Gaming machine

Abstract

To provide a game machine in which a group to which a manufacturing company that has manufactured the game machine belongs and display that can identify the manufacturing company of the game machine can be easily recognized.SOLUTION: A game machine includes a base body and an opening / closing body that can be opened and closed with respect to the base body, causes a game to proceed with the opening / closing body being closed, and has a first display in which a manufacturing company of the game machine can be identified and a second display different from the first display in which a group to which the manufacturing company belongs can be identified. In a state where the opening / closing body is closed, the first display is not visible in an area above the upper end of predetermined operation means when viewed in the vertical direction and the entire second display is visible in the area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to gaming machines such as pachinko machines and slot machines.

Background Art

[0002] Some gaming machines typified by pachinko machines and slot machines have an image display device such as a liquid crystal display type display device, and execute game effects by an image displayed on the image display.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, these days, in order to smoothly apply to the Security Telecommunications Association to test the performance of gaming machines to see if they can be installed in halls, etc., one gaming machine manufacturer has multiple manufacturing companies that manufacture gaming machines, and these manufacturing companies are generally treated as one group. Then, for example, when a test play video or a practice video is viewed through a telecommunications circuit, it becomes difficult to tell which gaming machine manufacturer (group) the gaming machine appearing in the viewed video belongs to, or when a problem occurs in a gaming machine installed in a hall, it becomes difficult to tell which manufacturing company the hall staff should inquire with, etc.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of these problems, and provides a gaming machine in which a display capable of specifying the group to which the manufacturing company that manufactured the gaming machine belongs or the manufacturing company of the gaming machine is easily visible and recognizable.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present invention, A gaming machine is provided, comprising a first region above the upper end of a predetermined operating means when viewed vertically, and a second region below the predetermined operating means when viewed vertically, wherein the first region and the second region are configured to be controllable by a predetermined control means and have a first display that can identify the manufacturer of the gaming machine, and a second display that is different from the first display and can identify the group to which the manufacturer belongs, wherein, with respect to the second display, when the complete function is activated, accompanied by a state in which the progress of the game is restricted, at least a part of the second display is not visible in the first region, at least a part of when the complete function is not activated, the entire second display is visible in the first region, regardless of whether the complete function is activated or not, the entire first display is visible in the first region or the second region, and after a predetermined period has elapsed since the complete function was activated, the entire second display becomes visible in the first region. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a gaming machine is provided in which an easily recognizable and visually identifiable indication is provided that allows for the identification of the group to which the manufacturing company that produced the gaming machine belongs, or the manufacturing company of the gaming machine. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a front view of the gaming machine. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the local area II, which is enclosed by a dashed line in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the back of the front door. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the gaming machine 10 with the front door removed. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lower space III, which is shown as hatched in Figure 4. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a diagram showing the arrangement of patterns on the reel in a two-dimensional view. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows the types of patterns that can be found on the reels. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows the electrical configuration of a gaming machine. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a gaming machine. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a flowchart of the main flow on the main board. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a flowchart of the main flow on the main board. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a flowchart of the main flow on the main board. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a flowchart of the main flow in the medal count control board. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a flowchart of the initial setup process for the medal count control board. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram that arranges whether medals are cleared according to the operation state at the time of power-on. [Figure 16] FIG. 16(a) is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed in the upper effect display area and the lower effect display area in the non-game state and when the front door is closed, and FIG. 16(b) is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed in the upper effect display area and the lower effect display area in the non-game state and when the front door is open. [Figure 17] FIG. 17(a) is a timing chart when the front door is switched from the closed state to the open state during non-game, and FIG. 17(b) is a timing chart when the front door is switched from the open state to the closed state during non-game. [Figure 18] FIG. 18(a) is a modified example of the display in the display area (display area 621 described later) when the front door is switched from the closed state to the open state during non-game, and FIG. 18(b) is a modified example of the display in the display areas (display area 622 and display area 623 described later) when the front door is switched from the closed state to the open state during non-game. [Figure 19] FIG. 19(a) is a timing chart when the front door is switched from the closed state to the open state during game, and FIG. 19(b) is a timing chart when the front door is switched from the open state to the closed state during game.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description will be omitted as appropriate. In the following description, "front", "rear", "left", "right", "upper", and "lower" refer to the state of viewing the gaming machine 10 from the front side (player side) as shown in FIG. 1 unless otherwise specified.

[0010] <Regarding the features of the present invention> Before explaining the details of the gaming machine 10 in the present embodiment, the features of the invention (the present invention) described in the present embodiment will be explained. In explaining the feature, the configurations within parentheses exemplify the configurations of the present embodiment corresponding to the immediately preceding configuration, and the configurations may be described within parentheses for the same purpose in the description of the gaming machine 10 after this explanation.

[0011] The present invention is a gaming machine including a base body (outer frame 90) and an opening / closing body (front door 20) that can be opened and closed with respect to the base body, and the game is advanced in a state where the opening / closing body is closed. a first display (display of the manufacturing company name) that enables identification of the manufacturing company of the gaming machine; a second display (display of the group name) that is different from the first display and enables identification of the group to which the manufacturing company belongs; and has In a state where the opening / closing body is closed, the first display is not visible in a region (region Z1) above the upper end of a predetermined operation means (stop button 27) when viewed in the vertical direction, and the entire second display is visible in the region. The gaming machine is characterized by this.

[0012] According to the present invention, when a trial play video or a practical video is viewed, the first display and the second display are not confused, and when a trial play video or a practical video is viewed, it is possible to easily recognize which gaming machine manufacturer (group) the gaming machine appearing in the viewed video belongs to.

[0013] Note that, as will be described later, the first display in the present embodiment is composed of characters, but in the first display, symbols or logos may be used instead of or in addition to the characters. The same applies to the second display. Furthermore, in the present invention, it is permissible for one manufacturing company (for example, the largest in scale) among multiple manufacturing companies included in a group to be the same as the group to which that group belongs. In such cases, the displays can be made different by changing the font or color of the characters that make up these names, by making one an abbreviation and the other the full name, or by making one include a logo and the other not include a logo. Furthermore, the first region described above is defined as being above the upper end of the predetermined operating means when viewed in the vertical direction, regardless of its position in the depth direction (y-direction described later) or width direction (x-direction) described later. The same applies to the second region described later. Furthermore, the specified operating means described above is not limited to the stop button, as will be described later. Any operating part that can be operated when the opening / closing mechanism is closed may be used, such as a bet button (which functions as a performance button) or a start lever. Furthermore, "the entirety of the second display is visible" means that the entirety of the second display is visible when the player is facing the gaming machine directly and looking at it.

[0014] Furthermore, the gaming machine according to this embodiment, described later, is a slot machine that dispenses all medals as electronic data (a so-called smart slot), but the present invention can also be used in a conventional slot machine that dispenses some of the medals as physical medals. Moreover, the present invention may also be applied to conventional pachinko machines that dispense physical game balls as prize balls, or to pachinko machines that assign prize balls as electronic data (a so-called smart pachinko).

[0015] The gaming machine 10 having the above-described features will be specifically explained based on the following embodiment.

[0016] <Structure of gaming machine 10> First, the structure of the gaming machine 10 will be explained using Figures 1 to 7. Figure 1 is a front view of the gaming machine 10, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the hand area II shown by the dashed line in Figure 1, Figure 3 shows the back of the front door 20, Figure 4 shows the front of the gaming machine 10 excluding the front door 20, Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lower space III shown by the hatching in Figure 4, Figure 6 is a planar unfolding of the arrangement of symbols on the reels 65, and Figure 7 shows the types of symbols on the reels 65.

[0017] The gaming machine 10 comprises a rectangular parallelepiped outer frame 90 with an open front, a front door 20 and a gaming machine body 60 pivotally supported on the left edge side (around axis Za) of the outer frame 90 so as to be rotatable and openable. More specifically, three hinge parts 96 (96a, 96b, 96c) are provided on the left edge side of the outer frame 90, with the front door 20 pivotally supported by the upper hinge part 96a and the lower hinge part 96c, and the gaming machine body 60 pivotally supported by the upper hinge part 96a and the middle hinge part 96b. As shown in Figure 4, the outer frame 90 has an opening formed by the left side wall 90a, the right side wall 90b, the top plate 90c, and the bottom plate 90d, and the back portion of the opening is shielded by the back side wall shown in a separate figure (Figure 5, etc.). Unless otherwise specified, in the following description, when game components are provided on the inner surface of the plate members (left side wall 90a, right side wall 90b, top plate 90c, and back side wall) that constitute the outer frame 90, expressions such as "provided on the plate members" will be used.

[0018] On the front side of the front door 20, as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 2, there is an upper panel 21, a lower panel 22, a bet button 23, a menu selection button 24, a status indicator LED 25, a start lever 26, a stop button 27, a medal count indicator LED 28, a payout button 32, a medal counting button 33, a door lock 34, a decorative LED 36, and a speaker port 38. In particular, the gaming machine 10 according to this embodiment is a so-called coinless slot machine that allows the game to proceed without using physical tokens. Therefore, the gaming machine 10 does not have the structures necessary for using physical tokens, such as a token input slot and a token output slot, which are standard features of conventional slot machines that use physical tokens. Furthermore, in the following description, "token" refers to something that is treated as electronic information, rather than the physical tokens that were used in the past.

[0019] Furthermore, on the back side of the front door 20, as shown in Figure 3, there is a decorative LED board 41, a status indicator LED board 42, a stop button board 43, a start lever sensor 44, a bet button board 45, a menu selection button board 46, a setting change device 48, a speaker 49, a medal count indicator LED board 50, and a medal counting button board 51.

[0020] Furthermore, in order to open the front door 20, it is necessary to insert a door key (not shown) into the door lock 34 to release the locking mechanism (not shown) that locks the front door 20 and the outer frame 90. When the front door 20 is opened, the lower space III located below the gaming machine body 60 can be seen, as shown in Figure 4. In this embodiment, an open door sensor (not shown) for determining whether the front door 20 is open or not is provided on the right edge of the outer frame 90. The open door sensor is OFF when the front door 20 is closed and ON when the front door 20 is open.

[0021] As shown in Figure 5, in the lower space III (see Figure 4) located below the main body of the gaming machine 60, a power supply unit 91 is provided on the bottom plate 90d along the left side wall 90a, and a medal count control board case 400 is provided on the rear side wall 90e. In particular, the medal count control board case 400 is positioned lower than the top surface of the power supply unit 91 when viewed vertically (in the Z-axis direction). This is to make effective use of the space that was previously occupied by structures in conventional slot machines that used physical medals (for example, a hopper for physically dispensing the medals, and an auxiliary storage compartment for storing medals that overflow from the hopper, which are unnecessary in the aforementioned medalless slot machines). Furthermore, sheet metal 95 is provided in the area on the bottom plate 90d where the power supply unit 91 is not installed.

[0022] The power supply unit 91 is a device for supplying power to each component of the gaming machine 10, and its startup or shutdown is controlled by operating the power switch 92 provided on the device. Therefore, in order to play the game, it is necessary to start the power supply unit 91 by operating the power switch 92 with the front door 20 open. In this embodiment, the main board 100, the sub-board 200, and the medal count control board 300, which will be described later, each have the function of maintaining the information they held before the power supply was turned off, even when the power supply from the power supply unit 91 is turned off. Furthermore, a heat dissipation vent 93 is provided on the right side (X-axis side) of the power supply unit 91 to release the heat generated while the power supply unit 91 is running.

[0023] The medal count control board case 400 houses the medal count control board 300, which will be described later. In particular, since the medal count control board case 400 is transparent, the medal count control board 300 can be visually inspected when it is housed inside.

[0024] The setting change device 48, located on the back side of the front door 20, is a device for performing a setting change process to change the setting value and a setting confirmation process to check the setting value that has already been set. It consists of a setting key switch 48a, a setting change switch 48b, a setting indicator LED 48c, and a setting key cover 48d. Details of the setting change process and the setting confirmation process will be described later. The setting indicator LED 48c is an LED that displays the setting value being changed during the setting change process and displays the setting value that has already been set during the setting confirmation process. In this embodiment, it is configured as a 7-segment display. The setting key cover 48d is a cover that covers the setting key switch 48a, and by sliding it, it becomes possible to insert a setting key (not shown) into the setting key switch 48a and operate it. Figure 3 illustrates the state in which the setting key cover 48d covers the setting key switch 48a. Here, the setting value refers to a different payout rate, which indicates the expected number of medals dispensed relative to the number of medals used in the game. In this embodiment, there are six levels, from 1 to 6. Generally, the payout rate tends to increase as the setting value increases, and similarly in this embodiment, the payout rate increases as the setting value increases from 1 to 6. In the following explanation, setting value 1 will be referred to as setting value 1, setting value 2 as setting value 2, setting value 3 as setting value 3, setting value 4 as setting value 4, setting value 5 as setting value 5, and setting value 6 as setting value 6.

[0025] Furthermore, the front door 20 has an upper panel 21 and a lower panel 22 on the front side. Since the upper panel 21 is made of a transparent material, a player positioned in front of the gaming machine 10 can see the main body of the gaming machine 60 (in particular the upper display area 62a, reel frame 64, and reels 65 of the upper display device described later) located on the back side of the upper panel 21 through the upper panel 21. Since the lower panel 22 is also made of a transparent material, similar to the upper panel 21, a player positioned in front of the gaming machine 10 can see the lower display area 62b of the lower display device 63b, which is located on the back side of the lower panel 22, through the lower panel 22.

[0026] Furthermore, the gaming machine body 60 includes the main components for controlling the game played by the gaming machine 10. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, an upper display area 62a is formed on the upper front of the body, and a reel frame 64 is formed on the lower front of the body.

[0027] The upper display area 62a is the display screen of the upper display device 63a built into the main body of the gaming machine 60, and can display not only gameplay effects and information related to the gaming machine 10, but also the group company name and manufacturer name, which will be described later. Furthermore, the lower display area 62b is the display screen of the lower display device 63b provided on the front door 20, and can display the model name and manufacturer name, which will be described later. Furthermore, for example, a liquid crystal display type display device can be used as the upper display device 63a and the lower display device 63b, and the effects displayed in the upper display area 62a are linked to the sound output from the speaker 49 and the illumination of the decorative LED 36, which can effectively stimulate the player's interest. Furthermore, the upper display area 62a is located above the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed in the vertical direction (z direction as shown in Figures 4 and 5) (away from the bottom plate 90d as shown in Figure 5), and the lower display area 62b is located below the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed in the vertical direction (away from the bottom plate 90d as shown in Figure 5). Moreover, in this embodiment, the upper display area 62a is located further back than the lower display area 62b when viewed in the depth direction (y direction as shown in Figure 5) (away from the rear side wall 90e as shown in Figure 5).

[0028] The reel frame 64 is a window frame formed on the front side of the reels 65 (65L, 65C, 65R) built into the main body 60 of the gaming machine, and is divided into an internal area and an external area. The internal area of ​​the reel frame 64 is formed of a hollow or transparent material, and a part of each reel 65 can be seen through this internal area. The external area of ​​the reel frame 64 is formed of an opaque material (including a translucent material or a transparent material that has been colored), making it difficult to see the reels 65 through this external area.

[0029] Here, the reel 65 consists of reel 65L, reel 65C, and reel 65R, and these reels are configured to be rotatable by a stepping motor. When the reel 65 rotates in this embodiment, in principle the reel 65 rotates from top to bottom, and the direction of rotation of the reel 65 from top to bottom is sometimes referred to as the "forward direction," and the direction of rotation from bottom to top is sometimes referred to as the "reverse direction." Furthermore, each of the 65 reels is adorned with multiple types of symbols. As the reels rotate, the symbols on the 65 reels change and are displayed. When the rotating 65 reels are stopped, the symbols remain stationary. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the outer circumference of each reel 65 is divided into 21 equal sections, with one design on each section. In the following explanation, the sections on reel 65L may be referred to as LZ00~LZ20, the sections on reel 65C as CZ00~CZ20, and the sections on reel 65R as RZ00~RZ20.

[0030] Next, using Figure 7, we will explain the types of patterns depicted on the outer circumference of each reel 65. The pattern shown in Figure 7(a) is a blue pattern resembling the number "7," and will be referred to as the "blue 7 pattern" in the following explanation. The blue 7 pattern is placed on LZ18, CZ18, and RZ18, and on each of the reels 65, it is placed in a manner that exceeds the maximum number of retractable frames (depending on the timing of the stop button 27 operation, it may be impossible to stop it on an active line). The symbol shown in Figure 7(b) is a red symbol resembling the number "7," and will be referred to as the "red 7 symbol" in the following explanation. The red 7 symbol is placed on LZ10, CZ10, and RZ10, and, like the "blue 7 symbol" mentioned above, it is a symbol that is placed in a number exceeding the maximum number of reel pull-in frames on each of the 65 reels. The symbol shown in Figure 7(c) is the symbol labeled "BAR," and will be referred to as the "BAR symbol" in the following explanation. The BAR symbol is placed on LZ03, CZ03, RZ03, etc., and, like the "Blue 7 symbol" mentioned above, it can be said to be a symbol that is placed in a number exceeding the maximum number of reel pull-in frames on each of the 65 reels. The symbol shown in Figure 7(d) is a symbol labeled "REPLAY," which means replay, and will be referred to as the "replay symbol" in the following explanation. The replay symbol is placed on LZ04, CZ01, RZ02, etc., and can be said to be a symbol that does not exceed the maximum number of reel pull-in frames on each of the 65 reels (meaning it can be stopped on an active line regardless of the timing of operation of the stop button 27). The symbol shown in Figure 7(e) is a bell-shaped symbol and will be referred to as the "bell symbol" in the following explanation. The bell symbol is placed on LZ00, CZ02, RZ01, etc., and, like the "replay symbol" mentioned above, it is a symbol that is not placed on each of the 65 reels in a way that exceeds the maximum number of reel pull-in frames. The pattern shown in Figure 7(f) is a cherry-shaped pattern and will be referred to as the "cherry pattern" in the following explanation. The cherry pattern is placed on LZ02, CZ08, RZ00, etc., and, like the "blue 7 pattern" mentioned above, it can be said that it is a pattern that is placed in a number exceeding the maximum number of reel pull-in frames on each of the 65 reels. The pattern shown in Figure 7(g) is a watermelon-shaped pattern and will be referred to as the "watermelon pattern" in the following description. The watermelon pattern is placed on LZ01, CZ00, RZ11, etc., and, like the "blue 7 pattern" mentioned above, it can be said that it is a pattern that is placed in a number exceeding the maximum number of reel pull-in frames on each of the 65 reels. The symbol shown in Figure 7(h) is labeled "BLANK" and will be referred to as the "blank symbol" in the following explanation. The blank symbol is found on LZ07, CZ05, RZ05, etc., and, like the "blue 7 symbol" mentioned above, it can be said to be a symbol that is placed in a number exceeding the maximum number of reel pull-in frames on each of the 65 reels.

[0031] Furthermore, each of the reels 65 is provided with a detection piece (not shown) that moves with the rotation of the reel, at a position corresponding to the reference position (LZ00, CZ00, RZ00 in this embodiment) (a position upstream in the forward direction by the amount of movement in the brake control state described later), and a reel sensor 66 is provided that does not move with the rotation of the reel and detects the detection piece. Specifically, a reel sensor 66L is provided for reel 65L, a reel sensor 66C for reel 65C, and a reel sensor 66R for reel 65R, and these sensors are configured to detect when each of the reels 65 has reached the reference position.

[0032] Furthermore, a reel lighting board 67 (67L, 67C, 67R) is provided inside the reel 65, and the LEDs mounted on the reel lighting board 67 make it easier to see each of the symbols displayed on the reel 65 by lighting up. In other words, the LEDs mounted on the reel lighting board 67 function as a backlight for the symbols displayed on the reel 65.

[0033] The start lever 26 can accept input from the player to initiate the game. Here, the player's input to the start lever 26 refers to tilting the start lever 26, which is initially positioned approximately perpendicular to the front door 20, in any direction. The start lever sensor 44 can detect whether the start lever 26 is in the ON or OFF state. More specifically, the start lever sensor 44 detects the start lever 26 when it is approximately perpendicular to the front door 20 as the OFF state, and detects the start lever 26 when it is tilted in either direction as the ON state.

[0034] In this embodiment, if the number of tokens used in the game (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "number of tokens wagered, and this number is stored in the RAM 102 described later) is one or less, the game will not start even if the start lever 26 is operated. In other words, in this embodiment, the game can only be started when the number of tokens wagered is the maximum number (3 tokens in this embodiment) or 2 tokens. Therefore, in order to reach the maximum number of tokens wagered, it is necessary to increase the number of tokens wagered by deducting the tokens stored in the token count control board 300 of the game machine 10 by pressing the bet button 23. Here, medal storage refers to the function of storing a numerical value (credit) equivalent to the medals owned by the player within the gaming machine 10 (particularly in the RAM 302 described later). Furthermore, examples of when medals are stored (credits are added) include when medals are lent from the dedicated unit 1000 described later, or when a winning combination with a payout is achieved. In the following explanation, when medals are lent from the dedicated unit 1000, it includes not only the transfer (movement) of the medals after they have been converted from banknotes by the dedicated unit 1000 to the medal count control board 300, but also the transfer of stored medals stored on a membership card, etc., to the medal count control board 300. Furthermore, if a replay combination is won in the previous game, the replay function is activated in that game, and the bet amount from the previous game is set as the bet amount for the current game. By pressing the bet button 23, the game can be started without setting a new bet amount.

[0035] Furthermore, the gaming machine 10 has a maximum bet button 23a and a single bet button 23b as the bet buttons 23, and the operation of each button is detected by a sensor provided on the bet button board 45. More specifically, a maximum bet button sensor 45a is provided for the maximum bet button 23a, and a single bet button sensor 45b is provided for the single bet button 23b, and the operation of each button is detected individually by these sensors. The Maximum Bet button 23a is a button that, in a single operation, subtracts up to the maximum number of bets (3 in this embodiment) from the credits and adds the subtracted amount back to the bets, thereby reaching the maximum number of bets. The Single Bet button 23b is a button that, in a single operation, subtracts 1 from the credits and adds 1 to the bets. Note that if the number of bets has reached the maximum number, it is not possible to subtract credits or add to the bets by operating any of the bet buttons 23.

[0036] Furthermore, in addition to being used as a bet button to increase the number of bets by subtracting credits according to the operation as described above, the maximum bet button 23a may also be used as a trigger for executing special effects (effect button). When the maximum bet button 23a is used as a bet button, it is limited to a state in which the number of bets can be increased. However, when the maximum bet button 23a is used as an effect button, it is not limited to that state, and any state may be adopted, for example, during the re-play operation before the start of the game, or during the game. Furthermore, the bet button board 45 is equipped with a push button sensor 45c that detects when the maximum bet button 23a is pressed when the maximum bet button 23a is used as a special effect button, and this is distinct from detection by the maximum bet button sensor 45a. Specifically, the maximum bet button sensor 45a is directly connected to the main board 100, while the push button sensor 45c is directly connected to the sub-board 200.

[0037] Furthermore, the settlement button 32 is operated to transfer the number of bets used in the game to the credits, and the operation of the settlement button 32 is detected by a settlement button sensor (not shown). When the settlement button 32 is operated, regardless of the current bet amount, the entire bet amount is transferred to the credits with a single operation of the settlement button 32.

[0038] Furthermore, the medal counting button 33 is operated to transfer some or all of the credits stored in the medal count control board 300 to the dedicated unit 1000, and the operation of the medal counting button 33 is detected by the medal counting button sensor 51a provided on the medal counting button board 51. When the medal counting button 33 is pressed briefly, 1 credit is transferred to the dedicated unit 1000. When the medal counting button 33 is pressed and held, 50 credits (or the value of the credit if it is less than 50) are transferred to the dedicated unit 1000 every certain period of time (500ms in this embodiment).

[0039] Furthermore, the gaming machine 10 is equipped with a menu selection button 24 to the left of the bet button 23. The menu selection button 24 consists of a directional pad button 24a mounted on the menu selection button board 46 and a confirmation button 24b located in the center of the directional pad button 24a.

[0040] The menu selection button 24 is a component that accepts operations related to the menu screen. Here, the menu screen refers to the screen displayed in the upper display area 62a that shows information such as how to operate the gaming machine 10 and explanations of how to play the game. The player can view the menu screen by operating the menu selection button 24. For example, when the confirm button 24b is pressed in standby mode, a list of menus and a cursor are displayed in the upper display area 62a. The player moves the cursor to a position indicating a desired menu by operating the directional pad buttons 24a, and when the player presses the confirm button 24b while the cursor is pointing to any menu, that menu is displayed in the upper display area 62a.

[0041] The menu selection button board 46 is equipped with a directional pad button sensor 46a and a select button sensor 46b. The directional pad button sensor 46a can detect in which direction (up, down, left, or right, relative to the center of the select button 24b) the directional pad button 24a is pressed. The select button sensor 46b can detect that the select button 24b has been pressed. The directional pad button sensor 46a and the select button sensor 46b are directly connected to the sub-board 200, similar to the push button sensor 45c described above.

[0042] Furthermore, the gaming machine 10 is equipped with a status indicator LED 25 to the right of the bet button 23, which displays information about the gaming machine 10, such as the number of bets. The status indicator LED 25 is composed of multiple LEDs or a 7-segment display mounted on the status indicator LED board 42, and consists of the following eight types of LEDs. The first bet indicator LED 25a consists of three LEDs, and the number of lit LEDs increases by one for each additional bet. The second winnings display LED25b consists of two 7-segment displays that show the number of medals won through winning. The third indicator LED 25c is composed of two 7-segment displays and can light up in a manner that allows for the identification of the operating conditions related to the stop button 27 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "operating conditions"). The fourth replay indicator LED25d consists of a single LED that lights up when a replay is displayed during gameplay. The fifth game start indicator LED 25e consists of a single LED, and its illumination indicates that the conditions for starting the game have been met. The sixth available betting indicator LED 25f consists of a single LED, and its illumination indicates that the number of bets can be set. The seventh advantageous mode indicator LED25g consists of a single LED that lights up in accordance with the game mode.

[0043] Furthermore, the gaming machine 10 is equipped with a medal count display LED 28 to the right of the status display LED 25, which displays the number of credits. The medal count display LED 28 is composed of five 7-segment displays mounted on the medal count display LED board 50, and is configured to display medal counts from 0 to 99999.

[0044] The stop button 27 receives an operation from the player (a stop operation) that triggers the stopping of the rotating reels 65. The stop button 27 can accept a stop operation (become activated) when the conditions for stopping the reels 65 are met after they have started to rotate. The player's operation for the stop button 27 is to press the stop button 27. The conditions for stopping are prerequisites for displaying a stop during gameplay, and specifically, these conditions are met when the rotation speed of all reels 65 (65L, 65C, 65R) reaches a predetermined speed and the reference position of each reel 65 is detected. Furthermore, in the following explanation, the operation on the first stop button in a game may be referred to as the "first stop operation," the operation on the next stop button as the "second stop operation," and the operation on the last stop button as the "third stop operation."

[0045] Each of the stop buttons 27 (27L, 27C, 27R) is mounted on the stop button circuit board 43, and one is provided for each of the reels 65. Specifically, stop button 27L accepts a stop operation to stop reel 65L, stop button 27C accepts a stop operation to stop reel 65C, and stop button 27R accepts a stop operation to stop reel 65R. Furthermore, the stop button circuit board 43 is equipped with stop button sensors 43a that individually detect when the stop buttons 27L, 27C, and 27R are pressed, and control is performed to stop the rotation of each reel 65 in response to the detection by the stop button sensors 43a. In other words, the stop buttons 27 and the stop button sensors 43a detect the stop operation that triggers the reel control unit 112, which will be described later, to stop the rotation of the reel 65.

[0046] Furthermore, the stop button 27 in this embodiment incorporates a stop-possible indicator LED 27a, and is surrounded by a light-transmitting material. The stop button 27 is designed to inform the player whether the stop-possible condition has been met by the color of the LED 27a. In this way, the player can determine whether the stop-possible condition has been met by the color of the stop button 27, allowing them to smoothly perform the stop operation sequentially.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the stopping position of the reel 65 can move up to the maximum number of retracted frames (sometimes referred to as the maximum retraction range, which in this embodiment is 4) based on the position of the reel 65 when the stop button 27 is pressed. Here, the control from the time the stop button 27 is pressed until the reel 65 stops is generally called retraction control.

[0048] Each of the internal areas of the reel frame 64 corresponding to the reels 65 has dimensions of 3 frames in the vertical direction. Furthermore, each of the reels 65 is controlled to stop so that 3 symbols fit vertically within the internal area of ​​the reel frame 64, and the player can see these 3 symbols through the internal area of ​​the reel frame 64. In other words, since the reels 65 are arranged in a horizontal direction, when the reels 65 are stopped, the player can see 3 symbols × 3 reels = 9 symbols.

[0049] Here, the approximate straight lines (shown as dashed lines in Figure 1) formed by the upper, middle, and lower internal regions of each reel 65 are referred to as lines L1, L2, and L3, respectively. Furthermore, the approximate straight line (shown as a dashed line in Figure 1) formed by the upper internal region of reel 65L, the middle internal region of reel 65C, and the lower internal region of reel 65R is referred to as line L4, and the approximate straight line (shown as a dashed line in Figure 1) formed by the lower internal region of reel 65L, the middle internal region of reel 65C, and the upper internal region of reel 65R is referred to as line L5. In this embodiment, only substantially straight lines are used as lines in the internal region, but curved lines may also be used. Furthermore, lines formed by including non-adjacent regions (for example, the upper section of reel 65L and the lower section of reel 65C) may also be used. In other words, any line can be used as long as it is formed by arbitrarily selecting an internal region for one symbol from each of the reels 65.

[0050] In this embodiment, the only valid line is line L2. Here, a valid line is the line on which the winning combination described later is determined based on the combination of symbols that stops on that line. Specifically, if a combination of symbols corresponding to a winning combination stops on an active payline, the prescribed number of medals will be awarded for that win. If a combination of symbols corresponding to a replay stops on an active payline, the replay function will be activated in the next game. If a combination of symbols corresponding to a special feature or a continuous special feature activation device stops on an active payline, the special feature or a continuous special feature activation device will be activated in the next game. Details of the symbol combinations corresponding to each winning combination will be described later. The effective line may be a single line, as in this embodiment, or it may be multiple lines.

[0051] While the reels 65 are spinning (during gameplay), various effects are performed to attract the player's attention and stimulate the enjoyment of the game, consisting of images displayed in the upper display area 62a, sounds output from the speaker 49, and the lighting and dimming of decorative LEDs 36.

[0052] A speaker opening 38 is provided in front of each speaker 49. More specifically, a speaker opening 38a is provided in front of speaker 49a, which is located in the upper right (upper left in Figure 3) when viewed from the front of the gaming machine; a speaker opening 38b is provided in front of speaker 49b, which is located in the upper left (upper right in Figure 3) when viewed from the front of the gaming machine; a speaker opening 38c is provided in front of speaker 49c, which is located in the lower left (lower right in Figure 3) when viewed from the front of the gaming machine; and a speaker opening 38d is provided in front of speaker 49d, which is located in the lower right (lower left in Figure 3) when viewed from the front of the gaming machine. Each speaker opening 38 has numerous cavities, which allow the sound output from speaker 49 to be properly output.

[0053] The decorative LEDs 36 are arranged to surround the upper display area 62a or the reel frame 64. More specifically, the decorative LED 36a mounted on decorative LED board 41a and decorative LED 36b mounted on decorative LED board 41b are located on the upper right side of the upper display area 62a, and the decorative LED 36c mounted on decorative LED board 41c is located on the lower right side of the upper display area 62a. In addition, the decorative LED 36d mounted on decorative LED board 41d is located on the lower right side of the reel frame 64, the decorative LED 36e mounted on decorative LED board 41e is located on the lower left side of the reel frame 64, the decorative LED 36f mounted on decorative LED board 41f is located on the lower left side of the upper display area 62a, and the decorative LED 36g mounted on decorative LED board 41g and decorative LED 36h mounted on decorative LED board 41h are located on the upper left side of the upper display area 62a. Each decorative LED 36 may light up in a single color or in multiple colors.

[0054] <Electrical and functional configuration of gaming machine 10> Next, the electrical and functional configurations of the gaming machine 10 in this embodiment will be described using Figures 8 and 9. However, the components shown in Figures 1 to 4, which were described earlier, will also be mentioned, so please refer to them as appropriate. Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the gaming machine 10, and Figure 9 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the gaming machine 10.

[0055] The gaming machine 10 incorporates a main board 100, a sub-board 200, and a medal count control board 300 as its main components. In Figure 8, the main board 100, sub-board 200, and medal count control board 300 are illustrated as if they were single electronic boards, but they do not necessarily have to be single electronic boards. That is, the main board 100, sub-board 200, and medal count control board 300 may all be implemented by combining multiple electronic boards.

[0056] The main board 100 is equipped with electronic components such as a CPU 101, RAM 102, ROM 103, and a random number circuit 104, and the connections with other electronic components such as sensors and circuit boards are shown in Figure 8. The main board 100 primarily controls the progress of the game by executing processing based on data and control signals exchanged between these electronic components and various sensors 40a, etc. Here, the various sensors 40a include the start lever sensor 44, stop button sensor 43a, maximum bet button sensor 45a, single bet button sensor 45b, reel sensor 66, etc. In addition to the main board 100, the medal count control board 300, described later, has limitations on ROM and RAM capacity to enhance security against unauthorized modifications and other fraudulent activities. On the other hand, the sub-board 200 does not have similar limitations.

[0057] Furthermore, the sub-board 200 is equipped with electronic components such as a CPU 201, RAM 202, ROM 203, and a random number circuit 204, and the connection status with other electronic components such as sensors and circuit boards is as shown in Figure 8. The sub-board 200 is connected to the main board 100 via one-way communication and controls the decorative LED board 41, speaker 49, upper display device 63a, and lower display device 63b based on control commands transmitted from the main board 100, mainly realizing the control of game-related effects (including control related to the menu screen). Here, the various sensors 40b include a push button sensor 45c, a directional pad button sensor 46a, a select button sensor 46b, and so on.

[0058] Furthermore, the medal count control board 300 is equipped with electronic components such as a CPU 301, RAM 302, and ROM 303, and the connection status with other electronic components such as sensors and circuit boards is as shown in Figure 8. The medal count control board 300 is connected via bidirectional communication to the main board 100 and a dedicated unit 1000 located outside the gaming machine 10, and the medals can be moved through this communication. In addition, the medal count control board 300 is connected to the sub-board 200 via one-way communication (not shown), and is configured to acquire various information related to the medal count control board 300 (for example, the credit value and the details of each process executed on the medal count control board 300). Here, the dedicated unit 1000 is different from the dedicated unit 1000 described later, and is configured to accept information-storing cards such as membership cards, and to store medals (credits counted by the medal count control board 300) transferred from the medal count control board 300 as stored medals on the membership card, etc., and to dispense them. In addition to the electronic components mentioned above, the medal count control board 300 is also provided with a medal count clear button and an error release button, as well as connectors used for connecting to the other boards mentioned above (none of which are shown).

[0059] Next, the functional configurations of the main board 100 and sub-board 200 will be explained using Figure 9. Note that the following functional configurations and the functions of each configuration are illustrative examples; the main board 100 and sub-board 200 may have functional configurations not listed below, and each configuration may have functions not listed below. For the sake of clarity, Figure 9 also shows electronic components outside of the main board 100 and sub-board 200, such as sensors and substrates, as shown in Figure 8.

[0060] First, the functional configuration of the main board 100 can be broadly divided into a game progress management unit 110 that manages the progress of the game, a state management unit 120 that manages the state related to the game, and a main communication unit 130. Furthermore, the game progress management unit 110 consists of an internal lottery unit 111, a reel control unit 112, a prize determination unit 113, a medal management unit 114, and a status display LED control unit 115. The status management unit 120 consists of a setting change management unit 121, a game status management unit 122, a game mode management unit 124, and a main error management unit 125. The main communication unit 130 consists of a control command transmission / reception unit 131 and an external signal transmission unit 132.

[0061] The internal lottery unit 111 determines, by lottery, which of several types of winning combinations (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "internal winning combination") will be won when the game starts. More specifically, the internal lottery unit 111 acquires a random number (in this embodiment, a 2-byte random number is used, with a range of 0 to 65535) that has been updated by the random number circuit 104 when the game starts, and sequentially adds the lottery values ​​from the internal lottery table (details will be described later) stored in the ROM 103 to the acquired random number, determining the role corresponding to the lottery value that resulted in a carryover as the internal winning role. Note that in the internal lottery unit 111, the phrase "the internal winning role is determined by lottery" may sometimes be simply expressed as "the internal winning role is derived."

[0062] The reel control unit 112, upon the start of a game, waits for a predetermined delay time, or so-called wait time (4.1s in this embodiment), to elapse between the start of rotation of the reels 65 in the previous game and the start of rotation of the reels 65 in the current game, before starting the rotation of each reel 65. Thereafter, it individually controls the rotation of the reels 65, such as stopping the reel corresponding to the stop operation each time a stop operation is performed.

[0063] More specifically, the reel control unit 112 sets a reel control state (acceleration control state, constant speed control state, retraction control state, brake control state, stop control state) for each of the reels 65 according to the progress of the game, obtains an excitation pattern corresponding to the currently set reel control state from the excitation patterns stored in the ROM 103, and controls each of the reel motors 68 (stepping motors) to output a pulse signal according to the obtained excitation pattern, thereby individually controlling the rotation of the reels 65.

[0064] Furthermore, to specifically explain the above reel control states, the acceleration control state is a control state in which a pulse signal is output according to an excitation pattern for accelerating to a predetermined speed after rotation has started. The constant speed control state is a control state from the end of the acceleration control state until a stop operation is performed, and in this control state, a pulse signal is output according to an excitation pattern for maintaining a predetermined speed. The retraction control state is a control state in which the corresponding reel is rotated to the stop position after a stop operation is performed, and in this control state, similar to the constant speed control state, a pulse signal is output according to an excitation pattern for maintaining a predetermined speed. The brake control state is a control state in which a pulse signal is output according to an excitation pattern for stopping the corresponding reel after it has reached the stop position. The stop control state is a control state in which the corresponding reel is maintained at its current position. The switching of the reel control state described above is performed in the main flow of the main board 100, which will be described later, and the output of the pulse signal is performed in a timer interrupt process (not shown) that is performed at predetermined intervals (approximately 2ms in this embodiment) on the main board 100.

[0065] Furthermore, when the reel control unit 112 stops each of the reels 65 (switches from the pull-in control state to the brake control state), it derives (or reads) candidate symbol numbers to stop from the stop data stored in the ROM 103, and determines one symbol number as the stop position from the candidate symbol numbers within the maximum pull-in range (4 frames in this embodiment) from the position of the reel (symbol number on the reference line) at the time the stop operation was performed. Here, the pattern number on the reference line of each reel 65 is corrected to the pattern number of the reference position (in this embodiment, RZ00, CZ00, LZ00) each time a detection piece is detected by the reel sensor 66 during timer interrupt processing, and is updated by the number of subsequent pulse signal switching cycles. Furthermore, in the constant speed control state, if the symbol number on the reference line is not corrected within a predetermined time (until a predetermined number of pulse signal switches are performed) since the last time the symbol number on the reference line was corrected, the reel control unit 112 determines that the corresponding reel has lost step (hereinafter referred to as a step-out check), sets the reel control state to the acceleration control state, and re-accelerates the reel.

[0066] The prize determination unit 113 performs prize determination to determine whether a winning combination has been achieved based on the combination of symbols that have stopped and displayed on the active line (line L2 in this embodiment) during the game. Furthermore, when determining whether a prize has been won, in addition to checking the combination of symbols that have stopped and displayed on the active payline, it is also possible to determine whether the combination of symbols matches the winning combination derived in that game, and then determine whether a winning combination has been won.

[0067] The medal management unit 114 manages the increase or decrease in the number of bets as described above, and controls the exchange of medals with the medal quantity control board 300.

[0068] The status indicator LED control unit 115 controls the status indicator LED 25 as described above.

[0069] The configuration change management unit 121 performs configuration change processing and configuration confirmation processing. Specifically, the setting change process begins when the power supply from the power supply unit 91 changes from the OFF state to the ON state (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "power on"; on the other hand, when the power supply changes from the ON state to the OFF state, sometimes referred to as "power off"), if the setting key switch 48a is operated. Each time the setting change switch 48b is operated, the setting values ​​are changed in a certain order (in this embodiment, setting value 1, setting value 2, setting value 3, setting value 4, setting value 5, setting value 6, setting value 1, setting value 2...), and the setting value at the time the start lever 26 is operated is confirmed as the current setting value. The setting change process also includes the process of displaying the setting value being changed on the setting display LED 48c. Furthermore, when the setting change process is executed, all the information that the main board 100 held before the power supply was turned off is initialized. In particular, this information includes the number of bets. Moreover, the timing at which the number of bets is cleared when the setting change process is executed can be any time from when the power is turned on until before the start of the game start process (step S103 described later), which is executed after the completion of the setting change process related to the power turn on.

[0070] The setting confirmation process is initiated when the setting key switch 48a is operated while the power supply is ON, and it displays the already set setting value on the setting display LED 48c. In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, the "already set setting value" will simply be referred to as the "setting value". The information held by the main board 100 is maintained during the setting confirmation process. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the opening of the front door 20 by the door opening sensor may be added to the conditions for initiating the setting change process and the setting confirmation process. By doing so, it is possible to deter unauthorized changes to setting values ​​and verification of unauthorized setting values.

[0071] The game state management unit 122 controls the transition between game states according to transition conditions among several types of game states. Details of the types of game states and transition conditions will be described later.

[0072] The game mode management unit 124 controls the transition between game modes according to transition conditions among several types of game modes. Details of the types of game modes and transition conditions will be described later, but in this embodiment, the degree of advantage differs depending on the game mode in which the player is currently in, and in particular, a game mode with a high degree of advantage may be set in a specific game state (in this embodiment, during MB internal win, as described later).

[0073] In addition to determining whether or not to enter the various error states described above, the main error management unit 125 also determines whether or not to enter an error state using the detection results of various sensors 40a, etc. If it decides to enter an error state, it stops the game as necessary and puts the gaming machine 10 into an error state. In addition, if an error state is to be entered, preparations may be made to send a control command indicating the occurrence of the error state, the control command transmission / reception unit 131 may be made to send the control command, and the occurrence of the error state may be notified using a performance device (upper performance display area 62a, decorative LED 36, speaker 49, etc.).

[0074] The control command transmission / reception unit 131 performs the process of transmitting control commands that have been prepared for transmission to the sub-board 200 and the medal count control board 300, and the process of receiving control commands from the medal count control board 300. Here, the control commands transmitted to the sub-board 200 include not only control commands transmitted when an error occurs, but also control commands transmitted in accordance with the progress of the game. Furthermore, the control commands transmitted to the medal count control board 300 include a control command indicating that the bet button 23 has been operated, a control command transmitted when medals are awarded due to a win, and a control command transmitted when the payout button 32 has been operated and the bet amount has been settled. In addition, the control commands received from the medal count control board 300 include a control command indicating that the bet amount has been increased. Furthermore, each control command transmitted and received by the control command transmission / reception unit 131 contains information that identifies the type of the control command, as well as information corresponding to that type. In addition, in the following explanation, preparing to transmit a control command and having the control command transmission / reception unit 131 transmit the control command may be simply referred to as "transmitting a control command." The same applies to each control command transmitted or received by the control command receiving unit 211 and the control command transmission / reception unit 304, which will be described later.

[0075] The external signal transmission unit 132 is different from the dedicated unit 1000 described above and transmits signals (external signals) indicating the internal status of the gaming machine 10 to external devices located outside the gaming machine 10 (for example, a hall computer or data display). To give a more specific explanation of the information transmitted by the external signal, this information includes information indicating that a game has started, information indicating that the AT mode (described later) has started or that the system is in AT mode, and information indicating that an error has occurred.

[0076] Next, the functional configuration of the sub-board 200 can be broadly divided into a sub-communication unit 210 and a performance management unit 220 that manages the performance related to the game. Furthermore, the sub-communication unit 210 is comprised of a control command receiving unit 211, and the performance management unit 220 is comprised of a performance control unit 221, a performance display control unit 222, an audio control unit 223, and a decorative LED control unit 224. Details of these functional configurations are as follows.

[0077] The control command receiving unit 211 receives control commands transmitted from the main board 100 and the medal count control board 300, analyzes the received control commands, and updates the information stored in the RAM 202 using the information contained in the control commands.

[0078] The performance control unit 221 performs processing to determine the content of the performance to be instructed to be performed by the performance devices (upper performance display device 63a, lower performance display device 63b, decorative LED 36, speaker 49, etc.) based on control commands transmitted from the main board 100 and the medal count control board 300.

[0079] If there is an effect to be performed on the upper effect display device 63a or the lower effect display device 63b, the effect display control unit 222 reads device data corresponding to the effect from the ROM 203 and uses the device data to cause the upper effect display device 63a or the lower effect display device 63b to perform the effect.

[0080] If there is an effect that the speaker 49 should perform, the audio control unit 223 reads device data corresponding to that effect from the ROM 203 and uses that device data to cause the speaker 49 to perform the effect.

[0081] If there is a performance to be performed by the decorative LED board 41, the decorative LED control unit 224 reads device data corresponding to that performance from the ROM 203 and uses that device data to cause the decorative LED board 41 to perform the performance.

[0082] Next, the medal count control board 300 has a functional configuration that includes a control command transmission / reception unit 304, a credit management unit 305, and a medal error management unit 306. The details of these functional configurations are as follows. Some of the processes performed by these functional configurations will be described in detail later.

[0083] The control command transmission / reception unit 304 transmits and receives control commands to and from the main board 100 and the dedicated unit 1000, analyzes the received control commands, and updates the information stored in the RAM 302 using the information contained in the control commands. Furthermore, the control command transmission / reception unit 304 transmits control commands to the sub-board 200.

[0084] The credit management unit 305 performs operations to control the credit value, such as addition and subtraction, based on control commands transmitted from the main board 100 or the dedicated unit 1000, and operations performed on the medal counting button 33 or the medal count clear button described later. In this embodiment, the credit value is managed using 2-byte data. Therefore, although it is possible to store up to 65536 as a credit value in the data, in this embodiment, the upper limit for the credit value is set to 16383, and the system is configured not to store values ​​exceeding this upper limit.

[0085] The medal error management unit 306 checks the connection to the main board 100 and the dedicated unit 1000, and if there is an abnormality in the connection, it processes the system to enter a connection error state. It also checks whether there are any abnormalities in the information stored in the RAM 302, such as the credit value, and if there is an abnormality in the check, it processes the system to enter a RAM error state.

[0086] <Main flow related to game progression> Next, the main flow related to the game progression in this embodiment will be explained using Figures 10 to 12. However, the components illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, 8 and 9, which were explained earlier, will also be mentioned, so please refer to them as appropriate. In particular, in the following explanation, the function shown in Figure 9 may be listed as the entity that performs the processing, but the processing is not necessarily realized by that entity alone.

[0087] Figures 10 to 12 are flowcharts showing the main flow of the main board 100 related to game progression in this embodiment, and the processes related to this flow are executed when the power is turned on. The main board 100 performs one game while going through a series of processes from step S103 to step S143 shown in Figures 10 to 12, and can repeat the game by repeating this series of processes. Note that the processes shown in Figures 10 to 12 are just specific examples, and other processes besides those listed here may be performed by the main board 100.

[0088] First, steps S101 to S119 will be explained using Figure 10. In the first step S101, initial setup processing is performed on the main board 100. The initial setup process for the main board 100 is performed when power is supplied, and once it has been performed, it will not be performed again until power is cut off and then resumed. More specifically, in this process, if the setting key switch 48a is operated, the backup information (including information identifying the number of bets) that was held during the power outage is discarded (cleared), the setting change process described above is performed, and then the process proceeds to step S103. In this embodiment, a setting change start command is sent to the sub-board 200 when the setting change process is started, and a setting change end command is sent to the sub-board 200 when the setting change process is completed. On the other hand, if the setting key switch 48a is not operated, the process, provided that there is no abnormality in the backup information held at the time of the power outage (in this embodiment, the checksum value is normal), performs a process to restore the state at the time of the power outage (if the state at the time of the power outage was during gameplay involving reel rotation, then during gameplay) based on the backup information, and then proceeds to step S103, at which point a power outage recovery command relating to the main board 100 is sent to the sub-board 200. If there is an abnormality in the backup information, the system will be in a state where it is impossible to return to gameplay (RAM error state), and will wait for the execution of the setting change process described above. At this point, a RAM error command that identifies the occurrence of the abnormality is sent to the sub-board 200.

[0089] Step S103 performs the necessary game start processing in advance to begin the next game. This game start processing includes saving various information related to the previous game, clearing information indicating the stopping positions of each reel 65 and the combinations of symbols that stopped on the active lines during the previous game, and acquiring setting values. Step S105 performs a medal acceptance start process, which is a preparatory process for setting the bet amount for the next game. The medal acceptance start process includes making the medal count control board 300 ready to accept information related to the bet amount, and if a replay was won in the previous game, setting the same bet amount as that set in the previous game. In step S107, it is determined whether or not the re-play function is activated. If the condition is met, the process proceeds to step S111; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S109.

[0090] In step S109, a medal management process is performed, which is a process related to medals that is carried out based on the detected operation or the state of the gaming machine 10. In the medal management process, when the pressing of the bet button 23 is detected, a medal request information including the number of medals corresponding to the pressed bet button 23 is sent to the medal count control board 300 and a request is made to the medal count control board 300, a process is performed to add the medals transferred from the medal count control board 300 to the number of bets, and when the pressing of the settlement button 32 is detected, a process is performed to transfer the total number of bets that can be settled to the medal count control board 300.

[0091] In step S111, a reel rotation start check is performed to determine whether the conditions for starting the game have been met. Assuming that the operation of the start lever 26 has been detected, the reel rotation start check checks, for example, whether the number of bets has reached the maximum number. In step S113, the reel rotation start check determines whether the conditions for starting the game are met. If the conditions are met, the process proceeds to step S115; otherwise, the process returns to step S107. In step S115, an internal lottery is conducted using an internal lottery table to determine the internal winning combination. In step S117, a winning combination flag is set, which stores the internal winning combination derived in step S115, or the losing combination (if not a winning combination), in the corresponding area of ​​RAM 102.

[0092] In step S119, game mode management processing is performed at the start of gameplay. In this process, for example, the indicator LED 25c is controlled to a lighting pattern that allows for the identification of operating conditions. Furthermore, the game mode management process at the start of a game also includes the transmission of an internal winning command to the sub-board 200. The internal winning command includes at least information that can identify the derived internal winning role, the current game state, and the current game mode, thereby enabling a notification that can identify the operating conditions by a device managed by the sub-board 200 (in this embodiment, the upper display device 63a). In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the operating conditions identified by the indicator LED 25c in a game and the operating conditions identified by the notification executed by the device managed by the sub-board 200 in that game are the same.

[0093] From here, we will explain steps S121 to S135 using Figure 11. In step S121, it is determined whether the waiting time has elapsed. If the condition is met, the process proceeds to step S123; otherwise, the process returns to the determination in step S121. In step S123, the reel control state of each of the reels 65 (if this process is performed due to a step loss, the reel that is currently rotating, i.e., the reel set to constant speed control) is set to acceleration control, and the rotation of the reel set to acceleration control is started. In this way, if the process returns to the determination in step S121, the rotation of the reels 65 will not start, so the reel control unit 112 will wait for the weight time to elapse before the rotation of the reels 65 begins.

[0094] In step S125, it is determined whether the rotational speed of all reels 65 that were set to the acceleration control state has reached a predetermined speed (the output of the pulse signal has ended according to the excitation pattern corresponding to the acceleration control state). If this condition is met, the process proceeds to step S127; otherwise, it returns to the beginning of step S125. In this determination, if the rotational speed of a reel set to the acceleration control state reaches a predetermined speed, it is sequentially switched from the acceleration control state to the constant speed control state. Furthermore, in this determination, after all the reels have been switched to the constant speed control state, the process waits until the sensor corresponding to that reel among the reel sensors 66 has detected all of its respective detection pieces before proceeding to step S127. After this waiting period, all the stop buttons corresponding to that reel are activated, and the process proceeds to step S127.

[0095] In step S127, the above-mentioned step-out check is performed on the reel 65 that is set to constant speed control. In step S129, it is determined whether or not a step loss has occurred during the step loss check. If the condition is met, the process returns to step S123; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S131. In this way, if it is determined that a step loss has occurred in one of the rotating reels 65, the process in step S123 (reel restart) is performed again on the rotating reel. In step S131, it is determined whether or not an operation (stop operation) has been performed on the activated stop button. If the condition is met, the process proceeds to step S133; otherwise, the process returns to step S127.

[0096] In step S133, a reel stop process is performed. The reel stop process disables all stop buttons except the one that was stopped, switches the reel corresponding to the stopped button from constant speed control to retraction control as described above, derives the symbol number that will be the stopping position, and when the symbol position of the reel has advanced to the deriveted stopping position, switches the reel from retraction control to brake control and stops the reel. After the output of the pulse signal according to the excitation pattern corresponding to the brake control state ends, the system switches to stop control and the reel is held at the stopping position. Furthermore, the reel stopping process also involves sending a stop command to the sub-communication unit 210 via the control command transmission / reception unit 131. This control command includes at least information that identifies the type of reel that has been stopped (one of reel 65L, reel 65C, or reel 65R) and the position where the reel has been stopped (symbol number).

[0097] In step S135, it is determined whether all of the reels 65 are stopped. If this condition is met, the process proceeds to step S137; otherwise, it returns to step S127. In this way, if all of the reels 65 are not stopped, the process from step S127 to step S135 is repeated.

[0098] From here, we will explain steps S137 to S143 using Figure 12. In step S137, the aforementioned prize-winning criteria are determined, and the winning roles are decided. In step S139, a state transition process is performed to change the game state.

[0099] In step S141, game mode management processing is performed at the end of the game. This process includes tasks such as transitioning to a new game mode and controlling the illumination state of the advantageous mode indicator LED 25g. Furthermore, the game mode management process at the end of a game also involves sending a game end command to the sub-board 200. This control command includes information that identifies the winning combination, the updated game state, and the updated game mode.

[0100] In step S143, the number of medals corresponding to the winning combination is awarded. The medals awarded in step S143 are transferred to the medal count control board 300 and stored in the credits.

[0101] <Main flow of the medal count control board> Next, the main flow of the medal count control board 300 will be explained using Figure 13. Figure 13 is a flowchart of the main flow of the medal count control board 300. The processes related to this flow are executed when the power is turned on, that is, when power is turned on to the medal count control board 300.

[0102] As shown in Figure 13, in the first step S201 of the main flow of the medal count control board 300, initial setup processing related to the medal count control board 300 is performed. In addition, during the initial setup process for the medal count control board 300, a process is executed in which the credits are cleared depending on, for example, the operation status of the medal count clear button when the power is turned on. Details of this process will be described later.

[0103] In step S203, it is determined whether or not there is lending information. If the condition is met, the process proceeds to step S205; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S207. Here, lending information refers to information indicating the number of tokens transmitted from a dedicated unit 1000 located outside the gaming machine 10. In step S205, a credit addition process related to the loan information is executed, and in this process, the number of medals specified in the loan information is added to the credit. In addition, upon completion of the credit addition process, the number of medals stored in the dedicated unit 1000 is reduced by the number of medals related to the credit addition process. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the upper limit of credit is set to 16383, if the receipt of loan information could exceed this upper limit, a control command indicating this is sent to the dedicated unit 1000, and the credit addition process related to the loan information is not executed.

[0104] In step S207, it is determined whether or not there is medal request information. If the condition is met, the process proceeds to step S209; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S211. Here, medal request information is transmitted from the main board 100 when the bet button 23 is operated, as described above. In step S209, a credit deduction process is performed. In this process, the number of medals specified in the medal request information is transmitted to the main board 100, and that number of medals is deducted from the credits. In this embodiment, if the credits are less than the number of medals specified in the medal request information, the credit deduction process is not performed. However, in this case, the system may be configured to send all of the current credits to the main board 100 and deduct the number of medals sent from the credits.

[0105] In step S211, it is determined whether or not there is credit addition information. If the condition is met, the process proceeds to step S213; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S215. Here, credit addition information refers to information transmitted from the main board 100 when the number of bets stored in the main board 100 is settled, or when it is determined through a winning determination that a winning combination with a payout has been achieved. In step S213, a credit addition process related to the credit addition information is executed, and in this process, the number of medals specified in the credit addition information related to the process is added to the credit. In particular, on the main board 100, the number of bets is cleared to zero when the credit addition process related to the number of bets is completed.

[0106] In step S215, it is determined whether or not the counting button has been operated. If the condition is met, the process proceeds to step S217; otherwise, the process returns to step S203. In step S217, a credit counting process is performed, in which part or all of the current credits are sent to the dedicated unit 1000, and the credits are deducted by the amount of the medals sent. More specifically, when the counting button is pressed once, if the current credits are 50 or less, all of the current credits are transferred to the dedicated unit 1000. If the current credits are 50 or more, 50 credits are transferred to the dedicated unit 1000. Furthermore, when the counting button is pressed and held down, at regular intervals (1 second in this embodiment), the same process as when the counting button is pressed once is performed until the long press of the counting button ends or the credits after subtraction become zero.

[0107] Thus, in this embodiment, the main board 100 and the medal count control board 300 are configured to communicate with each other, and the medal count control board 300 and the dedicated unit 1000 are configured to communicate with each other, thereby realizing the medalless slot machine described above. Although not shown in the diagram, the timer interrupt processing in the medal count control board 300 determines whether the communication between the main board 100 and the medal count control board 300, and between the medal count control board 300 and the dedicated unit 1000, is functioning correctly. If there is an abnormality in either of these communications, the main flow of the medal count control board 300 is stopped until the error release button is operated and it is determined that the abnormality has been resolved by the processing performed by that operation. The execution of this timer interrupt processing is permitted only after the initial setup processing for the medal count control board 300 is completed. Furthermore, the timer interrupt process also executes a control to light up the medal count display LED 28 to show the current credit value, thereby allowing the player to identify the current credit value.

[0108] <Regarding the initial setup process for the medal count control board> Next, using Figure 14, we will explain in detail the initial setup process for the medal count control board 300, which is the initial setup process for the medal count control board 300. Figure 14 is a flowchart of the initial setup process for the medal count control board.

[0109] As shown in Figure 14, in the initial setup process of the medal count control board, step S301 determines whether the medal count clear button was operated when the power was turned on. If this condition is met, the process proceeds to step S305; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S303.

[0110] In step S303, it is determined whether or not there is an abnormality in the recovery information. If the condition is met, the process proceeds to step S305; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S309. Here, "recovery information" refers to the information stored in the RAM 302 of the medal count control board 300. The determination of whether or not there is an abnormality in the recovery information consists of determining whether the power-off flag, which is set to ON during the power-off process executed when the medal count control board 300 is powered off, is ON, and determining whether the sum value of the data saved to the backup area of ​​RAM 302 during the power-off process matches the sum value in that area after power is turned on (so-called checksum). If there is an abnormality in either of these determinations, the determination of whether or not there is an abnormality in the recovery information is made, and it is determined that there is an abnormality in the recovery information.

[0111] In step S305, the credit value is cleared by setting it to zero. In this embodiment, this determination is performed regardless of the credit value. In step S307, a credit clear command is sent to identify that the credit value has been cleared. This control command is sent to the sub-board 200 and the dedicated unit 1000, and the medal count control board initial setup process is completed.

[0112] In step S309, the credits are restored to their value before the power outage. In step S311, a power-off recovery command for the medal count control board 300 is sent, and the medal count control board initial setup process is completed. This control command includes information that can identify the current credit value and is sent to the sub-board 200.

[0113] Thus, in this embodiment, whether the credits are cleared when the medal count clear button is operated when the power is turned on, or when the credits are cleared due to an abnormality in the recovery information when the power is turned on, the same control command (credit clear command) is sent to the sub-board 200 or the dedicated unit 1000. Furthermore, as described above, in this embodiment, the processes related to steps S305 and S307 are executed regardless of the credit value at the time the medal count control board initial setup process is performed.

[0114] <Regarding whether or not the number of tokens in a gaming machine can be reset> As described above, in this embodiment, the clearing of the bet amount and credits is determined individually according to the operation status of the setting key switch 48a and the operation status of the medal count clear button when the power is turned on, and if clearing is necessary, the target number of medals is cleared. The details will be explained below with reference to Figure 15. Figure 15 is a diagram summarizing whether the number of medals has been reset or not, depending on the operating state when the power is turned on.

[0115] As shown in Figure 15, if the setting key switch 48a is OFF and the medal count clear button is OFF when the power is turned on, both the number of bets and the credits will not be cleared and the system will return to the state it was in when the power was cut off. Here, in any of the operating parts, the ON state refers to the state in which the operating part is operated, and the OFF state refers to the state in which the operating part is not operated. If the setting key switch 48a is OFF and the medal count clear button is ON when the power is turned on, the number of bets will not be cleared and the system will return to the state it was in when the power was cut off, while the credits will be cleared. If the setting key switch 48a is ON and the medal count clear button is OFF when the power is turned on, the number of bets will be cleared as the setting change process is executed, but the credits will not be cleared, and the system will return to the state it was in when the power was cut off. If the setting key switch 48a is ON and the medal count clear button is ON when the power is turned on, the number of bets will be cleared and the credits will also be cleared when the setting change process is executed. Furthermore, if there is an abnormality in the recovery information mentioned above when the medal count control board 300 is powered on, it will be treated the same as when the medal count clear button is ON.

[0116] Thus, in the gaming machine 10 according to this embodiment, if the setting key switch 48a is ON and the medal count clear button is OFF when the power is turned on, the number of bets is cleared when the setting change process is executed. Furthermore, if the setting key switch 48a is OFF and the medal count clear button is ON when the power is turned on, the credits are cleared. In particular, in the gaming machine 10 according to this embodiment, if the setting key switch 48a is ON and the medal count clear button is OFF when the power is turned on, the number of bets is cleared when the setting change process is executed, while the credits are not cleared and the machine returns to the state it was in when the power was cut off. Furthermore, if the setting key switch 48a is OFF and the medal count clear button is ON when the power is turned on, the credits will be cleared, but the number of bets will not be cleared and the machine will return to the state it was in when the power was cut off. Furthermore, if the setting key switch 48a is ON and the medal count clear button is ON when the power is turned on, both the number of bets and the credits will be cleared. In this embodiment, the open / closed state of the front door 20 at power-on is not referenced when determining whether the number of bets and credits have been cleared, but this state may be referenced. More specifically, regarding whether the number of bets and credits have been cleared as shown in Figure 15, if the setting key switch 48a is ON and the front door 20 is closed at power-on, the setting key switch 48a may be treated as OFF. Similarly, if the medal count clear button is ON and the front door 20 is closed at power-on, the medal count clear button may be treated as OFF.

[0117] As described above, the gaming machine 10 according to this embodiment has an upper performance display area 62a (upper performance display device 63a) located above the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed in the vertical direction, and a lower performance display area 62b (lower performance display device 63b) located below the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed in the vertical direction. Incidentally, nowadays, in order to streamline the application process to the Security Communications Association, which tests the performance of gaming machines to determine whether they can be installed in arcades, it is common for a single gaming machine manufacturer to have multiple manufacturing companies that produce gaming machines, and for these manufacturing companies to be treated as a single group. This could lead to problems such as difficulty in determining which gaming machine manufacturer (or group) produces a gaming machine featured in a video being viewed via an electronic communication circuit, or difficulty in determining which manufacturer to contact if a gaming machine installed in a hall malfunctions. In contrast, the gaming machine 10 according to this embodiment has a function that makes it easy to understand which gaming machine manufacturer the gaming machine appearing in the video being viewed belongs to, using the upper display area 62a and the lower display area 62b (hereinafter referred to as the first function), and a function that makes it easy to understand which manufacturer a hall operator should inquire about (hereinafter referred to as the second function). The details of these functions will be explained below.

[0118] <Regarding the first function> First, we will explain the details of the first function using Figure 16(a). Figure 16(a) shows specific examples of images displayed in the upper display area 62a and the lower display area 62b when the game is not in play and the front door 20 is closed. Note that "not playing" refers to a state where no game is being played but the game is playable. Furthermore, the closed state of the front door 20 refers to the state where the door open sensor located on the right edge of the outer frame 90 is OFF, and the open state of the front door 20, as described later, refers to the state where the door open sensor located on the right edge of the outer frame 90 is ON. Also, the font size shown in Figure 16(a) corresponds to the size of each display itself.

[0119] As shown in Figure 16(a), in this embodiment, when the game is not in progress and the front door 20 is closed, the group name is displayed in the display area 621 of the upper performance display area 62a, which is located above the upper end of the stop button 27 (area Z1) when viewed vertically, so that the entire display of the group name is visible in area Z1. Furthermore, when the machine is not in use and the front door 20 is closed, the manufacturer's name is displayed in the display area 622 of the lower display area 62b, which is located below the upper end of the stop button 27 (area Z2) when viewed vertically, making the entire display of the manufacturer's name visible in area Z2. Here, "group name" refers to the name of a group to which multiple manufacturing companies, including the company that manufactured the gaming machine (a gaming machine bearing the group name), belong. In addition to the multiple manufacturing companies, the group may also include a parent company that has the multiple manufacturing companies as subsidiaries, or companies related to the multiple manufacturing companies or parent company. Furthermore, the manufacturer's name refers to the name of the company that manufactured the gaming machine in question (a gaming machine bearing the manufacturer's name), and the display of the manufacturer's name helps hall operators identify the manufacturer to contact. In this embodiment, the group name is displayed starting when a certain period of time (180,000 ms) has elapsed since the end of the most recent game, and the display ends when a game starts. The end of the most recent game refers to the completion of step S143 (see Figure 12) related to that game.

[0120] Thus, in the gaming machine according to this embodiment, when not in use and with the front door 20 closed, the entire group name is visible in the area above the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically. According to this, when viewing test play videos or gameplay videos, it becomes easier to recognize which gaming machine manufacturer (group) the gaming machine featured in the video belongs to. This is because, in order to make the upper display area 62a and the reels 65 easy to see when viewing these videos, the field of view for these videos tends to be limited to an area above the top edge of the stop button 27. In order to achieve the aforementioned effect, the reference operating part is not limited to the stop button 27, but any operating part that can be operated with the front door 20 closed may be used, such as a bet button (which functions as an effect button) or a start lever. This also applies to subsequent inventions. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when not playing and with the front door 20 closed, the entire group name is visible in the area above the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically. However, the period during which the entire group name is visible is not limited to whether or not the player is not playing, as long as the front door 20 is closed, and the length of that visible period is also not limited.

[0121] Therefore, the gaming machine 10 has a first display (display of the manufacturer's name) that makes it possible to identify the manufacturer of the gaming machine, and a second display (display of the group name) that is different from the first display and makes it possible to identify the group to which the manufacturer belongs, and when the opening / closing body (front door 20) is closed, the entire second display is visible in the first region (region Z1) above the upper end of a predetermined operating means (stop button 27) when viewed in the vertical direction. In this invention, the phrase "the entire second display is visible" means that the entire second display is visible when viewed directly from the gaming machine. Furthermore, although the manufacturer's name in this embodiment consists of letters, symbols or logos may be used in place of or in addition to letters in the first indication described above. The same applies to the second indication described above. Furthermore, in the present invention, it is permissible for one of the multiple manufacturing companies included in a group (for example, the largest in scale) to be the same as the group to which that group belongs. In such cases, the displays can be made different by changing the font or color of the characters that make up these names, by making one an abbreviation and the other the full name, or by making one include a logo and the other not include a logo.

[0122] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the game is not in use and the front door 20 is closed, the manufacturer's name is configured to be invisible in the area above the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically. According to this, it is possible to prevent confusion between the group name and the manufacturer's name when viewers watch test play videos or gameplay videos.

[0123] Therefore, the gaming machine 10 has a first display (display of the manufacturer's name) that makes it possible to identify the manufacturer of the gaming machine, and a second display (display of the group name) that is different from the first display and makes it possible to identify the group to which the manufacturer belongs, and when the opening / closing body (front door 20) is closed, the first display is not visible in the area above the upper end of a predetermined operating means (stop button 27) when viewed in the vertical direction, and the entirety of the second display is visible in that area.

[0124] As described above, in this embodiment, the group name is displayed in the upper display area 62a from a state where the group name is not displayed. This makes it easier to recognize the group name. This is because the timing of when the image display begins makes it easier for the image to be recognized. In order to achieve this effect, conditions other than those according to this embodiment, such as the start and end of AT mode as described above, may be used as conditions for initiating the display of the group name.

[0125] Therefore, it can be rephrased as the second display (display of the group name) being initiated based on the fulfillment of predetermined conditions.

[0126] In particular, in this embodiment, the display of the group name begins during non-gameplay. This makes it easier to recognize the group name display without interfering with the display during gameplay. In order to achieve this effect, the conditions for initiating the display of the group name may be other conditions besides those in this embodiment, as long as the conditions are met during non-gameplay, such as when the menu selection button 24 is operated during non-gameplay.

[0127] Therefore, in the gaming machine 10, the above-mentioned predetermined conditions can be rephrased as conditions that can be satisfied during non-gameplay.

[0128] Furthermore, in the gaming machine according to this embodiment, when not in use and with the front door 20 closed, the entire name of the manufacturer is visible in the area below the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically. According to this, when viewing test play videos or gameplay videos, it is possible to prevent confusion between the group name and the manufacturer's name, while also making it easier for hall staff to identify the manufacturer to contact in situations such as when a problem occurs with the gaming machine. Furthermore, for the effect to be achieved, the entire manufacturer's name must be visible in the area below the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically, while the machine is not in use and the front door 20 is closed. However, the period during which the entire manufacturer's name is visible is not limited to whether the machine is in use or not, and the length of that visible period is not limited, as long as the front door 20 is closed.

[0129] Therefore, in the gaming machine 10, when the opening / closing body (front door 20) is closed, the entire first display (display of the manufacturer's name) is visible in the second region (region Z2) below the predetermined operating means (stop button 27) when viewed in the vertical direction.

[0130] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16(a), in this embodiment, when the game is not in operation and the front door 20 is closed, the machine name (title) is displayed in the display area 623 of the lower performance display area 62b, which is located below the upper end of the stop button 27 (area Z2) when viewed vertically, so that the entire machine name can be seen in area Z2. Here, the term "model name" refers to the name of the gaming machine itself (the gaming machine that displays the model name), unlike the group name or manufacturer name mentioned above.

[0131] <Regarding the second function> Next, we will explain the details of the second function using Figures 16(b), 17, and 18. Figure 16(b) shows specific examples of images displayed in the upper display area 62a and the lower display area 62b when the game is not in play and the front door 20 is open. Figure 17(a) is a timing chart for when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state during non-gameplay, and Figure 17(b) is a timing chart for when the front door 20 switches from an open state to a closed state during non-gameplay. Figure 18(a) shows a modified display in display area 621 when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state during non-gameplay, and Figure 18(b) shows modified displays in display areas 622 and 623 when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state during non-gameplay. In particular, in these drawings, the solid lines surrounding each display indicate the area where that display exists.

[0132] As shown in Figure 16(b), in this embodiment, when the game is not in operation and the front door 20 is open, the manufacturer's name and supplementary information are displayed in the display area 621 of the upper display area 62a, which is located above the upper end of the stop button 27 (area Z1) when viewed vertically, so that the entire manufacturer's name is visible in area Z1. Here, the supplementary information in this embodiment refers to the telephone number and address of the manufacturer's name displayed in the display area 621, but the content is not limited to information relating to the manufacturer. Furthermore, when not in play and with the front door 20 open, the manufacturer's name is displayed in the display area 622 of the lower performance display area 62b, which is located below the upper edge of the stop button 27 (area Z2) when viewed vertically, making the entire manufacturer's name visible in area Z2. However, unlike when not in play and with the front door 20 closed, the model name is not displayed in the display area 623 of the lower performance display area 62b when not in play and with the front door 20 open.

[0133] Therefore, as shown in Figure 17(a), in the gaming machine according to this embodiment, when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state during non-gameplay, the display of the group name in area Z1 switches to the display of the manufacturer's name. On the other hand, in area Z2, the manufacturer's name is displayed even when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state during non-gameplay.

[0134] Thus, in the gaming machine according to this embodiment, when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state during non-gameplay, the entire manufacturer's name becomes visible above the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically. This makes it easier for hall staff to identify the manufacturer to contact if a malfunction (error, etc.) occurs in a gaming machine. This is because, when a malfunction occurs in a gaming machine, hall staff open the front door 20 to check the circuit board itself or the harnesses connecting the circuit boards inside the machine (the back in the case of a pachinko machine). Furthermore, in order to achieve this effect, it is not necessary to consider whether the entire group name is visible above the top edge of the stop button 27 when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state during non-gameplay. Furthermore, although different from this embodiment, if the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state during non-gameplay, it is permissible for the manufacturer's name to be hidden (not visible) below the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when not in use and with the front door 20 open, the entire manufacturer's name is visible above the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically. However, the period during which the entire manufacturer's name is visible is not limited to whether or not the machine is not in use, and the length of that visible period is not limited, as long as the front door 20 is open. This also applies to subsequent inventions.

[0135] Therefore, in the gaming machine 10, in a predetermined case where the opening / closing body (front door 20) is opened from a closed state, the entirety of the first display (display of the manufacturer's name) becomes visible in at least the first area (area Z1).

[0136] In particular, in this embodiment, when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state during non-gameplay, the group name becomes invisible (invisible) above the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically. According to this, in the event of a malfunction in a gaming machine, it will be possible to prevent hall staff from mistakenly identifying the group name as the manufacturer they should contact. In order to achieve this effect, as shown in the modified example in Figure 18(a), when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state during non-gameplay, it is permissible for a portion of the group name display to become invisible, thus reducing the visibility of the group name display.

[0137] Therefore, in the gaming machine 10, in the above-described predetermined case, the second display (display of the group name) relating to the first area (area Z1) is not visible, or the visibility of the second display relating to the first area is reduced compared to when the opening / closing body is closed.

[0138] Furthermore, in the modified example shown in Figure 18(a), the reduced visibility of the group name is achieved by displaying it when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state (in this embodiment, the manufacturer's name and supplementary information are displayed). This approach makes it easier for hall staff to identify the manufacturer they should contact if a malfunction occurs in a gaming machine, thus enhancing its effectiveness.

[0139] Furthermore, although different from this embodiment, the display content related to the display of the manufacturer's name in the display area 622 (which is maintained even when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state) and the display content related to the display of the manufacturer's name in the display area 621 may be made different by changing the font or color of the characters that make up these, using an abbreviation for one and the full name for the other, or including a logo for one and not including a logo for the other. This also enhances the effectiveness of making it easier for hall staff to identify the manufacturer to contact in the event of a malfunction in a gaming machine.

[0140] Therefore, in the gaming machine 10, in the above-described predetermined case, the entire first display (display of the manufacturer's name) is maintained to be visible in the second area (area Z2), and the display content of the first display in the first area is different from the display content of the first display in the second area.

[0141] Furthermore, with respect to the invention relating to the second function described above, the display position of the manufacturer's name when the front door 20 is open is not limited to the position according to this embodiment (above the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically), but may also be below the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically (for example, the display area 623). Similarly, the display position of the group name is not limited to the position according to this embodiment (above the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically), but may also be below the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically (for example, the display area 623).

[0142] Therefore, the gaming machine 10 has a first display (display of the manufacturer's name) that makes it possible to identify the manufacturer of the gaming machine, and a second display (display of the group name) that is different from the first display and makes it possible to identify the group to which the manufacturer belongs, and when the opening / closing body (front door 20) is closed, the entire second display is visible, and when the opening / closing body is open, the second display is not visible, or the visibility of the second display is reduced compared to when the opening / closing body is closed, and the entire first display is visible.

[0143] In particular, in this embodiment, as described above, the entire name of the manufacturer is visible when the front door 20 is closed. According to this, in the event of a malfunction (error, etc.) in the gaming machine, the manufacturer can be identified without having to open the front door 20.

[0144] Therefore, in the gaming machine 10, when the opening / closing mechanism (front door 20) is closed, the entire first display (display of the manufacturer's name) is visible.

[0145] Furthermore, as shown in the modified example in Figure 18(b), when the front door 20 is closed, part of the manufacturer's name may be invisible, while when the front door 20 is open, the entire manufacturer's name may be visible. According to this, it is possible to prevent confusion between the display of the manufacturer's name and the display of the group name during gameplay, when the front door 20 is likely to be in a closed state. In order to achieve this effect, the entire manufacturer's name may be made invisible when the front door 20 is closed. Furthermore, the display of the group name in the display area 621 may be maintained when the front door 20 changes from a closed state to an open state. In this case, it is preferable to make the display of the manufacturer name more easily recognizable than the display of the group name by making the display of the group name in the open state of the front door 20 smaller than the display of the manufacturer name in the open state of the front door 20.

[0146] Therefore, the gaming machine 10 has a first display (display of the manufacturer's name) that makes it possible to identify the manufacturer of the gaming machine, and a second display (display of the group name) that is different from the first display and makes it possible to identify the group to which the manufacturer belongs, and when the opening / closing body (front door 20) is closed, at least a part of the first display is not visible and the entire second display is visible, and when the opening / closing body is open, the entire first display is visible and the entire second display is visible.

[0147] Furthermore, when the opening / closing mechanism (front door 20) is open, the first display (display of the manufacturer's name) is more easily recognizable than the second display (display of the group name).

[0148] Furthermore, in the modified example shown in Figure 18(b), when the front door 20 is closed, part of the manufacturer's name is not visible, but when the front door 20 is open, the entire manufacturer's name is visible. Therefore, when the front door 20 is closed, the location of the manufacturer's name is recognized, and then when the front door 20 is open, the manufacturer's name is recognized, making it easier to recognize the manufacturer's name when the front door 20 is open.

[0149] Furthermore, as described above, in this embodiment, the group name display becomes invisible when the front door 20 is open or closed, and the entire group name display is visible when the front door 20 is open. On the other hand, the manufacturer's name display is visible in its entirety regardless of whether the front door 20 is open or closed. In this relationship, the open state of the front door 20 may be replaced with a state in which any condition related to the gaming machine is occurring, and the closed state of the front door 20 may be replaced with a state in which any condition related to the gaming machine is not occurring. Here, any state relating to the above-mentioned gaming machine can be any state in which the progress of the game is restricted, such as an irrecoverable error that requires a setting change or RAM clear to resolve, or a game stop state (a state in which the so-called complete function is activated) that is set when the net increase in medals from a predetermined starting position (for example, the state in which the most medals have been absorbed) reaches a predetermined number (for example, 19,000 medals), or a state in which the progress of the game is permitted, such as a state in which a specific role has been internally won. Furthermore, similar to this embodiment, the group name does not need to be displayed at all times during periods when no particular state related to the gaming machine is occurring; it is sufficient for it to be displayed only for a portion of those periods.

[0150] Therefore, the gaming machine 10 has a first display (display of the manufacturer's name) that makes it possible to identify the manufacturer of the gaming machine, and a second display (display of the group name) that is different from the first display and makes it possible to identify the group to which the manufacturer belongs. With respect to the second display, when it is in a specified state, at least a part of the second display is not visible, and when it is not in a specified state, at least a part of the second display is visible, and in both the specified state and the not specified state, the entire first display is visible. According to this, in the above-mentioned specific state, by preventing confusion between the first display and the second display, the first display can be made easier to recognize.

[0151] Furthermore, the above-mentioned specific state can be rephrased as including a state in which the progress of the game is restricted. Furthermore, the above-mentioned specific state can be rephrased as including a state in which the game is permitted to continue.

[0152] In particular, it is preferable that any of the above-mentioned states relating to the gaming machine be a state in which a predetermined error has occurred. The content of the above-mentioned specified errors is not restricted, but for example, the specified errors can include situations where the progress of the game is restricted, where reel 65 is out of sync, or where an abnormal win (a win of a role that has not been internally won) has occurred. Furthermore, similar to this embodiment, the group name does not need to be displayed at all times during the period when the above-mentioned predetermined error does not occur; it is sufficient for it to be displayed only for a portion of that period.

[0153] Therefore, the gaming machine 10 has a first display (display of the manufacturer's name) that makes it possible to identify the manufacturer of the gaming machine, and a second display (display of the group name) that is different from the first display and makes it possible to identify the group to which the manufacturer belongs. With respect to the second display, if a predetermined error occurs, at least a part of the second display is not visible, and if the predetermined error does not occur, at least a part of the second display is visible, and in both cases, whether the predetermined error occurs or not, the entire first display is visible. According to this, when the above-mentioned predetermined error occurs, the first display can be made easier to recognize by preventing confusion between the first display and the second display.

[0154] Furthermore, it is preferable that the above-mentioned predetermined error is a door opening error that occurs when the front door 20 is opened, as in this embodiment.

[0155] Therefore, the gaming machine 10 has a base (outer frame 90) and an opening / closing body (front door 20) that can be opened and closed relative to the base, and the above-mentioned predetermined error occurs based on the opening of the opening / closing body.

[0156] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the front door 20 switches from an open state to a closed state (when the front door 20 is closed), the display of the group name is started (restarted). As shown in Figure 17(b), the timing at which the entire display of the group name becomes visible is when time T (3000 ms in this embodiment) has elapsed since the closing of the front door 20. According to this, the group name can be easily recognized when the front door 20 is closed. Furthermore, this invention can also be applied to the modified example shown in Figure 18(a).

[0157] Furthermore, as described above, in this embodiment, unlike the state when the front door 20 is closed and the game is not in progress, the machine name is not displayed in the display area 623 of the lower display area 62b when the front door 20 is open and the game is not in progress. In other words, when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state, the display of the machine name is hidden in the area (area Z2) below the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically. According to this, the display of the manufacturer's name in the display area 622, where the display is maintained in that case, becomes easier to recognize. Furthermore, achieving this effect is not limited to the display of the model name in the display area 623 being hidden. For example, the brightness of the display of the model name when the front door 20 is open is lower compared to when the front door 20 is closed, or any other condition that makes the display of the model name when the front door 20 is open compared to when the front door 20 is closed is sufficient.

[0158] <Regarding displays during gameplay> Next, using Figure 19, we will explain the flow of each display when the front door 20 changes from a closed state to an open state during gameplay, and when the front door 20 changes from an open state to a closed state during gameplay. Figure 19(a) is a timing chart for when the front door 20 switches from a closed state to an open state during gameplay, and Figure 19(b) is a timing chart for when the front door 20 switches from an open state to a closed state during gameplay.

[0159] As shown in Figure 19(a), when the front door 20 changes from a closed state to an open state during gameplay, the manufacturer's name is displayed above the upper end of the stop button 27 (region Z1) when viewed vertically. On the other hand, below the upper end of the stop button 27 (region Z2) when viewed vertically, the manufacturer's name is displayed and the model name is displayed. As shown in Figure 19(b), when the front door 20 changes from an open state to a closed state during gameplay, the display of the manufacturer's name ends above the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically. On the other hand, below the upper end of the stop button 27 when viewed vertically, the display of the manufacturer's name is maintained and the display of the model name begins. Please note that these diagrams depict gameplay, and therefore the group name will not be displayed regardless of whether the front door 20 is open or closed.

[0160] <Regarding other variations> The following are variations not described above.

[0161] First, in this embodiment, the probabilities, ratios, frequencies, and the number of occurrences can be such that the smaller value is 0, or the larger value is the maximum value, as long as the respective relationships are guaranteed. In particular, regarding the high and low levels of each ratio mentioned above, the control used to achieve these levels is not limited, as long as the phenomenal aspects are guaranteed. Furthermore, in this embodiment, each lottery value in the illustrated lottery table is merely an example, and any value within that range may be adopted for each lottery value, as long as the relative order of the lottery tables is maintained.

[0162] The present invention as described above is not limited to the above description, but also includes various modifications, improvements, and other forms as long as the objectives of the present invention are achieved.

[0163] <Note> This embodiment encompasses the following technical concepts. (1) A gaming machine comprising a base and an opening / closing body that can be opened and closed relative to the base, wherein the game is played with the opening / closing body closed, A first indication that makes it possible to identify the manufacturer of the aforementioned gaming machine, A second indication that differs from the first indication and allows for the identification of the group to which the manufacturing company belongs, It has, When the opening / closing body is in the closed state, When viewed in the vertical direction, the first display is not visible in the region above the upper end of the predetermined operating means. The entirety of the second display is visible in that area. A gaming machine characterized by the following features. (2) The gaming machine described in (1) above, The second indication is initiated based on the fulfillment of predetermined conditions. A gaming machine characterized by the following features. (3) The gaming machine described in (2) above, The aforementioned predetermined conditions are conditions that can be satisfied during non-gameplay. A gaming machine characterized by the following features. [Explanation of symbols]

[0164] 10 Gaming Machines 20 Front door 21 Top Panel 22 Lower panel 23 Bet Buttons 23a Maximum Bet Button 23b Single bet button 24 Menu Selection Buttons 24a D-pad buttons 24b Confirm button 25 Status Indicator LEDs 25a Input number display LED 25b Acquired number display LED 25c Instruction display LED 25d Replay indicator LED 25e Game start indicator LED 25f Ready to load indicator LED 25g Advantage Mode Indicator LED 26. Start lever 27 (27L, 27C, 27R) Stop button 27a Can be stopped indicator LED 28. LED display showing the number of medals. 32 Checkout button 33 Medal counting button 34 Door locks 36(36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e, 36f, 36g, 36h) Decorative LED 38 (38a, 38b, 38c, 38d) Speakers 40a, 40b Various sensors 41 (41a, 41b, 41c, 41d, 41e, 41f, 41g, 41h) Decorative LED board 42 Status Indicator LED Board 43 Stop button circuit board 43a Stop button sensor 44 Start lever sensor 45 Bet Button Circuit Board 45a Maximum Bet Button Sensor 45b Single Bet Button Sensor 45c push button sensor 46 Menu Selection Button Circuit Board 46a D-pad button sensor 46b Confirm button sensor 48. Setting change device 48a Setting Key Switch 48b Setting change switch 48c Setting display LED 48d Setting Key Cover 49 (49a, 49b, 49c, 49d) Speaker 50 Coin Count Display LED Board 51 Medal counting button circuit board 51a Medal counting button sensor 53 Control board cover 60 Gaming machine main unit 62a Upper production display area 62b Lower performance display area 63a Upper performance display device 63b Lower performance display device 64 Reel Frames 65 (65L, 65C, 65R) Reel 66 (66L, 66C, 66R) Reel Sensor 67 (67L, 67C, 67R) Reel Lighting Board 68 Reel Motor 90 Outer frame 90a Left side wall 90b Right side wall 90cm tabletop 90d bottom plate 90e Rear side wall 91 Power supply 92 Power switch 95 Sheet Metal 96 Hinge section 96a Upper hinge section 96b Middle hinge section 96c Lower hinge section 100 Main board 101, 201, 301 CPUs 102, 202, 302 RAM 103, 203, 303 ROM 104 Random Number Circuit 100 Main board 110 Game Progress Management Department 111 Internal Lottery Department 112 Reel Control Unit 113 Award Judging Section 114 Medal Management Department 115 Status Indicator LED Control Unit 120 Status Management Department 121 Configuration Change Management Department 122 Game Status Management Department 124 Game Mode Management Department 125 Main Error Management Department 130 Main Communications Department 131 Control command transmission / reception unit 132 External signal transmission unit 200 Sub-boards 204 Random Number Circuit 210 Subcommittee Communications 211 Control command receiving unit 220 Performance Management Department 221 Performance Control Unit 222 Performance Display Control Unit 223 Voice Control Unit 224 Decorative LED Control Unit 300 medal count control board 304 Control command transmission / reception unit 305 Credit Management Department 306 Medal Error Management Department 300 medal count control board 400 medal count control board case 621 Display area 622 Display area 623 Display area 1000 Dedicated Unit L1~L5 lines Za axis

Claims

[Claim 1] A first region is located above the upper end of a predetermined operating means when viewed in the vertical direction, and a second region is located below the predetermined operating means when viewed in the vertical direction. The first region and the second region are configured to be controllable by predetermined control means. It has a first marking that allows the manufacturer of the gaming machine to be identified, and a second marking that is different from the first marking and allows the group to be identified to which the manufacturer belongs. Regarding the second indication mentioned above, When the game is in a state where the progress of the game is restricted and the complete function is activated, at least a part of the second display is not visible in the first area, In at least some cases when the complete function is not activated, the entire second display is visible in the first area. Regardless of whether the complete function is activated or not, the entire first display is visible in the first area or the second area. After a predetermined period has elapsed since the completion function activation state ended, the entire second display becomes visible in the first area. A gaming machine characterized by the following features.

Images