Directional Speaker Operation Switch Unit Game Machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional operation switch units in game machines, such as pachinko-slot and slot machines, fail to distinguish between a player's own operation confirmation sound and sounds from adjacent players, leading to erroneous operation recognition.
Innovation Solution
An operation switch unit with a directional sound notification system, utilizing a directional speaker that emits sound only in a specific direction, ensuring only the player performing the operation hears the confirmation sound, thereby preventing misidentification from neighboring players.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional speaker is used to emit operation confirmation sound, then the notification can be heard by all players, but other surrounding players can also hear the sound leading to erroneous operation recognition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the sound notification directional rather than omnidirectional. The notification part emits sound preferentially in the direction of the operator who performed the input operation, creating a localized sound field that reaches only the intended recipient and not surrounding players, thus eliminating erroneous operation recognition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a directional sound field as an intermediary between the notification part and the operator. This directional sound acts as a mediator that selectively transfers the operation confirmation notification to the correct player while blocking it from reaching other players, solving the problem of mistaken operation recognition
2Loss of information
If radial sound diffusion is used for operation confirmation, then all players can hear the notification, but players cannot distinguish their own operation sound from others
Solution Approach 1:
The notification part is designed to emit sound with directional characteristics concentrated toward the operator's position. This localizes the sound quality in the spatial dimension, allowing the operator to identify their own operation confirmation sound by its directional origin while preventing other players from hearing it, thus solving the identification problem without complex additional devices
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The directional sound notification system effectively prevents erroneous operation recognition by ensuring only the player hears the operation confirmation sound, enhancing operational clarity and reducing misunderstandings.
Implementation Method 1
the notification part emits a directional sound, which does not spread uniformly but has directionality, as a notification that an operation input is performed
Data Source
AI summary
An operation switch unit attached to a game machine includes a spin button that receives an input operation of an operator, an input detector that detects that the input operation of the operator is performed, and a controller that controls a directional speaker such that the directional speaker emits a directional sound, which does not spread uniformly but has directionality, to the operator as a notification that an operation input is performed based on a detection signal from the input detector.