure 24, even if the player turns OFF the counting switch 126 after the operation state flag has switched to 3, the counting process will continue without interruption and will continue counting until the number of game tokens reaches 0.

[0412] Now, suppose the player turns the counting switch 126 OFF and then ON again. The medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 4 (all counting canceled) in response to the ON edge of the counting switch 126, and resets the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing state management buffer to 000b to cancel all counting operations. The medal count control means 300 also resets the multiple counting count counter to 0. Therefore, the counting process stops at the ON edge of the counting switch 126, and the number of game medals stops at "220" at the counting timing before the ON edge of the counting switch 126.

[0413] In this type of total counting process, if the counting switch 126 is turned ON again, it is sufficient that the total counting process stops in accordance with the operation of the counting switch 126. Therefore, it is not necessary to determine whether the re-turning ON of the counting switch 126 is a short press, a long press, or a new total counting operation. Here, in the total counting process, if the counting switch 126 is turned ON to stop the counting process, the medal count control means 300 does not determine whether the ON state of the counting switch 126 is continued as a short press, a long press, or a new total counting operation. Therefore, even if the time from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 500 msec, the continuous counting process will not start, and even if the counting switch 126 is subsequently turned OFF, the single counting process will not be executed in accordance with that OFF edge.

[0414] Once the entire counting process is completed, the medal count control CPU 31 sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that the counting process has been completed and the number of game medals after counting. Upon receiving this command, the main control CPU 11 sends a command to the sub-control CPU 21 to that effect. The sub-control CPU 21 then notifies the player that the digitized medals have been sent to the dedicated unit SU through the display device 410, sound device 420, and effect lamp 136.

[0415] Specifically, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag to 2 and sets bit 1 (continuous counting) of the counting processing status management buffer to 1 when the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 reaches 500 msec or more. The medal count control CPU 31 then refers to the counting processing status management buffer and sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that all counting processes have been executed. The main control CPU 11, upon receiving this command, refers to the command and sends a command to the sub-control CPU 21 indicating that continuous counting processes have been executed. Alternatively, the main control CPU 11 may send a command to the sub-control CPU 21 only when the command sent from the medal count control board 30 changes, for example, only when bit 1 (continuous counting) of the counting processing status management data changes from OFF to ON.

[0416] Furthermore, when continuous counting processing stops, this fact is communicated to the main control CPU 11 and the sub-control CPU 21. When continuous counting processing stops, the medal count control means 300 switches the operation status flag to 4 and resets bit 1 (continuous counting processing) of the counting processing status management buffer to 0. The medal count control CPU 31 then refers to the counting processing status management buffer and sends a command to the main control CPU 11 indicating that all counting processing has stopped. Upon receiving this command, the main control CPU 11 refers to the command and sends a command to the sub-control CPU 21 indicating that all counting processing has stopped.

[0417] The performance control means 200 of the sub-control CPU 21, upon receiving a command in which bit 1 of the counting processing state management data is 1, for example, increments the sub-counting count counter by 1 to update it to "1", and displays the message "Counting" and the number of game tokens after the completion of the first continuous counting process, "970", on the display device 410. Here, the sub-counting count counter is a counter that counts the number of times a command indicating the execution of multiple counting processes has been received. Next, the performance control means 200 updates the sub-counting counter to "2" → "3" → "4" → "5" → "6" → "7" → "8" → "9" → "10" → "11" → "12" each time it receives a command, and updates the display of the number of game tokens to "920" → "870" → "820" → "770" → "720" → "670" → "620" → "570" → "520" → "470" → "420". Also, in response to receiving a command, the performance control means 200 determines that the full counting process has started when the sub-counting counter reaches "13", and updates the displayed message "Counting" to the message "Full Counting" (it is also possible to display it with the addition of "Counting switch can be turned OFF", etc.). The performance control means 200 continues to update the display of the number of game tokens each time it receives a command, from "370" → "320" → "270" → "220", and deletes the display after a predetermined time has elapsed since the command was received, or in response to the player operating a switch. The performance control means 200 also causes the sound device 420 to output a predetermined counting sound in response to the command, for example, until the number of game tokens becomes 0 through continuous counting processing. When the number of game tokens becomes 0 through continuous counting processing, the performance control means 200 determines that the game has ended and outputs an ending sound such as "Thank you for your hard work" from the sound device 420. At this point, the performance control means 200 may change the sound output from the sound device 420 or perform a specific performance that outputs a specific sound to indicate that the game has moved to full counting processing, in response to the sub-counting counter reaching "13". Furthermore, the performance control means 200, in response to receiving a command, for example, illuminates the performance lamp 136 in a predetermined light color until the number of game tokens becomes 0 through continuous counting processing.Here, the performance control means 200 may change the color of the light emitted by the performance lamp 136 in response to the sub-counting counter reaching "13", output a specific light color to indicate that the process has moved to full counting, or execute a specific performance that indicates the process has moved to full counting by flashing. Furthermore, the performance control means 200 can determine that the full counting process has been interrupted (ended) based on the fact that it did not receive a command from the main control CPU 11 at the timing when it should have received a command due to the execution of continuous counting (for example, not receiving a command for 400 msec). Here, the timing for determining that a command was not received is not limited to 400 msec, but may be 310 msec to 590 msec.

[0418] Players can understand that the system has transitioned to full counting and that counting can continue even if the counting switch 126 is turned OFF, based on the changes in the display on the display device 410, the changes in the sound output from the sound device 420, and the changes in the illumination pattern of the effect lamp 136. Furthermore, players can understand that after the system has transitioned to full counting, they can stop the full counting process by turning the counting switch 126 OFF and then ON again.

[0419] Here, instead of determining whether the counting timer value is 4000 msec or more, the transition to the full counting process is determined by determining whether the multiple count counter has reached 13 or more counts. Therefore, the flowcharts shown in Figures 18, 19, and 22 will also differ in part. Below, using Figure 25 (corresponding to Figure 18), Figure 26 (corresponding to Figure 19), and Figure 27 (corresponding to Figure 22), the processes that differ from those in Figures 18, 19, and 22 will be described in detail, while other processes that are substantially functionally the same will not be explained.

[0420] <Details of the counting process> Figure 25 is a flowchart showing an example of the counting process flow in the medal count control board 30. Unlike Figure 18, the counting process in Figure 25 does not determine whether the value of the count timer is 4000 msec or more. Therefore, the determination in step S410 of Figure 18, which determines whether 4000 msec has elapsed since the ON edge of the count switch 126, and the process in step S411, which sets bit 2 of the counting process state management buffer to 1 if 4000 msec has elapsed since the ON edge of the count switch 126, are not executed in Figure 25.

[0421] <Details of multiple counting processes> Figure 26 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the multiple counting process (S413). The multiple counting process (S413) in Figure 26 is executed at the counting timing, and the multiple counting counter is updated. Therefore, here, as described above, instead of steps S410 and S411 in Figure 18, a process (S413-11, S413-12) is added to the multiple counting process (S413) to start the entire counting process according to the value of the multiple counting counter.

[0422] (Step S413-11) The medal count control means 300 determines whether the multiple count counter is 13 or more. If the multiple count counter is 13 or more, the process moves to step S413-12. If the multiple count counter is less than 13, it determines that the operation is still equivalent to a long press operation, and the process moves to step S413-7 without changing the operation status flag.

[0423] (Step S413-12) If the multiple count count counter is 13 or more, the medal count control means 300 sets the operation status flag to 3 (total count) as the operation is a total count operation. However, in the third embodiment, the values ​​of bits 2 to 0 of the counting processing state management buffer are not set to 100b, but are kept at 010b.

[0424] <Details of the counting processing in the sub-control board> Figure 27 is a flowchart showing an example of the counting processing flow in the sub-control board 20. Unlike Figure 22, the counting processing in Figure 27 does not use bit 2 of the command's counting processing state management data, but instead uses a sub-counting counter within the sub-control CPU 21 to self-containedly determine the timing for transitioning to the full counting processing.

[0425] (Step S480) The sub-control CPU 21 determines whether it has received a command from the main control CPU 11 indicating that the counting process has been executed and the number of game tokens after counting. If a command has been received, the process moves to step S481; otherwise, the process moves to step S488.

[0426] (Step S481) The performance control means 200 of the sub-control CPU 21 determines whether the number of game tokens after counting, as indicated in the received command, is 0. If the number of game tokens after counting is not 0, the process moves to step S482; if the number of game tokens after counting is 0, the process moves to step S486.

[0427] (Step S482) The performance control means 200 determines whether the sub-count count counter is 13 or more. If the sub-count count counter is 13 or more, the process moves to step S483. If the sub-count count counter is less than 13, it is determined that the operation still corresponds to a long press operation, and the process moves to step S484.

[0428] (Step S483) If the sub-count count counter is 13 or more, the performance control means 200 assumes that the full counting process has started and performs performances for the full counting process, such as displaying the message "Full counting in progress" on the display device 410, changing the sound output from the sound device 420, or changing the light color emitted by the performance lamp 136.

[0429] (Step S484) The performance control means 200 increments the sub-count counter by 1.

[0430] (Step S485) The performance control means 200 displays the number of game tokens after counting on the display device 410 and terminates the counting-related processing.

[0431] (Step S486) In step S481, if it is determined that the number of game tokens after counting is 0, the performance control means 200 terminates the performance related to the counting process.

[0432] (Step S487) The performance control means 200 resets the sub-count count counter to 0 and terminates the count-corresponding process.

[0433] (Step S488) In step S480, if it is determined that no command has been received, the performance control means 200 determines whether 400 msec or more has elapsed since the last command was received. If 400 msec or more has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S489; otherwise, the counting process is terminated.

[0434] (Step S489) In step S488, if it is determined that 400 msec or more has elapsed since the last command was received, the performance control means 200 terminates the performance related to the counting process.

[0435] (Step S490) The performance control means 200 resets the sub-count count counter to 0 and terminates the count-corresponding process.

[0436] As described above, the slot machine 1 of the third embodiment comprises: a game control means (e.g., a main control CPU 11) that controls a game played using game value (e.g., electronic tokens); a management control means (e.g., token count control CPU 31, token count control means 300) that manages the game value as, for example, the number of game tokens (managing information related to game value as the number of game tokens); and a counting operation means (e.g., a counting switch 126) that receives input from a player to perform a counting process that transmits at least a portion of the game value managed by the management control means to an external device (e.g., a dedicated unit SU). The management control means, when the time the counting operation means is continuously ON exceeds a predetermined time (e.g., 500 msec), executes a multiple counting process that repeats a unit counting process (e.g., counting in units of 50) that transmits a predetermined number (e.g., 50) of game value at a predetermined period (e.g., a 300 msec period). It also counts the number of times the unit counting process has been executed under the condition that the counting operation means is continuously ON (e.g., a multiple counting count counter). When the number of times the unit counting process has been executed exceeds a predetermined value (e.g., 13), the multiple counting process becomes executable even if the counting operation means is turned OFF.

[0437] Furthermore, the system includes a performance control means (e.g., performance control means 200) that controls the performance related to the counting process executed by the management control means. The performance control means counts the number of times the unit counting process has been executed (e.g., a sub-counting counter) under the condition that the unit counting process is repeated at a predetermined period (e.g., a 300 msec period), and when the number of times the unit counting process has been executed reaches a predetermined value (e.g., 13), it executes a specific performance (e.g., a specific audio output that notifies that the system has moved to the full counting process).

[0438] Furthermore, the slot machine 1 includes a game control means (e.g., a main control CPU 11) that controls the game played using game value (e.g., electronic tokens), a management control means (e.g., token count control CPU 31, token count control means 300) that manages the game value as, for example, the number of game tokens (managing information related to game value as the number of game tokens), a counting operation means (e.g., a counting switch 126) that accepts player input to perform a counting process that transmits at least a portion of the game value managed by the management control means to an external device (e.g., a dedicated unit SU), and an effect control means (e.g., an effect control means 200) that controls the effects related to the counting process performed by the management control means, and the management control means controls the time during which the counting operation means is continuously ON. If a certain amount of time (e.g., 500 msec) has passed, the system executes a multiple counting process that repeats a unit counting process (e.g., counting in units of 50) that transmits a predetermined number (e.g., 50) of game value at a predetermined cycle (e.g., a 300 msec cycle). If the time for which the counting operation means is continuously ON is longer than the first time, for a second time (e.g., 4000 msec) or more, the system can execute the multiple counting process even if the counting operation means is turned OFF. The performance control means counts the number of times the unit counting process has been executed under the condition that the unit counting process is repeated at a predetermined cycle (e.g., a sub-counting count counter). If the number of times the unit counting process has been executed reaches a predetermined value (e.g., 13) or more, the system executes a specific performance (e.g., a specific audio output that notifies that the system has transitioned to the full counting process).

[0439] With this configuration, if the player keeps the counting switch 126 ON for a predetermined period of time, the counting process will continue even if the player subsequently turns the counting switch 126 OFF. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the operational burden involved in the counting process of electronic tokens and improve the convenience for the player.

[0440] [Other embodiments] In the first to third embodiments, the slot machine 1 has one small win that pays out more than the first specified number of tokens when the game is started with the first specified number of tokens inserted, but it is not limited to this. The slot machine 1 only needs to have at least one small win that pays out more than the first specified number of tokens when the game is started with the first specified number of tokens inserted, and for example, it may be configured to have multiple types of small wins.

[0441] Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments, the slot machine 1 is configured such that the payouts for small wins 1 to 9 when a 3-coin bet is played and the payouts for small wins 1 to 9 when a 2-coin bet is played are the same, but it is not limited to this. For example, the slot machine 1 may be configured such that, when a 2-coin bet is played, each small win is set to pay out 1 coin.

[0442] With this configuration, slot machine 1 no longer needs to store in the main memory 190 the process of setting the upper limit of the number of payouts, which was performed to set the payout rate to 50% in the RBB state where two-coin betting is performed. Therefore, the data capacity of the program code required for setting the upper limit of the number of payouts in the area of ​​the main memory 190 that stores various program codes can be reduced.

[0443] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the slot machine 1 is configured to switch the winning combinations that can be awarded based on the order in which the stop buttons B1 to B3 are pressed when the winning area "all winning combinations" is selected, with the first operation mode consisting of order 3 to order 6 and the second operation mode consisting of order 1 and order 2, but is not limited to this. The slot machine 1 only needs to be configured to switch the winning combinations that can be awarded based on the operation of the stop buttons B1 to B3 when the winning area "all winning combinations" is selected, and for example, the first operation mode and the second operation mode may consist of the same order of pressing but different timings of pressing.

[0444] Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments, the slot machine 1 is configured to include a medal count control means 300 of a medal count control CPU 31 as a management and control means that manages electronic medals and can communicate with a dedicated unit SU, and a main control CPU 11 as a game control means that controls games played using electronic medals, but is not limited to this. The slot machine 1 may be configured without a medal count control board 30, and the various functions mounted on the medal count control board 30 may be realized by various functions mounted on the main control board 10, so that the main control CPU 11 functions as a management and control means that manages electronic medals and can communicate with a dedicated unit SU.

[0445] Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments, the slot machine 1 is configured to determine that the dedicated unit SU is not connected and that a loan device connection error has occurred when the VL connection signal output from the dedicated unit SU is not input, but is not limited to this. The slot machine 1 may be configured to output a VL unconnected signal in the ON state from the loan device connection terminal board 40 when a connection failure with the dedicated unit SU occurs and the VL connection signal is not input, and to determine that a loan device connection error has occurred when the ON state of the VL unconnected signal continues for a certain period of time or longer (for example, 656 ms or more).

[0446] Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments, the slot machine 1 is configured not to notify whether or not it is in a favorable period, but it is not limited to this. The slot machine 1 may be configured to notify whether or not it is in a favorable period when, for example, the expected value of acquiring electronic medals becomes 1 or more due to the assistance of winning small roles.

[0447] Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments, the slot machine 1 has multiple reels, from the left reel R1 to the right reel R3, and multiple stop buttons, from stop buttons B1 to stop buttons B3 corresponding to the left reel R1 to the right reel R3. However, it is not limited to this, and may also have, for example, a fourth reel and a stop button corresponding to the fourth reel.

[0448] Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments, the slot machine 1 has a max bet button MB for inserting a predetermined number of electronic tokens, but it is not limited to this, and may be configured to have, for example, a single bet button for inserting one electronic token in addition to the max bet button MB.

[0449] In this configuration, slot machine 1 may be configured to start playing regardless of whether the number of electronic tokens inserted is set to a first predetermined number or a second predetermined number, for a predetermined number of tokens in the non-RT state or RBB internal state. In this configuration, slot machine 1 may be configured to set the first predetermined number of electronic tokens inserted when the max bet button MB is operated, and to set the second predetermined number of electronic tokens inserted when the single bet button is operated twice, when the game state is the non-RT state or RBB internal state.

[0450] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, an example was given in which the performance control means 200 outputs an ending sound such as "Thank you for your hard work" when the number of game tokens becomes 0 through the total counting process. However, it is not necessary to output an ending sound for all total counting operations. For example, if the player cancels the total counting process before the number of game tokens becomes 0, and one or more game tokens remain, the performance control means 200 may restrict (prevent) the output of such an ending sound from the sound device 420. In addition to the total counting process, in the continuous counting process as well, if the player turns off the counting switch 126 before the number of game tokens becomes 0, and one or more game tokens remain, the performance control means 200 may restrict (prevent) the output of an ending sound from the sound device 420. In the single counting process, the sound device 420 does not output an ending sound, and only the normal counting process sound is output. Furthermore, if the player stops the full counting process or continuous counting process before the number of game tokens reaches zero, and one or more game tokens remain, the performance control means 200 may execute performances only on the display device 410, sound device 420, and some of the performance lamps 136, and restrict other performances. For example, if the player cancels the full counting process before the number of game tokens reaches zero, and one or more game tokens remain, the performance control means 200 displays on the display device 410 that the full counting process has been completed, but restricts the output of the completion sound from the sound device 420.

[0451] Thus, if a player cancels the full counting process before the number of game tokens reaches zero, and there is still one or more game tokens remaining, the player is likely to continue playing. In this case, by not outputting an end-of-game sound from the sound device 420 as described above, it is possible to avoid the player feeling any discomfort.

[0452] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the total counting process counts a larger number of electronic medals than the continuous counting process. Therefore, the completion sound may be different for the continuous counting process and the total counting process. For example, the sound when the number of game medals becomes 0 by the total counting process is a more celebratory sound than the sound when the number of game medals becomes 0 by the continuous counting process, and may be a sound that makes the player happier, and the volume may also be increased. In addition, there may be multiple levels of sound when the number of game medals becomes 0 by the total counting process. For example, the sound may be different depending on whether the number of game medals counted is 2500, 5000, 7500, or 10000, and the sound may be a sound that makes the player happier as the number of medals increases, and the volume may also be increased.

[0453] Furthermore, this explanation describes how the player is notified of the transition to the full counting process through the display device 410, sound device 420, and performance lamp 136. However, the system is not limited to this case; for example, the lighting pattern of the 5-digit or 6-digit 7-segment LED in the game medal count display device MD may be changed in response to the transition to the full counting process. The light-emitting part of the 7-segment LED consists of a segment section consisting of segments "a", "b", "c", "d", "e", "f", and "g", and a decimal point section "DP" (dot "."). For example, the medal count control CPU 31 may display the number of game medals in the segment section while a short-press operation and continuous counting process are being performed, then display the number of game medals in the segment section by blinking when the system transitions from continuous counting to full counting, and return to the illuminated display when the counting process is completed (stopped). Furthermore, the medal count control CPU 31 may switch the decimal point from off to on while a short-press operation and continuous counting are being performed, and when transitioning from continuous counting to full counting, it may blink the decimal point until the counting process is completed (stopped). The decimal point to be illuminated is preferably the least significant digit of a 5-digit or 6-digit 7-segment LED, but any digit may be illuminated.

[0454] With this configuration, the game token count display device MD connected to the token count control board 30 directly displays that the entire counting process is being performed. Therefore, even if no notification is displayed on the display device 410, sound device 420, or performance lamp 136, the player can visually confirm that the counting process is being performed.

[0455] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, an example was given in which the game token count display device MD and the display device 410 decrement the number of game tokens by 50 tokens as the counting process is performed in units of 50 tokens. However, the system is not limited to this case; either or both of the game token count display device MD and the display device 410 may display the number of tokens being decremented in units of a predetermined number between 1 and 50 tokens. For example, in response to the execution of multiple counting processes, the number of game tokens is decremented by 50 tokens every 300 msec. Here, the token count control means 300 and the performance control means 200 can display the number of game tokens as if they were being decremented by 1 token every 0.1667 msec (= 50 tokens / 300 msec), making it appear as if the counting process is being performed continuously, one token at a time. This can be achieved by having the medal count control means 300 and the performance control means 200 internally store the number of game medals that have been reduced by 50 as a result of the counting process, and independently of this, a counter provided for display purposes decrements the internal value in units of a predetermined number between 1 and 50 until it catches up (becomes equal to the number of game medals).

[0456] With this configuration, players can visually see the number of electronic tokens being counted at a high frequency, albeit in small units, giving them the feeling that they are counting a large number of tokens and thus providing a sense of superiority. Furthermore, since token counting on jet counters installed in arcades was also performed at a high frequency, one token at a time, players can obtain the same feeling as with conventional token counting.

[0457] However, since the counting process is performed in units of 50, the medal count control means 300 and the performance control means 200 will display a decrement in predetermined units after the counting process for 50 medals is completed. Therefore, in multiple counting processes, when the counting switch 126 is turned OFF, the decrement of the number of game medals on the game medal count display device MD and the display device 410 does not stop, and the decrement continues up to the number of game medals counted at the counting timing immediately before the counting switch 126 was turned OFF.

[0458] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, when the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 4000 msec, the operation status flag is switched to 3 (full counting), and the counting process continues in the same way as a long press operation even if the counting switch 126 is not continuously operated, i.e., even if the counting switch 126 is turned OFF. However, not limited to this case, the operation status flag may still be maintained at 2 (long press) when the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 4000 msec, and the operation status flag may be switched to 3 (full counting) at the OFF edge when the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 4000 msec and the counting switch 126 is turned OFF (determined as a full counting operation). Even with this configuration, the operation of the counting process in response to the player's operation does not change. However, since the start timing of the full counting process changes, the timing of the display on the display device 410, the sound output from the sound device 420, and the change in the light color of the effect lamp 136 will be different.

[0459] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, using Figures 16 to 22, an example was described in which, when the player keeps the counting switch 126 ON and the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 reaches 4000 msec or more, the medal count control means 300 executes the full counting process, and the performance control means 200 notifies the start of the full counting process when bit 2 of the counting process state management data is 1. Furthermore, in the third embodiment, using Figures 23 to 27, an example was described in which, when the player keeps the counting switch 126 ON and the multiple counting count counter reaches 13 or more, the medal count control means 300 executes the full counting process, and the performance control means 200 notifies the start of the full counting process when the sub-counting count counter reaches 13 or more. However, the 4000 msec counting and the 13 counts of the sub-counting count counter may be combined, regardless of the case. For example, if the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 exceeds 4000 msec, the medal count control means 300 executes the full counting process. However, without setting bit 2 of the counting process state management data, the performance control means 200 may notify the start of the full counting process when the sub-counting count counter reaches 13 or more. With this configuration, it becomes unnecessary to assign bit 2 of the counting process state management data to the full counting process, thus reducing the design burden associated with changes to commands and programs.

[0460] Furthermore, if the 4000 msec counting and the 13 counts of the sub-counting counter are combined, and the medal count control means 300 starts the full counting process when the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 reaches 4000 msec or more, and the performance control means 200 notifies the start of the full counting process when the sub-counting counter reaches 13 or more, then the timing at which the multiple counting counters and sub-counting counters reach 13 will be, for example, 100 msec to 400 msec later than the timing at which the time since the ON edge of the counting switch 126 reaches 4000 msec. However, the player will see the notification of the transition to the full counting process, which is delayed, and turn off the counting switch 126. Therefore, the medal count control means 300 has already transitioned to the full counting process at the time of the OFF edge of the counting switch 126, and the situation in which the counting process is still in the middle of continuous counting and stops will not occur.

[0461] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, an example was given in which the medal count control means 300 starts the full counting process when the long press operation of the counting switch 126 continues and the time from the ON edge of the counting switch 126 becomes 4000 msec or more. In the third embodiment, an example was given in which the medal count control means 300 starts the full counting process when the long press operation of the counting switch 126 continues and the multiple counting counter performs 13 counts. However, the invention is not limited to these cases. The slot machine 1 may also be provided with a full counting button as a separate button from the counting button KB which has the counting switch 126 built in, and the full counting process may be started when the full counting switch built into the full counting button is turned ON while the game is playable.

[0462] Furthermore, in the second and third embodiments, the periods during setting changes and setting confirmation, when the slot machine 1 is in a state where it cannot (or cannot) proceed with gameplay as a standalone unit, are not included in the "period during which gameplay is possible," and examples were given to illustrate how counting processing is restricted. However, not limited to these cases, even during setting changes and setting confirmation, if the VL connection signal is not OFF, counting processing may be performed in response to the operation of the counting switch 126 or the all-counting switch. Therefore, for example, if the counting switch 126 or the all-counting switch is turned ON during setting changes and setting confirmation, counting processing will be performed accordingly, and if the setting key or setting change switch is operated while counting processing is being performed, the setting change or setting confirmation will be performed effectively.

[0463] Furthermore, in a configuration equipped with a full counting switch, the full counting process may be configured to stop when the number of game tokens becomes 0, when the VL connection signal is turned OFF, or when the counting switch 126 or the full counting switch is turned ON again. Moreover, not limited to these cases, the full counting process may also stop (become inactive) when the power switch, which is a switch that can turn the power of the slot machine 1 ON / OFF, is turned ON again. For example, by turning the power switch OFF, the information of the number of game tokens and the flag indicating the full counting process (for example, bit 2 of the counting process state management buffer) is not cleared. However, by turning the power switch ON, the number of game tokens is maintained, but the flag indicating the full counting process is cleared. Therefore, the full counting process does not continue after the power switch is turned ON again, and the number of game tokens becomes the number of game tokens after counting at the counting timing immediately before the power switch was turned off.

[0464] Furthermore, if the counting switch 126 or the all-counting switch is turned ON while the power switch is off, and the power switch is turned on while the counting switch 126 or the all-counting switch is ON, the medal count control means 300 determines the operation state by considering the timing at which it effectively recognizes that the counting switch 126 or the all-counting switch is ON as the ON edge of the counting switch 126 or the all-counting switch. For example, if 500 msec or more has elapsed since the timing at which the medal count control means 300 recognizes that the counting switch 126 or the all-counting switch is ON, it determines that a long press operation has occurred and executes continuous counting processing.

[0465] Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments, the slot machine 1 is configured to set initial values ​​for the stored values ​​of each counter and storage means, and to perform decrement updates that subtract 1 each time a game is played, or increment updates that add 1 each time a game is played. However, the method for updating each counter and storage means may be configured to perform multiplication, division, etc., and is not particularly limited.

[0466] Furthermore, while the first to third embodiments exemplified a revolving-type gaming machine as the gaming machine, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be applied to a pachinko machine capable of so-called Type 1 games, which includes a symbol determination means for determining one of several types of symbols including a jackpot symbol; a symbol display means for displaying a symbol on a symbol display unit after a predetermined variation time has elapsed since the symbol was determined; a jackpot game execution means for executing a jackpot game consisting of multiple round games when a jackpot symbol is displayed on the symbol display unit; a game benefit granting means for granting a predetermined game benefit when a game ball that has entered the jackpot pocket enters a specific area during a predetermined specific round game in the jackpot game; and an effect execution means for executing effects during the jackpot game. If the system consists of pachinko machines, the gaming machine may be configured to circulate game balls within the machine and to record the game value used for the game by electromagnetic means. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0467] 1. Slot machine (amusement machine) 31. Medal Count Control CPU (Management and Control Means) 126 Counting switch (counting operation means) 300 Medal count control means (management control means) KB Counting button (counting operation means) SU dedicated unit (external device)

Claims

[Claim 1] A management and control means that manages the value of the game and can communicate with an external device, The system includes a counting operation means that receives input from a player to cause the management control means to perform a counting process that transmits at least a portion of the game value managed by the management control means to the external device, If the counting operation means is pressed while communication between the management control means and the external device is not established, and the press is still held down when communication between the management control means and the external device is established, the counting process is performed based on the press. The state in which communication between the management control means and the external device is not established includes a first state in which the external device has finished starting up but the management control means has not finished starting up, and a second state in which the management control means and the external device are running, but the power supply to the management control means is cut off. If the counting operation means is pressed in the first state, and the pressing is still being performed when the activation of the management control means is completed, the counting process is performed based on the pressing. In the second state, if the counting operation means is pressed, and the press is still held down when the activation of the management control means is completed and the initialization of the external device is completed, the counting process is performed based on the press. A gaming machine characterized by the following features.

Images